“Okay.”
“What? I didn’t quite hear you.”
She could picture Mary sitting straight in astonishment, frowning at the telephone, and wondering why Allison had given in so quickly.
“I said, okay. I’ll go to the meeting and I’ll wear the damn dress.” Smiling at the sound of relief on the other end, Allison added, “But you have to pay for this favor, Pal. I want an invitation to Baltimore. I want to come up for a long weekend and be shown all the sights. Wining and dining, not necessary, but tours are.”
“But I’ve asked you to come up dozens of times! Wonderful! When?”
“To be decided. All right, give me all the gory details about the reunion committee.”
When she hung up, plans for the aquarium, the harbor tour and a quick trip antiquing in Annapolis far outweighed the task of the weekend meeting. After all, the meeting was really just dinner, and with people she’d known practically forever. She’d show up with a little attitude and enjoy the evening regardless of her marital status, that she still lived in her hometown, or how she looked in her very plaid, noisy dress. Maybe she’d slip into the lounge after the meeting and see if there were dancing. If so, she’d dance. If no one asked her, she’d take the initiative.
The thought was daring, frightening, and maybe a little ambitious for her first venture out. But she knew it was time she started living a little. And damn anyone who thought otherwise.
* * * *
Allison handed her keys to the valet and strolled to the deck rather than entering the building through the front. This was the kind of night her dress had been designed for, warm, almost sultry. The rustling of the fabric rivaled the sough of the breeze through the trees, and in the twilight the plaid of the full skirt became more subtle. She’d brought a light shawl in case the room was chilly, but outside a wrap wasn’t necessary. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply and let the final rays of sunlight warm her face.
The evening breeze was unusually warm. Not for the time of year, but for the elevation and hour. House Mountain Country Club sat on the side of a tree-covered mountain a few miles outside the city. The drive up to the club was steep and long, which made the view off the cantilevered deck all the more breathtaking.
The sun was low in the western sky but hadn’t fallen behind the expanse of Blue Ridge Mountains. The eastern hillside, bathed in golden light, made the green needles of the pines, the distinctive leaves of the sycamore and redbud, and the shiny leaves of the mountain laurel shimmer as they turned in the light wind. Trees and bushes in the west were shrouded in the shadows of dusk and marked with subtle shadings of green and brown, soon to lose all unique characterization.
Ever since her conversation with Mary she’d looked forward to the evening with a mixture of dread and excitement. Earlier, she’d shed the dread as she put on the dress. Suddenly she’d anticipated the evening, determining to make a difference in her life. Taking the advice she’d given Frank, she’d decided to forget all about others and think only of herself, just for tonight.
The determination held and now she was ready to face her peers. She turned and walked into the building.
The reunion committee was scheduled in the Laurel Room. As she approached, she saw people milling around outside the door, some with drinks, others simply standing and chatting before dinner. All wore the attire she remembered from a couple of months ago, and she smiled thinking that the Doctors Wilson, Barnes and Jensen would indeed be paying for this prank.
Her smile must have been warm, because Harry McDonnell, the chairman of the committee smiled back. “Allison, Mary told me you’d be here.” He glanced quickly to the closed door of the room. “You’re just a little early. They’re still setting up.”
She looked around at the crowd. “Gosh, Harry, there are a lot of people here, aren’t there? And I see quite a few people from town who weren’t in our class. There must be some other meeting taking place tonight.”
“Yes, there must be something special going on.” Harry looked pleased with himself as he sipped his drink. “Can I get you something from the bar?”
“Oh, no thanks.” She held up a manila folder. “Mary sent me the figures you’ll need, but I didn’t expect there to be this many people in attendance to discuss them.”
He shrugged. “I just passed the word that we’d be here, and a lot of people said they wanted to get together again.”
“Yes,” she murmured, paying closer attention to who was there. Sammy Mayer who lived in Roanoke, and Meryl Williams who lived in Raleigh. Surely that was a bit far to come for an impromptu class meeting?
“You look real nice tonight, Allison. Those colors suit you. I meant to tell you in April, but by the time we got in and settled, you’d already gone.”
Eyes wide with surprise, she flashed him another smile. “Thanks, Harry. I appreciate it.” She reached for the door handle. “If you don’t mind, I’ll just find my place before we all crowd in.”
“I don’t think…”
She hardly heard his protest as she swept through the doorway and into the quiet room. Astonished, she looked at the number of tables set up for dinner. A quick count showed twenty tables with eight places each. This was a replay of their reunion, not a business meeting. At the front of the room was a microphone fronted with pots of flowers. A man in a black suit, no doubt one of the staff, seemed to be arranging place cards on the front table.
Slowly, her dress swishing around her legs in the way she almost no longer noticed, she passed the tables looking for her place. The man straightened as she approached.
“Hello, Allison.”
With a gasp she stopped. The black suit was a tuxedo. The staff person was Frank, as she clearly saw when he turned to face her. There was a hesitant smile on his lips.
She stepped back, into a chair. “Frank! Wh—what are you doing here?” Her dress fit too tightly suddenly, as she tried to catch her breath. Even without a mirror she knew how pale she was because she literally felt the blood leave her face. God, please don’t let me faint. Or cry, Lord, please.
“Would you be surprised to know I’m supposed to be here?”
“Yes.”
His smile widened as he examined her, head to toe and back again, slowly. The confidence she’d adopted since dressing flowed out of her with his scrutiny.
“You can see.”
He focused on her face, and she remembered the pictures in the newspaper of the beautiful women he’d escorted to events in Washington. She’d never felt so lacking.
“Yes, I can. But only for the last eight days. Your doctors were right.”
He stepped forward, blocking the exit she’d frantically started to plan.
“And I’m awfully glad I can, because now I see you.” Lifting his hand, he reached out then pulled back. “You’re beautiful.”
Was he nervous? With her?
Heat infused her cheeks as blood rushed back into her face. She quickly looked at the toes of her slippers peeking out from the hem of her dress. “I’m not, but it’s very nice of you to say so.”
There was no hesitance now. With a tender touch, he tilted her head back so their eyes met. She saw a frown where a moment ago had been a smile.
“Please don’t argue with me on this. I didn’t come here for an argument.” His voice was even better than she remembered. Deep and low, it caressed her.
“Why did you come here?” she whispered.
The doors opened and the people who had been filling the hall poured into the room. Frank glanced up then took her arm, leading her to the other side of the table. “You’re here,” he said, placing her behind a chair very close to the microphone. “And since you saw me moving the place cards, you know it’s no coincidence that I’m here.” Standing behind the chair next to hers, he flashed her a smile that made her heart stop.
Her surprise increased when Mary moved to stand on her other side. She giggled at Allison’s shock. “We managed to surprise you this time, didn’t we?”
�
��What is going on here, Mary?” She croaked the question. In a fit of nerves, her fingers clutched the back of the chair and tension sent spears of pain shooting from her lower back down her leg.
“You’ll see.” Mary leaned forward. “Mr. Hughes, have you met Allison Hayes?”
Frank grinned at Allison then at Mary. “Yes, I have. Thank you for rescheduling this event, Mrs. Simpson. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss being part of the celebration.”
“Mary, I’m not happy about…”
Mary tapped her wineglass with a knife, effectively quieting the room. Frank pulled Allison’s chair out as Mary slipped behind them and went to the microphone.
“Let me start by saying thank you so much for coming back to Lexington tonight. An unfortunate set of events prevented us from the presentation in April, but I think all will go well tonight. Just in case, does anyone have the numbers for the fire department, EMT and police?” Laughter flowed through the audience. “We’re not taking any chances this time, finishing business before we enjoy dinner.” She waited a moment until everyone’s attention was focused on her again. “Now, the last time we met, our guest of honor disappeared on us.” Mary shot Allison a stern look. “Not her fault, though, because she didn’t know she was the guest of honor. As it turned out, it was a good thing she left us early because some fool man had crashed through her fence and needed all kinds of care.”
Frank reached under the table cloth and grasped Allison’s hand.
“And men say women don’t know how to drive.” Good natured laughter again filtered through the room. “Naturally, our Allison generously did all she could, even taking the man home when he refused to stay in the hospital. Such is her nature, and the reason we’re all here.” The room burst into applause.
Allison’s head began to ache and her back worsened.
“As it turned out, our presenter that night had an emergency of his own, in the form of an eight and a half pound baby boy.” Mary waited for a smattering of talk to die down. “Tonight we are very honored to play host to the founder and CEO of one of the largest electronics firms in America. What’s not so well known is that he’s also the founder of Helping Hands. Please welcome Mr. Nicholas Hughes.” She stepped back from the microphone, clapping her hands and beaming at Frank.
He squeezed Allison’s hand before letting go and standing to acknowledge the recognition. When he moved to the microphone, Mary returned to her chair, ignoring Allison’s perplexed look.
“Thank you, Mrs. Simpson. Ladies and gentlemen, I’m very pleased to be here tonight. In fact, I knew Martin Johnson had rescheduled this presentation and I insisted on coming here to do the honors. And I’ll tell you why.” He looked squarely at Allison. “I wanted to see such a special person with my own eyes.”
Tears threatened her. Frank continued talking but she hardly heard a word. With astonishment, she determined that she was being honored, but for what she wasn’t quite sure. The things Frank mentioned about her didn’t seem so extraordinary. Do they give awards for simply living your life? Apparently so.
Somehow she stood and accepted a check for ten thousand dollars and the plaque Frank produced. She managed a weak, “I don’t know what to say. Thank you,” before he escorted her the few steps back to the table. She stared in amazement as the people she’d known for years stood to honor her.
Grasping the plaque to her like a support line, she smiled through her tears at her former classmates and friends. These were the very people among whom she’d felt like such an oddity only a couple of months earlier. Now, she didn’t know how to feel.
Finally, thankfully, they sat and dinner was served. Her meal was interrupted so much by people stopping to read the tribute on the rosewood plaque and to chat, she finally gave up and pushed her plate away.
Frank, ignoring blatant flirtations from some of the women, never left her side, touching her shoulder as he stood to greet person after person, leaning slightly to rub arms as he encouraged her to eat a little more, lightly caressing her neck as they enjoyed coffee and conversation after dinner.
When a decent amount of time had passed and people started to leave, Frank whispered that if she was ready he’d escort her home. She nodded, and he left to have their cars brought around.
After fiercely hugging Mary, Allison gave her a mock glare. “You and I will have a discussion about this, Mary Simpson.” She smiled. “What a wonderful friend you are. Thank you. I’m overwhelmed.”
“You deserve this and more. I’m so glad Jeff Waters read about the Helping Hands foundation. When he mentioned it at a meeting last year as something we should investigate, there was only one person’s name that came to everyone’s lips. You should see the letters we got about you. You’ve touched a lot of lives for one so young.” Mary fluffed her hair and batted her eyelashes in a mock flirt. “I added that last bit because we’re the same age.”
Allison laughed.
Mary dropped her voice. “Allie, have you met Nicholas Hughes before tonight? He seems awfully familiar with you.”
She felt herself blush. “We did meet once. I had no idea who he was.”
“Well, he likes you. A lot, if the way he acted tonight is any indication.” She pursed her lips and quirked her brows. “Isn’t he a little out of our league?”
For the first time since seeing Frank standing in the Laurel Room, Allison felt her stress disappear. She laughed. “Nope. We may be out of his.” Holding up the check and grinning, she added, “Maybe he’s after me for my money. I’ll let you know.” With a flounce of flowing, rustling skirts, she spun and hurried out to find Frank.
CHAPTER SIX
“I hope you’re not too tired. I really need to talk to you.” He parked behind her Jeep then moved beside her at the foot of her porch steps. Just being there, breathing her scent, feeling her warmth as well as her strength in the arm he lightly held, sent a paroxysm of lust through him. Funny, that. Probably because he’d fallen for her sight unseen, it was the non-visual cues that were jetting his libido into overdrive. Not that he wasn’t pleased with everything he saw, too. Allison was a beautiful woman.
“No, I’m not too tired. Would you like some coffee?”
No. I want you. “Sure, that would be fine.”
Great conversation, Hughes. It’s a wonder she’s not tripping all over herself to get to you. The minute he’d seen her that evening his heart rose to his throat and jammed there. Only years of negotiating had allowed him to appear in charge when in fact he was ready to chew his nails. He wasn’t a man given to nervousness, certainly not over women. But then he’d never wanted anyone before like he wanted Allison.
No one had ever occupied his thoughts and dreams as she had. If the blindness had cleared up sooner, he’d have been back for her long before now, but he couldn’t talk himself into coming before he was healed. It wouldn’t be fair, he’d told himself for weeks, to ask her to accept him as anything less than perfect—or as perfect as he could be. As it was, the stress of wanting her probably exacerbated the condition, which continued to keep him away. Circular logic in a comedy of errors directed by Fate.
Into the second month, he’d been ready to do anything, even beg her to accept him, regardless of his being blind. When he realized he wanted her that much, he knew he’d been a fool to wait so long. Panicked she might have forgotten him, he tried to think of a way to come back into her life without seeming pathetic and needy. Then he heard the award had been rescheduled. Assuming the role of presenter, he’d called Mary Simpson to set the whole thing up then prepared himself to face Allison once more, still blind but more in love than a man had a right to be. Amazingly, the next week his sight had returned.
Which wouldn’t count for shit if he found now that he was in a one-sided relationship, a possibility causing him a great deal of worry.
Tossing his jacket over the back of a kitchen chair, he pulled his tie loose and unbuttoned the collar button. He turned a chair around and straddled it, crossing his arms on the bac
k. She bustled around in what he could see was a modern farm kitchen—open, large, and very efficiently laid out—looking at anything but him, and making that wonderful swishing sound with every movement.
“I love that dress,” he said, closing his eyes to concentrate on the sound. To his surprise, he couldn’t pinpoint her location in the room, even hearing her. “But for some reason, I can’t keep up with you like I could before.”
“That’s because you don’t need to anymore. You can use your eyes to see what you want.”
Opening his eyes, he was happy to see her regarding him. “Yes, I sure can, can’t I?”
She blushed under his gaze.
“This is the fourth or fifth time tonight you’ve blushed. Did you embarrass this easily when I was here a couple of months ago?”
Laughing, she finished pouring water into the pot. “No, I don’t think so. You couldn’t see me, so it was easier to say and do things without feeling judged.” She pushed the On button to start the brew cycle. “Plus, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. That gives a person even more freedom.”
“Why didn’t you think you’d see me again?” Tilting his head, he rested his chin on his arms.
“Well, you were here for a specific reason and when that ended, our purpose in being together ended, too. Then there’s the matter of our coming from two different worlds.” She smiled. “Lastly, you’d made sure the fence was fixed, so there was no need for me to contact you about it.”
“That fence again,” he said with a feigned growl.
“If you’d left it broken, I would have had to call and threaten all kinds of legal action until you fixed it. I could have found out how you were then.” She removed a carton of cream from the refrigerator, then put it and the sugar bowl on the counter near two ceramic cups. “My uncle and cousin were most impressed with the work, and that you would do so much to make up for what was obviously an accident. I appreciated it, too.” She leaned against the counter. “I’m glad you got the NASA contract. I’m sure you were happy.”
He wanted to get past her polite tone, needed her to remember the fire they’d had before. Even the emotion that resulted from the shock of seeing him at the country club would be preferable to this guest treatment.
Your Desire Page 17
