Lean on Me (The Mackay Sisters)

by Verdenius, Angela

  He glanced away, clenching one fist on the table, the audible pop of his knuckles loud in the deserted café. “I know.”

  “So why make such a big deal out of it?” she demanded.

  “I didn’t…” He paused for breath and looked back at her.

  She glared at him.

  “I did.” His shoulders slumped suddenly. “Shit, Lori, I’m sorry. Harriet has me tied up in knots. She doesn’t…” Again he hesitated, rubbing his hand over his jaw before scrubbing tiredly at his eyes. “It is a big deal, for her at least.”

  “Look, Tommy, it’s not my business what you and this Harriet do.” She started to push to her feet. “I haven’t told anyone and I won’t tell anyone. What you and your girlfriend do is between you two.”

  Grabbing her hand, he stopped her from leaving the table. Looking up at her, he looked tired, disheartened. “Lori, wait.”

  “Tommy-”

  “Please. I just want to talk to you.”

  At the hopeless expression in his eyes, she nodded slowly and sat back down, the anger draining from her. “Okay.”

  Taking a deep breath, he released her hand. “Harriet doesn’t want anyone to know that she and I are seeing each other, that we’re…lovers.”

  Not about to ask anything, Lori just nodded.

  “I’m resorting to sneaking around after dark and in the early hours of the mornings, sneaking from her bed before anyone can see us.”

  A sudden thought struck Lori. “Is she married?”

  “No!” Tommy scowled again. “I don’t condone cheating in marriage and I wouldn’t do it. You should know me better than that, Lori Mackay.”

  “I don’t know you that well at all,” she returned. “We’ve never been what you’d call friends, just friendly. So no, I don’t know, but even if you did it’s not my business.”

  “Well I don’t, all right?”

  She held up both hands. “All right.” When he continued to scowl, she added, “I believe you. But still, why are you telling me all this?”

  “I just want you to understand. You come home early in the mornings or late at night often, so…”

  “You’re forewarning me if I see your car at her house again?”

  “Yes. No. Not forewarning exactly.” His shoulders slumped. “Shit, Lori. How the hell am I supposed to have a relationship with a woman when she insists no one knows?”

  That was a question that Lori didn’t really know how to answer, so she wisely kept her silence.

  “I don’t want to sneak around, hell, it’s really getting to me, and I don’t mean just the late and crazy hours.” Tommy shoved one hand through his hair. “Damn it, you’re a woman. What’s Harriet’s problem?”

  She looked at him. “How would I know?”

  “Because you’re a woman.”

  “Doesn’t mean I know what she’s thinking.”

  “Well, talk to her then, make her see this is ridiculous.”

  Now she was appalled. “Are you kidding me? I’m not going to get involved in your love life!”

  He grabbed her hand, his expression pleading. “Come on, Lori. Please. I’m a desperate man.”

  “Tommy, seriously, if you can’t work out your relationship with Harriet, nothing I say is going to change anything except get me in the middle of your problems, which I don’t want to do.” She tugged her hand free. “I’m sorry, but no.”

  “Why not?”

  “I just told you!”

  “I’m not asking you to hand me the moon, not asking you to do the impossible.”

  Lori threw out one hand. “Listen to yourself. Have you thought what my interfering will do to your relationship with Harriet? If she wants this kept silent, how is she going to feel if I rock up on her doorstep with advice - in your favour, I might add?”

  Swearing, he leaned back in the booth. “You’re right. I wasn’t thinking.”

  Feeling sorry for him despite everything, she sighed. “I’m really sorry, Tommy, but you need to sort this out yourself.”

  “I know, I know.” He rubbed his eyes and stared silently at the tabletop.

  After several minutes had passed in silence, he suddenly shoved himself to his feet. Reaching down, he caught her elbow and helped her out of the booth, almost hauling her out, actually. Picking up her small bag, he shoved it into her hand and steered her towards the door.

  “You’re right, I need to sort this out myself. If there’s anything left to sort out. Truth to tell, this relationship is going nowhere. I should just cut my losses.” He flipped the ‘closed’ sign over to ‘open’. “Thanks for listening, Lori, and thanks for agreeing to keep this quiet, though I was stupid to think you wouldn’t, I know you probably see more than most people realise and keep it secret. You and your sister are like that. Thanks.”

  Head still reeling from his sudden fast movements, Lori found herself out the door and standing on the footpath.

  The door shut behind her, but not before she heard him mutter, “You’d think Harriet would be the only woman who was older than her man. As if fi -”

  Even though a passing motorbike drowned out the rest of his words, it was still enough to catch her attention and have her swinging back to stare at the door.

  At that precise second it opened again and Tommy came out, catching her up in a quick hug and a kiss to the forehead, muttering as he did so, “I’m so sorry, Lori. I acted like a total dickhead.” Then he released her and disappeared back inside the café.

  Mouth open, she stared at the door for several seconds before slowly turning away to find Old Man Parker watching her avidly.

  “So,” he said. “You and Tommy are…?”

  “No!” Not knowing what else to say, especially as she spotted Mrs Swanson standing on the opposite footpath watching her just as avidly, she started for the car. “No, I’m not going out with Tommy. There’s nothing between Tommy and me.”

  “Apart from a hug and a kiss?” he queried.

  Mrs Swanson arrived just in time to hear this, naturally. “Tommy and you were kissing, Lori? I never knew you and he were an item.”

  “We’re not an item.” Geez! “It was nothing.”

  Old Man Parker looked at the café. “Yeah? Well, he doesn’t seem to think it’s nothing.”

  Lori glanced over her shoulder to see Tommy standing at the café window. He gave her a sad smile and moved away as his door opened to admit three teenagers.

  “Did you and Tommy break up?” Mrs Swanson made a little moue of sympathy, even as her eyes gleamed brightly.

  “No, we didn’t break up.” Lori hurriedly unlocked the car.

  “So you’re still together, then?” Mrs Swanson followed her, hanging onto the open door like grim death.

  Getting into the car, Lori started the engine. “Mrs Swanson, I swear, there has never been, nor has there ever been, anything between Tommy and me.”

  “Of course, dear.”

  Lori groaned inwardly.

  “We never saw anything, right, Parker?”

  “Not a thing,” he agreed.

  But no doubt they’d be saying a lot.

  Knowing that further denials would only add fuel to the fire that was threatening, Lori gave up and managed to close the door to her car, Mrs Swanson reluctantly removing her hand or having it risk getting caught. Driving off, she glanced through the window to see Mrs Swanson and Old Man Parker talking avidly together. Good grief, this would be all over town before she knew it.

  After banging her forehead with her palm several times, she dragged it down over her face and groaned. Hells bells, for a woman who minded her own business it looked like she was going to be in the middle of wild speculation.

  Then another thought struck her. What would happen if Harriet heard about it? Or when she heard about it, more to the point? She’d hear about it, all right, a small town carried gossip like the wind carried seed, and it was just as fertile and unpredictable.

  Damn it, she just had to ride it out, that was all there w
as to it. Sit tight, hunker down, and refuse to answer questions. This was Tommy’s problem, not hers.

  How the hell had it come to this? People knew her and Tommy, they wouldn’t really think - oh yes, some of them would.

  Shit shit shit.

  Okay, calm down. Soon something else will happen and you’ll be yesterday’s news. Someone will do something real or imagined and you’ll be boring old Lori Mackay again, so just hang in there, old girl. You can do it.

  And maybe she was just letting her imagination run wild.

  Lori sighed. As if.

  Chapter 4

  Spending the remainder of the morning doing some shopping, Lori returned home at lunchtime to find Minx lying on the bed. Quietly the old cat lifted her head for a pat, her eyes half closed as she purred softly before returning back to sleep.

  Changing into a skirt and blouse, Lori went back into the kitchen, frowning as she noticed that Minx’s breakfast was hardly touched. Her ginger fur-baby had developed a dainty appetite since she had gotten older, but she still liked her food.

  Maybe it was time she took her in to the vet for a check-up. Phoning the clinic, she made an appointment for the next morning.

  Putting the shopping away, Lori popped open a can of Diet Coke and settled down to read a magazine at the kitchen table. It wasn’t long before the doorbell rang and she went out to answer it.

  Opening the door, she found Matt standing on the other side. Her heart gave a little leap before she noticed that he didn’t look happy.

  “Hi.” Curious, she glanced around before again looking back up at him.

  “I need to talk to you,” he said quietly.

  “Sure.” She made to step out, only to have him catch the door in one hand.

  “Inside.”

  Wondering what it was about men lately, she nodded and stepped back.

  Matt moved past her but he didn’t venture further into the house, stopping when the security screen swung shut and turning to face her.

  Yep, no doubt about it. There was a grim line to his mouth and his gaze was intense as it swept over her face.

  Uncomfortable under his regard, and never having had him look at her with anything less than friendliness, Lori slid her hands behind her back and waited.

  “I thought you said there was nothing between you and Tommy,” Matt stated bluntly.

  “What?” She blinked at the unexpected topic.

  “You and Tommy,” he repeated, slow and deliberate. “You said there was nothing between you two.”

  “Well, yes. I mean no.” Under his slightly annoyed gaze, she stumbled on her words. “I mean, there isn’t.” When he didn’t say anything further, she added, “I already told you that.”

  “You visited him in town.”

  “Yes.” Where was he going with this?

  “You went into his café and he locked the door.”

  “Yes.”

  “So that doesn’t exactly seem to coincide with you two not having something between you.”

  Annoyed, she dropped her hands to her sides. “Are you spying on me or something?”

  “Just saying what I saw.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Yes, really.” His dark eyes glinted with a touch of anger.

  “Then maybe you’d have seen me leave the café alone.”

  “Oh, I saw that, all right. I also saw Tommy chasing after you, hugging and kissing you.”

  “One hug and one very chaste kiss.” Her cheeks burned. “It didn’t mean anything.”

  “Friends don’t do that.”

  “We’re not exactly friends, I told you that already.”

  “I can see you’re not exactly friends, Lori. I saw that quite plainly.”

  Stung by both his tone and his disbelief, she lifted her chin, her annoyance flaring into anger. “I don’t care what you think, Matt Winters. This isn’t your business. And whether you believe me or not, I don’t care.”

  His nostrils flared. “You’re the talk of the town.”

  “I can’t help gossip.”

  “If you don’t want your relationship public, then maybe you should keep the shows of affection private.”

  She gaped. Hurt warred with pride. “I’m not even going to bother giving that a reply. You have no idea what’s going on.”

  “Oh, I think I do.” His lips were tight, a muscle jumping at the corner of his jaw. “Unless you’d care to explain?”

  “Believe me,” she grated, “even if I could, I wouldn’t. This isn’t your business, it’s no one’s business. It’s not even my damned business!”

  “It becomes everyone’s business when you flaunt what you do in public.”

  She glared up at him. “You don’t believe me when I say there’s nothing between Tommy and me, so why would you believe anything else I told you?”

  “So tell me, explain.”

  Shit. “I can’t. But it’s not what it seems.”

  “Right.” He looked down at her for several seconds before reaching out for the door, yanking it open angrily. “Isn’t that always the story?”

  Incensed, she reached out and slammed the door shut. Hands on hips, she scowled up at him. “What the hell gives you the right to question me, Matt?”

  He returned her scowl.

  Furious at how he’d judged her, she stepped up to him. “You have no right to come into my home and accuse me of anything, do you understand? I like you, Matt Winters, but I don’t owe you anything.”

  His eyes glittered. “You’re right, Lori, you don’t owe me anything. So forget this conversation ever took place.” Wrenching the door open, he stalked out.

  No sooner had it slammed shut behind him than she yelled, “That’s right, walk away feeling so self-righteous, you - you - dickhead!”

  He swung around so fast she didn’t even register he’d done so, right up until he wrenched the security screen door open and stormed back inside the hall. The expression on his face scaring her, she took a step back.

  Oh yeah, he was furious. Those dark eyes glittered with barely leashed fury, his lips were tight, and there was a slight flush on his strong cheekbones. Stalking towards her, his fists clenched, the muscles in his arms flexing, he was the epitome of furious manhood.

  No sooner had she taken a step back than he reached out, grabbing her upper arms and jerking her up against him, striking hard and fast while she gaped up at him, his head lowering and his mouth taking hers, his arms wrapping around her to hold her close against him.

  Her thoughts were gone, dashed to pieces as he took her mouth, his tongue angrily demanding entrance. She could only obey mindlessly, so aware of him, of his body against hers, his heat and touch, his arms holding her so tightly.

  The kiss was angry, aggressive, but there was something else in it, something she couldn’t recognise. The assault of his kiss changed, his lips softening, but it didn’t make a huge difference, not when she leaned into him, hungrily kissing him back, her hands grabbing onto his shirt to pull him closer rather than pushing him away.

  Oh God, he felt so good, so strong, so masculine. His lips were sure, his touch definite, his scent so uniquely his, so clean and male that it had her wanting more, wanting to taste him, touch him back, to-

  One second she was against him, the next she was pinned back against the wall with Matt looking down at her, his eyes hot, angry, and something else, something sensual, but his words were quiet, the fury in his tone like cold silver trickling through the words. “You have no idea how I feel, Lori. No idea. But it sure as hell isn’t self-righteous.”

  “Matt,” she began, her voice shaking. “I-”

  “I don’t know what you’re playing at,” he said harshly, “but I don’t play these games, no matter how much I want a woman.” Releasing her abruptly, he opened the security screen and strode out.

  Open-mouthed, heart pounding, she watched him walk away until he was out of sight. Only then did she touch her lips with trembling fingers, still feeling his mouth on h
ers, unable to believe that Matt had kissed her, held her…was disgusted with her.

  And that’s what had hurt the most, that he’d actually believe that she would lie to him. He knew her better, he knew she wasn’t that kind of woman.

  Sudden tears filled her eyes. Telling herself it didn’t matter, he was a total arse, she retreated to the kitchen. Hugging her arms around herself, she waited for the kettle to boil, needing the comfort of hot coffee.

  But even as she sipped the coffee, she could still shiver in subdued delight at the memory of the sensation of him holding her, dominating her, forcing the kiss, unable to deny how she’d revelled in it, kissing him back.

  Shamelessly kissing him back while he despised her. At the thought she shrivelled inside. How could she have kissed him back when he’d been so nasty, so willing to believe the worst of her?

  Because she was attracted to him, she acknowledged mournfully. That was no secret. But somehow he had only to touch her and she responded, and her responses were shameless. God, she’d pulled him against her when she should have been shoving him away.

  Plucking tissues from the box on the bench, she wiped her eyes. Could the day get any worse? The phone rang and she ignored it, letting it go to the answering machine, groaning when it was Tracey demanding to know what she was doing kissing Tommy, and if she’d been having an affair with him without telling her, she was in for it.

  Yeah, the day could get worse. She could only thank God Ali was away with Ghost, for the last thing she wanted right then was company.

  All she wanted was Minx. At least animals didn’t judge you wrongly.

  Going into the bathroom to wash her hot, tear-stained face, she gazed at her reflection. Her eyes were shiny with tears, her nose a little red, but her lips - oh God, they were swollen from Matt’s punishing kiss, swollen and red. Touching them wasn’t even close to how it had felt to have his lips on hers.

  Not that it was ever going to happen again.

  Swallowing the lump in her throat, she washed her face and brushed her teeth, for freshness, she assured herself, not to wash the taste of Matt from her mouth, he didn’t matter that much.

  Going into the bedroom, she went up on the bed and picked up the paperback on the bedside table, settling herself down. When Minx crept up beside her, she placed her arm around her, drawing her into her embrace.