A Texas Family Reunion

by Judy Christenberry

  He grinned at her. “I knew you’d come around. I’ll talk to the—”

  “No, I’m not agreeing to come back to the police force. I’m agreeing that I shouldn’t be seen with you.”

  “So you want to keep our relationship a secret?”

  “No. I want to end it.”

  “What are you talking about?” he roared.

  “You heard me. I don’t want to see you again.” She stood and went to the door, holding it open.

  “Come on, honey, you can’t mean that.”

  An hour ago, she probably wouldn’t have meant it, but now she saw Neil in a different light. He no longer had any authority over her. “Yes, I can. I’ve made a choice that I’m happy with, and I wouldn’t want to embarrass you by being seen with you.”

  “But if we keep meeting here, no one will know.”

  “Hurry up and go, Neil. Bugs are getting in.”

  He stalked out of her apartment. “I had plans for us,” he said from the doorway. “We could get married. We could have a couple of kids and you wouldn’t have to work.”

  An hour ago that plan would’ve thrilled her. Thank goodness she’d woken up in time.

  Before she could say anything else, Neil continued, “After all, you get money from the company your family owns. It’s not like we’d be hard up.”

  “Goodbye, Neil.”

  “You think about it. Let me know when you come to your senses.”

  “Right.” She closed the door in his face.

  After he’d left, she plopped down on her sofa. She’d made the right decision; she had no doubt about that. But she hated that she’d wasted so much emotion and time on a man who wanted to control her and take advantage of her income.

  She’d been a poor judge of character. Maybe it was because he was a higher rank on the force and had seemed so interested in her. She’d almost slept with him. She’d been tempted a couple of times, but something held her back.

  Now she was glad she hadn’t given in to momentary urges. He was a handsome man, but underneath… She wondered about his marriage and divorce. Maybe his wife—

  The phone rang.

  “Hello?” she answered, fearing it was Neil.

  “Alex? It’s Susan. Have you heard my news?”

  “No, I haven’t. Tell me!”

  “I’m now working for our company! David convinced Mom I should try it and see if I like it. I can’t believe she agreed!”

  “I can’t, either, but I’m very happy for you.”

  “Oh, me, too. I spent the afternoon at the new job and it’s quite absorbing.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “And do you know the best part?” Susan asked.

  “You get to work with David?”

  “No! I get to work with Pete.”

  “Ah, he is cute, isn’t he?”

  “You’ve met him?” Susan asked in surprise.

  “Yes, Jim and I worked at the company today to find the spy.”

  “Oh, that’s right. The spy was fired and that’s why they had an opening. I’m so glad you found her, because it got me out of that awful dress shop Mom loves.”

  “I know. She and my mom go there all the time.”

  “Yeah. They haven’t changed their style in twenty years. Do you think we’ll ever be like that?”

  Alex chuckled. “I don’t know. If not that, we’ll probably have other faults that will drive our kids crazy. If we have kids.”

  “What’s wrong?” Susan asked, picking up on Alex’s depressed state. They’d been in the same grade in school from kindergarten on and had shared a lot of things. She knew her cousin well.

  “Nothing,” Alex said, not wanting to talk about breaking up with Neil just yet.

  “Maybe I can talk Pete into taking me out to dinner and you and Neil could come with us!” Susan immediately suggested. “I’d love to meet him.”

  “Maybe David can double-date with you.”

  “Why not you and Neil?”

  “I’m not going to be seeing him anymore.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Alex, I didn’t know.”

  “It just happened tonight. I discovered that’s he a control freak. He doesn’t want me to make any decisions.”

  “Like Mom?”

  “Worse. And he seemed to know about the income I get from the company, too. He wanted to live off it someday.”

  “Oh, that’s horrible.”

  “Yeah. So maybe you can get Pete to take you out to celebrate your getting the new job.”

  “I’m having second thoughts. I mean, Pete’s my boss. I guess I’ll ask David. He’ll probably tell me I shouldn’t date him if he’s my boss.”

  “It is something to think about, Suse. I mean, I was blinded by the fact that Neil had a higher rank than me.”

  “I will think about it. But I’m excited about the job. It’s a new start for me.”

  “Yes, it is. I’m proud of you.”

  DAVID WAS WORKING at home. He had a condo near the office and worked most evenings. After all, he didn’t have a social life.

  He’d tried dating, and he’d discovered women liked to date wealthy men. He had a nice car, a nice home, had the title of president of his company. But they didn’t like dating a workaholic. After his last girlfriend had complained about how boring he was, he’d given up dating.

  He answered his phone after it rang, expecting it to be his mother. “Hello?”

  “David, it’s Susan. I just wanted to thank you again for my new job. I really enjoyed myself today.”

  “I’m glad, honey, but don’t decide too quickly. Give yourself time to be sure.”

  “I will. Oh, and I like Pete, too.”

  “I’m glad.”

  Apparently Susan still had something to say, but she wasn’t saying it. But she wasn’t hanging up, either.

  “Was there something you had a question about?”

  “Um, yes. What is your policy about dating?”

  It didn’t take David long to figure out what his sister wanted to know. “You mean Pete?”

  “Is he seeing someone right now?”

  “No, I don’t think so, but…well, you know Mom’s kind of a snob, don’t you?”

  “You mean because she slobbers all over Jerry and his family because they’ve been members of the country club for generations? Yeah, I know. So?”

  “Do you remember Pete’s last name?”

  “Dansky? What’s wrong with it?”

  “Nothing as far as I’m concerned. But his father came over from Eastern Europe when Pete was a little boy. He’s a U.S. citizen now, but he wasn’t born here.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “But Mom would. I just wanted to point that out. Anyway, is Pete interested in you?”

  “I don’t know. I hope so. I thought you and I could go out and celebrate my new job and…and you could ask Pete to come.”

  “Were you going to ask Mom?”

  “No, I just meant you and me and maybe Alex.”

  “Alex would probably have a date with that cop.” David wasn’t happy about that.

  “I don’t think so,” Susan said.

  That got David’s attention. But Susan didn’t elaborate, and he wasn’t about to ask. Alex’s love life was none of his business, was it?

  Chapter Four

  “Alex? I’m sorry to call so late but….”

  “It’s okay, David. I hadn’t gone to bed.”

  “I need to talk to you about Susan. And I need to ask you for a favor. Can you spare me a night this week? I mean, without canceling a date with that cop?”

  Alex drew a deep breath of relief. At first when David started his request, she feared Susan had told him about her breaking up with Neil. “Yes, I suppose I could save a night for you, if it’s necessary.”

  “According to Susan, it is. She wants me to suggest we go out to celebrate her new job…and ask Pete to go with us to even out the numbers.”

  “Even out the numbers?”

  �
��Ah, you see the problem. Susan and I are two, an even number. That’s why we need you. That would make the numbers uneven and give us a reason to ask Pete to join us. Susan’s kind of interested in him, but doesn’t want to seem too forward at such an early stage.”

  “Why don’t you ask one of your dates?”

  “I’ve given up dating.”

  Alex frowned. “Why?”

  “One of them explained that wealthy men were favorites unless they were workaholics. Then they were just boring. I’m a workaholic.”

  “Oh, David! That was stupid of her. You’re not boring! You mustn’t give up dating,” Alex told him.

  “Thanks, sweetheart, but for right now, I need you to be my date for Susan’s plan to succeed. Okay?”

  “All right. I don’t mind helping Susan out.”

  “Good. How about tomorrow night?”

  “All right.”

  After she hung up the phone, Alex thought about her younger years, when she’d tried to get David to notice her. He wasn’t her real cousin, and she’d had a major crush on him. But he’d been much too busy to pay any attention to her—after all, she was more than three years his junior.

  So she’d finally turned her attention to boys her own age and found them much more receptive. But she wasn’t exactly booked up. She could go on this fake date as a favor to Susan.

  As she was climbing into bed later that night, she realized she hadn’t once thought of Neil since David had called. Maybe she hadn’t gotten over that ridiculous crush, after all.

  THE NEXT MORNING, both Will and Carrie congratulated her and Jim on their efficient job for David’s company.

  “Carrie, you did as much work as either Jim or me,” Alex told her. “We all worked together so well.”

  “Yes, we did, didn’t we?” Carrie agreed. “That just proves that we were smart to hire you.”

  “I hope so,” Alex said. “What’s on my plate for today?”

  “Will wanted you to start work on this case,” Carrie said, handing her a file. “It’s for one of our insurance companies. If you have any questions about how to proceed after you’ve read the information, just ask me or Jim.”

  “Great, Carrie, thanks.” Alex settled at her desk, thinking how much better this was than night duty as a cop.

  Later that afternoon Alex was working on the computer, making notes on the man who was apparently trying to con the insurance company, when she got a call from David.

  “What time do you get off work tonight?” he asked without preamble.

  “We usually close at five,” Alex said, lowering her voice. She didn’t want the others to think that she was a clock watcher.

  “So will you be ready if I pick you up at six-thirty?”

  “That’s not necessary. I can meet you somewhere.”

  “No, it will work better if I take you and Susan in my car. We’re meeting Pete.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “I thought we’d try Outback. Their steaks are good.”

  “So it’s going to be a first-class celebration. Shall I offer to pay half?”

  After a momentary pause, David said, “I think I can bankroll this evening, Alex. Any remarks like that would ruin the illusion Susan is trying to create.”

  “All right. I won’t say anything like that. But I’ll still be glad to—”

  “Your job is to dress like you’re going out on a date with the cop. Only you’ll be with me!”

  She was left holding a dead line. He’d hung up on her. Impossible man!

  Did he think she wouldn’t wear something nice just because she was going with him? Well, she’d show him. She’d wear that green knit dress that hugged her figure. And she’d wear her sexiest perfume, too. She didn’t think he’d complain then!

  “Alex?” Carrie called. “Is anything wrong?”

  “No! Of course not. Why would you think that?”

  “Because I can hear the dial tone all the way over here. You haven’t hung up yet.”

  “Oh!” She replaced the receiver.

  “Any problems?” Carrie asked again.

  “No, it was just David yanking my chain, as usual.”

  “That’s a family trait,” Carrie said with a smile.

  “Ha!” Alex exclaimed. “There are times when I’m glad he and I aren’t really kin.”

  Carrie eyed her speculatively. “Well, I was very glad I wasn’t kin to Jim when he arrived here.”

  “Oh, I didn’t mean that,” Alex said, blushing. “I did have a crush on him when we were kids, but I grew out of it.”

  When she left at five o’clock, she hurried straight home. She didn’t have much time if David was going to pick her up at six-thirty. She was going to knock his socks off tonight.

  DAVID HAD WONDERED if he could convince Pete that he and Alex were interested in each other. After all, Pete thought they were cousins. He hadn’t told him he was adopted. But Pete hadn’t had any problem with his story. David suspected he would’ve gone out with anyone as long as Susan was part of the group. But he wouldn’t tell Susan that.

  He picked her up first. He thought it would be better to have Susan with him before he picked up Alex. Susan suggested they all three go in one vehicle so she could accept a ride home with Pete if he asked her to.

  “Want me to knock on Alex’s door?” Susan asked.

  “No, I’ll go get her. You’d better get in the back seat if you’re going to sell Pete on the idea that Alex and I are on a date.” He got out from behind the wheel and walked up to the door of Alex’s condo. After a rap on her door, he leaned against the wall, waiting. His experience was that women were usually late.

  When the door opened at once, he was surprised. Stepping forward, intending to tell her he appreciated her punctuality, the intention fled his mind when he saw her.

  David had realized Alex was beautiful when she began attracting boys. But he’d kept her at arm’s length, still regarding her as a younger cousin. Through the years, she’d grown more and more beautiful—and more and more tied up with the latest man in her life.

  Tonight, she was wearing a dress that clung to her curves, and the color, green, brought out the green in her hazel eyes and complemented her softly curling, shoulder-length auburn hair. “You look terrific, Alex,” he said as he caught a whiff of a wonderful scent.

  “Thank you,” she said quietly, no triumph in her voice.

  But he wouldn’t have blamed her if she had been annoyed at him. He’d been rude to hang up on her that afternoon.

  When they reached the car, Susan, too, complimented her cousin. “I wish I’d gotten some height from Dad, like you did from your dad, Alex. That kind of dress looks great on a tall person.”

  “Well, your family has all the computer skills, honey, and I think Pete really likes that,” Alex said with a grin.

  “Oh, great. I want to be loved for more than how I work a computer!”

  David comforted his sister. “I don’t think that’s what got Pete’s attention, brat.”

  “Don’t you dare call me that in front of Pete,” Susan protested.

  He laughed. “I’ll try not to, but it’s your fault if I do. You and Janet were always pestering me.”

  “They were just doing their jobs. That’s what all children are supposed to do for the oldest. Make his life hell.” Alex grinned at David.

  Susan laughed. Then, as they pulled into the restaurant parking lot, she asked, “What kind of car does Pete drive?”

  David stiffened. “Are you so shallow that you have to know what a man drives before you decide if he’s worth your time?”

  “No! I just wondered if he was here already.”

  Her hurt tones reminded David that this was Susan, not Janet. “Sorry, honey. I must’ve gotten you confused with our sister.”

  “Oh, all right, I forgive you. So do you see his car?”

  “Yes, I do. I bet he’s inside waiting for us.”

  When he stopped the car, Susan was the first out. She
smoothed down her hair and drew a deep breath. Alex stepped to her side. “You’ll do fine, Suse.”

  Susan gave her a shy smile. “I hope so.”

  “Here we go,” David said, stepping between the two ladies. He took each of their hands and moved toward the door of the restaurant. In the darkened interior, Pete was sitting on a bench, awaiting their arrival. He popped to his feet as they entered.

  “Hi, Pete. You beat us here,” David said, extending his hand to his friend. “You remember Alex, don’t you?”

  “Yes, of course, Alex, it’s good to see you again,” he said politely. Then he swung his gaze to Susan and his face lit up. “Hi, Susan.”

  “Hi, Pete,” Susan said with the same enthusiasm.

  David exchanged a look with Alex. Then he took her hand and followed the hostess to a booth for four. Standing back, he watched her slide gracefully into the booth.

  Then he remembered to say, “I hope a booth is okay with you, Pete.”

  Pete, in the process of following Susan into the booth, said, “Oh, um, yeah, it’s great.”

  Which seemed to describe the rest of the evening from Pete and Susan’s point of view. They gazed into each other’s eyes most of the evening, scarcely acknowledging David and Alex.

  “Do you think they even know we’re here?” Alex whispered to David at one point.

  “Yeah, but I don’t think they care,” he replied.

  “But how can Susan work for Pete? They’ll never get anything done.”

  David murmured, “It’s my job to make sure they do.”

  Out loud, Alex said, “My steak is really good. How about yours, David?”

  “Yeah. But in honor of Susan’s new job, I think we need to order a Chocolate Thunder from Down Under.”

  The other two were talking to each other, still oblivious to Alex and David.

  “I suppose we could all share one,” Alex agreed.

  “Or maybe order two of them, one for each couple.”

  “So we can eat ours…then eat theirs before it melts?”

  “Well, that’s possible,” David drawled. “But it happens to be Pete’s favorite dessert.”

  “I’m not sure we’re even necessary,” Alex murmured.

  “I thought we were. Pete’s a little gun-shy.”