HOW TO BE THE PERFECT GIRLFRIEND

by Heather MacAllister

  A ringing phone dragged Simon from a dreamless slumber. Every muscle ached. Some in a jet lag way, but some in a sex-after-a-long-dry-spell way. He looked down at Sara curled up next to him and felt such a wave of feeling the intensity made his hands shake as he leaned over the bed and searched his pants pocket for his cell phone.

  He answered it, stepping away from the bed so he wouldn't wake her.

  "Hello?" What time was it?

  "Simon? Where are you?"

  Joanna. "Home. I fell asleep." He rubbed at his face.

  "Well, the girls were starving. I had to go ahead and feed them."

  Right. He'd mentioned possibly having dinner with Kayla. He shouldn't have answered his cell phone on the drive home from the airport. Kayla would never have known he was back in the country. "It's good they've eaten." Presumably the other girl was Amber. "When Kayla mentioned it, I told her I'd get back to her."

  "And you didn't."

  "I fell asleep." He really resented the tone in Joanna's voice. "When I talked to her, I hadn't even been home yet. There was nothing definite planned."

  "Kayla is a child. You can't expect her to understand when you say you'll get back to her and then you don't. You should have seen her sitting here waiting. It nearly broke my heart."

  Somehow, he couldn't picture Kayla hanging around a phone. "Joanna, I'm tired. Apologize to Kayla for me and I'll talk with her tomorrow."

  "Just a minute—she's all packed and ready for you to come get her. She's spending the weekend with you. And we didn't think you'd mind if Amber came, too. Her parents are out of town."

  "Of course I mind!"

  "Why? Amber is the sweetest thing. She's no trouble—"

  "I'm not talking about Amber. I do not remember inviting Kayla to spend the weekend with me. I was still going to be in Glasgow, remember?"

  "This is the weekend of Callie's wedding in Santa Fe. You do remember that."

  Simon closed his eyes. He did. "Yes, but since when does a weekend begin on Thursday?"

  "My flight leaves tomorrow while they're at school. So it's a good thing you are back, because I was having a terrible time finding a weekend sitter."

  "Joanna…"

  "When shall I tell them to expect you? Or shall I bring them to you? We're ready to leave any time."

  "It's late and I'm tired. Let them sleep over there tonight."

  "That would not be good for Kayla."

  "It's her home. How can it not be good?"

  "You know how important it is to her self-esteem to know that she's loved. I don't know how she'll handle the disappointment." He'd dealt with a disappointed Kayla's tantrums before.

  Simon tried to think his way out of this, but his mind was too sluggish. He turned back around and found Sara sitting up, her knees drawn to her chest. She was looking at him in the dim light.

  Damn it. "I'll be there in forty-five minutes."

  Sara rested her head on her knees.

  Simon hung up and walked over to the bed. "Sara, I'm sorry. Kayla spending this weekend with me was planned a month ago."

  "It's okay." She gave him a smile that didn't fool him for a minute. "I'll leave as soon as you get me my clothes—or that aluminum foil."

  "Sara, I don't want you to go. Not like this."

  "I'm not planning to leave like this. I'm planning to wear clothes. Preferably my own. Unfortunately, I'll need your help since my purse and the key to Mrs. Galloway's apartment are locked inside together."

  The connection that had been forged between them, the one he'd thought nothing could break, was gone. "Stay. I'm calling Joanna—"

  "No. She'd want an explanation and … it's just better that I go."

  Afterward, when Sara had dressed and he'd walked with her down to the parking garage, he said, "I'll call you later after they're asleep."

  She shook her head. "Don't bother."

  "I know you're angry, Sara, but try to understand."

  "I do understand. And I'm not angry. I'm realistic." She gave him a quick kiss. "Enjoy the slumber party with your sister."

  Hayden and Missy didn't even wait until lunch the next day. They appeared at the door of Sara's cubicle at eight-thirty in the morning.

  "Thank God you're all right! You scared me. I would have called 9-1-1 if I'd known where you were."

  "I'm sorry, Hayden." Sara felt guilty for ignoring her answering machine. She'd been afraid she'd find a call from Simon when she got home.

  "Well, what happened? Who was at the door?"

  "Simon."

  They gasped.

  Sara sighed. "The fur coat Saran Wrap thing?" She made an okay sign. "Very effective."

  "You and Simon?" Missy's eyes widened.

  Sara allowed herself to remember a few of the more pleasant memories. There were so many from which to choose. "Oh, yeah."

  "Well?" Hayden asked as Sara had known she would.

  Sara closed her eyes. "Rolls-Royce all the way." Until it plowed into a wall of Joanna's making. Tears burned her eyes. "The thing is, I don't think I can do that with another man."

  "It? You mean sex?"

  "Sex in no way describes what we did."

  "Oh, puhleeze," Hayden scoffed. "New lovers always think they're the only ones … yadda yadda yadda."

  "But why would you want to sleep with another man?" Missy asked. "Isn't Simon the one?"

  A tear leaked out. Hayden grabbed a tissue from the box next to Sara's computer and handed it to her.

  "He's the one. But he's not the right one. He came back early from the trip just to see me and we were asleep in his apartment when Joanna called."

  Missy glowered. "That witch."

  "Don't flatter her," Hayden said.

  "And the next thing I knew, Kayla and her friend, Amber, were coming over to spend the weekend."

  Hayden winced and pressed her forehead with her fingers. "Let me clarify—you're in his bed and he throws you out for his sister?"

  Sara nodded. "He didn't throw me out, but it was clear that I'd have to leave."

  "Well, you couldn't really stay there and sleep with him … I mean, she is only twelve," Missy said.

  "I know," Sara said. "And it'll happen again and again. I thought I could take it, but I can't."

  "That man is not right in the head," was all Hayden had to say.

  "Okay. Enough." Sara sniffed and wiped her eyes. "So this one stings a little—a lot. I'll just keep looking. It's actually good that I won't feel anything for anybody for a while because then I can make smart, logical choices before romantic feelings muddy the waters."

  Hayden and Missy looked at each other.

  "I want to get right back in the saddle," Sara told them. "I have two names from the Barre Belles, and anybody else you two have found. See what you can set up for me. I'm free all next week."

  After they left, Sara went through a couple more tissues, grateful that she'd put on waterproof mascara that morning. The truth was, she felt used, even though she'd been an enthusiastic participant. Still, no matter how attractive, no matter how good a lover Simon had proved to be—who knew about backs?—he wasn't the one for her. She wanted to be first in a man's life and Simon clearly had other priorities.

  He didn't call her, but when she got back from lunch, a single red rose lay across her computer keyboard.

  * * *

  11

  « ^

  It was Friday night and Hayden tried to get Sara to go bar hopping, but Sara was still feeling too down.

  She got home, got into her fluffy robe—the one Hayden had wanted her to replace with a silk one—and popped her Pride and Prejudice DVD into the machine. She didn't feel like eating, but had two flavors of ice cream on standby, just in case.

  She turned the air conditioner to frigid, settled onto her couch with its new soft pillows and wrapped herself in the chenille throw. Oh, yeah. And put a box of tissues on the coffee table.

  At nine-thirty, the phone rang. She didn't answer it.

  At ni
ne-forty, the phone rang. She didn't answer it. At nine-forty-two, the phone rang. She glared at it. At nine-forty-three, her cell phone rang, so she dug it out of her purse.

  "Sara?" Hayden shouted in her ear, loud music playing in the background.

  "What?" Sara shouted back.

  "Answer your phone. Simon wants to talk to you."

  "I don't want to talk to him."

  "He needs your help."

  "I'm no longer providing that kind of help."

  "Sara, the guy sounds desperate. Talk to him. He left his number on your machine."

  Fine. She couldn't have him bothering her friends.

  His was the first message. "Sara … I need your help. Something is going on with the girls and they won't tell me what. Amber's locked herself in the bathroom and won't come out. I'm out of my element here. Joanna's not answering her cell and Amber's parents are out of town. If you get this message, please call. It doesn't matter what time."

  The second one was from Simon. "Sara, here's my number in case you don't have it." He left it, then, "I don't suppose you're there? Please pick up if you are."

  The next message was Hayden, telling her that Simon was looking for her.

  Sighing, Sara called him.

  "Sara!" The relief in his voice was palpable.

  "What's going on?"

  "Amber won't come out of the bathroom and Kayla gets nearly hysterical when I ask her why."

  Let's see … twelve-year-old girls … bathroom … won't talk to big brother… "I think I've got it. Let me talk to Kayla."

  She could hear Simon coaxing Kayla to come to the phone. "Sara?"

  "Hi, Kayla. Did Amber start her period?"

  "Yes!"

  "First time?"

  "Yes." She sounded scared.

  "Hey, it's okay. I'm coming over there and I'll bring supplies. Don't worry. There's nothing to be scared of. This is natural and we need to celebrate. Put Simon back on."

  "Don't tell him!"

  "I won't." Seconds later, she was talking to Simon. "Okay, here's what you need to do."

  "Is she sick?"

  "No. Your job is to go to the video store and get movies that girls their age would like to see—make sure one is Princess Bride. Ask the guys there. Then, go to the store for chocolate and vanilla ice cream and sundae sauces—hot fudge and caramel, and maybe strawberry. Get whipped cream in a can, too. Not the fake stuff, the real thing. Got it?"

  There was a silence. "Anything else?" he asked wryly.

  "Maybe pizza."

  "We can order that."

  "Okay."

  "And then what do I do? Use a hot fudge sundae to lure Amber out of the bathroom?"

  "No. I'm coming over there. I'll take care of Amber. You go shopping and don't ask questions."

  "Got it."

  "Take your time."

  Simon was gone when Sara got over there with an assortment of feminine supplies. A man who could follow directions. She liked that.

  Once Amber had calmed down and been taken care of, Sara had a long talk with both girls, and was gratified to learn that they knew the birds-and-bees basics. Still, she figured some reinforcement couldn't hurt.

  By the time Simon got back, they'd had a great female bonding session and Sara was enjoying her role as the wise woman immensely. It wasn't often that she felt wise. Especially when she saw Simon. He sent such a scorching gaze across the brown paper grocery sacks he carried, Sara was surprised they didn't catch fire.

  "What movies did you get?"

  Simon handed Kayla a bag of at least a dozen movies and perceptively didn't say anything to Amber. The girls took the bag into the living room next to the TV.

  "Thanks for coming." Simon reached for her. Sara planned to resist, but found herself kissing him instead.

  Not good.

  "I've missed you," Simon whispered.

  Sara sighed against him, but didn't say anything.

  "Will you stay?"

  Keep it light. She pushed herself out of his arms. "I don't know." She peered into the grocery sacks. "It depends on what toppings you got."

  He flashed her a grin and started bringing jars out of the sack. "Looks like you're staying. I've got pineapple—"

  "What? Ick."

  "Hot fudge."

  "Now you're talking."

  "Butterscotch."

  "Eh."

  "Caramel."

  "Better."

  "Strawberry."

  "Okay."

  "Marshmallow."

  "Uh…"

  "Mini M&M's."

  "Wow. Didn't think of those." Sara took the jar from him, opened it, and ate a few.

  "Chopped peanuts."

  "What did you do—buy one of everything?"

  "Except the regular chocolate flavor. Couldn't see the point with the hot fudge."

  "Good thinking." She closed the jar of mini M&M's and set it on the counter. "You're a great big brother, you know that?"

  "You haven't even seen the ice cream, yet." He brought out chocolate and vanilla, two cans of whipped cream and a jar of maraschino cherries.

  Sara made a face. "I hate those things."

  "Then you don't have to eat them." Simon opened the jar and popped one in his mouth.

  "Can you tie the stem into a knot with your tongue?"

  "I don't know." He tried, making her laugh with his faces.

  If his sister and her friend hadn't been in the next room, Sara would have grabbed Simon and a can of whipped cream and headed for the bedroom.

  But the girls were there, serving to remind Sara why staying with Simon would only lead to frustration and hurt.

  "Do I get to know what this is all about?" Simon asked.

  "No," Sara said. "I will, however, tell you that Amber is a woman now."

  It took him a minute. "Oh. Oh!" A look of panic crossed his face.

  "Relax and play dumb. It's all taken care of."

  He got out bowls and spoons. "Is, uh, is Kayla a woman yet?"

  "Not yet."

  "Good." He looked at her. "I think."

  "Don't think. Open the ice cream."

  Kayla and Amber were thrilled with the sundaes. Simon had big guy-sized bowls and let them make huge gooey creations that gave them all queasy stomachs.

  They watched a movie—even Simon, who contentedly sat through a movie geared to preteen girls, with Sara on the sofa next to him.

  Did he have to be such a great guy?

  If he weren't a great guy, he wouldn't be paying attention to his sister and you wouldn't like him very much.

  Well, yes, there was that.

  Sara was the perfect woman for him. He looked at her sitting next to him on the sofa, her head leaning on his arm and felt a surge of emotion. He wanted her there every night.

  He wanted her in his bed every night.

  He'd been wrong about the connection between them being lost. It was still there, it just needed polishing.

  It amazed him that Kayla got along so well with Sara—truthfully better than with her own mother. If Kayla mouthed off, Sara called her on it—once poking Kayla with her foot.

  And Kayla responded by laughing, but cheerfully behaving once more. Simon didn't intend to start kicking Kayla, but he realized he might be too serious around her.

  The girl had lost her father—his father—and he'd been letting her get away with obnoxious behavior because of it. Joanna, too.

  He tried to imagine Joanna sitting here and felt nothing but unenthusiasm.

  The movie ended and they turned it off.

  "Okay, bedtime," Sara told the girls. Simon thought it was an excellent idea. "You two rinse your dishes and put them in the dishwasher."

  "I don't want to go to bed," Kayla pouted.

  Not this again. Simon geared up for a protracted whining session.

  "I didn't say you had to go to sleep," Sara said. "Just get in bed."

  Kayla looked uncertain.

  "Move it." Sara took Simon's dish and walked toward the
kitchen.

  Without another word or whine or protest, Amber and Kayla followed her. How did she do that?

  After the girls were in bed, giggling behind the closed door, Sara picked up her purse. "I'd better be—"

  "We need to talk," he said.

  "Wow." She let her purse strap slide down her arm. "That's my line."

  "But you aren't saying it."

  "No." She gave him a challenging look.

  Simon went for the big guns. "I love you."

  "Yeah."

  He noticed that she didn't say it back. Well, she'd said it back last night. "I want to be with you."

  "Be with me?"

  "I want you in my life."

  She ran her hand through her hair. "Your life is crowded, Simon."

  "You mean Kayla."

  "I mean Kayla and Joanna."

  "Joanna is Kayla's mother. I can't avoid her. As for Kayla, I'm her brother. I do have certain responsibilities toward her." He'd thought Sara had understood that.

  "That's right—brother. You're her brother. Not father. But Joanna has manipulated you into acting like Kayla's father and it confuses her."

  "And you know all this from being around her for a few hours."

  Sara's lips twisted wryly. "It didn't take that long."

  "You're jealous of a twelve-year-old."

  She sighed heavily. "I knew you would say that eventually, which is why I didn't want to have this conversation with you." She turned away, then back. "I'm not going to make you think you have to choose between me and your sister. That's not what this is about. Of course you should be a part of your sister's life. I don't expect you to spend every minute with me."

  "Then what's the problem?"

  "I'm looking for somebody who will put me first in a relationship. And you won't do that."

  "You are making me choose between you."

  She shook her head. "What I'd like for you to do is take a good long look at the way things are. After the baseball game, you had to leave the very next day because Joanna caught us kissing."

  "No. It was because Kayla was hesitant about summer camp."

  "That is her mother's problem!"

  "It's my problem, too."

  She exhaled forcefully and held out her hands as though calming herself. "Nevertheless, it was interesting timing, don't you think?"

  "Unfortunate timing. I wanted to be with you. You have to know that."