The Company You Keep

by Tracy Kelleher

  “Nah, I can manage. Besides, they’re ri-donc-ulously heavy.” He tried not to think about the bed. The bed and Amara. He smiled at her tightly.

  “Press?” she asked.

  He raised his head and looked at her through half-slit eyes.

  “I’ll always remember you here—today—in your room. And I’m not talking about your pirate ship, either.” She stepped close to him. “Why don’t you lower that chin of yours, Press Lodge, so I can give you a real goodbye—the kind you’ll remember?”

  He did.

  And she kissed him. Memorably.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  TWO WEEKS LATER ON A Thursday morning, Vic finally made it into the office around ten o’clock.

  And found Joe seated at his desk.

  Vic looked down at Roxie, who was holding her leash in her mouth. “Attack,” he ordered.

  Roxie glanced over at Joe, back at Vic, then silently headed for her bed in the corner of the room. She circled the pillow twice and settled in silently.

  Vic gave her a dirty look. Ever since that Saturday of Reunions, the dog had been in a funk. “Excuse me,” Vic had said to her when she’d rejected her food one morning. “I’m not the one who told her to go away.”

  “Nobody pays attention to me,” Vic mumbled now under his breath, and placed his briefcase atop his own desk. He eyed Joe. “Take over the company while you’re at it,” he said with annoyance.

  “Hey, someone has to run the place while you spend your days moping.” Joe tapped his pen—actually, my pen, Vic thought. “While you’ve been wallowing in your grief at losing the love of your life—”

  “I never said that.”

  “Oh, please, it’s written all over your face.” Joe didn’t seem intimidated at all. “Now, as I was saying, while you’ve been going around like a hang dog, barely able to drag your sorry self into the office, I’ve been working my butt off. If it’s of any interest to you, your not-so-little brother here has been working the phones, meeting people, wining and dining—”

  “You always did know how to run up an expense account.” Vic shrugged off his blue blazer and turned to hang it on the coat rack.

  “All for a good cause this time, if you please. But ever conscious of your cost-saving measures, I ordered domestic champagne instead of French to celebrate.”

  Vic turned back. “Celebrate?”

  “Yes, celebrate securing the construction account for the new Pilgrim Investments building in Melbourne, Australia.”

  Vic stood with his mouth open.

  “You may thank me now.” Joe sprung up from Vic’s chair very pleased with himself. Then he patted the seat. “Here, you better sit down. You look like you need to.”

  Vic circled the desk warily and sat slowly. Then he looked up. “Does Pop know?”

  “I called him earlier this morning. He’s even coming in to join the festivities.”

  “He’s coming in?” Vic set his mouth in a hard line. “There’s something you should know about Dad…and the office. He and Abby have been…ah…”

  Joe made a face. “You think I don’t know? That’s been going on for years. Everybody knows.”

  “Are you telling me that I was the only one who didn’t know about it?”

  “I’m pretty sure Tommy’s still in the dark. Listen, that’s their problem to sort out, not ours.”

  “No, you don’t get it. I’m sure they probably expect me to fix things now—with Mom.”

  “I’m pretty sure they don’t,” Joe came back. “They’re adults. It’s their responsibility, not yours.” He waited for Vic to reply.

  Vic didn’t.

  “Okay?” Joe prompted him again.

  Vic shook his head reluctantly. “Okay.” Then he clapped his hands together. Roxie startled, saw it was only Vic and went back to sleeping.

  “So, do you want to have dinner together, then? Celebrate in high style? Break the expense account?” Vic asked, trying to get in the party mood. He was delighted to get the news, but his spirits weren’t particularly riding high.

  It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why. Mimi walking out of his life had been as gut-wrenching as losing his twin brother. No, that wasn’t true. He’d lost Tom as a kid. His memories, his emotions were borne out of that time. The wounds he was currently licking were fresh. They made him worry if he was ever going to find happiness, if love would be as elusive as the woman who got away.

  “Sorry, Vic. I can’t. I’m busy tonight,” Joe announced.

  Vic frowned. “I can only imagine.” The problem was he could.

  “No, it’s not what you think. I’m taking Basia and Tommy to New York.”

  Vic was confused. “New York? In the middle of the week?”

  “It’s kind of a secret. Well, it is a secret. Basia has an audition at Juilliard late this afternoon. And while she’s busy, I’m going to take Tommy to the Museum of Natural History to see the dinosaurs. Then afterward, we’ll go out to dinner.”

  “Basia has an audition? She never told me.”

  “Yeah, like I said. She wanted to keep it a secret. Not put any extra pressure on herself, I guess.”

  “But why did she ask you?” Vic felt hurt.

  Joe held up his hands. “Probably because she realized I was the only member of the family nobody would think to question.”

  Vic nodded. “You’re probably right. But still, I should be there for her.”

  Joe came over and rested his hands on the other side of Vic’s desk. “You’ve been there for Basia her whole life. Hell, you’ve been here for all of us your whole life. Why don’t you let someone else pick up the slack for a change?” He cocked his head. “And as far as Basia is concerned? Don’t you get it—she couldn’t tell you because she’s going to be there for you—and herself, of course.” Joe stood up.

  Vic regarded him with narrowed eyes. “Who made you so wise all of a sudden?”

  Joe put his hands together and bowed. “Oh, great sensei, I have learned from the master.”

  Vic picked up an eraser and threw it at him. It flew wide by a couple of inches.

  Joe retreated and turned to see where it landed. “You’re losing your touch.”

  Roxie got up from her bed to investigate the possibility of the projectile being food. She sniffed the pink rubbery square and appeared to shrug her shoulders before settling back on her bed.

  Vic shook his head. “It landed exactly where I meant it to land.”

  Joe rubbed the side of his nose. “And, there’s something else I need to say to you.” His voice was serious.

  Vic raised his eyebrows.

  “About my…ah…performance at the Un-Parade during Reunions? I was plastered and pissed about the Pilgrim deal. But that’s still no excuse. I shouldn’t have acted that way—to you, to Mimi, her family.”

  “No, that’s true.” Vic thought a moment. “But if nothing else, it got things out in the open. It wouldn’t have been my style, but…” He offered a conciliatory smile.

  “That’s for sure. And look at the results,” Joe pointed out. “You’re miserable.”

  “I’ll live,” Vic said philosophically.

  “There’s living and then there’s living.” Joe pulled a legal-size envelope out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket. He stepped closer and threw it on Vic’s desk.

  Vic picked it up. “What’s this?”

  “Open it.”

  Vic did. He took out a printout from a travel company. “Tickets to Australia?”

  “Two tickets to Australia, business class,” Joe corrected.

  Vic rested them on the desk blotter. “I don’t get it?”

  “What’s not to get? I’m giving you the opportunity to propose to Mimi. From the pathetic look on your ugly face these past few weeks, it’s plain as day that you love the woman.”

  “That’s…ah…very generous, Joe, but the woman dumped me.”

  “And the CEO of our company is going to let that stand in his way? The m
an who took some of the toughest hits in pro football as well as dishing them out?”

  Vic winced. “Let’s not mention that, okay?”

  “All right. But the man who built up this mom-and-pop business into a stone powerhouse, the man who was able to knock me to the ground—he’s going to just take a little thing like rejection as final?”

  Vic mulled over Joe’s words. “I must be out of it if you’re starting to sound reasonable.”

  Joe reached over and picked up the desk phone. “Call her. And just remember, Australia is the land of Argyle diamonds. I’m sure you could keep Mimi busy choosing exactly what she wants.”

  Vic stared at the phone. “I just can’t call a woman who doesn’t want to see me and tell her I have two tickets to Australia.”

  Joe slammed the receiver back in its cradle. “Then start with something smaller. Work your way up. What about flowers? A dozen long-stemmed roses? Two dozen? You know—a grand gesture? Ladies love that.”

  Vic shook his head. “No, not this lady, I’m pretty sure.” He paused to think. He rotated his desk chair to study Roxie. The dog was curled so tightly you’d think she was in Anchorage in the middle of winter. She looked pathetic. Almost as pathetic as he felt.

  Vic swiveled back to Joe. “I’ve got a better idea. One she won’t be able to refuse.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  SHE WATCHED VIC STAND UP when he saw her approaching across the Allie Hammy plaza.

  “You took a taxi,” he said in amazement. As usual, he wore khaki pants and a blue blazer.

  Why wasn’t she surprised?

  Mimi stopped three feet away and crossed her arms. “I wasn’t about to go traipsing around town in this get-up.” She looked down at the ridiculous Beefeater’s jacket. “Thank God, I no longer have the stupid hat.” Then she raised her head and eyed Vic.

  He shook his head. “No, I don’t mean that. I mean, you took a taxi—got in a car.” He pointed in the direction of the departing cab.

  Mimi glanced over her shoulder then back again. “Oh, that. I do a lot of things now. Which isn’t to say I didn’t sweat like a pig during the ride. But luckily the material on this jacket is so thick you can’t tell.” She screwed up her face and waited.

  He tilted his head and stared at her.

  Dammit. He looked so cute. “Well?” she prompted. “Your message said, ‘Be there or be square.’ Not to mention the fine print about when, where and what I was supposed to wear.”

  He plunged his hands in the pockets of his khaki pants. “Yeah, it was a dare.”

  “Hello? What kind of a person in this day and age offers a dare like ‘Be there or be square’?” She paused, her mouth open. “Oh, yeah, I forgot who I was dealing with. And that part about Roxie needing me? That was a really low blow.”

  “I know. I couldn’t help myself. But it’s true. She won’t eat. She doesn’t sleep,” Vic explained, concern lacing his voice.

  Mimi looked around. “So where is she? I don’t see her anywhere. She’s not at the vet’s, is she?” For the first time, she softened.

  “No, no, nothing like that,” he assured her. “I left her in the car, right on Edinburgh Avenue—just down there.” He pointed in the direction.

  “You left her in the car?” Mimi was aghast.

  Vic held up his hands. “Don’t worry. I left the window open practically the whole way.”

  “The whole way?” Mimi looked skeptical.

  Vic nodded. “Yeah.”

  Mimi brought her fingers to her mouth and whistled loudly.

  Two seconds later, Roxie came running to the fountain, skittering next to Mimi.

  Mimi knelt down and gave the dog a good rub around the head and ears. “What a good girl. What kind of an owner leaves a dog like you in the car, huh?” Roxie whimpered in agreement. “And he says you haven’t eaten. I bet he didn’t even think to buy you the special treats like I got you for the picnic.”

  “You’re right. You can see why she needs you.”

  Mimi gave the dog a final big squeeze and stood up. “What’s this all about, Vic? Roxie’s fine. Why did you send that text message? I think I deserve the truth.” She shot his own words back at him.

  “You’re right. You do.” He peered at her. “The text didn’t come at a bad time, did it? I didn’t interrupt anything important, did I?”

  “As it so happens, I was having lunch in the City with Lilah and her sister-in-law, Penelope, at her fiancé’s restaurant—yes, Penelope has finally agreed to marry Nick Rheinhardt. Is that what you wanted to know?” she asked innocently.

  Vic opened his mouth, started to say something and stopped.

  “We also discussed my future employment prospects. The network offered me a weekend anchor spot. Then of all things, I got a call from the Dean of Allie Hammy. She’s offered me a visiting lectureship position on the role of jornalism in international conflicts. Interesting, don’t you think?”

  “You’d consider coming back to Grantham?”

  “It’s a possibility.”

  “In which case…” Vic hesitated, then started all over again. “Listen.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “I’ve got a proposal.”

  Mimi narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “What kind of a proposal?”

  “That we try again. Only this time, we get to know each other gradually—over a longer period of time.”

  “What? You’re proposing we go to a kabuki performance together?”

  Vic looked like he wanted to laugh but was way too nervous. “My idea was that we go on vacation,” he ventured.

  “I never go on vacation,” she informed him.

  “Neither do I. That’s why I suggested it—something new…the start of something new for both of us.”

  Mimi frowned. “Did you have any place in particular?”

  “Joe suggested Australia.”

  “Australia’s nice.”

  “Yeah, it sounded nice to me, but it has one drawback.”

  “Oh?” Mimi tapped her foot.

  “We couldn’t take Roxie. They have strict animal quarantine laws in Australia. I checked.”

  Mimi shook her head. “Then that wouldn’t work at all.”

  “I agree. See, we’re getting somewhere.”

  Mimi raised a dubious eyebrow. “Go on.”

  “So, then I thought. What about a road trip across the U.S.—you, me and Roxie?”

  “A road trip across America.” Now that she hadn’t expected.

  “We could take as long as we wanted to. No reservations. Maybe take a tent, go camping. I’ve always wanted to go to North Dakota. I’ve never been there. Have you?”

  Mimi shook her head. “You’re crazy. A road trip? We could end up killing each other.”

  “I’m crazy? I thought you had dibs on that?”

  She tried to hide her smile by covering her mouth.

  “Anyway, who says we’d kill each other. Who knows? It could end up that we actually like being with each other—even fall in love again, only this time even more.” He raised his eyebrows, waiting for her response. “You want to take the chance? I know that Roxie would love it.”

  Mimi made a face. “That’s…that’s blackmail!”

  “I know. But I’m desperate.”

  Mimi regarded Roxie. On cue, she rolled over and exposed herself. “Shameless as usual,” Mimi told her. Then she went back to eyeing Vic. “So, say we don’t kill each other. Then what?”

  “Then I was thinking,” he forged on. “If we didn’t come to blows driving cross-country, we could then maybe…I don’t know…take the trip to Australia?”

  “I thought you just nixed that idea?”

  “That’s true. But I thought it might be a good idea to see if we could function together without the aid of our guardian angel.” He looked down at Roxie. “No offence, girl.”

  Roxie scratched her own tummy with a back paw.

  Mimi frowned in thought. “Australia? Maybe that’s not such a b
ad idea. That way I could check in on Press—see how he’s doing.”

  “You think your brother really wants you to check in on him?”

  Mimi looked offended. “Yes…well, maybe, no… Yes and no,” she concluded. She smiled brightly.

  Vic attempted a smile of his own. It looked pretty feeble to Mimi.

  “So what do you think?” he asked. “Should we become travel buddies and then possibly…I don’t know…if things go well…see what happens?”

  “You’re being remarkably inarticulate. You know, the way you’re making a muck of this whole ‘dare’ thing—and now this fuzzy travel plan—I might just have to take a while to think about it.” She was teasing, and she was pretty sure he didn’t know it.

  In fact, Mimi could see that Vic was really desperate, and somehow it amused her in a perverse way. Because she had missed him more than she thought possible.

  Well, hell. She knew that she was going to give in even before she put on her stupid Reunions costume and got on the train to Grantham.

  “Woman, you’re killing me.” He shook his head. Then after a moment, he held up a finger. “I know what will persuade you.” Vic pushed off his shoes and removed his socks. He passed them to Roxie. “Here, chew to your heart’s content.”

  The dog eyed him warily.

  He slipped off his jacket, but didn’t bother to fold it, just dropped it on the marble plaza. Next, he yanked off his tie, undid his belt and tossed it away.

  Roxie shifted her head back and forth nervously.

  Mimi watched. “It’s okay, girl. He’s just going crazy.”

  “Who says I’m going crazy?” He lifted one leg and clambered over the low wall and into the pool. He undid the top button of his dress shirt, then the next and the next. He tore off his shirt and sent it flying.

  It slapped Mimi in the face.

  She removed it. Her mouth was open as she watched him strip off his pants, leaving nothing but a pair of knit boxers.

  Mimi held out her hand. “Vic, no. People might come by. You’ll get in trouble.”

  “It’s summer vacation. No one’s around. And as for trouble? That’s my middle name. Besides, if the police come to arrest me, I’ll just give them your father’s name. It worked the last time.”