Once outside the bar, Alex released his hold on Bill and said, "Look, I know this sounds crazy, but I know my wife. Or I think I do. I've got to do this my way, in my own time. Do you understand?"
The night air was cold, and the attorney turned the collar of his suit jacket up. "Hell, no, I don't understand. But it's your life, so I'm not going to interfere more than I have already. I just hope to hell you know what you're doing."
"Me, too," Alex said in a voice that held zero confidence.
Lisa had been working at the Playful Kitten Club for almost a week and had been pulling in some very good tips. She'd only had to punch out one overzealous customer, who'd tried to shove more than a twenty-dollar bill into her G-string.
All in all, it had been pretty decent. The women she worked with seemed nice—some were college students, others single mothers trying to make ends meet. It wasn't a job anyone particularly relished doing, but if you needed money, it was the means to an end.
Lisa felt fortunate that she hadn't seen anyone she knew at the nightclub. The heavy makeup she wore would probably keep most people, even friends, from recognizing her. At least, she hoped so. After observing the clientele, and the general seediness of the club, she'd decided that none of her friends would consider what she was doing to earn a living in show biz.
A perverse part of Lisa wished that Alex could see her now, dancing and being the object of so much male adoration. He might become jealous, realize what he had given up.
Not that she cared!
Much.
The awful truth was, she missed Alex. They'd shared so many wonderful moments during their brief marriage—romantic interludes on the beach, intimate conversations about growing up with such diverse family backgrounds.
But most of all, they'd had fun.
And great sex!
Lisa wasn't the type of woman who adjusted well to celibacy. She liked sex, and wasn't afraid to admit it. She owned a vibrator, and wasn't afraid to admit that, either. Of course, she hadn't used it since before her marriage to Alex. There'd been no need, not with her virile, sexy husband to take care of matters for her.
But unfortunately things had changed. She made a mental note to check her batteries.
Sighing, she wrapped her terry robe more tightly around her and strolled into the kitchen to see what delights Leo had in his freezer.
She didn't have to work tonight, and ice cream was a definite cure-all for loneliness and depression. She'd eaten her fair share of it in the past few weeks.
Lisa had just removed a large tub of Baskin-Robbins Pralines and Cream and placed it on the kitchen counter when the phone rang. It was Francie.
"I was hoping you were up. I never know what time to call, what with your dog-walking in the morning and your job at the movie theater at night."
Lisa's face grew hot. "I'm off tonight." She felt guilty that she hadn't confided in Francie and Leo about her new job, or the fact that she'd been fired from the old one. But she knew her sister would disapprove and be worried for her, so she'd said nothing.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and Lisa wondered who was visiting so late. "Hold on, France. Someone's at the door."
"Be sure to see who it is first before you open it."
"Yes, Mother."
Lisa opened the door to find a florist deliveryman standing there. "Lisa Mackenzie," he said, holding out the large bouquet.
With her heart beating fast, Lisa took the flowers, thanked the young man and then headed back to the kitchen, setting them on the counter, where she could see them.
Since arriving back in Philadelphia, she hadn't been using her married name, so the flowers could have only come from one person. Taking the card from the holder, she discovered she was right.
I Miss You! Love, Alex.
Alex had sent flowers! But why? And why now, after so many days had passed? His card said he missed her. So why hadn't he tried to contact her before?
Not that she would have spoken to him.
But still…
Inhaling the glorious scent of roses, Lisa made an instant decision not to tell her sister about them. "I'm back."
"Who was it?"
"Just someone selling something I didn't want."
"I hate that. What's wrong? You sound tired."
"Nothing. Well, I am kind of tired."
"I won't keep you. I was just wondering if you'd like to come for dinner tomorrow evening. Mark and I are having a few friends in, and I thought it would be nice if you could come, sort of be my cheerleader. I'm a bit nervous."
The invitation was met by silence.
"Lisa? Lisa! Are you all right?"
"I can't. I have to work."
"But can't you call in sick or something? It's Saturday night."
Lisa knew she would make gobs of money at the club on a Saturday night, it being the busiest night of the week, and she couldn't afford to take the time off, especially after missing tonight, which was the second busiest night.
"Now who's being irresponsible? I have to work, remember? Leo isn't letting me stay here for free, you know. My share of the rent will be due soon."
Francie sighed loudly. "I guess you're right. I'm just disappointed since this is my first official dinner party as Mrs. Mark Fielding, and I wanted you to be there."
"I would have loved to come, you know that. But you'll do fine without me, France. I'm sure Leo will be happy to help out. And Mom, if you want her."
"Puhleeze! Josephine would take over and insist on doing everything. It's Ma's way. I'm not inviting our parents, Lisa. Do you think that's wrong of me?"
"No, of course not! Don't be ridiculous. Children should not have to socialize with their parents, unless they have to borrow money, or their parents are on life support."
Francie laughed. "I knew I could count on you to talk some sense into me."
"It's usually the other way around."
"Don't sell yourself short, Lisa. Look at how you've turned things around. You're working two jobs, sharing an apartment and paying rent, making the best of a bad situation. I'm really proud of you."
Lisa's eyes filled with tears and a lump lodged in her throat. "Thanks. I gotta go, okay? I've got something on the stove." It was a lie, but Lisa wasn't about to admit to her older sister that Francie's compliments and faith in her was making her cry. Lisa didn't deserve the praise, not under the present circumstances, at any rate.
She was working as an exotic dancer. Her marriage was on the rocks. And her life sucked majorly!
"I knew you would like the flowers, love. The softness of the petals, so dewy and moist, reminded me of you."
"Alex, Alex, we shouldn't. I'm too upset and angry with you," Lisa moaned when Alex's hand moved to touch her breast and toy with her nipples.
"You know you want me. Isn't that why you invited me to come here tonight, so we could make love?" He kissed her then, stealing her breath and whatever sense she had left to think rational thoughts.
What she was doing was definitely not rational.
"I do want you, Alex. I've always wanted you. But this is wrong. We shouldn't be together like this, not after everything—"
"Ssh!" His hand moved up her nightgown to rest on the juncture of her thighs. "I can make you feel good. Remember how it always is between us?"
"Yes!" she said breathlessly. "Yes! Yes!"
Her legs opened and his fingers moved to caress her aching bud. "Let yourself go, Lisa. You know you want to. Don't hold anything back."
But some part of her resisted. "I can't. I can't."
"Yes, you can." His lips were persuasive as he kissed her protests away, his tongue plunging in, his clever fingers moving purposefully over the center of her being.
"Oh, Alex! Oh, oh…"
"Oh shit!"
Lisa awoke with a start to find herself in bed, and quite alone. Sweat beaded her forehead. She'd been so damn close to, to… If it had only been a damn dream, then why in hell did she have to wake up now? Just a few more
seconds and—
"Damn you, Alex!"
Tears of frustration streamed down her face as she inhaled the sweet scent of the flowers he'd sent to her, which she'd moved into the bedroom with her.
Picking up the vase from the nightstand, she heaved it across the room where it crashed against the wall in a million pieces, sort of like her heart.
"I can't do anything right."
And that included masturbation, apparently.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!"
Shutting off the lamp, she shut her eyes and forced herself to think of the most hateful and unpleasant thing she could.
Unfortunately, that was Alex.
Ten days after Lisa had started working at the club, the shit hit the fan.
Leo had talked Francie into going to a new bar he'd heard about, The Playful Kitten, for some drinks and a few laughs. With Mark out of town again, Francie had agreed and they were now seated at a table in front of the stage, surrounded by hoards of enthusiastic male customers, waiting for the next act to appear.
When Lisa, dressed in a short apron and not much else, strutted on stage to the Donna Summer song, "She Works Hard for the Money," Francie gasped in shock, then screamed much louder than the patrons. She would have fallen off her chair, if Leo hadn't been there to steady her.
"Oh my God! It's Lisa. She's naked!"
"Ain't it great?" the big oaf standing behind her shouted, in between whistles and loud clapping.
"Shut up! It's not great. It's disgusting!"
His expression was one of disbelief. "You're nuts, lady! What are you, one of those Carrie Nationwide women, or something?"
Francie was about to answer with a rude comment when Leo shook his head and said to the guy, "My friend's had too much to drink. I'm taking her home."
"Good. We don't need no prudes around here, spoiling all the fun. Jesus, lady, you should get a job in vice."
"You pervert!" Francie retorted, rising from her chair, a murderous gleam in her eye. "You should be ashamed of yourself. You're practically old enough to be her father. If my husband was here, he'd show—"
"Come on, Francie," Leo urged, clasping her arm and tugging. "We're leaving."
She shrugged him off. "I'm not going home, Leo. I need to put a stop to this."
"You're Lisa's sister, not her keeper, or her mother," he reminded her.
Francie paled. "My God! If my mother saw Lisa like this she'd have that heart attack she's always talking about." Josephine threatened heart failure at least once a week.
"Let's go."
"But—"
"Lisa will be home soon. We'll talk to her then."
"But—"
"But nothing. We're going home. Now!"
Lisa was surprised to find Leo up and Francie at the apartment when she returned home from work, and wondered how she was going to explain the heavy makeup she still wore. She decided, if asked, that she would tell them it was Rocky Horror Picture Show night at the movie theater.
"You guys having a party or something? It's kinda late to be up chatting, isn't it?" Lisa removed her coat and joined them in the living room, despite the fact she was dog tired. Her feet hurt, her back ached and even her mouth was numb from smiling so much.
Gazing at her sister, Lisa noted that Francie had been crying. Her nose was red—a dead giveaway. Moving to sit on the sofa beside her, she asked, "Is something wrong, France? Is it Mark?"
Francie shook her head. "No, it's not Mark. It's you, Lisa."
"Me?" Lisa's eyes widened. What on earth was Francie talking about? "But I'm perfectly fine, as you can see."
"We saw more than we wanted to see tonight, Lisa, that's for damn sure. Leo and I visited The Playful Kitten Club and guess who we saw dancing up on stage? It was traumatic, to say the least."
Consumed by guilt and embarrassment, Lisa tried to brazen it out, nevertheless. "Oh, come on. I'm not that bad." She turned to Leo and smiled a fake smile, not unlike the ones she used to entertain her customers. "Didn't you think I was pretty good, Leo? I've got natural rhythm, you've got to admit that."
Leo nodded. "You were great, sweetie. We heard many admiring comments from the male customers."
"Shut up, Leo! Don't feed her ego." Francie chastised her former roommate, then said to her sister, "You've got to quit that job. It's dangerous for you to be working there. That place is filled with nothing but voyeurs and perverts."
Lisa sighed. "I knew you would disapprove, which is why I didn't tell you what I was doing to earn a living, France."
"I take it the dog-walking thing didn't work out," Leo said.
"Warren fired me." She explained the situation with Blossom's parent. "I wasn't really enamored of the job, anyway. I mean, the dogs were cute and all, but I hated picking up the crap."
"You'd rather dance naked in front of strange men than pick up dog poop? Uniriggingbelievable." Francie shook her head. "What if Mom and Dad had seen you? Or Alex? Did you ever think of that?"
"I'm a grown woman, Francie. I don't need a lecture, especially from you. I'm not selling myself. I'm just dancing. It's a perfectly respectable job, much better than working as a hotel maid and coming into contact with various bodily fluids, I might add."
"I want you to quit, Lisa."
"I can't quit. I need the money. And it's not going to be a career. I'm only doing it temporarily, until I can save enough money to get a place of my own. I'm sure Leo is anxious to get rid of me."
Leo's silence on the subject was rather telling, until Francie kicked him in the leg.
"Don't be silly. You're welcome to stay here as long as you like," he added quickly, and Lisa almost smiled at the poor man, wondering how his sanity survived dealing with the Morelli sisters.
"Thanks, Leo, but I'm hoping it won't be for too much longer."
"Leo and I have been talking since we got home, Lisa. We've come up with an idea that we thought might solve your problem."
"You haven't found me a wealthy man to marry, have you? Because…well, I've already had one of those."
Lisa wondered again what Alex's motives were in pursuing her. She refused to believe that he loved her, not after the awful way he had allowed his parents to treat her. If that was love, she wanted no part of it.
Shaking her head, Francie finally smiled. "We'd like you to come to work for Designing Women. You'd be a gofer at first, running errands, picking up materials and delivering them. But if you work hard and prove yourself, you can work into a position as a designer."
"With your theatrical ability, Lisa, you'd be a natural," Leo added, smiling enthusiastically as he warmed to the idea.
"And you've agreed to this, Leo?" Lisa shook her head, confusion marring her features. "You've only just opened for business. How can you afford to hire me?"
"Sweetie, money has never been a problem for me. I've got tons of it. And if a job will get you out of that awful club, then I'm happy to hire you."
Tears filled Lisa's eyes. "You're very sweet. You know that, don't you?"
"Of course, I know that. For years, women have been wishing I were straight. Alas, I've had to disappoint them. As beautiful and sexy as you looked up on that stage tonight, it didn't do a thing for me."
Lisa laughed. "You know, Leo, you shouldn't be saying stuff like that. I'm a woman who likes a challenge. I just might be tempted to turn you to the dark side."
"Well, if you're a woman who likes a challenge," Francie interrupted, "then come to work with us at Designing Women. Leo's an excellent teacher, we have a new office that he has decorated exquisitely, and I promise that you'll learn a lot. I certainly have in the short time I've been working there."
Lisa mentally calculated the pros and cons of the offer. She knew tine money wouldn't be as good as what she was making at the club, but it would give her an opportunity to learn a real profession and work with two people she adored. It would also keep peace in the family, and her feet wouldn't hurt any longer!
"All right, I'll do it."
&nb
sp; 5
Donning her coat, Lisa was about to head out of the apartment to her first day of work at Designing Women when the doorbell rang.
Damn! She checked her watch, knowing she couldn't afford to be late on her very first day. She hadn't given two weeks notice at the club, so if Leo fired her, she'd be up shit creek without the proverbial paddle.
"Oh hell! Why now?" She wasn't a morning person and had overslept again.
No surprise there!
Tempted not to answer, she reconsidered, just in case it was someone or something for Leo. It was his apartment, after all, and she didn't want to be rude.
Leo had a lot of friends. Hell, he had more friends than Bette Midler could sing about.
Opening the door, Lisa stood there in shock and disbelief, staring at the handsome visage that was her husband and ignoring the way her traitorous heart lurched.
Like her he was dressed casually—only Lisa wore blue jeans and a T-shirt, while Alex was dressed in neatly pressed khakis, the crease just so, and a lightly starched blue shirt that brought out the color of his eyes. He wouldn't have been caught dead in jeans. His mama would never have approved, she thought meanly.
"Hello, Lisa."
She fought her delight at seeing him, pushing aside the memories of her perverted dream, and asked in a brusque manner, "What are you doing here?"
"I've missed you, love. We need to talk."
"I don't have time to talk," she replied, trying to ignore the endearment and keep her emotions in check. "I'm late for work."
Alex's lips formed a thin slash. "Since when do nightclubs open this early?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Have you been spying on me?" For days she'd had the creepy sensation that someone was watching her. But, of course, she'd brushed it off as her vivid imagination. Now it seemed she wasn't so crazy, after all. Alex had been keeping tabs on her. And while one part of her liked that idea, because it meant he still cared, the other part—her feminist part—was furious.
"I'm staying with a friend from college, Bill Connors. He insisted we go nightclubbing the other night, and we ended up at The Playful Kitten Club."
Suddenly Single Page 5
