This Matter of Marriage

  “Yeah,” Steve said, then frowned. “My advice to Todd is to get it while he can.”

  “Steve!”

  “You think I’m joking?”

  Hallie stared at him as if to ask exactly what kind of wife Mary Lynn had been. But he didn’t want to talk about his ex, especially now that she was married to another man. Sleeping with another man. He couldn’t dwell on that, otherwise he’d go crazy. So he avoided the subject entirely.

  “Seriously, I think Todd and Donnalee will do fine,” Hallie said.

  “Yeah, I’m sure you’re right.”

  She reached for the small cream pitcher and added more to her coffee, stirring it slowly around and around.

  “There’s someone for you, Hallie.”

  She raised her eyes sadly to his. “But when am I ever going to meet him?”

  Steve didn’t have the answer to that any more than she did.

  Twenty-Eight

  The Movies

  Hallie arrived home late that Friday afternoon, after a long tiring workweek. Meagan and Kenny raced toward her the moment she’d parked.

  “Dad’s taking us to the drive-in!” Kenny said excitedly.

  This was a perfect night for it, Hallie mused. August and the weather was flawless, as it can be in only Puget Sound.

  “Wanna come?” Meagan asked.

  “I don’t think so, sweetheart. Thanks, anyway.” It’d been one of those frustrating weeks when little had gone right. It had started with one of her key staff members suddenly up and leaving because her husband had been transferred to the East Coast. And it ended this afternoon with a canceled order, followed by a visit from Donnalee. She’d arrived at Artistic License unannounced wearing a lovely diamond engagement ring. Hallie had hugged and congratulated her, thrilled for her friend. But she was also aware that Donnalee had managed to acquire two engagement rings this year, while she hadn’t even scrounged up a piece of Cracker Jack jewelry. It wasn’t the rings, of course, it was the thought that two men had fallen in love with Donnalee. Two men. And during the same period, Hallie had met a selection of losers, cheapskates and creeps.

  No wonder she felt depressed.

  “Please, please, please, come,” said a voice from behind.

  She swung around to find Steve gazing at her with an exaggerated expression of woe.

  “I’m exhausted,” she said. It was a legitimate excuse and true. She was looking forward to a half-hour soak in a bubble bath, and then a lengthy vegetation in front of the television watching reruns of “Mary Tyler Moore.” It seemed that she, like Mary Richards, was destined to live the single life.

  “I’m tired, too,” Steve told her. “But I promised the kids last week that I’d take them, and they invited ten or fifteen of their closest friends along.”

  “Two,” Meagan corrected, rolling her eyes. “We each invited one friend.”

  “I’ve got it all figured out,” Steve said, squeezing Hallie’s shoulders. “We can take both cars and park next to each other. The kids can stay in my car and I’ll come over and join you in yours. Does that sound like a plan or what?”

  He had obviously given some thought to this, and it was easy to see what would happen to his escape strategy if she refused. He’d be trapped in a vehicle filled with four shrieking kids.

  Still, she might have refused him if not for one thing. Steve had agreed to accompany her to that ridiculous operatic extravaganza. Not willingly, maybe, but he had gone.

  “Oh, all right,” she mumbled.

  “A little enthusiasm will go a long way, McCarthy,” he said, echoing the remark she’d made herself earlier in the week.

  She grumbled under her breath, but if the truth be known, she wasn’t all that opposed. Yes, she felt exhausted, but being with Steve and his children had a way of reviving her. If she didn’t go, she was likely to drown her sorrows in a bowl of double-fudge macadamia-nut ice cream—something to be avoided at all costs.

  Besides, Steve had kissed her when he’d walked her to her door on Monday night. A quick, friendly kiss, very much like the others they’d exchanged. Warm and comforting. But for the first time Hallie had felt more than comfort and friendship. She’d felt that kiss all the way to her toes. A nice friendly good-night between neighbors shouldn’t curl a woman’s toes.

  So she agreed to this drive-in idea of his for the elementary reason that she wanted him to kiss her again. Just to check things out.

  “Dad’s going to make popcorn,” Kenny said breathlessly, as if that qualified his father for some major cooking award, “and not use the microwave.” There was real awe in the boy’s voice. “Dad explained that when he was a kid you used a stove.”

  Hallie remembered making popcorn that way, too. She felt about a hundred years old. “That should be interesting.”

  “He said we could watch.”

  “I don’t suppose you’d care to help?” This from Steve, who didn’t even attempt to disguise his plea for assistance.

  “Oh, all right.” Although she made it sound like a sacrifice, Hallie found herself grinning. “I’ll change out of my work clothes and be right over.”

  Meagan followed her into the house and helped her choose a pair of shorts and a summer top. “I’m glad you’re coming,” she said, hopping onto the end of Hallie’s bed.

  Hallie noticed that the girl looked unhappy, but didn’t want to pry. From experience she knew that if something was troubling Meagan, she’d tell Hallie in her own way and her own time.

  “I’m glad I’m coming, too.”

  “Dad let me invite Angie. She’s my best friend. Everyone needs a best friend.” She paused. “I think you’re Dad’s.”

  Hallie was touched. “Your dad’s one of my best friends, too.”

  The girl was quiet for several moments while Hallie changed out of her business garb and donned what she thought of as real-people clothes. She removed her jewelry and makeup and tossed her panty hose and heels aside for canvas slip-ons.

  “I don’t think Mom and Kip are happy.”

  The softly spoken statement came out of the blue. Hallie paused, wondering how or if she should comment. “Sometimes when people first marry they have difficulty adjusting to each other. Give them time, Meagan.”

  “I don’t think time’s gonna help. Mom found out that Kip’s been married before. Twice. She only knew about one ex-wife.”

  “Oh, dear.” Hallie immediately sympathized with Steve’s ex.

  “He’s paying child support to two children, and my mom only knew about the one.”

  If Kip had misled Mary Lynn in a matter of this importance, Hallie had to wonder if he was trustworthy in other areas.

  “Dad doesn’t know,” Meagan added.

  “Don’t worry, sweetheart, I won’t tell him.”

  “I don’t really like Kip. I don’t know why Mom married him. He tells Kenny and me that we’re going to do something fun and we get all excited. But when the time comes he has all these excuses why he can’t do it.”

  “Some people are like that,” Hallie said, and sat down next to Meagan. “I had a friend like that once. It got so I never put much faith in what she said. It wasn’t that she was a bad person. She just couldn’t possibly do all the things she planned or keep all the promises she made. I’m sure Kip’s intentions are good, but not everything he promises will happen. Try not to be disappointed when it doesn’t, and pleasantly surprised when it does.”

  “Are a lot of people like Kip?” Meagan asked.

  “I don’t know, but I don’t think so.”

  “I hope not,” the girl said, then she smiled. “You know what? I’m glad you’re my friend, too.”

  “So am I, Meagan.” The girl gave her a fierce hug.

  As soon as Hallie and Meagan walked into Steve’s kitchen, father and son mysteriously disappeared, leaving the women to the serious work of popping the corn in an old kettle. Hallie quickly assembled “goodie bags” for everyone. And she had a great time, laughing and teasing with Meag
an.

  Because Meagan and Kenny’s friends lived in other neighborhoods, they left an hour early, stopping at a McDonald’s for take-out burgers and drinks. Meagan and her friend rode with Hallie, while Steve led the way with the two boys. As planned, they parked at the drive-in theater side by side.

  Hallie hadn’t been to a drive-in since she was a child. She remembered her mother and father sitting close together in the front, she and Julie, wearing pajamas, in the back. It had been an occasional summer-night treat. She couldn’t recall any movies they’d watched—just that wonderful childhood feeling of being loved and protected.

  The first feature scheduled tonight was an action thriller with Bruce Willis. The kind that was sure to be an edge-of-the-seat fast-paced movie. The second feature was more or less the same kind of show, but without the big-name star.

  Once the cars were situated and the radios fine-tuned, Steve left his vehicle and climbed into the front seat of Hallie’s. It looked like a perfect plan—until Kenny and his friend started fighting with the girls.

  Meagan rolled down her window and shouted, “Kenny ate all his popcorn and he’s trying to steal mine.”

  “And mine,” Angie chimed in furiously.

  In an effort to keep the peace, Steve sent the boys off to the refreshment stand. “I can’t believe I allowed the kids to talk me into this. I asked them how much it would cost me to buy my way out, but they wouldn’t hear of it.”

  Steve, Hallie thought, had no idea how crucial it was to his kids that he follow through on his promises. It told them far more than he’d ever know. “I’m proud of you,” she said without thinking.

  “Proud?”

  “You kept your word.”

  “I didn’t have a choice,” he said, protesting her compliment. He leaned back in the passenger seat and closed his eyes. “It isn’t just the drive-in movie, either,” Steve grumbled. “Tomorrow is Kenny’s Cub Scout camp-out. I can’t believe I actually volunteered to spend the night in the woods with ten nine-year-old boys.”

  “Better you than me,” Hallie told him.

  The movie started just as Kenny and his friend made it back to the car. They climbed in and all was blissfully quiet as they gazed at the huge screen.

  “What I’d really like to know,” Steve said in a conversational tone, “is how I got talked into this slumber-party business. Meagan asked if Angie could come to the drive-in, then the next thing I know, Kenny’s got a friend and they’re both spending the night.”

  “Don’t look at me,” Hallie said, eating her popcorn. “I’m an innocent bystander.”

  He chuckled and helped himself to a handful from her bag. With the console between them, it was difficult to get too cozy—not that the Bruce Willis movie encouraged coziness in any form. Although Hallie had already seen it, she covered her face during a couple of the more gruesome scenes.

  “You talked to Todd recently?” she asked as the credits scrolled down the screen.

  “Yeah. He told me he asked Donnalee to marry him, but I have to say it didn’t come as any surprise.”

  “Donnalee’s hoping to get pregnant right away,” Hallie said wistfully. At the rate things were progressing, Donnalee would be a grandmother before Hallie even found herself a husband.

  “I figure it’ll be a miracle if she isn’t already pregnant. Todd’s so tired he can barely stay awake. What’s Donnalee do—keep him up all night?”

  “My guess is they’re keeping each other up.”

  “It’s downright sickening, that’s what it is,” Steve muttered.

  “Couldn’t agree with you more.” Hallie put down her popcorn, her appetite gone. “You know what? We’re both so damn jealous we can barely stand it.”

  “Amen,” Steve said. They glanced at each other and broke into peals of laughter. When they looked at the screen again, the second movie had started.

  Hallie’s seat was as far back as it would go. She was enjoying herself—and it had very little to do with the movies. Reviewing her conversation with his daughter, she felt good that Meagan had described her as Steve’s best friend. It was refreshing, she told herself solemnly, when a man and woman could be friends.

  She turned to Steve. “Thank you for being my friend,” she whispered.

  “Thank you for being mine.” And then he leaned over and kissed her. His mouth grazed hers and lingered. Hallie kissed him back, increasing the pressure.

  She felt the sexual energy of the kiss immediately and so, apparently, did Steve. He bolted upright and looked at her long and hard. She studied him, too. It was as if all the oxygen in the car was suddenly gone.

  Neither seemed capable of breathing, let alone talking. The only illumination came from the screen and a solitary light by the refreshment stand, but it was enough for Hallie to see Steve’s face. His eyes were wary, as if to say he wasn’t sure about any of this. For that matter, Hallie wasn’t sure how she felt, either.

  At last he spoke. “Hallie?”

  “Yes.” She suspected she didn’t sound like herself at all. Her voice seemed distant.

  “What just happened?”

  “You’re asking me?” She tried to make a joke of it and found she couldn’t. “We kissed and—”

  “And, hell, it was good. Damn good.” As if he needed to test this new discovery, he placed his hands on the curve of her shoulders and leaned forward to press his mouth to hers. Hallie closed her eyes, but her mind and her heart were wide open, eagerly anticipating a repeat performance.

  At first he was gentle, almost tentative. Her lips parted, welcoming him. The nature of the kiss shifted almost immediately. His mouth grew fierce, demanding. He angled his lips over hers, urgently dragging her as close as the confines of the car would allow.

  Her hip was being bruised by the console, but Hallie didn’t care. She wanted—no, needed—his kiss. She forgot who she was, where she was. Nothing mattered but Steve. She could feel the beat of his heart throbbing beneath her palm.

  She slid her hands from his chest and clenched his shirt collar in a feeble attempt to anchor herself against the oncoming sensual storm. His tongue deepened the level of intimacy.

  She whimpered at the erotic play as he sought out every part of her mouth. Her own tongue responded to his, curling and coiling in a passionate game that left them both panting and breathless.

  He moaned.

  She whimpered.

  Abruptly he broke it off and braced his forehead against hers. His breath hissed raggedly through his teeth.

  Hallie’s breath fled entirely.

  When he kissed her again, it was slow and gentle, the way their first experimental kisses had been months earlier. Mmm. A series of nibbling kisses followed that. He tasted of buttered popcorn. He tasted incredible. Long, deep, slow kisses came next.

  When he stopped, breathing hard, Hallie fell against the back of the seat, her eyes closed. “Tell me this isn’t real.”

  “It’s real.”

  “Tell me we’re all wrong for each other.”

  “You know better.”

  She tried again. “Tell me this is just our reaction to what’s happening between Donnalee and Todd.”

  “It isn’t. This is real, Hallie. You and me—as real as it’s likely to get.”

  “How can we have been so blind?” This was fantastic. Steve. Steve Marris! For months she’d been conducting this fruitless search to find a man, and Steve had been there all along. Right next door.

  It was crazy. No, she was. She wanted to kick herself.

  Throwing her arms around his neck, she whispered, “I might be a slow learner, but I’m ready to make up for lost time.”

  He laughed. Then he kissed her cheek, her nose, nuzzled her neck, explored the scented hollow of her neck with his tongue, moistening her skin as he slowly, methodically, worked his way back to her lips. By the time he caught her lower lip between his teeth, Hallie was whimpering anew. She’d waited and waited for the right man. What a fool she’d been not to realize al
l along that he lived next door.

  “I can’t believe this is happening,” she said in a low voice.

  “Believe it, Hallie, believe it.” He eased his hand under her top, cupping her breast. It filled his palm, overfilled it.

  She bit her lip as he traced his finger around the outline of her erect nipple.

  “Uh-oh,” Steve murmured, his voice weighted with frustration. He slipped his hand downward, past the smooth skin of her abdomen. “I’m afraid we have an audience.”

  “What?”

  He tipped his head toward the car with the kids. Hallie casually glanced in that direction and found four pairs of eyes staring at them out the side windows. Apparently she and Steve were putting on a much better show than the one on the screen. When Kenny saw that he had their attention, he waved. Hallie and Steve waved back. She could feel the heat rise in her cheeks.

  Steve lowered the window, which had steamed up considerably, something for which Hallie was grateful. “Are you kids ready to go home?”

  This question was followed by a long chorus of nos.

  “Then you’d better watch the movie.”

  “Dad, were you kissing Hallie?” Kenny sounded genuinely distressed. “On the lips?” He cringed as if he couldn’t imagine anything more revolting.

  “She’s not so bad,” Steve said casually.

  Hallie elbowed him in the ribs; he greatly exaggerated his reaction, and everyone, including Hallie, laughed. Once they were sure the kids had returned their attention to the movie, Steve raised the window.

  He gripped her hand tightly in his, lacing their fingers. He stared straight ahead, but she knew he wasn’t watching the screen. “Okay, tell me, where do we go from here?”

  She knew exactly what he was asking. “Where?”

  she repeated, giving herself time to think. “Are you asking me to go to bed with you, Steve?”

  “Yes.”

  She swallowed. “We need a dose of what Donnalee and Todd have been experiencing, right?”

  “No!” She was taken aback by the vehemence of his response. “This has nothing to do with Donnalee and Todd, and everything to do with you and me. I knew something was happening between us long ago—at least I suspected it—and it scared the living daylights out of me.”