Bright Tomorrow

by Linda Wisdom

  Lisa's eyes widened as she saw baked ham, mashed potatoes, green beans and applesauce, her favorite meal, covering the old-fashioned dining room table. "I can't eat all this," she protested.

  "Oh, yes, you can," Marianne said firmly. "I doubt you take time for too many proper meals down there. You look much too thin for my piece of mind."

  "She looks fine to me," Bill told his wife, as he took his place at the head of the table. "What I would like to know is why we weren't notified until after you were out of the hospital about your accident."

  "Because I was all right," Lisa protested. "I just had some cuts and bruises."

  "Debra mentioned that you were with your boss at the time and that he was badly hurt. How is he doing?" Marianne asked.

  "Oh, Mr. Nolan doesn't believe in being kept down for too long." She lowered her lashes to hide the expression in her eyes.

  "You've never said very much about him," her mother persisted. "Is he an easy man to work for? I believe he's younger than Mr. Connors." Disapproval of Mark was evident in her voice. Marianne had never been happy that Lisa was dating a man so much older than herself.

  "He's thirty-two, a very hard-working and brilliant lawyer." Lisa pretended to concentrate on cutting her slice of ham to avoid looking up at her mother.

  Over her downcast head, her parents exchanged a silent message.

  The next day, an exhausted Lisa discovered how difficult it can be to find just the right wedding gown. She and Debra, along with their mothers, traipsed all over town, and by the time they had reached the sixth shop, Debra was almost in tears.

  Please let this place have what she's looking for, Lisa silently pleaded.

  And it did. When Debra tried on a white silk-and-lace gown, the agreement was unanimous. That was the gown meant for Debra, and she bought the sample, which hardly even needed to be altered. Lisa's gown, which they found in a local store that specialized in formal wear, was of a deep apricot silk, and she bought a matching silk flower for her hair.

  "Well, that's out of the way," Marilyn Stevens, Debra's mother, sighed. When she stood next to Marianne, it was impossible for most people to tell them apart. That was how much the twin sisters still looked alike.

  "Now, what about the invitations?" Marianne asked.

  "Those I ordered earlier this week, and I can pick them up on Monday," Debra replied, suddenly looking very weary. "I don't know if I can stand looking at flowers today. Can the florist wait?"

  The other three women agreed that their day had been full enough. It was time to go home and collapse.

  That evening, while Lisa got ready for bed, her mother tapped on the door and peeked in. "Is it all right if I come in for a moment?" Marianne asked.

  "Of course." Lisa smiled, curling up on her bed.

  Marianne smiled back, seating herself on the end of the bed. She glanced at a photograph on the wall of Lisa and Debra in high school cheerleaders' outfits. "The two of you have come a long way since then. You've been inseparable since you were old enough to walk, much less talk. And now there are going to be a great many changes. So how are things with you, Lee? Mark is so much older than you are, but… well, how do you really feel about him?"

  "He's a very nice man," Lisa said carefully. "I enjoy his company, but there's nothing serious between us."

  "Please don't think that I'm trying to push you into marriage because of Debra," her mother assured her. "I've always been glad that you two never competed with each other in everything you did. I guess I'm just a little afraid that you'll get wedding fever and marry before you are ready, maybe to the wrong man."

  "There's no fear of that happening," Lisa said quietly. It was difficult to imagine that anyone could stir her blood the same way that Dan did. And she knew she couldn't settle for anything less.

  "Just don't wait so long that I'm too old to enjoy my grandchildren," Marianne chided lovingly, leaning forward to kiss her daughter's cheek. "Good night, dear."

  Lisa lay awake a good part of the night, wondering what it would be like if she were planning her wedding instead of Debra's. The trouble was that the groom she always pictured turned out to have dark blond hair and glittering blue eyes! Punching her pillow angrily, she rolled over and went to sleep.

  Back at the apartment one afternoon, Lisa started sorting through the wedding responses that they were receiving every day, checking the names off against the master list. Her hand trembled as she picked up one response that was written in a bold, familiar hand.

  "Deb, you…" She spoke through stiff lips. "You never told me you had invited Dan."

  "Oh, didn't I?" Debra was all innocence. "Isn't it nice that he accepted?"

  "You barely know the man," Lisa persisted, twisting her clammy hands together. "Why did you do it?"

  "Chalk it up to my impulsive nature." Debra left the room, an enigmatic smile curving her lips.

  When the special day arrived, Debra stood before a large mirror while Lisa adjusted her veil. Even though Debra hadn't at first cared to have the large wedding her parents had always desired for her, she had thrown herself into the activities wholeheartedly, and she had ended up enjoying all of the fuss involved.

  "I wish the butterflies would go away," Debra groaned, pressing a hand against her stomach. She turned as a tall, gray-haired man entered the room.

  "My beautiful daughter," John Stevens said quietly. "We have a gentleman waiting for you outside. Shall we join him?"

  "I think so." Debra's voice trembled as she spoke.

  Lisa's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she stood next to Debra while the couple recited their vows. There was no question as to Pat's love for her cousin. His face had lit up when she had appeared at the end of the aisle in the small church.

  Lisa had also seen Dan's tall figure out of the corner of her eye as she had walked down the aisle in front of Debra. Her stomach had fluttered as she realized that Morgan was not standing beside him. Her fears hadn't come true after all. He had come alone.

  Lisa endured the picture-taking with impatience, anxious to find out if Dan would also attend the reception. Looking delicate and fragile in her apricot silk, she moved among the guests, looking for one special, tall figure. Finally spying him, she walked up and welcomed him with a smile.

  "What a pleasant surprise, Dan." Lisa held her hands out in greeting, her face radiant. "The least you can do now is dance with me."

  "The gentleman is supposed to ask the lady to dance," Dan pointed out with a smile to match hers.

  "You never said you were a gentleman," Lisa said lightly. "And I never said I was a lady." She took him by the hand, leading him to the dance floor.

  "Any old boyfriends here?" he asked.

  "Dozens." She impishly wrinkled her nose. "Would you care to meet some of them?"

  "Not really." Dan's voice seemed almost distant as he took her into his arms. He looked down at her smiling face. "Where's Connors? I'm surprised that he's letting you run around loose."

  "He wasn't invited," Lisa replied firmly, looking up at him.

  For a moment it seemed that Dan's arms tightened around her as he heard her reply. "You look beautiful today, Lee."

  "Only the bride is supposed to look beautiful," she said breathlessly.

  "I wasn't watching the bride." Dan pressed her closer against him.

  After their dance, they moved over to one corner of the large room; Dan left her momentarily to fetch two glasses of champagne. Lisa saw her mother motion toward her.

  "My parents would like to meet you," Lisa said demurely, when Dan returned with their champagne.

  "Fine," he answered. "I'd like to meet them, too."

  When she introduced Dan to her parents, Lisa noticed that her mother studied him carefully.

  "Have dinner with us after the reception, Mr. Nolan," Marianne said graciously.

  "Thank you; I'd like that." Dan smiled at her, his charm readily evident.

  "Lisa can direct you to our home." Marianne said, simply assuming
that Lisa would be staying with him for the remainder of the reception. "We'll see you around seven."

  The time passed rapidly; soon Lisa was assisting Debra into her going-away suit and then she was joining the rest of the guests to wave the bride and groom off for their honeymoon.

  Half an hour later, Lisa and Dan walked out to his car, with Lisa self-consciously holding the bridal bouquet. She had had no choice but to catch it; Debra seemed to have throw it directly at her. After she gave him the directions to her home, Dan switched on the engine. As he drove down the street Lisa leaned her head back against the seat, allowing herself to feel the weariness she had been staving off for the past two weeks.

  "Hectic?" Dan asked quietly, shooting a quick glance at her profile.

  "Very." She smiled. "Work is a breeze compared to these past few weeks."

  All too soon, Dan parked his car in the driveway and got out, walking around to help Lisa out. "Where's your car?" He looked around with a puzzled frown.

  "At home; I drove up with Deb. I thought I'd fly back tomorrow."

  "If you don't mind leaving tonight, you can drive back with me," he offered.

  "Thank you." Lisa led the way to the front door, her heart thudding. "I'd like that."

  Lisa's mother was resting on the couch, her feet propped up on the coffee table, while her father was lazing in a large easy chair, reading the paper.

  "You're just in time." Marianne greeted them with a weary smile. "The roast will be done in about twenty minutes."

  "Then I think I'll go up and change first." Lisa headed for the stairs. When she came back down, casually dressed in tan denim pants and an old green cotton shirt she had discovered in a drawer, she saw that Dan had discarded his suit coat and tie. "I'll set the table, Mom," she offered.

  Marianne followed her daughter into the kitchen, checking on the dinner as Lisa got out plates and silverware.

  "I like him," her mother said honestly. "He's a man who's going to go far in his profession. The two of you make a striking couple."

  "Oh, please don't say anything like that in front of him," Lisa begged. "He's let it be known that he values his freedom too much to give it up for anyone."

  "That's what they all say." Marianne smiled. "And they usually fall the hardest when the time comes, too."

  "Dan's offered to give me a lift home tonight," Lisa told her.

  "You're going to be awfully tired," her mother warned her. "You've been up since dawn."

  "I know, but I can sleep as late as I want tomorrow," Lisa assured her.

  Lisa was secretly pleased that Dan and her father had discovered several mutual interests and that they were able to talk easily throughout the meal and afterwards as well, while she helped her mother wash the dishes.

  After the dishes were finished, Lisa went upstairs to pack her suitcase, eager to be ready when Dan was. After an hour or so of casual conversation, Dan suggested they go, since they had a long drive ahead of them. Lisa's suitcase was stowed in the trunk of Dan's car as she hugged her parents good-bye, promising another visit soon.

  "I'm glad to have met you, Dan." Marianne smiled. "I hope we see you again."

  "Thank you for dinner." He grasped her preferred hand. "And don't worry; I'll get Lisa home safely."

  "I'm sure you will."

  Lisa got into the car as Dan switched on the ignition. As they drove down the street, he switched on the radio, selecting a station playing soft music. "If you'd like to take a nap, go ahead," he suggested. "It's going to be a long drive."

  "That doesn't seem fair to you," Lisa protested.

  "You look worn out, so go ahead. It won't bother me."

  Lisa rested her head against the car seat and closed her eyes. The gentle motion of the car soon lulled her to sleep, and it wasn't long before her head dropped onto Dan's shoulder. He glanced down, smiling at her peaceful features. He shifted his arm to encircle her shoulders, pulling her closer to him.

  "Lisa." A soft, insistent voice penetrated her dreamworld. She wrinkled her nose, murmuring unintelligibly. "Lisa, you're home," the soft voice persisted.

  Lisa became hazily aware that a steady warmth was surrounding her and that her cheek was resting against a firm surface. She opened her eyes and discovered that her head was on Dan's shoulder and that his arm was around her.

  "I'm sorry," she apologized, starting to sit up, pushing her hair away from her eyes. "I'm afraid I wasn't very good company for you."

  "You were fine," Dan told her.

  "Would you like to come in for some coffee?"

  "No, thanks; it's pretty late." He got out of the car and walked around to open her door. After getting her suitcase out of the trunk, Dan walked her to her apartment.

  "Thank you for the ride." Lisa looked up with a warm smile.

  "My pleasure." He took the key out of her hand and inserted it into the lock. Dan pushed the door open and carried Lisa's suitcase inside. She followed him, aware of how empty the apartment seemed with Debra gone. Dan stared down at her face, watching the various emotions cross her features.

  "You can be sure I'll be in the office bright and early on Monday," Lisa said, looking up at Dan. The words faded as she saw the expression on his face.

  "Who says the bride should get all the kisses?" Dan growled, pulling her into his arms. His kiss was explosive. Lisa clutched his shoulders, afraid that her trembling legs wouldn't support her. He took his time with her, demanding a response from her that she was unable to refuse. A soft moan escaped her lips when Dan finally lifted his head. His breathing was as ragged as hers.

  "Dan," Lisa whispered, lifting her hand to caress his cheek.

  "You couldn't respond to me the way you just did if you felt anything at all for Connors," he muttered thickly against her hair. "He doesn't really mean anything to you, does he?"

  "Would it matter?" she asked provocatively.

  "Please just answer me." Dan's grip was merciless. There would be bruises left on her skin in the morning.

  "Mark doesn't mean anything to me." Lisa looked up at his dark face with glowing eyes.

  "We need to do some talking, then," Dan told her. "But not now, because the last thing I want to do right now is talk. I'll be over tomorrow night with a pizza at six. Just do me a favor and don't wear anything too sexy. I don't know if my blood pressure could handle it."

  Lisa smiled at Dan's arrogant assumption that she would fall so readily in with his plans. But all she cared about right now was that she was in his arms, and she didn't want him to leave.

  "Oh, Lee, I don't want to leave you," he groaned, pulling her against him for another hard kiss. A moment later, however, the front door closed behind him.

  Lisa stood still, touching her swollen lips with her fingertips. A slow smile lit up her face. In a dream-like trance she walked into the bedroom and got ready for bed.

  Welcoming the luxury of being able to laze the day away, Lisa slept late the next day, and she spent the afternoon washing her hair and manicuring her nails, polishing them with a pale-rose shade.

  Wearing a muted blue-silk caftan with a plunging neckline that clung to her body as she walked, and leaving her hair in a loose, curly style, Lisa knew she was ready for Dan. Hearing the doorbell, she hurried to answer it.

  "Hi," Dan said huskily, setting the pizza carton down on a table and drawing her into his arms. "Um, I've been waiting for this all day," he murmured against her lips.

  "Me too." Her voice was a hoarse whisper as she linked her arms around his neck.

  "I think we'd better eat before I get any more ideas," Dan said, reluctantly pulling her away from him.

  "I'll get some plates." Lisa walked into the kitchen, the silken folds of her caftan flowing about her ankles.

  During the meal, Dan kept things casual with light, teasing comments. Once, when his eyes met hers in an intense gaze, Lisa felt as if she were caught in a web. Heat rose in her body before she could turn her eyes away from his.

  When they finished eati
ng, Lisa carried the dishes into the kitchen, stacking them into the dishwasher. She could hear Dan putting records on the record player, the soft strains drifting through the air. When she came back into the living room, Dan smiled at her, as he pulled her over to a nearby chair, cradling her in his lap.

  "You taste delicious, smell delicious," he murmured, nuzzling her neck.

  "You said we were going to talk," Lisa reminded him, twisting her head away from him.

  "You don't make it easy do you?" Dan groaned, his hands sliding down to her waist. "Okay, we'll talk, then. I want some answers."

  "Answers?" she asked curiously.

  "Yes. Like why didn't you come to see me more often when I was in the hospital? Why did you suddenly withdraw? Why did you decide to run back into Connors' arms?" Dan paused for a minute. "Especially after that Sunday afternoon. I thought—gosh, I don't know what I thought." He raked his fingers wearily through his hair.

  "I know what I thought," Lisa said softly, still feeling the remembered pain. "You didn't want to jeopardize your affair with Morgan Grant. She appears to be very possessive where you are concerned."

  "Honey, making love to Morgan would be like making love to a deep freeze," Dan told her, his fingers caressing the soft skin of her throat. "Now, as for you…" His fingers continued to ply her soft, silky skin. "You're warm, passionate, loving," he murmured. "You're all that any man could desire. Was that really the reason why you didn't come?"

  "Yes," she replied in a choked voice.

  "When I called you the day I was released from the hospital, and when you had the guts to coolly inform me that you had a date, I wanted to strangle you," Dan growled. "Then, later, you showed up at my door drunk, chattering away like some crazy magpie."

  "I felt so foolish afterwards," Lisa confessed, pressing her lips against his throat, delighting in the rapid beat of his pulse, knowing she was the cause.

  "Is that why you didn't want me to touch you that night?" His lips followed the path of his hands, as they teased the sensitive skin of her breasts.

  "I—I…" She found it hard to think coherently. "I didn't want you to kiss me and pretend that I was Morgan instead."