Six
“I’m so pleased we could meet,” Sarah said when Lacey arrived at the seafood restaurant. Seagulls flew overhead, chasing crows. The crows retaliated, pursuing the gulls in a battle over fertile feeding territory. From their window seat, Lacey could watch a lazy harbor seal sunning himself on the long pier. The day was glorious, and she felt the beginnings of joy creep into her soul. It had been a long, dark period. Her life had been dry and barren since the day Peter announced he wanted a divorce.
“I wanted to talk to you about Jack,” Sarah said, her gaze fixed on her menu.
This didn’t surprise Lacey, and if the truth be known she’d agreed to have lunch with Sarah for the same reason. Her curiosity about Jack was keen. He was an attractive, successful banker. They were about the same age, she guessed, and she couldn’t help wondering how he’d gotten to the ripe old age of thirty-three without being married.
“I understand you and Jack are seeing each other quite a bit these days.”
Lacey didn’t know why the truth unsettled her so, but she found herself fiddling with her napkin, bunching it in her hands. “He comes over to visit Cleo.”
Sarah’s soft laugh revealed her amusement. “It isn’t Cleo who interests him, and we both know it. He’s had his eye on you for over a year. The problem is, my dear brother doesn’t know how to be subtle.”
Lacey disagreed. “He’s been more than patient.”
“True,” Sarah agreed reluctantly. “He didn’t want to scare you off. We talked about you several times. He wanted my advice. I was the one who suggested he send you flowers. He was downright discouraged when you repeatedly turned him down. Who would have thought that silly tomcat would be the thing to bring you two together?”
Lacey smoothed the linen napkin across her lap. The time for being coy had long since passed. “I like your brother very much.”
“He’s wonderful.” Once again Sarah admitted this with reluctance. “He liked you from the moment he first saw you.”
“But why?” When Lacey moved into the apartment building she’d been an emotional wreck. The divorce had been less than a month old. She hadn’t realized it at the time, but she’d been one of the walking wounded.
Sarah’s look was knowing. “Jack’s like that. He knew you’d been badly hurt and that you needed someone, the same way Dog did. He found Dog in a back alley, half starved and so mad he wouldn’t let anyone near him. It took several weeks before Dog recognized Jack as a friend.” She paused, leaned forward, and braced her elbows against the table. “But Jack was patient. He’s been patient with you too, and it’s paid off. I can’t remember the last time he was so happy.”
“I’m not a stray cat,” Lacey said defensively. She wasn’t keen on the comparison, but the similarity didn’t escape her.
“Oh, no,” Sarah said quickly. “I didn’t mean to imply that. Jack would have my head for even suggesting such a thing. But you were hurting and Jack recognized it. If you want the truth, I think Jack should have been a doctor. It’s just part of his nature to want to help others.”
“I see.” Lacey wasn’t finding this conversation the least bit complimentary, but she couldn’t deny what Sarah said. For the last year she’d been walking around in a shell. Only when Jack came into her life did she understand how important it was to deal with her divorce.
Sarah sighed and set the menu aside. “Jack’s wonderful. That’s why it’s hard to understand why he’s so unreasonable about me and Mark.”
“I’ve never known Jack to be unreasonable.”
“But he is,” Sarah said, keeping her head lowered as if she was close to tears. “I love Mark; we want to be married someday. We just can’t marry now, for a number of reasons. Sometimes I think Jack hates him.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.” Lacey couldn’t imagine Jack hating anyone, but she could easily understand his being overprotective.
“It’s true,” Sarah said heatedly. “Jack refuses to have anything to do with Mark, and do you know why?” Lacey wasn’t given the opportunity to answer. “Because Jack thinks Mark’s using me. Nothing I can say will convince him otherwise. It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard, and it’s all because we’re living together. As far as I can see, my brother needs to wake up and smell the coffee.”
The waiter arrived with glasses of ice water and a basket filled with warm sourdough bread. Lacey smiled her appreciation, grateful for the interruption. The aroma of fresh bread was heavenly, but the conversation was becoming uncomfortable. She was not sure how to reply to Sarah. She was far more at ease having Sarah answer her questions about Jack than playing go-between for brother and sister. Jack might be overprotective, but she couldn’t imagine his disliking Mark without cause.
“What I’d really like is for you to talk to Jack for me,” Sarah said, her eyes wide and pleading. “He’ll listen to you, because—”
“I can’t do that, Sarah,” Lacey interrupted.
“I was hoping you’d consider it. I thought if you met Mark yourself, you’d be able to see how marvelous he is, and then you could tell Jack. You don’t mind if he joins us, do you?”
Once again, Lacey wasn’t given an opportunity to choose one way or the other. Sarah half rose from her seat and waved.
A sophisticated young man moved away from the bar and walked toward them, carrying his drink. Lacey studied Mark, trying to keep an open mind. As far as looks went, he was an attractive man. He kissed Sarah’s cheek, but his gaze moved smoothly to Lacey and lingered approvingly. They exchanged brief handshakes while Sarah made the introductions.
“I hope you don’t mind if I join you,” Mark said, pulling out a chair, “although every man here will think I’m greedy to be dining with the two most beautiful women in the room.”
Mark didn’t need to say another word for Lacey to understand Jack’s disapproval. He was much too smooth. And she didn’t like the way he looked at her—with a little too much curiosity. What she didn’t understand was how Sarah could be so blind.
“Sarah and I are in a bit of a quandary.” Mark reached for Sarah’s hand and gripped it in his own.
“We need help in dealing with Jack,” Sarah elaborated. “Mark suggested the two of us get together and talk to you about our problem. I’m not sure it’s wise, but Mark seems to think that you—”
“Right,” Mark cut in. “I feel you might say something that would smooth the waters between Sarah and her brother for me.”
“You want me to talk to Jack on your behalf?” she asked. Apparently Mark had no qualms about having her do his speaking for him. What Sarah’s lover failed to understand was that Jack would react negatively to such an arrangement. Whatever small respect he had for Mark would be wiped out.
“Just mention that you’ve met Mark,” Sarah coaxed. “You don’t need to make an issue of it. I’m sure he’d listen to you. You see, Jack’s living in the Middle Ages. Mark thinks Jack is jealous. My brother and I used to be really close—there wasn’t anything I couldn’t tell him.” A wistful look clouded her pretty features. “It isn’t like that anymore. It hurts, the way we argue. I can’t help agreeing that it seems like jealousy.”
Lacey wondered if that could possibly be true. “Jack’s met Mark?”
“Oh, yes, plenty of times. From the very first, Jack’s had a grudge against him.”
“We started off on the wrong foot,” Mark admitted dryly.
“What happened?” Lacey asked.
“Nothing,” Sarah said defensively. “Absolutely nothing. But I’ve never been serious about anyone before, and Jack just can’t deal with it.”
Lacey didn’t want to take sides, but she found herself saying, “I don’t know Jack all that well, but I can’t see him as the jealous sort.”
“I know, but you see, I’m crazy about Mark and Jack knows it, and the w
ay Mark figures—and me too—my brother needs to accept the fact that his little sister is all grown up, and he refuses to do it.” Absently, Sarah tore off a piece of bread and held it between her hands, as if she wasn’t sure what to do with it. “Can you help us, Lacey?”
“I doubt it,” she said, as forthrightly and honestly as she could.
“Jack would listen to you,” Sarah said.
Lacey smiled softly at the fervor of Sarah’s belief that she had any influence on her brother. “I’m only his next-door neighbor.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” she said, her voice raised with the strength of her conviction. “Jack really likes you. More than anyone in a good long while.”
Lacey wasn’t sure of that either, but she let it pass. “You want me to tell your brother that you’re a mature woman capable of making her own decisions, whether he agrees with them or not.”
“Exactly,” Sarah said.
“That’s what he needs to hear,” Mark concurred.
“As an adult, you’re free to love whomever you wish,” Lacey said.
“Right again.” Sarah’s voice raised with the fervor of her conviction.
Mark smiled at Sarah and she smiled back. “We know what we’re doing, isn’t that right, baby?”
“I’m over twenty-one,” Sarah announced.
“You’re both competent judges of character,” Lacey said.
“Of course.” Sarah’s grin widened. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”
They were momentarily interrupted by the waiter, who returned for their order.
“Jack’s not an unreasonable person,” Lacey continued. “If that’s the way you both feel, you don’t need me to tell him. Do it yourselves, together.”
“He won’t listen,” Sarah protested.
“Have you tried?”
Mark tore the roll in half and lowered his gaze. “Not exactly, but then it isn’t like we’ve had much of an opportunity.”
“Is it your living arrangement that’s troubling Jack?” Lacey asked.
“That isn’t permanent,” Sarah told her.
“We’ll be married someday,” Mark said. “But not right away. We want to be married on our terms and not have them dictated by an older brother.”
Lacey kept silent because she feared her own views on the subject wouldn’t be welcome. Over the years several of her friends had opted for live-in arrangements. It might have been the luck of the draw, but they’d all come out of the relationships with regrets.
“Loving Mark isn’t a mistake,” Sarah insisted a bit too strongly. “We’re perfect together.”
The waiter delivered their salads, but by then Lacey had lost her appetite.
“And Sarah’s perfect for me,” Mark added, before reaching for his fork and digging into the plump shrimp that decorated the top of his huge salad.
“Mark loves me, and I love him,” Sarah concluded. “As far as I’m concerned that’s the most important thing.”
Lacey saw that both Sarah and Mark felt they could change her mind. It was important to clear that up immediately. “I hope you can appreciate why I can’t speak to Jack on your behalf.”
“Yes,” Sarah said sadly. “I just wish Jack wasn’t so openly hostile.”
“Sarah?” The husky male voice came from behind her. “Lacey? What are you two doing here?”
It was Jack.
Seven
“Hello, Jack,” Sarah said, recovering first. She didn’t look pleased. Lacey knew their relationship was strained and wished she could help, but she couldn’t think of a way to lessen the tension between them. Jack ignored Mark completely. But then Mark didn’t acknowledge him either.
“How are my two best girls?” Jack asked, disregarding Sarah’s cool welcome. He slid out a chair and sat down without waiting for an invitation.
“Feel free to join us,” Sarah muttered sarcastically.
“Hello, Jack,” Lacey said, her heart reacting in a happy way despite Sarah and Mark’s sour reception. She lowered her gaze abruptly when he focused his eyes on her. She didn’t have any reason to feel guilty, but she did—a little. It wasn’t like she was doing something behind his back.
“Lacey and I were just having a little chat,” Sarah said, after an awkward moment. “That’s what you want to know, isn’t it?”
“I didn’t ask, Sarah. What you and Lacey talk about is none of my business.” Jack ordered a cup of coffee and turned toward Lacey and Sarah, presenting Mark with a view of his back.
“If you must know, we discussed Mark and me,” Sarah said, far more defensively than necessary.
Jack sipped his coffee, giving no outward indication that the topic of conversation troubled him. “Let’s change the subject, shall we?”
“I bet you were hoping Lacey would talk some sense into me,” Sarah said stiffly. “Well, you’re wrong.”
Jack leveled his gaze on his sister, his look wide and disapproving.
“You don’t need to worry,” Sarah continued on the same touchy note. “Lacey has refused to talk to you on our behalf.”
“Mark asked her to?”
“Of course,” Sarah returned belligerently. “What else can he do since you flatly refuse to speak to him?”
“I don’t appreciate your dragging Lacey into this,” Jack said, not bothering to hide his disapproval.
“You don’t need to worry,” Sarah snapped back. “It won’t happen again.”
It upset Lacey to watch the two of them bicker, knowing how deeply they cared for each other. But she was helpless to do anything more than listen.
“How’s Cleo?” Jack looked at Lacey in a clear effort to find a more pleasant topic.
Lacey reached for her coffee. “Getting fat.”
“Good,” he said absently.
“How can you ignore Mark like this?” Sarah demanded. “You act as if he isn’t even here.”
Jack remained stubbornly silent for a moment before asking, “Have you ever asked Mark why I behave toward him the way I do?” He sipped his coffee. “It would be very interesting if he admitted the truth.”
“Let’s get out of here.” Mark stood abruptly and reached for Sarah’s hand. “We don’t need him, Sarah, we never have. Let’s just leave well enough alone.”
“But, Mark—” Sarah looked from her lover to her brother, her eyes bright with indecision.
“Are you coming or not?” Mark demanded irritably, dropping her hand.
“You could try talking to Jack,” Sarah suggested on a tentative note, sounding unsure and pitiful. Lacey’s heart went out to her.
“Do what you want.” Mark turned and started to walk away.
Sarah vacillated, torn with indecision, before sighing heavily. “Mark, wait,” she called, obediently trotting after him.
The silence that followed Sarah’s departure was heavy with tension. Jack’s face darkened with what appeared to be regret before he looked once more to Lacey. It seemed, for an awkward moment, that he had forgotten she was there.
“Jack,” she said softly, touching his hand.
“I’m sorry.” He shook his head as if to clear it. “I hope Sarah and Mark didn’t make pests of themselves.”
“Not in the least,” Lacey assured him. “She’s a delightful young woman, if a bit confused.” Although it wasn’t any of Lacey’s business, she wanted to know. “Why do you actively dislike Mark?”
“There are several reasons,” he said pointedly, “but you don’t need to worry about me and my sister. It’s not your affair.”
“I see,” she answered. She couldn’t help feeling hurt by his abrupt dismissal. “I shouldn’t have asked.”
Jack sighed. “I saw him with another girl soon after Sarah moved in with him. It was clear they were m
ore than casual acquaintances, but when I mentioned it to Sarah she claimed I was lying in an effort to break them up. Naturally Mark denied everything. It’s like my beautiful, intelligent sister has been hypnotized. She can’t seem to see what’s right under her nose.”
“It’s probably the most difficult thing you can do, isn’t it?”
“What?” Jack wanted to know.
Lacey gently squeezed his hand. “Watch her make a mistake and know there’s no way to keep her from making it.”
Jack studied her for a long moment and nodded. “It’s hell. And the worst part is losing the closeness we once shared. I don’t know how she can be so blind.”
“Sarah can’t see what she doesn’t want to see.” It had been the same way with Lacey. The evidence was there, but she’d refused to notice what was apparent to everyone else.
When Lacey returned to the office, her head was filled with Jack and his sister. She wished there were some way she could help but knew it was impossible.
Mr. Sullivan was waiting for her, impatiently pacing the cramped quarters. As she stepped inside, he glanced pointedly at his watch.
“You’re late,” he announced.
“Five minutes,” she said calmly, sitting down at her desk. After all the times she’d come in early and stayed late, she certainly didn’t feel guilty for going five minutes over her lunch hour.
“Were you aware Mrs. Baxter was due this afternoon to go over wallpaper samples?” he asked, with thinly disguised irritation.
“Yes,” Lacey answered, not understanding why her employer was so flustered.
“Well, Mrs. Baxter was in town earlier than she anticipated and stopped in. You weren’t here.” Accusation rang in his voice as clear as church bells. “I was left to deal with her myself, and I don’t mind telling you, Lacey, that woman unnerves me. You should have been here.”
Lacey straightened in her chair, unwilling to accept his censure. “Mr. Sullivan,” she said evenly, refusing to allow him to badger her, “I’m entitled to my lunch hour.”
He pressed his lips together and walked over to his own desk. “You’re the wallpaper expert,” he returned flippantly.