Dar paused, then finally nodded. “Yeah, must be all this extra rest I’m getting,” she deadpanned. “Haven’t had a damn headache in weeks.”
“Tcha, is good.” Maria smiled at her as Dar’s eyes rested on the dolphin sculpture.
“Yeah.” After a moment, Dar looked up again, a mildly bemused expression on her face. “Sure beats swallowing all those damn pills. Gave me a stomach ache.” She lightly rocked back in her chair as she heard the elevator door open. “Here comes trouble, if I’m not mistaken.”
Sharp, staccato heels could be heard on the tile before the security guard opened the door, and Michelle Graver stepped around him and in. She gazed around the office appreciatively and finally ended up letting her eyes rest on Dar, who was still leaning back in her chair, her hands folded in front of her.
“Hello, Dar.”
“Afternoon, Michelle. What brings you to these parts?” Dar inquired civilly. “Please, sit down.” She motioned to one of the padded seats before her desk. “What can I do for you?” The red-haired woman was dressed in a neat silk suit that clung to her frame, leaving little to the imagination—an outfit just a little too exotic to be strictly business and a little too sexy not to have a purpose.
“Well, the state tourism board’s meeting is this week. You know we’re a big part of that,” Michelle said, seating herself gracefully. “I had a few hours free tonight, I though I’d stop by and see if I could claim that raincheck.” Her eyes found Dar’s and a faint, fleeting smile crossed her lips. “If you’re not…busy.”
A faint warning bell sounded in Dar’s head. “I had nothing planned,” she replied cautiously. “Did you have someplace in mind you wanted to try?”
Idly, she toyed with the idea of telling the woman she had previous plans, then rejected the idea, deciding it would just postpone the inevitable. Might as well get the damn woman out of the way.
“Well, this is your end of the pond, Dar. Why don’t you suggest something?” Michelle crossed her legs and leaned against the arm of the chair, a predatory smile on her face. “Surely you know all the nice spots around here.”
The taller woman considered. “Where are you staying?”
The smile widened perceptibly. “The Hyatt, downtown,” she purred.
“Do you like seafood?” Dar asked politely.
“I love it,” Michelle replied.
Pale blue eyes regarded her warily. “All right, Monty’s down in the Grove is a good spot for that. I could pick you up—say at seven?”
She nodded. “That would be perfect. I can fill you in on the Tropical Storm 329
implementation plan, and we can…talk a little.” She stood up, having got what she wanted, and straightened her jacket neatly. “Room 1243.” She let her eyes linger on Dar’s body, then turned, moving across the carpet and pausing at the door. “Till then.” She slipped out, and Dar made a face.
“Is that going to ever be a waste of good crabs. On the other hand, maybe I can get one to bite her.” Dar sighed.
KERRY PUSHED HER door open and ducked inside, putting down the bags of groceries and kicking the wooden panel shut behind her. A glance at the clock told her it was well past ten, and she exhaled, having spent the night doing all the errands she could possibly think of. Or make up, for that matter, anything to keep her mind off where Dar was, and who she was with.
“Jealousy is not a fun emotion,” she informed her fish. “Don’t let anyone fool you, Scully. It sucks.” Trudging into the kitchen, she put the bags down, setting the cold stuff down by the refrigerator. “Not that I’m worried mind you, I know Dar doesn’t like her.”
Scully and Mulder blew bubbles.
“No, really, she doesn’t. She was making the funniest jokes about her on the way out, though I think that was mostly to make me feel better.” She gave the fish a wry look. “I was trying really hard to not come off as a green-eyed monster, but of course that’s really tough for me, given the fact that I already have green eyes. You know what I mean?”
Mulder blew a bubble. Scully inched up and smacked him on the lips.
“Ooo, I can think of about seven million Internet fans that would kill for that sight.”
The Lone Gunmen darted around as she crossed over and sprinkled a little food in the tank. She leaned against the edge, peering down at them. “It’s business, guys. Nothing personal.” She sighed. “But I can’t help wanting to pull her little red eyebrows out and feed them to her with a plunger.” She half wished Dar had simply turned down the meeting, even though she knew her boss had a responsibility to maintain good relations with their newest account. Does it have to be that kind of relations, though? Kerry felt a little sick every time she thought of Michelle, and her fancy hotel, and her exotic figure.
It was a horrible, helpless feeling, and she briefly considered just putting everything away, and going to sleep. It would be over in the morning. Right?
“Shit, come on, Kerry, get a grip. Dar turned down a dinner with her for a romp in the park with you just a few weeks ago. She couldn’t avoid this. The woman pranced into her office and practically forced her into it,” she told herself. Right?
With a sigh, she went back into the kitchen and put everything away, including the milk and chocolate syrup she’d found herself getting wholly without conscious thought. Then she changed, and sat down on the couch, letting her fingers drift over the fabric and remembering Monday. Was it only three days ago? It felt longer. The clock ticked in the silence, and she could hear the soft hum of the aquarium’s tank motor. The phone’s ringing startled her, and she jumped, then got up and went over to it. “Hello?”
“Kerry, I’m glad I caught you,” her mother’s voice sounded from the 330 Melissa Good receiver. “You’re hardly ever home these days, dear. I’ve been trying you since Tuesday.”
Mmm-hmm. Better see about call forwarding. Kerry winced. “Sorry. I, um…I was working late yesterday, then I went to the gym…and we went out after that.”
“Oh? You joined a gym?” Her mother’s voice sounded wary.
“It’s a special deal through our company,” Kerry told her. “A whole bunch of us did it. I’m taking some aerobics, and wall climbing, and…a little self-defense class.” She laughed faintly. “It’s a lot of fun.”
A moment’s silence. “Well, I’m very surprised you got involved in something like that when you’re leaving, Kerry,” her mother stated disapprovingly. “That’s not like you.”
Kerry took a deep, deep breath. “Mother, let’s be sensible, all right? I can’t just give up this job and come home just because of an accident. It’s silly.” Briefly, she wished Dar was there, needing the taller woman’s comforting presence. “I’m doing great here, it’s such a good opportunity.”
“Don’t be foolish,” her mother snapped. “Your father told you, you’re coming home. And let’s not hear any talk about that, Kerrison, it’s all arranged.”
It was almost as though she could feel warm hands resting on her shoulders, and a close presence behind her as she stood a little straighter. “No, I’m not, and if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine, Mother. But I have every intention of staying here,” Kerry told her steadily. “I have friends here, and a great job. I’m not ready to give that up.”
Kerry could feel the frozen silence emanating through the line. “We’ll see what your father has to say about that,” the voice replied angrily. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this from you. Of all the ungrateful things! Living there has given you horrible ideas, and it’s the best reason I can see for bringing you home.”