Package Deal (18 page)

Kelly’s interest was piqued at the prospect of Jill having a date. “So who’s the guy? Anyone I know?” She hoped he was single this time.

“I don’t think so.”

“Well, who is he? What’s he like?” Kelly probed her for details. “Is he married?”

“No, he’s not married.” Jill replied, sounding like a belligerent teenager. “He’s a friend of a friend of a friend. We’ve gone out a few times. No fireworks. So, tell me about Daytona. Hell’s angels and boy toys from colleges around the world?”

She’d changed the subject again. Jill was clever at that. “I think I’ve already missed all the excitement. Bike Week was in March and Spring Break was in late March to early April. Maybe next year.” Kelly laughed.

“So…Jill, this guy you’re going out with is married, isn’t he?”

“No, he’s not married. It’s really not very exciting. Can we drop it, please?”

Over the years, Kelly had nagged Jill about dating married men, but it bothered her when her best friend wouldn’t, or thought she couldn’t, level with her. Maybe she shouldn’t have hounded her. Some of their values differed, but she’d accepted Jill for who she was. As long as it didn’t affect Kelly’s own life, it didn’t matter.

“I’m sorry if I’ve been on your case about married men. I just hate to see you get hurt. I want to see you happy, and it bothers me that you feel like you can’t tell me the truth.”

“Kelly! This man is not married. I’d tell you. I can take your disapproval, so let’s drop it. Please.”

“Okay, I’m sorry. It’s just—”

Jill gave her no time to finish. “Apology accepted. Now, let’s talk about you. Nothing’s changed here. Same old stuff. How’s Lacy? Does she love Florida?”

“I think she will. She’s already adjusted to her daycare. School is almost out, so I didn’t bother putting her in the elementary school for three weeks. I thought it might be too much change after the relocation. You know—new home, new school. She can start second grade in the fall.”

“Second grade. Wow. I miss her and her rat.” Kelly knew Lacy could be a handful for Jill, who’d never had children.

“Never thought I’d say that.” She laughed. “Tell her to make Aunt Jill a sand castle. God, I envy you guys.

“Done deal. Oh, I talked to my lawyer yesterday.” Kelly thought Jill might be interested. “Ken’s still considering a counter suit. My lawyer says his chances of winning are slim to none. Boy, he’s got a lot of nerve. I can’t believe I ever thought he was charming.” Her anger simmered. “He’s about as charming as a dog with rabies.”

“Whoa. This is beginning to sound like some sort of revenge trip. I don’t know why you don’t drop the whole thing.”

“Drop it?” Kelly couldn’t believe her ears. "We’ve been through this already, Jill. Ken is going to see this through, even if I have to make him!”

“I’m worried about you. This whole business has you so upset. You’re usually calm, such a great coper, but the minute you start talking about Ken, you go off the deep end. You get
crazy
. Lately, it seems you’re dredging up all kinds of bad stuff from the past. I’m just not sure it’s worth it.”

“You think
I’m
crazy? I was seven years old when my dad left, then the most important man in my life took a hike. Neither of them even came to Robby’s funeral!” The bitter memory cut deep, and she swallowed hard, pushing the pain back to a safe place. “I don’t ever want Lacy to feel the way I did.”

“What does it matter if he pays child support? You don’t need it. You’re earning enough to support Lacy. I honestly don’t get it,
Kel
. You want Ken out of your life, but you won’t let him go. You are making yourself miserable.”

“I just think if my father had done something, anything—set aside a few dollars over the years for me—maybe it wouldn’t have seemed so final or hurt me so much. Instead, there was nothing! No visits, no phone calls, no presents, no child support. No college fund. Nothing! Just a black hole.”

“Kelly, you’re twenty-eight years old. That was a long time ago. Time should have healed those wounds.”

“The wound is healed, Jill, but the scar remains.”

Jill sighed. “You’re punishing Ken for what your dad did to you,” she insisted. “This isn’t healthy.”

Kelly yanked the phone away from her ear. “Jesus! I can’t believe this conversation.” She held the phone back up to her ear. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were sleeping with the enemy,” she blurted into the phone.

“Two people make a baby, Jill, and two people are responsible. Forever! Have you been listening to anything I’ve been saying? The only thing that counts is the need for a child to feel her life is important to the two people who created her.” Blood surged to her head, throbbing at her temples. Jill would never understand. “Forget it,” she added, her anger dissolving into disappointment.

“You’re right,” Jill came back in a soothing voice. “I don’t know what I’m talking about. My dad has always been there for me. I thought maybe, well…if you just…oh, never mind. I have a big mouth. I’m really sorry, Kel, believe me.”

Kelly considered Jill’s apology. “Why do we always get into this, Jill? I don’t want Ken coming between us. Maybe you’re right about my getting crazy. Let’s change the subject to something less emotional. I shouldn’t be taking this out on you. Lacy and I have been under the weather the last couple days, and the accommodations haven’t exactly been the Hilton. Also…I miss my best friend.”

“I miss you, too. You’ll make some new friends in no time, once you’re settled. You’ll be okay. You’re an independent lady, and you’ll be in control again in no time. I’m not worried about you. I am worried you’ll make yourself sick over this lawsuit though.”

Kelly knew Jill was right. “I’ll try and mellow out. I promise. As soon as I get moved in, I’ll join a club and meet some people. I’m going to ask my mom to fly down for a week soon. It’ll be nice being closer to her.”

Kelly wished her relationship with her mother was more satisfying, and she promised herself to work on improving communication between them.

“Well, don’t invite her until the sleeping accommodations have improved.” Jill chuckled. “I’m your best friend, and
I
wouldn’t sleep on a lawn chair, even for you.”

“Cute! Tonight’s the last night, I hope. We should have real beds tomorrow. I think I’ll sleep for a week.”

“I don’t think your boss would approve. Call in dead, but never call in tired. Boss man won’t understand”

They swapped a few more stories, and promised never to discuss Ken again, then Lacy abandoned her pet rat to talk to Jill for a minute before Kelly hung up.

She picked Lacy up. “It’s late, and we both have to get up early in the morning.”

“I think he needs a new sock to sleep in, Mommy.”

“How about a new old sock.”

Lacy agreed. “Can Skunk go to school with me tomorrow?" Still holding Skunk, she dropped him into his tank and covered him with the sock. The rat squirmed into the sock until nothing showed but his bald pink tail. “Roger wants to meet him.”

“Who’s Roger?”" Kelly helped Lacy take off her clothes and slip into her nightgown.

“He’s my new boyfriend. He’s handsome just like Mr. Steve”"

Kelly forced her lips into a straight line, trying to hide a grin.

“He wants to see Skunk. His mommy won’t let him have a rat.”

“Well, maybe another day. First you need to ask your teacher. She might not feel the same way about rats as we do.”

Lacy’s face crumpled into a pout.

“How about if I write your teacher a note?”

“Okay. But if she says no, I’m taking him in my pocket.”

Kelly ignored her. It would serve no purpose to argue. She slipped off her own clothes, pulled on a nightgown then went out to the porch and unfolded the two cheap lounge chairs they’d slept on the previous night. She fluffed comforters over each before she and Lacy climbed onto them for the night.

Lacy fell asleep in seconds, but Kelly’s mind spiraled out of control, running through her list of “to do’s”.
 
Tomorrow
: beds, pots and pans, and maybe a home-cooked meal. Probably not, she reconsidered. It would be late after the movers left, so there would be no time to cook. They could manage for two more days on junk food, but Saturday she would cook a real meal. No more food from small white paper bags, no more lawn chair marks on her backside.

She hoped the movers would help her set up the beds and place the furniture, if not, she would manage somehow.
Maybe Steve will drop by.
A warm tingle traveled down her limbs, centering in a space just below her stomach. She’d come to count on him dropping by, but, of course, he hadn’t tonight, and she was disappointed but not surprised. She’d been pretty rough on him last night after pizza. Bi-polar might be a better word. She was certainly beginning to question her own sanity. But he’d crossed the line, suggesting she wasn’t taking her responsibilities as a mother seriously enough. His remarks had enraged her then, but now they didn’t even cause a spark.

She laughed in the dark. Maybe Jill was right. Maybe she
was
crazy. It was the move, or the stress of the new job. She sighed, a sudden sadness enveloping her. After last night, she might not see him again. Who could blame him. Bi-polar Pearson.

Jill had nicknamed Steve the iceman because he worked in cryogenics, but Steve was all warmth, patience, and charm—his intentions always good, even last night. She was the one who iced over. Got moody. Nope, Steve was anything but an iceman.

She rolled over and gazed through the screens to the dark sky above. A feathery cloud layer masked part of the moon, and a heaven full of stars flickered from light years away, calming her. She reached over, pulled the cover up over Lacy’s ear then snuggled onto her side beneath the old comforter. The reinforcing bars of the lounge dug into her side. Would morning ever come? She closed her eyes, hearing Jill’s words burning in her ears.
Lacy deserves a chance. Lacy needs a father.

Chapter Twenty

K
elly eyed the phone with skepticism. Waldo had left his desk for a run to the coffee machine, and she would have a few minutes for a private call without prying ears. She stared at the business card in her hand. Steve’s.

Kelly
,
you were terrible the other night.

It hadn’t been the first time he’d witnessed her unstable behavior, and Steve McCarthy was no fool. He was history, and she needed to leave him alone. She didn’t need him or owe him an apology. Ripping the card in half, she hesitated, her hand above the wastebasket. Yes, her reaction had been overboard, but… She taped the card back together.

“O-o-h,” she groaned, and against her better judgment, she dialed his number anyway.

“Hi. You’ve reached three-four-six-two-seven-nine-seven. I can’t get to the phone right now, so if you’ll leave your name and number aft…”

Voicemail. Before the message was over, she lost her nerve and hung up. A second later, she redialed and listened, his voice—like butter—melting away any inhibitions. The man got under her skin. Her calling him had nothing to do with her need to be fair, although, she
had
acted irrationally. Truth be told, she missed him already. It had taken her years to reach this point, and she wasn’t ready to chase him off yet. It had only taken two sleepless nights in a damn lawn chair to make her admit it.

The recorded message ended. “After the tone, leave your name and number, and I’ll get back with you as soon as possible. Thanks.”

Ble-e-ep.

Her heart raced. “Uh, Steve…” Her mind blanked, and her sanity returned, or maybe it was old habits. “This is crazy,” she muttered, flipping her cell phone shut and ending the call.