Listen To Your Heart

by Fern Michaels

  “I’ll let the dogs out and make coffee. Would you like toast or something?”

  “Coffee will be fine. I have to go home and change my clothes. What should I do about Zip?”

  “The same thing you’ve been doing every day since I met you—leave him here with me.”

  “I could move in. Or you could move in with me.”

  “I don’t like your house, Paul. It’s cold and unfriendly. You don’t have any green plants or junk. I like stuff. You know, fill corners with things. Mementos. I like warm and cozy.”

  Paul slapped at his forehead. “You’re right. That’s what’s wrong with the place. I threw stuff all over yesterday. I messed it up, and it still looked the same. Zip and I more or less lived in the family room off the kitchen. I guess it’s a woman thing, huh?”

  “More or less.” That’s what she could do today. With Kitty gone and no pending jobs, she could go to the French Market, buy some junk, some plants, and fix up Paul’s house. She had the van, so she could shop till she dropped and load it to the brim. A labor of love. She literally danced down the steps behind the dogs. It’s going to be a wonderful day. I can feel it in every bone of my body. “I’m getting married!” she shouted as she twirled around the kitchen, coffee strainer in hand. “Wherever you are, Mom, can you hear me? I’m getting married! Do you believe it, Mom? Me, getting married! Damn, I feel good. The pearls broke, Mom. That was my sign, right? I hope you approve of Paul. He’s the one, Mom. I knew it the minute he showed up at the cottage. When you have time, give me another sign that you approve. You have to approve, Mom. I love this guy. I really do.”

  Paul backed away from the doorway. He hated to admit he had listened unashamedly to Josie’s dialogue with her mother. She really did love him. No woman had ever said she loved him. Maybe his mother had told him she did when he was little, but if she did, he couldn’t remember it. Maybe the old housekeeper had told him, too, but he couldn’t remember that either. He felt his chest swell with happiness.

  “How’s the coffee coming?” he bellowed from the doorway.

  “It’s coming. Another minute or so. Are you going to make it on time?”

  “Probably not. I’ll say I thought I was to be in at eight-thirty. Hey, I’m a partner.”

  “What’s your first project?”

  “The guy is a new client for Jack. He wants a guest cottage, a cabana, and some interior renovations on his main house. I have to go over to the property this morning and then I get to sit down and see if I’m as good as I think I am.”

  “Trust me, you are. When someone wants something as bad as you’ve always wanted this, it has to work.”

  Paul nodded. “This is a pretty cup,” Paul said, pointing to the large red strawberry. “That’s what I mean. I don’t have anything like this. My cups have a maroon stripe around the middle.”

  “They were my mother’s dishes. There are only a few pieces left. Kitty and I treasure them. Growing up, food on a pretty plate made some things easier to eat, like liver or cauliflower. At least that’s what Mom said. I have to agree. Kitty and I fight over them.”

  “Good coffee,” Paul said, gulping from the cup. “I hate to drink and run, but I don’t have any other choice. Hey, Zip!”

  Josie watched, a smile on her face as Paul tussled with the boxer for a few minutes. He raised his head to look at Josie. “Would you mind coming to my house for dinner with the dogs? I’d like to spend some time with Zip. I can barbecue outside if you like.”

  “Sure, I’d like that. What time?”

  “How does seven sound? If I kiss you, I’ll never get out of here.”

  Josie laughed. “Go on. I’ll see you tonight.”

  The kitchen was suddenly quiet as Zip looked at the door, at her, and then at Rosie. He nudged his pal and both dogs crawled under the table.

  “It’s okay, Zip. We’re going over there tonight, and you can show Rosie all your things and how you live. Paul and I will walk you guys and play with you all night. I promise. We’re a package deal now. We all belong together. It’s wonderful! It’s so wonderful I feel like crying. I’m not going to cry, though. I will cry on my wedding day. My mother said she cried on hers, and then she never cried again. Well, she said she did cry one more time when Dad had his heart attack. She said she never let him see her cry, though. I have to remember that. Okay, time to shower and then we’re going to the market. It’s okay, Zip—really it is. We’re going to your house to do some fixing up. Come on, give me some love,” Josie said, rubbing her nose against the boxer’s wet snout. “Ah, that’s good. You too, girl. Kisses, kisses. Just one big happy family. The four of us. Please, God, don’t let anything spoil all of this.”

  It was two-thirty when Josie pulled the van into Paul’s driveway. She grinned from ear to ear as she surveyed her booty. She rather thought she’d bought everything under the sun. First things first. She opened the French doors and watched the two dogs barrel through the house, yapping and yipping at the tops of their lungs. She set down bowls of water before she started carrying her purchases into the house. The kitchen first. Always the kitchen, the heart of the home. She couldn’t wait to tie the red-and-white-checkered cushions onto the ugly wrought-iron chairs. The moment she tied the last bow she knew she’d made the right choice. The checkered place mats with the matching napkins transformed the ugly glass-topped table to a work of art. The centerpiece of bright red ceramic apples in a straw basket complemented the mats and cushions to perfection. “Wonderful,” she chortled.

  Josie ran to the van for the pink tool kit that Kitty had given her for Christmas one year. In seconds she was standing on the kitchen counter screwing in an eye hook to hang a delicious fern, as big as a bushel basket, over the sink. “I love it, I love it, I love it!” She laughed at the dogs, who were sitting on their haunches watching her with interest. “That thing that looks like a bordello bedspread has got to go. What do you think of this?” she said, waving yards of red-and-white-striped sailcloth. “Let me tell you, this was a find! You see, you fit two rods into it and you have a canopy curtain.” She banged more nails. What was it her father always used to say? Screw and glue. Well, she didn’t have any screws or glue, so nails would have to do. “Do you believe this!” she shouted to the dogs when she jumped down from the ledge. “Look, it’s a whole different kitchen! No, not yet. The rugs!” She ran to the van again and carried in two braided rugs made of colored fiber. One went down in front of the sink and one in front of the stove. “I should have been a decorator,” she said, tweaking Zip’s ears. She stood back to survey her handiwork. “What we have here, ladies and gentlemen, is one hell of a cozy, warm kitchen. If there’s even the remote possibility that I might be living here one day, I can handle this. I should have been a decorator. Maybe I missed my calling. Okay, onward and upward. Dining room and living room are next.”

  It was four o’clock when Josie called a halt to her decorating. She popped a Coke and sat down on the floor with the dogs. “Plants make all the difference. Some junk on the tables, some colored cushions, some flower arrangements, and the place looks lived in. I do like color. I think Paul likes it, too. Okay, guys, we can go home now. We’re coming back later. Do you want to bring anything, Zip? Go get it, boy! No? Okay, let’s head for home. Want a ride, Rosie?” she said, bending over to pick up the little dog. In a flash, Zip was between her and Rosie. He picked her up daintily and carried her out the door. Josie’s vision blurred for a moment. Such devotion. “It’s okay, baby. I understand.” And she did understand. She really did.

  Outside, the air was fragrant with the scent of lilies of the valley. Josie closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She looked down at the flower border to see that all the tiny, fragile flowers had turned brown. She leaned over to pick one. There wasn’t even the faintest scent emanating from the flower in her hand. “Thanks, Mom.”

  Paul had his jacket off before he hit the back door. He jerked at his tie, yanked it free, then slung it over his shoulder. He opened th
e door and blinked. Was he so tired he had walked into the wrong house? He craned his neck. No, this was his house. He stepped into the bright, cozy kitchen, his jaw dropping. He walked around, looking and touching everything, his eyes full of wonder.

  He toured his house, his eyes getting wider and wider until he thought they would pop right out of his head. The whole place had been transformed. Everywhere he looked there were plants and bright, colored cushions. Knick-knacks were everywhere. He even had tassels and bell-pulls. Josie had done this. For him. For one incredible moment he thought he was going to burst wide open. The only room she hadn’t touched was his and Zip’s room. His sanctuary. No, she wouldn’t touch that room. That alone told him everything he needed to know about Josie Dupré.

  The doorbell pealed while he was standing in the middle of the living room. He opened the door and accepted the groceries he’d ordered. Wait till Ms. Josie Dupré found out what a good cook he was. He laughed all the way to the shower and was still laughing when he dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.

  He opened a bottle of beer and sipped at it as he fired up the grill on the patio. He seasoned the steaks, then turned on the oven. He scrubbed the potatoes and vegetables. In less than an hour he had everything ready. All he had to do was set the table. When he opened the cabinets, he threw back his head and roared with laughter. He had new dishes decorated with luscious-looking fruit. His silverware had bright red handles, and his glasses were sky-blue. He sobered almost instantly. “Please, don’t take this away from me. Please.”

  “Now this is what I call a perfect evening,” Paul said as he dried the last dish and placed it in the cabinet. “You’re staying, aren’t you?” he said, wrapping her in his arms. “The dogs are asleep, and it would be a shame to wake them.”

  “Try and get rid of me,” Josie said, lifting her lips to his.

  “’Night, guys,” Paul said quietly. Rosie squirmed out from her safe haven next to Zip and waddled over to Josie. Josie bent down to pick her up. She walked across the room with the little dog cuddled to her chest. She crooned and whispered to her. “I just want you to be happy, baby. It’s okay—it really is. You’ll always be my baby. Now I have Zip, too. Keep him in line. He’s afraid I’m going to take you away from him. I would never do that. He just doesn’t know it yet. You belong to me, and don’t you ever forget it.” The little dog licked at her face and then squirmed to get down. Josie swore later that the boxer nodded his satisfaction when Rosie stretched out alongside him. She watched, a smile on her face when she saw one big paw stretch out protectively.

  “I guess our little brood is safe and sound.”

  “They’re happy,” Josie said with a catch in her voice. “My mother always said real, true love was making sure the other person was happy. I think she was right.”

  “Ha! I know she was right. I wish I had known your mother.”

  “I wish you had, too. She would have liked you. I think you would have liked her, too.”

  “You can use this bathroom. I’ll use the one across the hall,” Paul said.

  “Okay.” Josie turned around. “I love you, Paul Brouillette. I think you should know that.”

  “I love you, too, Josie Dupré. I think you should know that, too.”

  The wind outside the bedroom lifted, stirring the branches of the old oak tree, making it sway in an endless rhythm. The black night sky touched with stars was like a coverlet drawn over the old house when Paul turned off the lamp. They were alone, two souls, finding each other, getting to know each other all over again.

  Naked together, they clung, kissing, murmuring, lips moving softly against lips. Her flesh came alive under his touch, her excitement and passion communicating with and stirring his own.

  She was his love. He had held her this way before, just hours ago, worshiping at her breasts and taking possession of her innermost core, yet she excited and stirred him as if it were the first time. There was so much more to Josie than fair skin and alluring curves; there was the woman within, the woman he now knew he could not live without. He pulled her on top of him, wanting her to master their desire.

  Wild blood coursed through her veins, her aching need for him cried within her soul. This was the man she loved.

  Slowly he filled her with himself, and she opened to him, moving with him, imprisoning him in love’s tender sheath. She whimpered softly, loving the feel of his body, responding to the sound of his tender whispers when he told her of her beauty and the way he loved the scent that was only hers.

  He savored her lips, tasting the ambrosia of passion’s fruit, tantalizing, withdrawing from her and entering again with slow, sensuous strokes and the caressing roll of his hips beneath her haunches. He inspired her to ride him, to take him deep within, helping her find the sweet fulfillment at the center of her being. His loving hands possessed her breasts, cupping their firmness, following their lovely slope to tease the pouting crests.

  Fire sparked where their flesh joined, but it was only kindling to the raging conflagration of their souls. And when their lips met again, they tasted the salt of tears, and each thought it was their own.

  Together they slept in one another’s arms. And when they awoke in the early hours before dawn, they made love again and again.

  Over coffee Paul leaned across his newly decorated table, his gaze locking with Josie’s. He reached for her hand. “I don’t know if I can wait till January or next year to get married. Why can’t we get married now? Soon. Give me one good reason.”

  “I don’t have a dress.”

  “Oh.”

  “A dress is important. It has to be just right. It has to say Josie Dupré is getting married in this one-of-a-kind dress. I would like my friends at my wedding. I’ll have to track down a lot of them, as they move about. That takes time. Unless we have the wedding at your house or my house, we have to rent a hall. Usually they’re reserved in advance. We’ll need a caterer since I have no intention of catering my own wedding. August would be the earliest. Maybe July. No sooner. I don’t want to get married on the fly and regret it later. I want it to be like my mother’s wedding. If we start out right, then everything should fall into place for us. That’s what my mother said, and I believed her then and still do. I’m no prude, but I can’t move in with you either. I just can’t do that. Do you understand?”

  “Of course I do. I don’t want you getting away from me.”

  “Look at me, Paul. Do you think for one minute I’m going to get away from you? No way. I found you, and I’m hanging on to you. We have two dogs to think about. Sleepovers are good.”

  Paul grinned. “Yes, they are. What’s on your agenda for today?”

  “Work. Kitty will be back. We have a cocktail party scheduled for late this afternoon. When that’s over, we have to get ready for a champagne breakfast at the Rotary Club tomorrow morning. I won’t be able to see you tonight.”

  “Then it works out. I have a meeting scheduled for six tonight that’s going to run a couple of hours. How about dinner and a movie tomorrow night?”

  “Not good. We have to spend more time with the dogs. How about if I rent some videos and I get Kitty to whip us up something at my house. Then the dogs and I will walk you home and we can start out early for Lafayette. Did you come up with anything in regard to your niece?”

  “No. I’m just going to tell it to her the way I see it. I have a really positive feeling about it. I don’t want to make any mistakes. I hope I’m doing the right thing by not telling my mother until I’m sure.”

  “If she doesn’t want to come back with us, what will you do, Paul?”

  “Then I’ll tell my mother and explain her reasoning, whatever it may be. My mother can give her and her son a really good life. I hope she’s mature enough to recognize and understand how important family is. I’m anxious about the meeting. I think seeing you with me will help a lot. By the way, my new client—my only client—doesn’t like my ponytail.”

  “Oh pooh on him. I love it. You can tell h
im that, too. What is he, one of those ex-military guys with a buzz cut?”

  “How did you know?”

  “Just a wild guess. You’ll be late if you don’t hurry. I’ll lock up here and take the dogs to my house. I think they’re getting the hang of it. They do love us, you know.”

  “How do you think they’ll be with kids?”

  Josie’s heart fluttered. “I think they’ll both be wonderful with kids.”

  “Then on that note, I’m leaving. I’m not kissing you good-bye today either.”

  Josie laughed. “’Fraidy cat.”

  “That’s me.”

  “Go on before I make a lunge for you. I want your body! Go!”

  Josie could hear him laughing all the way to his car. God, I’m happy.

  “If this map the detective gave you is right, the apartment complex should be about a mile ahead. This rain is terrible. The weatherman said sunny and warm,” Josie grumbled as she tried to peer through the driving rain.

  “They never get it right. Maybe it’s a good thing. You don’t usually take a child out in rain like this.”

  “Do you know what you’re going to do if your brother-in-law is home?”

  “The detective said he works Saturday. That was another reason I wanted to wait until today. I called my mother yesterday from work, but she wasn’t home. I just wanted her to know I was back in New Orleans although I’m sure André told her by now. I left a message, but she didn’t return my call. Why is that, Josie?”

  “She thinks you only call her when you have nothing else to do or, as she put it, you fit her into your schedule. It’s possible she was at the plant clearing out her things. André did tell her you were selling it, didn’t he?”

  “Of course he told her. Nicely and kindly. She went ballistic. We knew that would happen. I’m sure she’s calmed down by now. In the end we had to think about all the other families who work for us in the other divisions.”