Letters From Al (19 page)

"And if she doesn't, I will." A voice made of steel and ice joined their conversation. Maddy looked up to see Alec's stern face peering at them through the screen door. He must have heard everything.

Larry straightened up. Clenching his teeth he looked at them both with a venomous stare. None too gently, Alec yanked open the screen door, letting it bang shut behind him as he faced his adversary. Skip and Buffy along with Marie entered the room just then.

"Jeez, Larry, what did you do to have the law here already?" Buffy spoke up and Maddy had to grin at the misconception.

"What an entrance, deputy. Your timing is perfect." Maddy spoke under her breath as she moved closer to Alec. "Alec, these are my friends from Chicago. Well, three of them are. This is Buffy and Skip and Marie. That is Larry."

"Oh, he's the one who's leaving?" Alec spoke menacingly and took a step in his direction. Larry gave them all a malevolent look, jerked away from Marie's protective hand on his arm and went upstairs without a word.

Alec turned to the others after Larry left and nodded politely, his familiar grin returning. Skip held out a hand and Alec shook it, which seemed to break the ice.

"Guys, this is Deputy McKay, Alec McKay."

Buffy's eyes were wide and admiring, "Gee, a lawman, Maddy. That's nice and safe." Buffy had a habit of always speaking from the heart and usually without thinking, but no one took offense and even Alec joined in the laughter.

"Well, just for the record. Maddy didn't call. I was just passing by and saw all the cars. She said she wanted me to meet you though." He winked at her. "No time like the present."

Recalling their squabbling over names, Maddy blushed, but was so glad to see him she didn't care. She'd never seen Larry act the way he had, and to be truthful, she'd been a little frightened of him.

"Well, I'll go see how Larry is." Marie gave Alec a stiff nod and disappeared upstairs. A short time later, he and Marie came down with their suitcases and announced they were leaving.

"He asked me to drive back with him. Buffy and Skip can take your rental back and you'll have your own car here. He needs someone. I'm going. No hard feelings, Maddy. I never meant to make trouble, just fix things. Sorry." Shifting the heavy suitcase from one hand to the other, her friend shrugged off Maddy's protests.

"I can't believe this." Skip said to no one in particular.

"He won't be good for her either. Poor Marie, if he sticks around a month, she'll be lucky." Buffy predicted with a sigh and joined Skip in the other room.

The lace curtains swayed briefly in the wind at the abrupt departure. Alec came up behind Maddy, his hands rested on her shoulders in a comforting gesture.

"It's like the end of a friendship when she walked out that door, Alec. Worst part of it is I know she'll get hurt. Larry's a user. He'll use her up and then leave her."

"You tried to warn her, Maddy. Come on. You've still got a couple friends that are staying." He bent down and hugged her from behind. "And you know what? I think I'm going to like that old Skip. And Buffy, she's sure cute."

"Oh, you think so, huh?" She wiggled out of his grasp and slapped at him playfully, "how cute?"

"Not as cute as you."

"Good answer, come on."

"I guess Larry didn't like the room you gave him, Maddy." Skip tied to keep a straight face as they settled down in the living room later.

"Well, I did give him the one that needs repapering." They all laughed and enjoyed easy conversation as they got acquainted. Skip and Buffy were full of wedding plans, and surprisingly, Alec really did seem to enjoy her friends.

"Tell you what, Maddy. We'll have a big old-fashioned barbecue to celebrate your staying and Buffy and Skip's engagement. I'll invite my friends and fire up the grill."

"What do you think about it, guys?" Maddy turned to the couple and they nodded enthusiastically.

"We can have it at my place," Alec offered.

"Oh, no, let's have the party here. It can be a housewarming, too." Maddy said excitedly.

"That's a great idea. We'll have room to set up the volleyball net in your yard." Alec's excitement was infectious. Maddy never had hosted a big party before but it sounded like fun. The afternoon was over too quickly, and Maddy walked Alec to his patrol car.

"Sure you can't stay longer?" She liked to have him around.

"No, wish I could. I traded shifts with a guy at work. But I'm relieved you won't be alone tonight."

"Worry wart, I told you I have a baseball bat under my bed. Actually it's Aunt Polly's, she had an extra one."

"That was lucky for Larry. Hey, I really do have to go to work. Not much else would keep me away, you know that?"

"Something like that, I'm just glad I popped in when I did today. If that guy calls or comes back and bothers you, you know what to do."

Her touch brought him back to the present, and he relaxed and kissed her fingers, folding them into his own.

"What's the matter? Don't you think I handled him pretty good? I thought I did fine." She flexed her arm muscle and tried to look tough.

Alec paused a moment before answering, amusement on his face as he tried to cover a grin.

"Oh, I wasn't worried about you so much. It was poor, old Larry I felt sorry for. That was a good move with the elbow. Looked like it hurt."

He waved at Skip and Buffy and got in his car. Laughing she shook a fist at him and then waved as he drove away.

"He's quite a guy, Maddy. Much improved from your last boyfriend." Buffy stood on the porch behind her.

"Yes, he is." Maddy hugged herself happily and smiled in agreement. "I never believed I’d find a love anymore until now. But we're not rushing into anything. We're having too much fun getting to know each other again."

"You're playing it smart, girl." Skip interrupted, "Look how Buffy rushed me into marriage."

"Yes, how long have you been going together? Six years. Some rush job." Maddy figured with Buffy agreeing.

"We're in it for the long haul." He bent over and kissed Buffy.

That's what I want, Maddy thought, watching her two friends so happily in love.

Alec's comings and goings since she arrived were becoming more and more a habit she loved. His joyful personality and tenderness were easy to be around. He knew just when she needed a soft touch and sympathetic ear and she enjoyed that closeness. Sometimes when she was alone she feared they were going too fast, but when they were together, everything was right.

Alec handled it all perfectly. He hadn't seemed overly upset when he left and was teasing her so maybe it bothered her more than him. It would take time to get over being bushwhacked by Larry and Marie, but seeing Alec in action with Larry only reinforced her feelings for him.

Chapter
12

True to his word, Alec got a barbecue together complete with 20 or 30 of his closest friends. Party day dawned sunny and hot, typical August weather in the Midwest. Maddy and her houseguests had talked over old times until the wee hours of the morning. They were bumping around getting coffee and orange juice flowing the next morning when Aunt Polly arrived. After introductions they soon were soon visiting with each other like long lost friends over her famous apple coffeecake.

Aunt Polly had the honor of being the first guest invited to Maddy's very first, official barbecue. Being included pleased her a lot, so much so she offered to bring the potato salad and various homemade goodies.

Settling into her favorite chair in the kitchen, Aunt Polly listened in astonishment about the previous day's visitors and the entire fiasco that followed.

"You mean, this Larry person showed up and tried to talk you into going back to Chicago? Not one to think fast on his feet, I’d say. You should have called me. I would have brought my Louieville slugger along and taken care of things for you."

“
Well, our girl handled things pretty well, and having a lawman for a boyfriend as back-up, didn’t hurt.”

"I still feel badly," Buffy said. "We both knew how Marie is, and we should have called you when she started talking about coming, especially when Larry showed up. Believe it or not, I had misgivings but Skip here, wouldn't listen." She poked at him playfully and he sat up straight in protest.

"Hey, you women are supposed to know what you're doing. And Marie, well, she's extra hard to say 'no' to. You know that, Maddy. But I must say you really put your foot down with both her and Larry. And it's about time."

"I should have done it before, but nothing ever seemed worth fighting with her about until now. I hope I didn't hurt her. She's going to have her share of that if she stays with Larry."

* * *

Alec watched the clock for most of the day. He almost wished it wasn't so quiet, being inside doing paperwork made it seem even longer. Finally his shift was over, and he headed home for a quick shower and change of clothes then over to Maddy's and the barbecue. He worried that seeing her Chicago friends again, nice as they were, might somehow make her homesick for the big city. It wasn't fair to think that, especially after meeting Larry Preston and seeing how he treated Maddy, but he still worried.

When he pulled up in front of Maddy's house, they were all lolling on the wicker lawn furniture on the porch.

"Hey, man. Don't ever go shopping with these two. They wore me out." Skip groaned getting up to help Alec unload the barbecue grill.

Maddy and Buffy helped with the grocery sacks and took them into the kitchen. Alec gave Maddy a quick kiss in passing, which turned into several more.

"Thank you. I've waited all day to do that."

"I hate to discourage such a good kisser, but the company is arriving early." Maddy pointed to several cars that had pulled up outside.

"Let them wait." His kissed her again, and Maddy couldn't help but melt right into it, leaving them both a little breathless. Buffy blundered in just then with an empty glass.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that but there's some guys here, big guys, and they want to know where to put the keg."

"Be right there, Buffy," Alec started to pull away but Maddy yanked him back.

"Just a minute, you tease. You finally get me to wait for that darn truck of yours to turn in my driveway and then you leave me for a keg." She crossed her arms and looked away, waiting for his reaction.

"So you do wait at the window just to see me, huh? I thought so." He sounded pleased.

"I guess I do." Maddy's breath caught in her throat. "It kind of scares me. We've only been back together such a short time sometimes I think it's too good to be true. But then you leave and I can't wait for you to come back. I guess I worry you might not want to be stuck with me."

"Hey, don't worry about that. I know it's going fast, it is for me too. And I know that it worries you. But Maddy, don't think about it so much, it's like I've been waiting for you all my life. I don't want anything to ruin it either. It's a second chance for us."

"I was afraid when you heard what Larry said."

"Don't worry about Larry, that’s in the past. You're my girl now. Just believe that."

"I believe." Maddy held his face in her hands, her heart beating with relief and joy. He said she was his girl, Maddy's heart beat even faster and she didn't hesitate to kiss him this time.

"We hate to break up a Kodak moment here, but there are people thirsting and starving outside this very door." Skip broke in with Buffy trying to pull him back.

"You big city people have lousy timing." Alec hugged Maddy and raised one eyebrow.

"No, just empty stomachs. What time is this shindig supposed to start? There are a lot of people here already. Come on." Skip yelled over his shoulder.

The old picnic table in the back was covered with a bright plastic tablecloth and Tim and some others set up a keg of beer with a washtub full of ice and pop.

Skip grabbed Alec and tied a big chef's apron on him. Maddy giggled when she read the bold, black letters on the front that said, "I love the chef." After cranking his head to read it, he frowned at Skip who in turn, pointed to Maddy.

"It's from her, Man, not me."

"Thank goodness." Alec grimaced and caught Maddy's arm as she walked by. "Hey, do you? Love the chef, I mean?" Kissing him hard and quickly, Maddy just smiled and slipped away again without answering.

"Let's see how good you can cook before I commit myself." She grabbed a plate of raw hamburgers and gestured to the fast growing crowd.

The evening went fast, too fast. They ate, drank, played volleyball and Frisbee and cuddled by a fire later. But all too soon it was over and everyone began to leave with promises of getting together again. Her first house party was a success.

* * *

Buffy and Skip were up early for their return trip home.

"Okay, so here's the name and number of the landlord, just have him do the paperwork and send it to me to sign. Since I've got everything I need here, you can use whatever you want of my furniture. Just send the clothes and shoes and books. Well, here's a list. Just put everything else in storage. That way you'll be moved in before the wedding."