Bright Tomorrow

by Linda Wisdom

  "What on earth?" A large tortoise-shell hair comb fell onto the desk top. Lisa's cheeks burned as she realized it was the comb she had worn Friday night to Dan's apartment. It must have fallen off and she hadn't even realized it. She looked inside the envelope, but there was no note. Lisa replaced the comb in the envelope and put it away in her purse.

  Dan came out of his office just an hour later.

  "I found the comb on my desk this morning," Lisa greeted him. "Thank you."

  "Found it on the couch," Dan said, glancing through his stack of mail. "Don't put any calls through until I say otherwise," he ordered, walking into his office.

  Lisa's days soon formed a pattern. Dan had thrown himself into a new case, and he spent a great deal of time closeted in his office or away in court. Morgan called daily, and she was frequently at the office when Lisa left for the day. The other girls had disappeared. She supposed there was a limit even to Dan Nolan's energy. Lisa bitterly realized that Dan rarely asked her to work overtime anymore and rarely did so himself. And the triumphant expression on Morgan Grant's face every time she left arm in arm with Dan was enough to cause Lisa to clench her teeth, frustrated and angry.

  One Friday afternoon, Mark stopped by Lisa's desk, smiling warmly. "How about having dinner and going to a movie with me this evening?" he asked her.

  "Thanks for the invitation, but I'm so tired that I think I'll just go home and fall into bed," she said sincerely.

  "Then how about tomorrow night?" Mark asked, persisting.

  Lisa hesitated for only a second. Why should she sit home in misery because of Dan's obvious preference for Morgan's company? "I'd like that very much."

  "Great. I'll pick you up at eight." He walked away, as Dan walked out of his office and watched Mark leave.

  "Do you have that correspondence for Wilmer finished?" Dan asked crisply.

  "Naturally." Lisa picked up several typed sheets and handed them to Dan.

  "Confident of yourself, aren't you?" he queried.

  "How else could I manage to put up with you, Mr. Nolan?" she asked with mock innocence.

  "There will come a day, Miss Winters," Dan murmured, as he walked back into his office, "when you will find yourself in a situation where you won't be so confident." Turning back, as if something had just occurred to him, he asked, "What are your plans for this weekend?"

  "Nothing earth-shattering yet." Lisa shrugged her shoulders. "Cleaning out the closets has never been one of my favorite tasks."

  "I'm planning on driving down the Coast Sunday. Care to come along?" Dan's offhand invitation was surprising.

  Lisa nastily asked herself whether he had asked Morgan first and if she had refused. But she knew she couldn't turn him down. "I'd like to, yes." Her voice was just as casual.

  "I want to get an early start, so why don't I pick you up at eight? We can stop somewhere on the way for breakfast. Dress casually." Dan glanced toward his paper-laden desk and grimaced. "You've worked late enough and, as far as I'm concerned, so have I. Come on; I'll walk you to your car."

  When Lisa arrived home a half hour later, she found the apartment empty. A note propped up against a living room lamp informed her that Debra had gone out for the evening. Obviously Pat meant a great deal to her, judging by the amount of time she had been spending in his company lately.

  Glad to have the apartment to herself, Lisa decided on a long and leisurely bubble bath, then went to bed with a good book. Sleep came easily for the first time in weeks.

  Lisa was ready on time Sunday morning. She needed no mirror to tell her how beautiful she looked. Her brief white shorts and cotton shirt in muted stripes of pale blue and green showed off her golden complexion to its best. Her make-up was sparse, just a light application of blue eye shadow to her green eyes and some honey-colored lip gloss.

  "Now that's an outfit I really like," Dan said greeting her appreciatively. "I always said that I was a leg man."

  "I should think though that you'd like to have some things left to your imagination," Lisa teased.

  "I do, but there are times when it's nicer to have the view to enjoy." He added casually, "How was your evening with Connors yesterday?" So he had heard Mark asking her out!

  Lisa hid a smile that threatened to appear. "Very nice, thank you," she said indifferently, walking toward Dan's car.

  After a quick breakfast, Dan drove along the Coast through the many small towns that only came alive during the summer. Now, in early spring and with schools still in session, they were not as crowded as they would be in another month or two.

  "On days like this, I just want to get away from everything," Lisa said lazily, as she looked out the car window. "To steal away from the world."

  "Curl up with a good book? Do your own thing?"

  "Exactly. Where are we going?"

  "Down around the Dana Point area," Dan said, naming a popular beach spot.

  Almost an hour later they drove past the boat-filled channel that marked the Dana Point Yacht Club. Then Dan turned onto a winding road that led to the hills overlooking the ocean. In front of a modernistic house of reddish-colored wood, he slowed the car. Lisa got out and looked at the house in awe. Even though the house appeared plain on the outside, it was arresting. Two stories tall, it had a sloping roof, giving it an angular appearance. The windows were narrow rectangles and many-paned. Lisa thought that the house must be quite new, since the surrounding land hadn't been landscaped yet. Without grass and flowers, the house appeared stark and lonely against the background of bright blue sky, yet not unappealing.

  "It's fantastic," she said honestly. "How did you ever find such a beautiful house?"

  "In my head," Dan replied offhandedly.

  "Your head!" She was amazed. "Do you mean you designed this yourself? That it's your house?"

  "That's right. You didn't know that I wanted to be an architect once, did you? It took me over four years to have it built, but it was worth it." Dan looked around with an expression of self-satisfaction on his face. He stood, his legs apart, hands on his hips. "Come on; I'll take you on a tour." He turned and held out his hand.

  Smiling, Lisa took his hand and walked with him toward the front door, as he took a key out of his jeans pocket.

  Inside, she looked up at the beamed cathedral ceiling and the skylight that allowed sunshine to light up the house. Stairs of polished wood wound upward to the second floor.

  "The bedroom is upstairs," Dan explained, leading her into the living room.

  Lisa looked around, noting the simple oatmeal-and-dark-brown tweed sofa and a large stone-lined fireplace. She walked over to the sliding glass doors that opened onto a patio fenced in only at the sides. There was a spectacular view of the ocean, which was only a short distance away. A tiled Jacuzzi tub could be seen in one corner of the patio, with its own wrought-iron fence around it. As with the front yard, the patio still had an unfinished look about it, as if waiting for someone to come and fill it with flowers and shrubs.

  "I didn't want to lose the view, but I did want the privacy." Dan walked up behind her. "This way I can have both and not lose anything in the bargain."

  Disconcerted by his nearness, Lisa moved away, exploring the remainder of the downstairs. She smiled with approval at the large kitchen, with its huge wood-grained cabinets and a butcher-block table in the center of the room. The kitchen appliances were an almond shade, a complement to any decor. The adjoining dining area held a small oval table with four dark green leather chairs. In the next room, Lisa saw a desk and book-lined shelves.

  "You don't even get away from your work here, do you?" Lisa gestured toward the room.

  "Actually, I can get a lot more done around here because of the peace and quiet. Care to see the rest of the house?" Dan stood looking expectantly at her, as if waiting to see what her answer would be, and that answer seemed important to him.

  Lisa knew that the remainder of the house meant the bedroom upstairs, and her curiosity was aroused, even though she wished
it wasn't. She nodded, following Dan toward the stairs, and she slowly climbed them behind him.

  The sloping roof of the house gave the one huge bedroom a loft-like effect. The bed's headboard consisted of shelves built into the wall that were filled with books. Lisa walked over to get a closer look at the titles. She turned to Dan with a puzzled frown.

  "Gory murder mysteries are great for putting me to sleep," he said, explaining, as he grinned.

  Lisa looked down to the cognac-colored velvet comforter. "It's a water bed." She gave a laugh. "It took me a moment to realize why it looked so funny."

  "You act as if you've never seen a water bed before." Dan walked over to lean against a chest of drawers.

  "Only in stores." Lisa put out a tentative hand, testing the gently rolling motion.

  "Why don't you sit on it?" he suggested.

  Lisa shot him a wary look as she gingerly sat down, feeling the bed not only yield to her slight weight but roll with it as well. "It's very comfortable," she giggled as she flopped backward, her arms outspread like a small child's. "But couldn't you get seasick on this?"

  "Depends on what you're doing?" he replied suggestively.

  Lisa sat up abruptly, her enjoyment gone. She understood Dan's meaning only too well. She wondered, with a touch of bitterness, how many women had been on this bed before—in Dan's arms.

  "You should feel flattered, Lee." Dan's voice was maddeningly casual, as walked over to the sliding glass doors that opened onto a balcony. "I guess you could say that I consider this house my inner sanctum. I've never brought anyone here before. Just you."

  "Oh? I should think the solitude and the view would be perfect for romantic trysts." Her voice was sharper than she had intended. "I bet the bedroom has a spectacular view of the sunset. Or would it be the sunrise?"

  Dan walked over to sit on the edge of the bed. His hand reached out, fingers combing her hair away from her face. "Is that why you think I brought you here? To make love to you?" he asked quietly, solicitous. "To wear down your defenses with a water bed and a view?"

  "I don't know." Lisa sighed wearily. "I don't know what you want from me."

  "I had this house built in hopes of eventually being independent enough to work from my home. That's why there's an office downstairs. And I own enough of the surrounding land to comfortably add on to the house when the time comes," Dan told her. "I brought you here because I thought you would enjoy the ride and wouldn't read anything into it. You're very relaxing to be with, Lee. You don't demand that I make conversation all the time or that I be constantly amusing. I wasn't planning a seduction, just a leisurely drive." Dan's fingers were creating disturbing sensations as they moved against Lisa's skin.

  "I'm sorry," Lisa said softly, now contrite, as she lifted her eyes to his face. "As usual, I jumped to the wrong conclusion."

  Dan leaned toward her, brushing his lips against hers. Once, twice, three times. Lisa's arms circled his waist, allowing him to pull her against him. It wasn't long before they lay on the bed, kissing each other lightly, murmuring softly to each other.

  "You're very comfortable to cuddle up to," Lisa whispered.

  "Like a teddy bear?" he teased quietly.

  "I like teddy bears." Her eyes closed as Dan's lips brushed over each eyelid. "They're a little girl's best friend. And they keep nightmares away."

  Lisa was willing just to lie in Dan's arms, feeling his lips brush occasionally against her hair, her forehead, or her lips. If she had been asked later what they had talked of she wouldn't have remembered. The talk was nonsensical, gently teasing and tender. She didn't remember that she fell asleep, only that her eyes kept closing more and more often and then refused to open right away.

  When Lisa awoke later, the room was dark, surrounded with early evening shadows. She found that her head was now resting on a pillow and that she was curled up on her side, her favorite position for sleep.

  "Is it my brilliant personality or my enlightening conversation that seems to put you to sleep whenever we're together?" Dan asked Lisa this in an amused voice. "This could give me an inferiority complex, you know. I never thought of myself as being a bore."

  "Actually, it was because I had to get up so early this morning," she replied, sitting up and pushing her hair away from her face.

  Dan was standing with his back to the sliding glass doors, watching Lisa with an undefinable expression on his face. He walked over to the edge of the bed.

  Grasping her wrists, he gently pulled her upward. "That's a dangerous place to stay, Lee," he said quietly. "We probably should be going. We can stop for dinner on the way back."

  "I'm not exactly dressed to go anyplace fancy," Lisa said, gesturing at her brief shorts and shirt.

  "That's no problem," Dan assured her, leading the way down the stairs.

  As they walked outside, Lisa turned for one last look at the house, framed now in orange light from the setting sun. She wistfully wondered who would eventually live in the house with Dan. Who would be lucky enough to share his bed—his dreams—his life?

  "We'll go into town and find a place to eat there," Dan said, as they got into the car. "How about some Mexican food?"

  "Sounds great."

  Over dinner, Lisa learned more about Dan's experiences in law school. He mentioned a little about his family, who lived in Washington state, yet he still seemed to impart little information about himself.

  "What changes would you make in my house?" Dan asked suddenly, leaning back lazily in his chair, one arm draped over the back.

  "None," Lisa said without hesitation.

  "None?" He looked at her with disbelief. "Oh, come on; anytime a woman sees a house, she automatically wants to do it over."

  "Not me. The house suits you. It is you," she replied quietly.

  . An hour later, as Dan's car sped along the highway, Lisa sat back in her seat, reflecting on the day. Despite the length of time she had known Dan, he still remained an enigma, jealously guarding his private life. She wondered if she would ever learn more about the man beneath his aloof exterior.

  "Dan, what about—" Lisa's voice froze, as she gazed ahead at a set of wavering headlights that seemed to be coming straight at them. "Dan!" Her scream tore from her throat as he sharply turned the wheel in the opposite direction. Then everything went black.

  When Lisa came to, she was lying in the dirt. As she sat up she was aware of sharp pains shooting through her head. Disoriented, she looked around and saw Dan's car in flames. As her memory cleared, horror washed over her in cold, alarming waves.

  "Dan!" Lisa looked frantically around until she found a still figure lying prone near a tree. She staggered to her feet and ran over to him. Dropping down on her knees, Lisa carefully turned Dan over and cradled his head in her lap.

  "Anything I can do to help, Miss?" A man with a concerned expression on his face approached her. "I called for an ambulance and it's on the way. Is your friend all right?"

  Lisa looked down at the profusely bleeding gash on Dan's forehead and at his torn jeans, which exposed a deep, jagged wound on his leg. "Oh, please, darling, be all right," she tearfully pleaded with the unconscious Dan. "You have to be all right." Tears flowed down her cheeks.

  Lisa was barely aware of when the ambulance arrived. The attendants helped her inside and then strapped Dan onto a cot, carefully carrying him to the ambulance.

  "He's going to be all right, isn't he?" she asked one of the attendants, uncaring of her own cuts and bruises.

  "Don't worry, lady; he'll be fine," he reassured her. "You just relax. You've had a bad shock, too."

  Once in the emergency room, Lisa helplessly watched an attendant roll the still-unconscious Dan away for treatment. A nurse approached her, taking her arm to steer her toward another examination room.

  "Can't I stay with him?" Lisa asked the nurse. "Please?" Her eyes were eloquent in their pleading.

  "Why don't you let the doctor look you over first?" the nurse suggested gently. "You've got s
ome nasty cuts and bruises we need to take care of."

  Lisa kept up her pleading to the doctor as he carefully checked her over.

  "I'm keeping you here for a couple of days," he informed her, as he scribbled busily on a chart.

  "Me? I'm all right," Lisa protested.

  "I'd like to make sure of that before releasing you," he answered.

  "What about Mr. Nolan? Can't I please see him? He is all right, isn't he?" she asked persistently.

  The doctor hesitated momentarily before answering. "Mr. Nolan is now in surgery. He has some internal injuries, but we're taking care of things now."

  Lisa could feel hot tears filling her eyes. She remembered Dan's pale and still features as he lay by the burning car. The doctor leaned down, patting her shoulder in a comforting gesture.

  "Look, I'll let you know about your boyfriend as soon as I find out," he said kindly. "It's going to be awhile, so why don't we get you to your room so you can rest? We've already notified your cousin. We found her number in your wallet."

  Finally feeling the effects of the sedative the doctor had administered earlier, Lisa could only nod her head wearily. The nurse brought in a wheelchair and Lisa was soon installed in a hospital bed, fast asleep.

  Even with the sedative, Lisa's sleep was marred by recurring dreams of the auto crash. Once, she even sat up in bed, screaming in fear. A nurse was quickly by her side, murmuring soothing words in comfort.

  "Dan, Dan is hurt. Badly hurt," Lisa muttered, shaking her head from side to side as she was pushed gently back against her pillow. "Please help him."

  "Your friend is all right, dear," the nurse quietly assured her. "But you need to get your rest. I'll stay with you until you can fall asleep again."

  Lisa closed her eyes, barely aware that the nurse lifted her wrist to take her pulse. Knowing Dan was all right was the only medicine she needed, allowing her mind to slip back into oblivion.

  When Lisa awoke again, the sun was shining brightly through the curtains. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw a dark-haired figure seated in a chair by the window.