by Maggie Way
The second tray had just gone in when the doorbell rang. Looking up at the clock Gretchen saw it was only seven-fifteen.
“What was that you were saying about having plenty of time?” John grumbled.
True to her word, Gretchen’s mom was at the door in a flash. Carl’s jovial voice carried into the kitchen and John and Gretchen both groaned. What on earth is he doing here already? Gretchen wondered. “You finish what you’re doing,” she said to John, “and I’ll take care of Carl.”
“Remind me again why you invited him?” John complained.
Gretchen shook her head and calmly walked toward the living room.
“Carl, how nice to finally meet you,” she heard her mom saying. “Gretchen has told us so much about you.”
“Well, I hope it was all good,” Carl said with a laugh.
“Of course it was, dear. We’ve been eager to meet you for a while.” She patted his shoulder and smiled. “We had a lovely dinner with Gretchen and John,” her mom continued. “We were excited to meet him, too.”
“Yes,” Carl said, “so am I.”
“You mean you haven’t met him yet?” her mom asked.
Gretchen stood just outside the living room, curious what Carl had to say.
“Not yet. With his broken leg, he stayed in the house a lot,” Carl said. “I’ve been anxious to get a look at this guy, though.”
She knew the jabs were about to start, so she stepped into the living room. Her mom spotted her and smiled. Carl must have noticed because he turned around right after. Gretchen’s jaw almost dropped. She was too surprised even for that.
She had never seen Carl in anything besides his work coveralls or jeans and a t-shirt. His black slacks, complete with a black leather belt, accentuated a trim waist she really didn’t even know Carl had. The way his deep blue dress shirt fit against his chest and arms displayed the muscles she always felt when he hugged her. He looked absolutely amazing. Gretchen suddenly wanted to kick herself for having ever said that she didn’t think things would work out between them.
Blue eyes accentuated by his shirt, Carl was beaming, no doubt pleased with himself for having stunned Gretchen. In true Carl fashion, he took advantage of her shock and wrapped her up in a hug, adding a kiss to the top of her head just to rub it in. That finally snapped Gretchen back to reality, the one where John was in the kitchen finishing the food for his party. Guilt broke her out of Carl’s grip in one quick motion.
“Carl,” she said, her tone more annoyed that it should have been, “what are you doing here so early? I thought I told you the party started at eight.”
“Oh, you did,” Carl said casually. “I saw you guys get back and thought you might want some help getting things set up before the rest of your friends get here.”
“Carl, you’re such a gentleman,” her mom said. “Gretchen is so lucky to have you next door.”
Carl grinned triumphantly. “That’s what I keep telling her.”
Gretchen wanted to strangle him.
There was nothing for him to help with except getting the hors d’oeuvres on trays, and there was no way Gretchen was letting him in the kitchen. “Fine, Carl, if you want to help me out you can keep my parents company while I help John in the kitchen.” Grabbing the front of his shirt she pulled his face closer to hers. “But no complaining about John or trying to convince them that I should dump him. Got it?”
Carl nodded very seriously. Unfortunately, reacting to his obvious insincerity would only egg him on. He looked like he was about to make some smart remark when his eyes suddenly drifted over toward the hallway leading to the kitchen. His cocky smile widened and Gretchen’s heart dropped. Glancing over, she saw John staring at them with the deepest frown she’d ever seen him wear. His clenched fists only added to the glower.
Gretchen and Carl’s faces were only inches away from each other, with Carl smiling like an idiot, no doubt looking like he was about to kiss her. John folded his arms over his chest and glared at Carl. Gretchen dropped Carl’s shirt like it was on fire. Scrambling for something to say, she opened her mouth, but Carl beat her to it.
“You must be John,” he said. He offered John his hand, polite as could be. John scowled at him half a second longer before finally reaching out and taking it stiffly.
“Carl.”
Gretchen had been worried about Carl causing problems, but the way John was looking at her neighbor suddenly made her just as worried about what John might do. Maybe inviting Carl wasn't such a good idea after all. Although, if she hadn’t she never would have gotten to see him all dressed up.
Forcing that though out of her mind completely, Gretchen pressed one hand against their chests. They didn’t budge. They were being ridiculous. She gave up.
“I’m going to go get dressed. You two had better behave,” she threatened before dropping her hands and stalking out of the room. She was beginning to regret this whole thing.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Little Black Dress
Standing in front of the mirror, Gretchen held the black dress up against her body nervously. It was new, bought especially for the party. The problem was, she had been planning on revealing it to John without an audience. Now she was dreading stepping out of her bedroom. She almost put the dress away and went with her standard blue wraparound dress instead. It was safe enough to wear to school. The black dress she was holding now would never make an appearance at school.
It wasn’t overly revealing. She was covered from a little above the knee to her shoulders, but it was definitely sexier than what she typically wore to school, and she looked really good in it. She knew John would love it, but so would Carl. Starting a pissing contest between them really was not something she wanted to do. People were due to start arriving soon, and if she knew Desi, she was probably walking up the drive.
Taking a deep breath, Gretchen decided she couldn’t wait any longer. She stepped into the dress and pulled it into place. As she buttoned the small buttons than ran down the front of the bodice, she couldn’t help think that maybe it was a little too tight. She had thought it perfect in the dressing room at the mall, but now that she was faced with actually showing it to someone she wondered if the fabric pulled across her chest and hips a little too much.
Gretchen wasn't one of those women with curves galore, but she had enough that people would notice what she did have in the dress. The thought of Carl staring at her all night almost convinced Gretchen to hide the black dress at the back of her closet. She finished doing up the buttons and took in her reflection instead.
She really did look good.
The little capped sleeves covered up a birthmark on her shoulder, and instead made her arms look nice and trim. Pin-tuck pleats ran down the bodice making her waist look even slimmer than it was. The simple pencil skirt ended with two layers of sheer ruffles that lightened the serious look of the dress and made it perfect for a party with friends. Gretchen buckled a thin belt around her waist and turned away from the mirror.
The deep backbeat of one of her favorite songs spread through the house. Guests would begin arriving any second. She couldn’t stay in her room forever. The nightmare party had been her idea. Hiding out in her room wasn't really an option. Unfortunately. The doorbell rang and Gretchen could hear Desi’s voice bubbling into the house. It was time to face the music.
Unlocking the door, Gretchen peeked out, looking up and down the hall. Nobody. They must have all gone to greet Desi. Talk about an ambush. Thankful for the moment of privacy, Gretchen stepped out of the bedroom and started down the hall. Noise from the entryway drowned out the music as Desi gushed over everyone. She had met Carl a few times before, but Gretchen’s parents and John were strangers. That wouldn’t last long.
She turned the corner to see her friend hugging her dad. Desi caught Gretchen’s gaze and grinned. “Gretchen,” she called out, drawing everyone’s eyes to Gretchen.
Gretchen felt her breath catch as both John and Carl turned to look at
her. She wanted to hide. Both of their eyes went wide and their mouths popped open. Gretchen seriously considered running back to her bedroom. Carl’s hand came up to rub his jaw, but his eyes were still glued to her. John took a step toward Gretchen, but Desi burst forward first.
“Ah! Gretchen, I told you that dress looked amazing on you!” Desi gushed. “It’s about time you wore something sexier than a khaki skirt.”
Desi finally released her and spun around to face the rest of the group. John and Carl seemed to see each other and notice how much the other was staring. Both men squared their shoulders and stepped away from each other. Carl fell back into his easy casualness quickly, but John was still frowning as he walked toward Gretchen. That only lasted until he put his hands on her waist and leaned in for a kiss.
Gretchen gave him a quick peck and turned him to the side. Carl knew they were dating, but that didn’t mean she needed to rub it in his face. John didn’t seem to agree. Keeping his arm firmly around her waist, he seemed unwilling to step away from her.
“Did you need any help with the food?” she asked. She really needed a reason to get out from under everyone’s eyes for a few seconds.
“No, everything’s ready,” John said. He gestured at the table they had set up earlier and Gretchen sighed as she saw them already laden with canapés, mushrooms, queso, and a whole host of John’s creations. So much for a way out.
The doorbell rang a second time, and the excitement started all over again, slowly pushing everybody but Gretchen and John into the living room. The temperature in the house steadily rose as the guests piled in. Gretchen’s house was way too small for a party that size, but nobody really seemed to mind. Her parents wandered around chatting with everyone. Lynn and Maria grabbed John as soon as they came in and Gretchen found herself alone for a few seconds.
After the manic day she’d had, it felt great. Leaning against a wall, she spooned some of John’s spinach dip into her mouth with little pieces of brioche. It was absolutely delicious, of course, and pretty much the only way he was ever going to get Gretchen to eat cooked spinach. Fresh spinach in a salad with cranberries and almonds, you bet, but soggy, bitter globs of cooked spinach, yuck.
The flavors of the dip melted away Gretchen’s apprehensions with every bite. She scooped up the last bit on her plate and sighed as she set it down on the side table. She was debating getting more when she spotted Desi approaching Carl. Desi was confident and friendly, which made her come off as a huge flirt when it came to guys, but Gretchen knew it was usually just her personality.
However, watching her stand so close to Carl, smiling and laughing with him, suddenly had her watching Carl for any sign of interest in Desi. Gretchen should have smiled, glad Desi was distracting him, but instead she could feel jealousy creeping into her mind. Carl turned away from her for a second, and Gretchen thought he was walking away until he grabbed two glasses and carried them back to where Desi was standing.
What was he doing?
What was Gretchen doing?
Carl wasn't her boyfriend. In fact, she had done a pretty good job of making sure he knew that. There was no reason he shouldn’t be chatting up her best friend. A girlfriend for Carl was exactly what Gretchen needed. It would make her life so much simpler. She hoped he talked to Desi all night.
But if that was true, why was it that when Carl finally looked over at her and smiled, she found herself smiling back, glad he had finally noticed she was there?
Carl turned back to Desi then, but kept glancing back at Gretchen whenever there was a break in the conversation. She should have moved away and let him give Desi his full attention, but she didn’t. It was wrong, but the idea of losing Carl to Desi made her sad. Yes, it would solve the problem of Carl trying to push his way past John, but it would undoubtedly take him out of her life as well.
She wasn't ready for that. Carl meant too much to her. Gretchen knew John had consumed pretty much all of her time for the past two months, but before John there had only been Carl. Gretchen saw Desi at work every day, but up until recently she had been dating someone and that kept her pretty busy most nights. Carl had been the one to help Gretchen change her tire when she came out one morning to find it completely flat. He had also helped her on numerous projects around the house and kept her company when she’d felt so alone in a new town.
“Hey, beautiful.”
Gretchen jumped and turned to find John had snuck up to her. “You scared me,” she said, turning so she couldn’t see Carl anymore.
“Sorry, you were just standing here so quietly I couldn’t help it,” John said. “Why aren’t you talking to some of your friends?”
“I just needed a moment to breathe, I guess.” She certainly wasn't going to tell him why she was really standing there alone. “How did you finally get away from Lynn and Maria?”
“I told them I was getting tired and needed to go sit down. I almost had to beat them back with a stick to keep them from trying to carry me to the couch themselves.” John laughed, but Gretchen didn’t doubt him. Lynn and Maria were very dedicated nurses when it came to their favorite patient.
“How are you doing?” Gretchen asked.
“Oh, I’m fine. How are you? You looked a little sad when I walked over,” John said. Stepping closer, John pushed her hair back and slid his hands across Gretchen’s cheeks and back behind her neck. “Is everything okay?”
If he looked to the side he would see Carl. He might not guess what she was really upset about, but he would make a connection and think Carl had done something. Pulling John in closer, Gretchen made sure she was blocking his view. “I’m just a little tired,” she said. “It’s been a long day. My feet are killing me.”
“I can take care of that as soon as everyone goes home,” he said. His lips fell to the side of Gretchen’s neck, kissing her softly. Her knees struggled to keep from collapsing. She wanted to melt under his touch. She knew there was a room full of people surrounding them, but she suddenly didn’t care about any of them.
“I can take care of anything else that hurts too,” John said, his lips moving up her neck.
The desire to tell everyone to get out of her house was enough to wake Gretchen up from John’s hypnotizing touch. Her dad was there somewhere. What if he was watching? That thought was enough to make her pull back.
“John, please, later,” she said. Unfortunately, Gretchen wasn't very convincing.
“Later?” John asked. “Promise?”
Desire pulsed in his eyes, taking away every other thought in her mind. There was no more Carl, no more Desi, and no more room full of people. The distance between them closed. John’s lips were hungry against Gretchen’s. Lost in his touch, she barely felt it when someone bumped into the back of her. But a sudden fear it might be her dad made Gretchen dart away from John.
“Oh, sorry, Gretchen,” Elizabeth, a friend from work, said as she stepped around them. “We have to take off. The babysitter has to be home by ten-thirty. It was really nice to meet you, John.”
After a quick hug, Elizabeth and her husband pushed through the crowd to leave. When Gretchen turned back to John, he was looking over at Carl. “Desi and Carl seem to be getting along. That’s nice,” John said. She could see the conniving pleasure in his smile before he turned away to talk to her friend Derek.
Gretchen knew she should have been sharing that sentiment, but as Carl caught her eye, she knew he had seen them kissing. The dull glean in his eyes echoed his hurt. Desi was still at his side talking animatedly, but it didn’t look like he could even hear her. John pressed his hand against the small of Gretchen’s back and pulled her over to join his conversation with Derek. Carl’s eyes followed her.
Chapter Twenty-Six
A Saint
John couldn’t blame Gretchen’s dad for falling asleep on the couch. If fact, he wanted to follow suit. Even his good leg was throbbing by the time the last couple of guests finally left. Carl and Desi were the last to leave. He watched them go, hopefu
l Carl would soon be out of their hair. Every time he thought about the way he looked at Gretchen in her new dress, or how close his mouth was to hers when he saw them before the party, John had to stifle an urge to punch him in the face. Carl knew Gretchen wasn't interested. He had no right to look at her like that.
Gathering dishes from around the room helped John calm himself down. He had barely gotten a quarter of the trash cleaned up when Gretchen came back in from walking Desi out. She swept up behind John and hugged him tightly.
“Don’t worry about that now. Let’s get my parents to bed first. They’re probably beat,” she said.
“Your dad crashed an hour ago, but your mom’s cleaning up the kitchen. I tried to tell her to leave it alone, but she insisted,” John said. “Apparently she doesn’t believe in going to bed with a dirty house.”
“No she does not,” Gretchen said, “but this isn’t her house. It’s ours, uh, mine. I mean it’s not her house.” Spinning away from him, Gretchen hurried off toward the kitchen.
John let her go without commenting on her confusion. She had been acting strangely during the party. Maybe she was just tired, but John feared pushing her about calling him her boyfriend and then being faced with the pressure of the party had yanked her out of her comfort zone. He hoped she wasn't regretting all of it.
A few minutes later, he had a little more of the living room cleaned up and Gretchen had succeeded in getting her mom out of the kitchen.
“Really, Gretchen, we can just sleep on the couch bed. You don’t need to kick John out of his room, although I’m surprised to hear he has his own room,” her mom said.
“Mom,” Gretchen groaned.
“Mrs. Gesner. I will be fine on the couch bed. Gretchen mentioned Mr. Gesner has some back problems. He’ll be much more comfortable in my room,” John said.
