Misfortune: Christmas With Scrooge (23 page)

Laura quickly interceded. “It's all right,
Adell. I think I made a mistake in coming. I better leave.”

“No, please,” Adell implored.

“That's right, Laura, run away. It appears to
solve all your problems.” He sneered after her.

She came to an abrupt halt and burning
angrily, spun back to face him. Any attempt at remaining composed
vanished. “I'm not the one running away, Dexter O'Reilly. Take a
good long look in the mirror and tell me what you see. It's a
sapless excuse for a man.”

“Oh dear,” Lydia O’Reilly uttered.

“You're too frightened to face the past and
even more gullible to face a future. You won't allow yourself to
feel love or—”

“Dexter?” A squeaky voice broke out of the
now captivated gathering. “There you are. What's going on?”

The voice belonged to a platinum bottled-dyed
blonde in a slinky hot pink gown. Laura instantly recognized the
woman from the day she unexpectedly showed up in Dexter's office
and found her sprawled across his lap.

The woman, known only as Bridget, recognized
Laura as well. Possessively, she slid into Dexter's embrace and
pouted her full scarlet lips up at him. “What's she doing
here?”

CHAPTER 10

“She was just leaving.” He disentangled
himself from the woman's clutches.

“Dexter!” Adell angrily glared at her son.
“Laura is my guest.”

Laura stood there, unable to remove her eyes
from the sculptured beauty running a long painted finger along his
arm. An abhorrent picture of the two making love, had her almost
sick to her stomach. Her time with Dexter had been special, one she
harbored close to her heart, regardless of his own feelings.
Suddenly, it held a new, less earnest meaning.

Feeling very close to tears, she was relieved
when Adell took her by the arm and led her in the direction of the
kitchen.

“Let me get you something to drink.” She was
placed gently on a kitchen stool. “Don't mind Bridget. Ever since
the woman met Dexter, she's had her claws fixed firmly in him.”

“He doesn't seem to mind.”

“Don't let him fool you.” His mother pulled a
glass tumbler from the cupboard above her head. “When he discovers
he's in love, he'll fight tooth and nail.”

Excepting the scotch and soda water, Laura
raised her brows. “I don't think he's capable of loving.”

“Oh he feels love.” Adell was certain. “He
just fights off the emotion.”

“Adell I owe you more than I can ever repay.
And I failed you. I wanted to apologize to Dexter but he makes it
so difficult.”

“Yes, I admit, I would like to see you and
Dexter patch things up, but I can't live his life for him. He has
to learn how to do it for himself.” Patting the girl's hand, she
smiled. “Now this nonsense about owing me is ridiculous. I haven't
done anything a true friend wouldn't do for another.”

“You've gone beyond that.” Moving over beside
her at the counter, she said, “You paid for the shelter’s
renovations, didn’t you?”

Adell spun around surprised. “That's not
true.”

“Oh, well, then Norton’s construction company
did it. Either way, you needn't hide it from me anymore,
Adell.”

The woman frowned. “Honestly, we had nothing
to do with it.”

“Why deny it? I know the truth now.” She
began placing some richly saturated desserts on a crystal platter.
“Dexter told me he was able to pull some strings to bring about the
restoration. However, the funds did not come from the insurance
company as I assumed.”

“They didn’t come from me, Laura.” Adell
stopped slicing the pickled eggs she was preparing and turned
firmly on the girl. “I'm not sure what Dexter exactly told you, but
I didn’t have anything to do with it. I wish I could take the
credit but I can't.”

“Well if not you or the insurance company,
than who? That would leave—” Laura paused mid-sentence. Immediately
her mind began to renounce such thoughts. There simply was no time
for such ridiculous musings. Turning abruptly away, she picked up
the tray of delicacies. “No matter, I received the miniature
cottage, Adell.”

“Cottage? What are you talking about?”

She sighed, hardly believing the extent the
woman was willing to go to conceal the truth. “I saw your cottage
out in the hall. You sent me a replica.”

Adell's face looked slightly confused, then
began to slowly glow. “Laura, that cottage was a gift.”

Stopping midway toward the kitchen exit, she
turned and looked blankly back. “A gift? From who?”

The glow on the older woman's face began to
grow brighter until she was beaming from ear to ear. “From
Dexter.”

Laura's face grew pallid, the blood having
been sapped dry. “Dex-Dexter?”

Without realizing it, the platter she held in
her hand slid from her numb fingers and fell with a crash to the
shining tiled floor below. With a jolt, she gave a cry and dropped
to her knees. “I'm sorry, how dreadfully stupid of me.”

“Don't worry about it dear.” Adell knelt
beside her. “You've just received a shock.”

“Th-that can't be true.” The words fell
clumsily over her tongue. “Th-that would mean—”

Adell nodded but held herself from providing
the answers.

Laura's mind began to race. Memories from the
past came hurdling back. Dexter despising the entire shelter
project, Dexter refusing to contribute a charitable donation, and
Dexter spurning any participation in the fundraisers. There had to
be a mistake. No possible way he had anything to do with this.

“No, I can't believe that. What possible
reason could he have? He's always hated the shelter. He believes I
am throwing my money away and still believes . . .”

Her voice trailed off as her words registered
in her brain. Why was Dexter so angry she was re-opening the
shelter? If he truly did not care as much as he claimed, he would
leave her to destroy her life as much as she pleased. But he had
been furious, downright hateful, as if her actions affected him
personally.

She lifted her eyes and stared blankly at
Adell. Without responding, she simply looked back, grinning
ridiculously, and nodded. Then turning to a utility cupboard,
removed a broom and dustpan.

“We heard something smash.” Harris came into
the room followed by his wife. “Is everything okay?”

“What the hell happened in here?” The man of
her troubled thoughts came bursting through the kitchen entrance
behind his brother and sister-in-law.

On their own accord, Laura's eyes raised to
his face and watched the anger dance across his handsome
features.

“Everything's okay.” Adell reassured her
sons. “We just had a small accident.”

Dexter frowned as he observed Laura kneeling
among the broken glass. In two large strides he reached her side
and pulled her to her feet. “What's the matter with you?”

She couldn't speak; all she was capable of
doing was stare him dumbfounded in the face. Dexter frowned
harder.

“Nothing, she's just had bit of a shock.” His
mother informed him as she began to sweep around their feet.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

She nodded, not sure why.

He reached for her hands and lifted them for
inspection. In finding no injury, he raised puzzled eyes to her
face again. “There's nothing wrong with you.”

Again, she stupidly nodded.

Exasperated, he dropped her hands. “Make up
your mind.”

“Leave her alone, Dexter.” Harris
unexpectedly piped up. “Can't you ever throw someone a little
compassion?”

Ignoring his brother, he asked Adell, “How
did it happen?”

She simply gave a shrug. “Oh, you know how
mishaps happen. Laura just being the Laura we all know and
love.”

He groaned and rolled his eyes heavenward.
“Speak for yourself, mother. Laura's capacity to draw misfortune
wherever she goes, believe me, is what I least love about her.”

Laura gasped and felt her legs go lifeless.
An electric jolt pierced her heart and ricochet along every nerve
draining the blood from her body. Nobody seemed to notice her
apparent discomfort, especially Dexter who appeared oblivious to
his own slip of words while he continued talking in a monotone
manner.

“If you've got this mess in here under
control I suppose I should go out and reassure everyone
everything’s okay in here.”

“Thank you Dexter.” His mother grinned in the
most ridiculous fashion.

He gave her a dubious frown before turning
his attention to Laura momentarily. Her face had gone deathly white
and she appeared to be shaking slightly. The urge to go over and
comfort had him turning angrily on his heel. Damn woman, the sooner
he got her out of his life the better. So why couldn't he bring
himself to do just that?

Laura watched as he exited the room, followed
by Harris and shortly Lydia who stayed back long enough to make
sure her help wasn't needed.

After they all left, she raised a hopeful
face toward the woman holding the broom.

“Looks like there's reason after all.” Was
all Adell offered.

But it was enough. A burst of hopeful
promises overcame her for the first time in a long time. She
actually had concrete encouragement. He had said it. He actually
said the words whether consciously or not. He used his words
moderately and with stringent control. Dexter O'Reilly was a man of
his word.

The blood began to flow back to her face once
more and her pulses slowly began a normal rhythm. Energy, which
earlier seemed to be lacking, now overflowed and with it an
overdose of strength. The shield Dexter so desperately hid behind,
seemingly built of brick and martyr, now suddenly appeared of glass
and Laura was easily able to see clearly through it. With love as
her defense Laura would shatter that wall and conquer his
unyielding heart.

An unseen force guided her out of the kitchen
and into the room overflowing with Adell’s guest. Astonishingly,
the crowd appeared to diminish granting Laura a straightaway view
of Dexter across the room of many faces. He had not noticed her
yet, as he was deep in conversation with a smaller redheaded man
whose complexion mirrored awfully similar to his hair. Laura headed
instinctively in his direction.

As she approached, she noticed Bridget
hovering nearby, excluded from their conversation. However, upon
seeing Laura’s approach she turned to Dexter and seductively
fastened herself to him. Irked, Dexter turned toward the bottled
blonde and annoyingly removed her grasp from about him. Laura
smiled. It really wasn’t polite on his part, however at that moment
it was the perfect thing to do.

Aggravated at Bridget’s unwanted mauling,
Dexter put her firmly to the side and returned his attention back
to the gentleman with whom he was enjoying a conversation.
Something red caught the corner of his eye, however, as it was
approaching him rather swiftly. He looked up from the pinkish man
and watched suspiciously as Laura approached. She looked far too
pleased with herself. He wondered what she was coming over to gloat
about now. However, the closer she advanced the warier he became.
Much more than gloating lurked in those glittering green depths of
hers. No, she looked as if she was far too happy.

Then, before he could react, she took the
last few steps in two large strides, slid her body up against his,
and wound her arms about his neck. “What the—?”

“I love you too.” She pressed a kiss to his
mouth.

He faltered momentarily, before reaching up
and dragging her arms back down. However, he did not remove her
body. “What the hell are you doing?”

Laura grinned, then slid her arms back up,
unrelenting. “I love you, Dexter.”

This time he sighed heavily in annoyance as
again he reached up for her arms. “Will you stop this? What’s wrong
with you? You’re talking like a crazed woman.”

“Dexter!” Bridget whined loudly, coming out
of her sudden shock. “What does she think she’s doing?”

The gentleman he was talking with earlier,
grinned amusingly. “It’s seems to me young man you’ve got your arms
full. It’s not every day a man has two woman falling all over
him.”

But Dexter was not pleased as he attempted to
remove Laura’s arms once again. Bridget got louder as it was clear
she was getting more excited. He could feel a throbbing begin at
the back of his head. “Dexter, I mean it. Tell this little
whore—”

“Shut up Bridget!” he barked.

“How dare you! If you don’t get rid of her
right now, I swear I’ll leave and never come back.”

“Goodbye.” At that moment, it sounded like
the best thing he heard all day.

Bridget’s eyes widened, then in a huff turned
angrily toward Laura who still stood far too intimately within
Dexter’s embrace, but refrained from sliding her arms back around
his neck. Then in a dramatic sweep she fled out of the room of
curious onlookers.

“That wasn’t very nice.” Laura pointed
quietly out to him as she slipped her arms back around his
neck.

“Brace yourself, you’re getting the same
dose.” He reached up and gripped her arms.

“No, I’m not.”

He wavered. “Why not?”

“Because I love you.” She leaned close to
whisper, “and you love me.”

His cold eyes warmed briefly before he
dragged her arms down and muttered, “Now you’re simply talking
stupid. Where would you get an absurd idea like that?”

“From you.”

“What?” he bellowed. “Have you lost your
mind?”

He released her arms and Laura used the
opportunity to slide them once more up his chest and lock them
behind his head. Going up on tiptoe she leaned forward and
whispered in his ear, “Thank you for the cottage.”

His entire body stilled, then he asked, “What
cottage?”

“I know Dexter. Everything.”

There was a moment’s pause before it occurred
to Dexter that they had an audience. His gaze scanned the room over
her head and locked eyes with his mothers. She simply shrugged and
gave him the sweetest smile. He sighed in defeat then reached for
Laura’s death grip about his neck.