Sarah smiled at that. “Sure Martin.”
He led her out onto the floor for a foxtrot. “You know you’re welcome to stay.”
Sarah looked over his shoulder at Eamon dancing with Danielle. “That’s a bad idea. I think it’s time I go home, Martin.”
“I understand. I think you’re making a mistake, but I understand.”
They continued around the floor. Martin was a smooth dancer and easy to follow. “You dance well,” Sarah acknowledged.
“Andrea insisted. She loves to dance, and I love to please her.” He managed to catch Sarah’s eye. “Once I gave in and started learning, I found out I liked dancing too.” He walked her back to her table, but before she could sit down, John came up.
“Hey, mind favoring me with a dance?”
“Sure, John.”
The band struck up another foxtrot. “Now that’s fortunate, because I don’t know how to waltz,” John told her. He didn’t know how to foxtrot either, but that didn’t matter. Most of the people on the floor right now couldn’t foxtrot. They were swaying back and forth. “You know, everyone is a little pissed at your right now.”
“What did I do?” Sarah asked.
“You wouldn’t let us give you a going away party for one thing. That means no brownies, no lemon bars, and no bagels. We feel…deprived.”
Sarah smiled at him. “I could send round some goodies to make amends.”
“You know that’s not the real reason, Sarah. You’re part of our team. You’re some kind of weird combination of cheerleader, slave driver and saleswoman that everyone has come to appreciate. You should be taking us into the next phase.”
“Mr. Byrne and I had an agreement. I would see the DLC through, and he would let me resign. As I said, I took the job to save as many Rainwhite jobs as I could. And I did.” Sarah leaned closer to John and lowered her voice. “I can’t do this much longer, John. I promised no emotional displays, no sad emails. It’s getting hard to do that. I’d like to leave with my head still held high.”
John stopped a moment, pulled Sarah a little closer and then kissed her cheek. “It’s going to be all right Sarah. You’ll see. You’re a hell of a lot stronger than you know.” John grinned. “Let’s hope Nicole didn’t see that kiss. She’ll paint my fingernails while I’m sleeping again.”
Sarah laughed. She remembered when Nicole had done that to him. The guys teased him for days. John took her back to the table and Sarah checked her phone. The DJ would start in about ten minutes. Sarah went downstairs to make sure he had arrived and was setting up.
“Remember, save the Karaoke for later. Let everyone get a little juiced first,” Sarah said.
“You got it, Miss Adams.”
Sarah went back upstairs to the main ballroom and checked her phone once more. She hoped she could slip out by eleven. By then, everything would be in place, everyone would be having a good time and she wouldn’t be missed.
“Sarah, darlin’, I’ve been tryin’ to find you all evenin’.”
Riordan was standing by her. “Come on over. Cate wants t’say hi to yah.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Byrne. I didn’t see you on the guest list. I apologize for being rude.”
“Eamon had us come at the last minute and I noticed you haven’t been payin’ much attention to our table,” Riordan said. “Come on, let’s see Cate.”
Sarah allowed herself to be led over to where Catherine was. “Sarah, sit down, you look done in,” Catherine said and Sarah complied. Eamon was out on the floor dancing.
“You must think I’m really rude, but I honestly didn’t know you were here, Catherine. I’ve been so busy.” Don’t let song end, don’t let the song end, Sarah thought.
“I know. I’ve watched you run around here all night. I don’t suppose this party has been much fun for you.”
“I’m on the clock. This was one of my projects.”
“Well, Riordan and I just wanted to say that you are always welcome at our house, Sarah. Come and see us.”
“If I get back to Kansas City, I’ll come out. I promise,” Sarah told her.
Catherine looked shocked. “You’re leaving?”
“I’m going home to San Diego.” Sarah tried to smile, but it wasn’t working. And the song ended. Eamon was coming back to the table.
“Excuse me, I…I have to go.” Sarah got up and headed for the door, leaving Riordan and Catherine staring after her.
Sarah hid out in the ladies for awhile, and then she grabbed her purse and coat, started out the door and almost fell down the stairs. The cold rain that had fallen earlier in the evening transitioned to a slick morass of sleet and freezing rain. Sarah tried to walk, but it was impossible in high heels, so she took them off and walked across the parking lot barefoot. By the time she reached her car, her feet were frozen and her car was encased in a solid sheet of ice. Cursing to herself, she started back toward the hotel door.
“Give me your purse, bitch!”
Sarah turned around to find some greasy guy dressed in slouchy pants and a hoodie had appeared out of nowhere. “What?”
He grabbed hold of her purse. “GIVE ME YOUR PURSE, BITCH!”
Sarah totally lost it! She yanked her purse back so hard it opened and everything went flying. The guy was brought forward by the momentum and Sarah kneed him in the groin. He doubled over in pain, and she began hitting him her one of her shoes.
“You scum-sucking son-of-a-bitch, you freaking low life,” She screamed at him, pounding him with her shoe. More in self-defense than anything else, the guy got hold of Sarah by her dress and ripped it as he pulled her down. She landed hard on her hip. He tried to rise, but Sarah yanked him down again, screaming in his ear. “I hate you, I hate you, you, you shit, you.”
Sarah was still trying to hit him as they both struggled to their feet. By now Sarah was scratching and punching in addition to screaming. The guy grabbed her by the hair and twirled her around and they both landed on the ground.
“Leave her alone, or I’ll kill you!”
The guy saw Eamon approaching as fast as he could on the slick ice. The man, with Sarah swinging her claws at him, rolled over on his hands and knees, scrambled on the slick pavement until he reached the grass divider and then took off.
“Come back, come back you son-of-a bitch, you….ASSHOLE!” She threw her shoe at him, then clenched her fists and screamed again before she burst into tears.
As she searched for her things, she found that the contents of her purse were scattered everywhere.
“Sarah.”
She was squatting down seeing if anything had rolled under the car. “Go away, just go away,” she cried.
“I’m not going away, Sarah. You’re hurt,” Eamon said in a voice that was calmer than he felt.
“Leave me alone. I need to find my stuff.”
Eamon started looking, found her purse and brought it back to her. She stuffed her belongings inside, while Eamon retrieved her shoes and her coat. He found her phone, but it was in pieces. Sarah’s dress was torn down the front and Sarah was so wound up she hadn’t even noticed. He put her coat around her shoulders.
“I have my keys, my ID.” Sarah started to open the car door.
“No.”
Sarah tried to pull the door open. Frozen; it was frozen. “Damn!”
“You are not leaving.”
“Who the hell are you to tell me I can’t leave?” She screamed at him.
He took her by the shoulders and shook her once. “You have a hunk of hair missing. Your face is scratched. Your feet are almost frost bitten and the front of your dress is down around your waist. You aren’t going anywhere until you get cleaned up and checked out. Besides, look at this parking lot! It’s solid ice! You really think it’s a good idea to be driving home, as upset as you are on solid ice?”
Sarah started to shake. “You cold?” Eamon asked.
“Adrenaline. It’s left over adrenaline with nowhere to go.” Sarah started to run a hand through her hai
r. “Ow!” Her hand came away bloody.
“You have a cut.”
Sarah realized he was right. She was in no shape to drive. “Can you get me back inside unseen? I don’t want a fuss. I don’t want people fussing.”
“Sure.” Eamon picked her up in his arms.
“Put me down, I can walk.”
“Have you seen your toes? I’ll go slow,”
They started across the parking lot, but even Eamon had to admit that they weren’t going to make it unless Sarah walked. The parking lot really was glass now. Reluctantly he set her down. “Come on.”
They made their way clumsily across the lot and back to the hotel. Eamon opened a service door that led to the kitchen. The people stared. “Could you have a first aid kit brought up to Room 1278? Miss Adams has had an accident.” He looked around. “Is there a service elevator? She doesn’t want to be seen this way.”
“Yeah, over here.”
One of the bellhops took them up in the service elevator and Eamon tipped him. “Please bring us a first aid kit.” He made two calls. “Mom? Yeah Mom, I found her. She’s okay. You have your room key, right? Good. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“John? John, are you still in the hotel? Good, can you come up to 1278? Okay.”
Sarah went to the bathroom and took off her coat. Her dress was a total ruin so she stripped to her panties and put on the terry cloth robe hanging on the door.
John and the first aid kit arrived at the same time. Eamon showed him in and when he saw Sarah, the first thing he did was round on Eamon. “Did you do this to her?”
“No!” Both Eamon and Sarah exclaimed together.
“I headed to my car and some tweaker tried to steal my purse,” Sarah explained.
“She beat the hell out of him before he managed to get away,” Eamon finished. He pointed down at her feet. “Check her toes out, John.”
John grabbed a chair. “Have a seat.”John examined her toes, then he checked her head and finally he said, “Why don’t you tell me what happened while I take a look.” Sarah gave him a blow-by-blow. “You got scratches?” John asked. Sarah let the robe slip off her shoulders and he examined and cleaned the scratches with antiseptic while she spoke. Then he said, “Anything lower?”
“No.”
He grinned. “And I was so hoping for a look at the famous tits.”
Her eyebrow shot up. “Don’t make me hit you with my shoe!”
John laughed. “I bet you put a bunch of holes in that guy with your spikes! Okay, serious now. Your toes are fine, the cut on your head is minor, and the scratches on your chest are minor as well. But if you started getting nauseated or seeing double—“
Sarah patted his cheek. “I’m a doctor’s daughter, John. I’ll watch for concussion, I promise.”
“Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going back downstairs and dance with Nicole before my thumbs are painted florescent pink!”
“Bye,” she told him.
Eamon walked out into the hotel hallway with John. As soon as the door closed, he said, “Why did you think I had done something to hurt Sarah? I would never hurt her.”
“That’s not true, Eamon. You hurt her where it doesn’t show. It might be kinder if you punched her in the face and got it over with.” John pointed in the general direction of the parking lot. “She went off on a mugger in the parking lot! She’s lost weight, she never smiles. You think the only way you can hurt someone is to hit them?” He shook his head. “Much as I hate to see her leave, it’s probably the best thing for her.”
“What’s it to you?” Eamon asked, suddenly jealous.
“Sarah’s my friend, she’s Nicole’s friend, and I love them both,” John explained. “I love Sarah because she is the sweetest most compassionate person I know. She saved my job. She convinced me that I was a fool if I didn’t jump at the chance to be with Nicole.” John looked at Eamon and shook his head, “But I tell you; if I didn’t love Nicole the way I do, you can be damned sure I’d be trying to convince Sarah that I was the better guy. And you should ask yourself why you give a damn.” John headed down the hall.
Chapter 30
Eamon stood in the hotel hallway and thought about the events that had just taken place. When Eamon had returned to the table before Sarah’s big adventure, he’d observed her bolt like a frightened deer heading for cover. She’d been avoiding him all night and it had begun to piss him off. He kept looking toward the door but didn’t see her return to the ballroom.
“Eamon, what is Sarah so unhappy about?” His mother asked him. “What happened?”
“How would I know, Mom?”
Catherine’s eyes flashed fire. “Don’t pull that crap, Eamon. I’m your mother.”
“It’s none of your business, Mom. Okay? Stay out of it.”
She pointed toward the door. “You go check on her. That’s an order.”
He knew that tone. “Right.” He rose to check on Sarah.
Before he made it out to the lobby, Danielle found him. “Eamon, I’m going up to my room. Good night.”
Eamon had given Danielle a friendly peck on her cheek and headed to the foyer but he couldn’t find Sarah. Acting on a hunch, he’d gone out the front door in time to see Sarah get grabbed by some thug. The walk was solid ice and the parking lot was almost as bad. When Sarah got pulled off her feet, Eamon put himself into a controlled skid to get to her.
“Leave her alone or I’ll kill you!” He’d yelled.
But as he got close, he saw that Sarah hadn’t been scared, she’d been furious, raging.
“…ASSHOLE!” she’d yelled, and then she’d turned on him. He’d wanted to help her THEN; NOW he wanted to strangle her. John’s remark about Sarah’s taking on a mugger hit home. That was risky behavior for anyone.
Eamon opened the door and went back into the hotel room. Sarah had pulled a chair up near the floor to ceiling windows of the room. She was curled up in the chair, knees to her chin, huddled tight in a bathrobe that was too big for her, curled in on herself as though she were wounded, trembling and biting at her lips.
He brought another chair and sat down next to her. “Talk to me. What’s wrong?”
She continued to look out the window. “You don’t want to know, Eamon.”
“Look, stay here tonight.”
Sarah faced him. “Shouldn’t you check that out with Danielle?”
“What the hell are you talking about, Sarah?”
“You came with Danielle. I figured you were sharing a room.”
“You got that one wrong. Danielle is an old college friend as is her husband. He’s with JAG Corps overseas. I promised to check in on her, send her flowers. She goes with me to the opera because she likes the opera. A lot of women I date don’t. She has her own room Sarah.”
“I’m shocked that you let anything as silly as a husband stop you. Though I do wish I had her room and she was dealing with you instead of me.” Sarah began to rub her neck with both hands, desperately trying to calm down.
“Are you saying that I would sleep with my friend’s wife?” he asked, his anger rising at the sarcastic tone of her voice.
“Oh, I’m sorry. No you would never hurt a friend that way. God forbid you betray a friend. Damn it, I’m trying to keep my promise not to be a drama queen. But it’s getting hard to do that.” Sarah bit her lip and shook her head slowly then looked at him. “Do you mind if I take a shower?”
He ignored her request. “Who I sleep with….”
“Isn’t my business, I know. Believe me; I’m thrilled to know I’ll never have to send out another gift to some one night stand of yours.” Sarah began to rock a little, staring out into the night as all the feeling she’d pushed down began to rise.
“So?”
“So, I suggest you leave me the hell alone and let me take a shower,” She retorted, rising from the chair and walking toward the bathroom.
“No, tell me what’s wrong with you tonight. You avoid me; you pull that crazy stunt in the par
king lot…”
Sarah turned around and marched up to him. “Look at me! I’m a bright, articulate, educated attractive woman. I am not some skank that you picked up in a club. I am not some gamer groupie who goes to conventions to chalk up another guy from my favorite game company. I am a serious woman and I deserved to be treated with serious respect. Instead, you played me with that nice guy act, and you played me again with that offer you knew I couldn’t refuse. I didn’t deserve that, Eamon. I didn’t try to play you. Why did you do that to me? Weren’t bimbos a challenge any more? Was I just the next level in the game? ”
“It wasn’t like that—” Eamon began.
“Don’t! Don’t try to bullshit me! I am so pissed at you…I hoped to make a graceful exit and hold my head up high when I walked away. Instead I ran. I don’t even have my dignity left. So when that SOB in the parking lot tried to steal my purse….It was you I was hitting. I wanted to smash your face in.”
He started to touch her, but Sarah jerked away. “Don’t!” She stood up, throwing her hands in the air. “I concede! I give up! Whatever the game is that you’re playing, you’re still the champion. Because I love you Eamon…” Sarah’s voice broke, “… I love you so much that I slept with you knowing that I was nothing more to you than a…a piece of ass. So you can write me off as just another stupid bitch you managed to game and congratulate yourself on how well you took me down. Now let me take my god damn shower!” she shrieked.
“Be my guest,” Eamon told her quietly.
Moving past him, she walked into the shower and scrubbed until her hair was clean and her skin was red.
“Sarah?” He called through the door but when she ignored him he came through anyway with some clothes.
Sarah turned her back to him and looked over her shoulder through the steamed glass. “What?” she snapped.
“Here’s a shirt and some sweat pants.” Eamon dropped them on the counter and left the room.
Sarah came out of the bathroom wearing his t-shirt and panties. While she’d been showering, Eamon had ditched the tux and was walking around barefoot in jeans and a wife beater. She threw his sweatpants at him saying, “Thanks but these are too big,” as she gathered up her things. Glancing out the window, she saw that the parking lot was full of cars. Her phone call to the front desk confirmed that people without power had come to spend the night and there were no vacancies. Cursing softly to herself she faced Eamon again. “Is that offer of your couch still open?”
Gamer Girl Page 24
