Elizabeth's Choice

by Lyle, Linda;

  At home, he made himself a martini. He made it a point to make his own drinks at night. He didn’t like the servants keeping tabs on his drinking habits. His desk was in perfect order as always and he sighed in satisfaction. The night had not gone as planned, but all was not lost. He smiled over the rim of his glass at the prospect of victory. He savored the martini and then worked until the wee hours of the morning.

  Sunday, he didn’t wake until noon. The blinds were drawn so that the room remained dark despite the rays of sunshine that threatened to burst through. Alex was dimly aware of the servants moving quietly about their work. He ran a tight ship with no room for argument. One act of disobedience resulted in termination. His orders were carried out to the letter without question, as it should be. He stretched in bed and contemplated the day. A ring of the bedside bell brought a manservant with his breakfast and morning paper.

  The telephone rang and he frowned. No one called him at home on Sunday. He picked up the receiver to the sound of his brother’s voice. Golden Boy wanted to know why he hadn’t come for lunch. Alex made a quick excuse and hung up the phone. It never failed to amaze him how blind his brother was. Scott just couldn’t fathom why he wouldn’t want to spend every Sunday possible at home. He had to work all week with their father. Wasn’t that enough?

  His entire life had been run by their tyrannical father. There were rules for everything, especially regarding conduct. Every Sunday was filled with lessons about character both in Sunday school and at home. Now Alex made the rules.

  He remembered how he had worked so hard to please his father. But nothing he did was ever good enough. When he was ten, he had won the 50-yard dash at school, but instead of saying, “Good job, son,” his father had said, “We’ll work on cutting your time on Saturday.” When he was twelve, he had competed in another track event. Trying to impress his father with a victory, he had tripped another runner in order to win. The judges hadn’t seen, but his father had railed on him about fair play and honesty. He had forced Alex to return the medal and confess. The humiliation still burned today.

  Then Scott had come along—he could do nothing wrong. There was never a moment when he wasn’t in the spotlight. He had been a straight-A student, the model citizen, and an outstanding athlete. Even when Golden Boy did something wrong, the punishments were never as severe as Alex had received. When Scott had taken the car without permission and hit the mailbox, he only received a slight reprimand and had to wait an extra month to get his license. When Alex had taken the car without his father’s knowledge and gone to a party at a friend’s house, he had been grounded for a month and had to endure one of his father’s sermons on the kinds of friends he should have.

  He shook his head to clear away the memories. That was then, and this was now. He was in control of his own life now, thawing out Elizabeth Jordan.

  Obviously, she had been raised in the same kind of atmosphere as he had. He knew how to play that game. He had enough examples to follow in how to be holy on Sunday and devilish on Saturday night. The church he grew up in had plenty of Sunday-only Christians. Deacon Hemsley could be seen in the hottest nightspots in town with a pretty girl on his arm on any Friday night, but every Sunday he was with his wife and children nodding in agreement to the preacher’s sermons on the evils of hypocrisy and adultery. All he had to do was convince Elizabeth that he was a Christian who had made a wrong turn on the road and needed a little push in the right direction. As soon as he had gained her trust, it wouldn’t take long to reel her in. Alex smiled to himself as the plans formed in his mind.

  He placed a call to the most expensive florist in town and ordered their most impressive roses. Some flowers and a little charm went a long way. He hung up and stretched in bed. Yes, that would do nicely.

  Monday morning he arrived early with the roses. He signed the card and left it with the flowers on Elizabeth’s desk. He smiled the smile that had led many astray as he walked back to his office. It wouldn’t be long now.

  At ten o’clock, Janice announced Scott’s arrival. That’s all he needed to start off his Monday. He told her to show him in and then plastered a smile on his face. By the time the door opened, Alex even looked pleased to see his baby brother.

  “Morning, Golden Boy,” Alex greeted, coming around the desk to slap Scott on the back.

  “Hi, Alex.” Alex could tell by the slight frown that the nickname still annoyed his little brother.

  “What can I do for you?”

  “Just thought I’d drop in since I was in the building.”

  “I thought the reason you didn’t join the firm was that you hated being stuck in an office. What could possibly bring you in voluntarily?” The sarcasm in his voice obviously grated, but Scott remained calm, a fact which never ceased to irritate Alex.

  Ignoring Alex’s comment, Scott said, “I need some help with some legal paperwork. Dad’s arranging a meeting with one of your researchers.”

  “I’m sure he is.”

  “Mom missed you yesterday,” Scott said, shifting his weight.

  “Mmm.” Alex leaned over the paperwork on his desk, but Scott didn’t take the hint.

  “She made your favorite. Chocolate Mousse.”

  “Oh. That’s nice.”

  “Look at me when I’m talking to you.”

  Alex looked up with an air of resignation. “Do we have to go through this again?”

  “Yeah. We do. After all they’ve done for you, you can’t even take a few hours out of your busy schedule to eat lunch with them.” Scott’s arms were folded over his chest in an obvious effort to hold his temper. Alex sighed and then leaned forward in his chair.

  “I don’t see the need to spend my day off driving way out there, just to eat lunch. I see Dad every day in the office.”

  “What about Mom?” Alex could see the frustration building in Scott’s every movement.

  “Despite what you think, I do visit her occasionally.”

  “You mean holidays and birthdays. That just doesn’t cut it.” Scott’s mouth tightened into a thin line.

  “That’s my decision, not yours, Golden Boy.” Alex stood up and walked around the desk. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have work to do.” Alex held the door open as Scott stalked from the room. “See you later, Golden Boy.” As the door closed, the smile faded from his lips.

  three

  Monday morning, Elizabeth found a dozen roses on her desk with a card that read, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me, signed Alex.” She still felt ashamed and wasn’t exactly sure why. Girls her age, nice girls, did as much as she did Saturday night and no one thought any less of them. Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling. Maybe because his words had a ring of truth in them. She had encouraged him in the beginning. She touched the roses and felt the silky petals. No one had ever given her flowers. She sighed and tried to put the whole thing out of her mind and immersed herself in the Brennan case.

  At lunch, she was called into Mr. McClintock Senior’s office. He was a tall and distinguished looking man. He had lost the healthy build of his son and retained the height, making him appear feeble. But the image was quickly dispelled when he moved around in a courtroom. He was an imposing figure in his element.

  “Miss Jordan. I want you to research an estate settlement. My son Scott needs the information for a job he’s doing for me. He’ll be here shortly. Why don’t you have a seat until he gets here. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll make some calls.”

  Elizabeth took a seat at the conference table he had pointed out and got out a legal pad and pen. While she waited, she tried to remember what she had heard about Scott McClintock. He had opted out of the family business, instead starting his own construction firm. The girls in the office said he was cute but difficult to get to know. She would find out soon enough.

  The door opened and a younger, more rugged Alex walked into the room, but the similarities stopped there. There was no smooth smile or polished greeting.

  “This is Miss Jordan who will be doin
g your research. Miss Jordan, this is my son Scott McClintock. I’ll let you two get to work.” Mr. McClintock returned to the stack of papers on his desk, and Scott held out his hand.

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. McClintock.”

  “Call me Scott. He’s Mr. McClintock.” He gestured toward his father. “What’s your name?”

  “Elizabeth.”

  “Well, Elizabeth, if you can’t tell, I didn’t follow in the family business. I run a construction firm that renovates abandoned warehouses into apartments and condominiums. So, I don’t know a lot about some of this legal mumbo jumbo. That’s what I need you for.”

  “It’s nice to be needed.”

  “I like the way you think. Where are you from?”

  “Alabama.”

  “You’re a long way from home!”

  “Well, I don’t have any family there anymore, and this is my home now.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Would I be nosy if I asked about your family?”

  “Not when you ask so nicely. My parents died my freshman year in college, and I’m an only child. So, I just stayed here after graduation.”

  “Where did you go to school?”

  “University of Maryland, where else?”

  He smiled and chuckled. “Of course. When did you start work here?”

  “I got an intern job here my Sophomore year and stayed on as an aide until I finished my degree.” She pointed her pen at him. “What about you?”

  “I guess that’s only fair. I graduated from the University of Maryland, too, but not the law school. I got a degree in business.”

  “How did you get into construction work?”

  He laughed and leaned back in his chair. “When I was in high school, I volunteered with my church to work with Habitat for Humanity. I liked it so much that I spent my summers working for a local contractor. He taught me the ropes. So here I am.”

  Mr. McClintock eyed them from his desk, and their smiles quickly vanished into stern businesslike expressions.

  “Okay. Let’s get to work.”

  He was easy to work with, and she forgot all about Alex as they researched the estate of a Mr. Charles Bowden. He had owned an old warehouse on the harbor which he was in the process of selling to McClintock Construction. He needed some help with the deeds and getting a contract ready. Unlike Alex, he didn’t try to run the conversation or try to use words meant to impress people. She liked that. She liked him.

  “Well, I guess that’s it. Let me know when you get the papers ready. I’ll be at this number during the day, and this is my home number. I’m usually home every night, except Wednesday. That’s Bible study.”

  “Bible study? Where?”

  “At my church in Cedar Heights. You’re welcome to come.”

  “I’ve been looking for a church. What denomination is it?”

  “Nondenominational.”

  “Great. Where is it?”

  He took out a business card and drew a rough map on the back, making a note of the times for services.

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome any time.” He smiled, and she sensed he meant what he said. “Bye.”

  “Bye.” She gathered her papers and returned to her desk. She tapped the card on her desk and then put it in her daytimer. How could two brothers look so much alike and be so different. Scott obviously preferred the great outdoors to an office. Elizabeth just couldn’t picture Alex with any kind of tool in his hands. He might break a nail. She laughed at the mental image of Alex trying to figure out how to use a hammer. Brushing aside all thoughts of Alex, Elizabeth focused on Scott. She was still thinking about him as she cleaned up her desk for the night, a smile played around her lips.

  “Hello, Elizabeth.” Her smile faded at the sound of his voice.

  “Alex.”

  “Is that all you have to say?”

  “It’s the best I can do at the moment.” She straightened the files on her desk, her eyes on the stack.

  “Would you please look at me.” He reached out and pulled her chin up until she was forced to look into his eyes. “That’s better.”

  “What do you want?”

  “I want to make up. Forgive and forget. I said I was sorry. What else do you want?”

  “I just want to forget it.” She pulled away from him and reached for her purse and coat.

  “Here, let me help you with that.” He took the coat from her hand and held it out. She sighed and slipped into the coat. His hands didn’t linger this time. Maybe he had learned his lesson. Maybe not.

  “Let’s just forget the whole thing. You go your way, and I’ll go mine, and we won’t think or talk about it anymore. Okay?”

  “But I don’t want to go my way and you go yours. Give me another chance.”

  “Look, we’re just too different. We don’t have enough in common.”

  “How do you know? You said yourself that you didn’t know me very well. Give yourself a chance to get to know me. Give me a chance.”

  She sighed again. He was so pushy. Why couldn’t he just drop it? She pushed her hair away from her face. “I’m really not interested. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going home.”

  “Alone?”

  “Of course, alone.” Her temper flared. She was getting tired of this.

  “If you keep running away from every relationship, you’re going to end up that way. Permanently.” He turned and left, giving her no time to respond.

  How dare he? Why did men insist on butting in where they weren’t wanted? Suddenly tired, she gathered up her purse and gloves and headed for home.

  On the drive home, she kept replaying the conversation in her mind. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. At the house, she dropped all her things on the table at the front door. She flipped through the mail, but there was nothing but bills. She opened every cabinet in the kitchen, but nothing looked good. She finally grabbed a frozen dinner and sat down in front of the TV. She took turns eating and channel surfing. Forty channels and nothing worth watching. She turned off the TV and went to her room with a book, but she couldn’t concentrate. A little voice kept saying, “What if he’s right?” She didn’t want to end up alone. Was she unconsciously keeping men at a distance? She went to bed early, spending the night tossing and turning.

  She groaned at the sound of the alarm. Untangling her arms from the bedclothes, she hit the off button and rolled over. Thoughts of Alex made her close her eyes and go back to sleep. Twenty minutes later she woke up and jerked the covers off. Instead of her normal leisurely cup of coffee, watching the birds at the birdfeeder, she rushed through her shower and changed clothes three times. Nothing seemed to fit anymore. A quick look at the scale told her why. She left for work with a very bad attitude.

  four

  Elizabeth spent Tuesday avoiding Alex, though he didn’t try to corner her again. She let out a deep breath as she headed for home.

  Wednesday she went to work with a lighter step. As she was going through the day’s mail, the phone rang.

  “Research.”

  “Hi, Elizabeth. This is Hope.”

  “How are you? It’s so good to hear from you. I thought you guys had fallen off the earth.”

  “We’re doing fine. I’m sorry we haven’t gotten with you sooner. As a matter of fact, that’s why I called. We’re having a dinner party, well actually a very informal dinner. Just you and Stacey and Bart. We haven’t seen each other in so long that I thought this would be a good time to get together.”

  “I’d love that. When?”

  “Well, I know it’s short notice, but can you come tonight?”

  “Sure. I don’t have any plans. It’ll be great not to have to cook.”

  “Right. You can relax until time to wash the dishes.”

  “Yeah. Right. It’ll be like old times when the three of us lived together. You’ll mess up the kitchen, and I’ll clean it up.” They both laughed.

  “Then we’ll
see you tonight.”

  “Okay. Hey, what time?”

  “Just come directly from work. Then we can catch up until everybody gets here.”

  “Okay. See you then.”

  “Bye.” Elizabeth hung up the phone and smiled. It was the first good news she’d had in a while. It would be nice to see her old roommates.

  They had all met in law school. Stacey was a would-be lawyer with dreams of beating the lions of injustice single-handedly, and Hope was in college to make her parents happy. They had met in Ethics and decided to move into a small house together and split the rent. Hope had been miserable until Jeff, an aspiring litigation lawyer, had arrived on the scene. It didn’t take Hope long to realize what she really wanted out of life. Being a lawyer had been her mother’s dream. All Hope wanted was to have a family and settle down, which was tantamount to mutiny in a feminist society. Stacey had wanted nothing to do with men, but she was no match for Bart. He wore her down until she begged for mercy. The weddings were back to back the June after graduation. She could remember their good times together as if it was yesterday, but it was becoming a speck on the horizon. Elizabeth shook off the shadow of gloom that threatened to choke out her joy.

  She turned to her work with a vengeance, hoping to speed up the clock. The day drug by at a snail’s pace, compounded by the computer shutting down for an hour which slowed the pace even more. Still, she was surprised when she glanced at her watch and found it was time to leave for Hope’s house in the suburbs. As she neared the house, a sign caught her eye. “Cedar Heights Community Church.” Scott McClintock’s face came to her mind, and she looked around with more interest. She blushed when she realized that she was looking for any sign of him and was glad no one was around to see her. Elizabeth zipped through the last three intersections. Whipping into their driveway, she squeaked to a halt and bounded out, slamming the door and fairly skipping up the drive. As she raised her hand to knock, the door burst open. Hope greeted her with a big hug and a squeal of delight. “It’s so great to see you. Come on in.” Hope pulled her in, closed the door, and took her coat almost at the same time, leaving Elizabeth breathless.