The Manning Sisters

by Debbie Macomber

  When Russ pulled in to the parking garage at Circus Circus, the hotel where they were booked, he heaved a giant sigh of relief. He was exhausted, mentally and physically. With the help of two bellboys, he unloaded the ton of luggage the girls had found indispensable for this short trip. While he was busy with that, Carol and the other chaperones, accompanied by the entire drill team, checked in. As soon as he was finished, Carol handed him his room key and suggested he get some sleep.

  Russ didn’t need to be told twice. He practically fell asleep in the elevator on the way up to his floor. Taylor and several of the girls rode with him, and just before he entered his room, Russ saw that she’d been assigned one on the same floor.

  Some of his tiredness vanished when he discovered that Taylor would be sleeping down the hall from him. Not bothering to unpack his bag he tossed his hat onto the small table and collapsed on top of the bed. Bunching up the pillow, he closed his eyes and savored the quiet, the peace. It wasn’t until sleep began to overtake his mind that he realized he had two whole days in which to convince Taylor she loved him.

  Taylor couldn’t remember a time when she’d been more exhausted. Other than brief stops, the bus had spent nearly twenty hours on the road, and she hadn’t gotten more than a catnap the entire distance. Carol, bless her heart, had insisted Taylor go upstairs to bed while she and the assistant coach managed the girls. Taylor didn’t offer a single argument.

  From the moment they pulled in to the hotel, the girls’ schedule was packed. In less than two hours they were meeting several other out-of-state teams, who would also be competing the following day, for a social. Then, first thing the next morning, Carol would be driving the drill team to a local high school and they’d be there the entire day until their performance, which was scheduled late that evening. After a good night’s sleep, they’d be back on the road again, heading home to Montana.

  Yawning, Taylor ran a tub of hot bathwater and soaked in it, struggling to stay awake. When she got out, she crawled between clean, crisp sheets, already half-asleep.

  There was noise and confusion around her for part of the time, since her room adjoined one with teenagers, but she hardly noticed. She woke at eight the next morning, just in time to see the team off and wish them well.

  “You’re coming to watch us, aren’t you?” Mandy pleaded.

  “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away,” Taylor promised.

  “Do you think Russ will want to come?”

  Taylor nodded. “I’m sure of it.”

  Beaming, Mandy hugged Taylor and then rushed to join her teammates.

  Once the Cougar Point High School Drill Team had departed the hotel, Taylor wandered downstairs to the casino, where most of the gambling took place. Bells jingled incessantly and smoke rose like a sacrificial offering to the unpredictable gods of chance and good fortune. Row upon row of slot machines lined the brightest, reddest carpeting Taylor had ever seen.

  She’d never gambled much, but the excitement that crackled through the room lured her toward the slot machines.

  Trading her hard-earned cash for several rolls of nickels, she grabbed a plastic container and picked out a one-armed bandit at the end of a long row of identical machines.

  “A fool and her money are soon parted,” she muttered, seating herself on a stool.

  She inserted three nickels and gingerly pulled down on the handle. Oranges, plums and cherries whirled past in a blur, then came to an abrupt halt.

  Nothing.

  She tried again and again and was rewarded by several minor wins. Two nickels here, ten there.

  Someone slid onto the stool next to hers, and when she glanced over, a ready smile on her lips, her eyes clashed with Russ’s. He looked well-rested and so devastatingly handsome that her breath jammed in her throat. The lazy grin he gave her was more potent than any of the free drinks she could have ordered.

  “How are you doing?” he asked.

  “Fine…good, really good.” She plopped three more coins into the appropriate slot and pulled the lever with enough energy to dismantle the machine.

  “How much have you won?”

  She looked down at the small pile of nickels.

  “Actually, I think I’m out a couple of bucks.”

  He grinned. “I’m down about the same. I don’t suppose I could talk you into having some breakfast with me? You wouldn’t consider that a breach of protocol, would you?”

  “I…that would be fine.” Taylor didn’t know how a grown woman, a college graduate and teaching professional, could be so flustered around one man. The way her heart was jitterbugging inside her chest, anyone might assume Russ had asked her to join him in bed instead of in a restaurant.

  Neither of them appeared to have much to say until they’d been seated by the hostess and handed menus.

  Russ chose quickly and set his aside. “So how did your dinner with Cody Franklin go last weekend?”

  “Cody’s a wonderful man,” she answered, glancing over her menu. Their eyes met briefly and she quickly switched her gaze back to the list of breakfast entrées.

  “So you plan on seeing him again?” Russ demanded. Then he shook his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t have any right to ask you that. Whom you choose to date is your business.”

  Actually, she’d decided against dating Cody again, but not because she hadn’t enjoyed his company. He’d been polite and gentlemanly all evening. After they’d left the restaurant, she’d invited him in for coffee and he’d accepted, but to her dismay their entire conversation then, as it had through most of dinner, centered on Russ. Cody hadn’t kissed her good-night, nor had he asked her out again. Why should he? Taylor mused. She’d spent the evening with one man, while longing to be with another.

  The waitress came by for their order and filled their coffee cups. Taylor took a sip of hers, and decided if Russ could question her, she should feel free to inquire about his own evening out. She carefully returned her cup to the saucer. “How was your dinner with Mary Lu Randall?”

  “Great,” Russ answered. “She’s a lovely woman. Interesting, fun to be with, thoughtful…”

  Taylor’s throat constricted painfully as she nodded. Everything Russ said was true. Mary Lu Randall was known as a generous, unassuming woman.

  “I won’t be seeing her again, though,” Russ muttered, drinking his coffee.

  Despite everything she’d hoped to prove to this man, Taylor sighed with relief. “You won’t? Why not?”

  Russ set his coffee cup down hard enough to attract attention, and several heads turned in their direction. Russ glanced apologetically at those around him.

  “Why?” he asked in a heated whisper. “Do you honestly need me to explain the reason I won’t be dating Mary Lu again?” He threw his head back and glared at the ceiling. “Because I’m in love with you is why. In addition, you’ve ruined me for just about any other woman I might happen to meet.”

  “I’ve ruined you?” she echoed vehemently. She leaned toward him, managing to keep her voice low enough not to attract further attention.

  The waitress delivered their meals, and Russ dug into his fried eggs as though he hadn’t eaten in a week. He’d eaten both eggs before Taylor had finished spreading jelly across her toast, which she did with jagged, awkward movements.

  “I would’ve thought Mary Lu was perfect for you,” she said, unwilling to let the subject drop. “She’s sweet and gentle and deferential, and we both know how important that is to a man of your persuasion.”

  “I used to think that was what I wanted until I met you.” He stabbed his fork into his fried potatoes. “I’ll be damned if you didn’t ruin me for decent women.”

  “Ruined you for decent women?” Taylor cried, not caring whose attention she drew.

  “That’s right. You. This is all your fault. No woman ever challenged me and dared me the way you do, and I’m having one heck of a hard time adjusting. Compared to you, every other woman has the appeal of watered-down soup.” He jammed his i
ndex finger against the top of the table before continuing. “Mary Lu’s one of the nicest women in Cougar Point, and any man she married would consider himself lucky.”

  “But it won’t be you,” Taylor stated, hating the way her heart gladdened at that.

  “How can it be when I’m crazy about you?”

  The irritation drained out of Taylor as quickly as it had risen. She set her slice of toast aside and dropped her eyes, suddenly close to tears. “I wish you wouldn’t say that.”

  “Why? Because you don’t like hearing it? Fine, I won’t say it again, but that isn’t going to change a thing. If you want to put us both through this hell, then go ahead. There’s nothing I can do to stop you. But I love you, Taylor, and like I said, that’s not going to change.”

  “But I don’t want you to love me.”

  “Don’t you think I know that? Trust me, lady, if I had any choice in the matter, you’d be the last woman I’d fall in love with. Do you honestly believe I need this aggravation in my life? If so, guess again.”

  “There’s no need to be angry.”

  Russ pushed his near-empty plate aside and downed the last of his coffee in a single gulp, apparently doing his best to ignore her.

  “Thank you for breakfast,” Taylor said, pushing her own plate aside after a moment. She’d only managed a few bites of egg. The toast she’d so carefully spread with jelly remained untouched.

  “You’re welcome.” Leaning back in his chair, Russ rubbed a hand over his eyes. When he dropped his hand, it was clear that he was forcing himself to put their disagreement behind him. He smiled. “What are your plans for today?”

  “The first thing I’m going to do is shop. There’s a fingernail hardener with epoxy that I need to find,” she said, glancing down at her carefully groomed nails. “Not a single store in Cougar Point carries it.”

  “Don’t they use epoxy in glue?” Russ frowned as he stared down at her hands. “If you want to go putting that stuff on your pretty nails, far be it from me to stop you.”

  “Thank you,” she said graciously, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. “After that, I thought, since I was in town, I’d pick up a few other things for the sheer joy of using my American Express card.”

  Russ chuckled. “Would you mind if I tagged along?”

  “Of course not,” she said promptly. She didn’t mind. In fact—perversely—the prospect delighted her.

  Over the past few weeks and all the disagreements, Taylor had forgotten what pleasant company Russ could be. He was good-natured and patient to a fault as she dragged him from one store to the next. He was more than tolerant while she tried on a series of dresses, and after she chose one, he went with her to the shoe department and helped her pick out a comfortable pair of heels.

  Taylor tried to return the favor and help him choose new work shirts. Russ seemed to be of the opinion that if he found one shirt that suited him, he might as well buy five exactly like it. Taylor made a concerted effort to convince him otherwise.

  “Where would you like to go for lunch?” Russ asked four hours later. His arms were loaded with a large number of bags and packages as he led the way down the street.

  “Since you asked,” Taylor said, smiling up at him, “I’m dying for a good pepperoni pizza, only—”

  “Only what?”

  “Only my favorite pizza chain doesn’t have inside seating.”

  Russ looked at her as if she were deranged. “How do they do business then?”

  “It’s take-out and delivery only.”

  “All right,” he said, mulling over this information. “Then I suggest we go back to the hotel. You can drop off the packages in your room while I phone and order a large pepperoni pizza.”

  Taylor agreed without realizing what she’d done until it was too late. After returning to her room, she piled her shopping on the double bed, then sat on the edge while she considered this latest development. She’d agreed to join Russ in his room. In the middle of the day. With no one else around.

  Walking into the bathroom, she ran a brush through her hair. She toyed with the idea of finding an excuse, phoning Russ’s room and canceling the whole thing. The hotel was filled with restaurants. The food was good and so reasonably priced it was a shame to order out.

  Taylor slumped against the bathroom sink and closed her eyes dejectedly. Who was she kidding? Certainly not herself. She was in love with Russ and had been for weeks. They had no business falling in love, but it had happened, and instead of fighting it she should be grateful. Her attitude should be one of thanksgiving that she’d come across a man as fundamentally honest as Russ. There was no comparison to Mark, none whatsoever.

  Five minutes later, she knocked on Russ’s door. He let her in but had obviously been having second thoughts of his own. He marched to the other side of the room as though he feared she was carrying some dangerous virus.

  “I phoned that pizza place and ordered,” he said, apparently trying to sound casual. He tucked his hands into his pockets as if he suddenly didn’t know what to do with them. “They said they’d be here in thirty minutes or less.” He checked his watch. “That gives them nearly twenty-five minutes.”

  “Good,” Taylor said, walking farther into the room. His was almost identical to her own. One queen-size bed, a dresser, one small table and two chairs.

  “Make yourself at home,” he said, pulling over a chair. Then he walked around the bed, averting his eyes.

  “That was quite a morning we had, wasn’t it?” he asked, rubbing his palms together. Heaving a sigh, he whirled around and faced her. “Listen, Taylor, this isn’t going to work. If you want to have your pizza, fine, but I’ve got to get out of here.”

  “You don’t have to leave,” she said as she sauntered across the room, making sure her hips swayed just a fraction more than normal. When she turned to look at Russ, she was well rewarded for the little extra she’d put into her walk. His jaw was tight, and the edges of his mouth had whitened. His hands were knotted into fists at his sides.

  “I…don’t think you understand,” Russ said faintly.

  She moved close so that she was almost directly in front of him. Standing on her toes, she raised her arms and slid them around his neck, then molded her body against his.

  Russ held himself completely rigid. Then he brought up his hands and closed them around her wrists, ready to pull her away from him. For some reason he hesitated. His gaze was hot and questioning when it locked with hers. “Just what kind of game are you playing?”

  “The seductress. How am I doing?”

  His gaze narrowed, and she noted that his breathing had become ragged. “Good. Too good.”

  He gazed down on her, his look a mixture of doubt and wonder. “Do you love me?” he asked.

  She found herself lost, the words confusing her before they even reached her lips. Before she could tell him everything, before she could explain what was in her heart, Russ sighed and hauled her back in his arms.

  His hands were in her hair, and his mouth was seeking hers. “It doesn’t matter,” he whispered brokenly. “I love you enough for both of us. It doesn’t matter,” he said again, just before his hungry lips claimed hers.

  The passion between them was explosive. Tears clouded her eyes and fell down her face without restraint. But these were tears of joy, tears of thanksgiving and discovery, surging from deep within.

  “I love you, I love you,” she chanted silently as she felt the tremors that went through Russ. He pulled her against him and held on as if he’d jerked her from the jaws of death and feared losing her a second time.

  For the longest moment he didn’t move.

  “Russ?” she whispered. “What’s wrong?”

  The merest hint of a smile turned up the corners of his mouth. He leaned forward and with infinite care he brushed the hair from her brow. His callused, work-roughened hands had begun to shake.

  “Russ?” she repeated, growing alarmed. Her hands framed his face, and he dragged
one palm across his cheek to his lips and kissed the inside of her hand.

  “I need to explain something first,” he whispered, and the words seemed to be pulled from the farthest reaches of his soul. “If we make love now, there’ll be no turning back.”

  Taylor blinked. She heard the desperation in his voice and read the havoc in his handsome face.

  Her own mind was reeling, her thoughts jumbled. Had she been able to speak, her words would have made no sense.

  Russ lowered his mouth to hers, but his kiss was featherlight. “Look at me,” he whispered. “I want you so much I’m shaking like a newborn calf. All these weeks I’ve dreamed of this moment, of making you mine, and when the time arrives, I discover…I can’t.”

  Not according to the evidence pressing against her thigh. Taylor didn’t know a delicate, or even indelicate, way of mentioning the fact.

  “I know your career is important to you, and it should be. You worked too hard for your education to give it up now,” he said.

  “That’s r-right,” Taylor returned, puzzled.

  Holding her hand in his own, Russ whispered, “And another thing…”

  “There’s more?”

  “Lots more,” he said, grinning down at her. His mouth brushed hers in a lazy, affectionate kiss. “I know you haven’t come to appreciate Cougar Point yet, but that’s all right. I promise you will in time. There’s something about standing outside on a crisp autumn night and seeing the moonlight through the branches. Or hearing the crunch of snow under your boots in winter. In spring it’s newborn animals, the smell of the earth and the rush of wind as it blows over the treetops. Those are the things I love most.”

  Taylor frowned in confusion. Her hands went back to his face and she studied him, seeking some meaning to his words. “Why are you telling me all this?”

  “Because I want you to love my home as much as I do. I want you to love the country. Cougar Point will never rival Seattle. It won’t even rival Reno, but it’s a good place to live, a good place to raise a family.”