* * *

  —

  “There’s a call for you on line one,” Paula called to Jo Marie from her desk.

  “Thanks.” With an efficiency born of years of experience, Jo Marie punched in the telephone tab and lifted the receiver to her ear. “This is Jo Marie Early, may I help you?”

  “Jo Marie, this is Jim. I hope you don’t mind me calling you at work.”

  “No problem.”

  “Good. Listen, you, ah, mentioned something the other night about us having coffee together and I said something about having dinner.”

  If she hadn’t known any better, Jo Marie would have guessed that Jim was uneasy. He was a gentle man with enough sensitivity to campaign for the future. His hesitancy surprised her now. “I remember.”

  “How would you feel about this Wednesday?” he continued. “We could make a night of it.”

  Jo Marie didn’t need to think it over. “I’d like that very much.” After Mark’s revelation, she’d realized the best thing to do was to put the past and Andrew behind her and build a new life for herself.

  “Good.” Jim sounded pleased. “We can go Wednesday night…or would you prefer Friday?”

  “Wednesday’s fine.” Jo Marie doubted that she could ever feel again the deep, passionate attraction she’d experienced with Andrew, but Jim’s appeal wasn’t built on fantasy.

  “I’ll see you then. Goodbye, Jo Marie.”

  “Goodbye, Jim, and thanks.”

  The mental uplifting of their short conversation was enough to see Jo Marie through a hectic afternoon. An airline lost her customer’s reservations and the tickets didn’t arrive in time. In addition the phone rang repeatedly.

  By the time she walked into the apartment, her feet hurt and there was a nagging ache in the small of her back.

  “I thought I heard you.” Kelly sauntered into the kitchen and stood in the doorway dressed in a robe and slippers.

  “How are you feeling?”

  She lifted one shoulder in a weak shrug. “Better.”

  “You stayed home?” Kelly had still been in bed when Jo Marie left for work. Apparently her friend had phoned in sick.

  “Yeah.” She moved into the living room and sat on the sofa.

  “Mark was by last night.” Jo Marie mentioned the fact casually, waiting for a response from her roommate. Kelly didn’t give her one. “He said that the two of you had a big fight,” she continued.

  “That’s all we do anymore—argue.”

  “I don’t know what he said to you, but he felt bad about it afterward.”

  A sad glimmer touched Kelly’s eyes and her mouth formed a brittle line that Jo Marie supposed was meant to be a smile. “I know he didn’t mean it. He’s exhausted. I swear he’s trying to work himself to death.”

  Now that her friend mentioned it, Jo Marie realized that she hadn’t seen much of her brother lately. It used to be that he had an excuse to show up two or three times a week. Except for last night, he had been to the apartment only twice since Thanksgiving.

  “I don’t think he’s eaten a decent meal in days,” Kelly continued. “He’s such a good doctor, Jo Marie, because he cares so much about his patients. Even the ones he knows he’s going to lose. I’m a nurse, I’ve seen the way the other doctors close themselves off from any emotional involvement. But Mark’s there, always giving.” Her voice shook uncontrollably and she paused to bite into her lip until she regained her composure. “I wanted to talk to him the other night, and do you know where I found him? In pediatrics holding a little boy who’s suffering with terminal cancer. He was rocking this child, holding him in his arms and telling him the pain wouldn’t last too much longer. From the hallway, I heard Mark talk about heaven and how there wouldn’t be any pain for him there. Mark’s a wonderful man and wonderful doctor.”

  And he loves you so much it’s tearing him apart, Jo Marie added silently.

  “Yesterday he was frustrated and angry and he took it out on me. I’m not going to lie and say it didn’t hurt. For a time I was devastated, but I’m over that now.”

  “But you didn’t go to work today.” They both knew why she’d chosen to stay home.

  “No, I felt Mark and I needed a day away from each other.”

  “That’s probably a good idea.” There was so much she wanted to say to Kelly, but everything sounded so inadequate. At least they were talking, which was a major improvement over the previous five days.

  The teakettle whistled sharply and Jo Marie returned to the kitchen bringing them both back a steaming cup of hot coffee.

  “Thanks.” Kelly’s eyes brightened.

  “Would you like me to talk to Mark?” Jo Marie’s offer was sincere, but she wasn’t exactly sure what she’d say. And in some ways it could make matters worse.

  “No. We’ll sort this out on our own.”

  The doorbell chimed and the two exchanged glances. “I’m not expecting anyone,” Kelly murmured and glanced down self-consciously at her attire. “In fact I’d rather not be seen, so if you don’t mind I’ll vanish inside my room.”

  The last person Jo Marie expected to find on the other side of the door was Andrew. The welcome died in her eyes as their gazes met and clashed. Jo Marie quickly lowered hers. Her throat went dry and a rush of emotion brought a flood of color to her suddenly pale cheeks. A tense air of silence surrounded them. Andrew raised his hand as though he wanted to reach out and touch her. Instead he clenched his fist and lowered it to his side, apparently having changed his mind.

  “Is Kelly ready?” he asked after a breathless moment. Jo Marie didn’t move, her body blocking the front door, refusing him admittance.

  She stared up at him blankly. “Ready?” she repeated.

  “Yes, we’re attending the opera tonight. Bizet’s Carmen,” he added as if in an afterthought.

  “Oh, dear.” Jo Marie’s eyes widened. Kelly had obviously forgotten their date. The tickets for the elaborate opera had been sold out for weeks. Her roommate would have to go. “Come in, I’ll check with Kelly.”

  “Andrew’s here,” Jo Marie announced and leaned against the wooden door inside the bedroom, her hands folded behind her.

  “Drew?”

  “Andrew to me, Drew to you,” she responded cattily. “You have a date to see Carmen.”

  Kelly’s hand flew to her forehead. “Oh, my goodness, I completely forgot.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Explain, what else is there to do?” she snapped.

  Jo Marie followed her friend into the living room. Andrew’s gray eyes widened at the sight of Kelly dressed in her robe and slippers.

  “You’re ill?”

  “Actually, I’m feeling better. Drew, I apologize, I completely forgot about tonight.”

  As Andrew glanced at his gold wristwatch, a frown marred his handsome face.

  “Kelly can shower and dress in a matter of a few minutes,” Jo Marie said sharply, guessing what Kelly was about to suggest.

  “I couldn’t possibly be ready in forty-five minutes,” she denied. “There’s only one thing to do. Jo Marie, you’ll have to go in my place.”

  Andrew’s level gaze crossed the width of the room to capture Jo Marie’s. Little emotion was revealed in the impassive male features, but his gray eyes glinted with challenge.

  “I can’t.” Her voice was level with hard determination.

  “Why not?” Two sets of eyes studied her.

  “I’m…” Her mind searched wildly for an excuse. “I’m baking cookies for the Science Club. We’re meeting Saturday and this will be our last time before Christmas.”

  “I thought you worked Saturdays,” Andrew cut in sharply.

  “Every other Saturday.” Calmly she met his gaze. Over the past couple of weeks, Kelly had purposely brought Jo Marie and Andrew together, but Jo Marie wouldn’t fall prey to that game any longer. She’d made an agreement with him and refused to back down. As long as he was engaged to another woman she wouldn’t…couldn’t be with him. “I won’t go,” she explained in a steady voice which belied the inner turmoil that churned her stomach.

  “There’s plenty of time before the opening curtain if you’d care to change your mind.”

  Kelly tossed Jo Marie an odd look. “It looks like I’ll have to go,” she said with an exaggerated sigh. “I’ll be as fast as I can.” Kelly rushed back inside the bedroom leaving Jo Marie and Andrew separated by only a few feet.

  “How have you been?” he asked, his eyes devouring her.

  “Fine,” she responded on a stiff note. The lie was only a little one. The width of the room stood between them, but it might as well have been whole light-years.

  Bowing her head, she stared at the pattern in the carpet. When she suggested Kelly hurry and dress, she hadn’t counted on being left alone with Andrew. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll get started on those cookies.”

  To her dismay Andrew followed her into the kitchen.

  “What are my chances of getting a cup of coffee?” He sounded pleased with himself, his smile was smug.

  Wordlessly Jo Marie stood on her tiptoes and brought down a mug from the cupboard. She poured in the dark granules, stirred in hot water and walked past him to carry the mug into the living room. All the while her mind was screaming with him to leave her alone.

  Andrew picked up the mug and followed her back into the kitchen. “I’ve wanted to talk to you for days.”

  “You agreed.”

  “Jo Marie, believe me, talking to Kelly isn’t as easy as it seems. There are some things I’m not at liberty to explain that would resolve this whole mess.”

  “I’ll just bet there are.” The bitter taste of anger filled her mouth.

  “Can’t you trust me?” The words were barely audible and for an instant Jo Marie wasn’t certain he’d spoken.

  Everything within her yearned to reach out to him and be assured that the glorious times they’d shared had been as real for him as they’d been for her. Desperately she wanted to turn and tell him that she would trust him with her life, but not her heart. She couldn’t, not when Kelly was wearing his engagement ring.

  “Jo Marie.” A faint pleading quality entered his voice. “I know how all this looks. At least give me a chance to explain. Have dinner with me tomorrow. I swear I won’t so much as touch you. I’ll leave everything up to you. Place. Time. You name it.”

  “No.” Frantically she shook her head, her voice throbbing with the desire to do as he asked. “I can’t.”

  “Jo Marie.” He took a step toward her, then another, until he was so close his husky voice breathed against her dark hair.

  Forcing herself into action, Jo Marie whirled around and backed out of the kitchen. “Don’t talk to me like that. I realized last week that whatever you feel for Kelly is stronger than any love you have for me. I’ve tried to accept that as best I can.”

  Andrew’s knuckles were clenched so tightly that they went white. He looked like an innocent man facing a firing squad, his eyes resigned, the line of his jaw tense, anger and disbelief etched in every rugged mark of his face.

  “Just be patient, that’s all I’m asking. In due time you’ll understand everything.”

  “Will you stop?” she demanded angrily. “You’re talking in puzzles and I’ve always hated those. All I know is that there are four people who—”

  “I guess this will have to do,” Kelly interrupted as she walked into the room. She had showered, dressed and dried her hair in record time.

  Jo Marie swallowed the taste of jealousy as she watched the dark, troubled look dissolve from Andrew’s eyes. “You look great,” was all she could manage.

  “We won’t be too late,” Kelly said on her way out.

  “Don’t worry,” Jo Marie murmured and breathed in a sharp breath. “I won’t be up; I’m exhausted.”

  Who was she trying to kid? Not until the key turned in the front door lock five hours later did Jo Marie so much as yawn. As much as she hated herself for being so weak, the entire time Kelly had been with Andrew, Jo Marie had been utterly miserable.

  The dinner date with Jim the next evening was the only bright spot in a day that stretched out like an empty void. She dressed carefully and applied her makeup with extra care, hoping to camouflage the effects of a sleepless night.

  “Don’t fix dinner for me, I’ve got a date,” was all she said to Kelly on her way out the door to the office.

  As she knew it would, being with Jim was like stumbling upon an oasis in the middle of a sand-tossed desert. He made her laugh, teasing her affectionately. His humor was subtle and light and just the antidote for a broken heart. She’d known from the moment they’d met that she was going to like Jim Rowden. With him she could relax and be herself. And not once did she have to look over her shoulder.

  “Are you going to tell me what’s been troubling you?” he probed gently over their dessert.

  “What? And cry all over my lime-chiffon pie?”

  Jim’s returning smile was one of understanding and encouragement. Again she noted the twin dimples that formed in his cheeks. “Whenever you’re ready, I’m available to listen.”

  “Thanks.” She shook her head, fighting back an unexpected swell of emotion. “Now what’s this surprise you’ve been taunting me with most of the evening?” she questioned, averting the subject from herself.

  “It’s about the wetlands we’ve been crusading for during the last month. Well, I talked to a state senator today and he’s going to introduce a bill that would make the land into a state park.” Lacing his hands together, Jim leaned toward the linen-covered table. “From everything he’s heard, George claims from there it should be a piece of cake.”

  “Jim, that’s wonderful.” This was his first success and he beamed with pride over the accomplishment.

  “Of course, nothing’s definite yet, and I’m not even sure I should have told you, but you’ve heard me give two speeches on the wetlands and I wanted you to know.”

  “I’m honored that you did.”

  He acknowledged her statement with a short nod. “I should know better than to get my hopes up like this, but George—my friend—sounded so confident.”

  “Then you should be too. We both should.”

  Jim reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. “It would be very easy to share things with you, Jo Marie. You’re quite a woman.”

  Flattery had always made her uncomfortable, but Jim sounded so sincere. It cost her a great deal of effort to simply smile and murmur her thanks.

  Jim’s arm rested across her shoulder as they walked back toward the office. He held open her car door for her and paused before lightly brushing his mouth over hers. The kiss was both gentle and reassuring. But it wasn’t Andrew’s kiss and Jim hadn’t the power to evoke the same passionate response Andrew seemed to draw so easily from her.

  On the ride home, Jo Marie silently berated herself for continuing to compare the two men. It was unfair to them both to even think in that mode.

  The apartment was unlocked when Jo Marie let herself inside. She was hanging up her sweater-coat when she noticed Andrew. He was standing in the middle of the living room carpet, regarding her with stone cold eyes.

  One glance and Jo Marie realized that she’d never seen a man look so angry.

  “It’s about time you got home.” His eyes were flashing gray fire.

  “What right is it of yours to demand what time I get in?”

  “I have every right.” His voice was like a whip lashing out at her. “I suppose you think you’re playing a game. Every time I go out with Kelly, you’ll pay me back by dating Jim?”

  Stunned into speechlessness, Jo Marie felt her voice die in her throat.

  “And if you insist on letting him kiss you the least you can do is look for someplace more private than the street.” The white line about his mouth became more pronounced as his eyes filled with bitter contempt. “You surprise me, Jo Marie, I thought you had more class than that.”

  Eight

  “How dare you…how dare you say such things to me!” Jo Marie’s quavering voice became breathless with rage. Her eyes were dark and stormy as she turned around and jerked the front door open.

  “What do you expect me to believe?” Andrew rammed his hand through his hair, ruffling the dark hair that grew at his temple.

  “I expected a lot of things from you, but not that you’d follow me or spy on me. And then…then to have the audacity to confront and insult me.” The fury in her faded to be replaced with a deep, emotional pain that pierced her heart.

  Andrew’s face was bloodless as he walked past her and out the door. As soon as he was through the portal, she slammed it closed with a sweeping arc of her hand.

  Jo Marie was so furious that the room wasn’t large enough to contain her anger. Her shoulders rose and sagged with her every breath. At one time Andrew had been her dream man. Quickly she was learning to separate the fantasy from the reality.

  Pacing the carpet helped relieve some of the terrible tension building within her. Andrew’s behavior was nothing short of odious. She should hate him for saying those kinds of things to her. Tears burned for release, but deep, concentrated breaths held them at bay. Andrew Beaumont wasn’t worth the emotion. Staring sightlessly at the ceiling, her damp lashes pressed against her cheek.

  The sound of the doorbell caused her to whirl around. Andrew. She’d stake a week’s salary on the fact. In an act of defiance, she folded her arms across her waist and stared determinedly at the closed door. He could rot in the rain before she’d open that door.