Carol's Image (20 page)

Carol gasped, but Tom squeezed her knee.

“It pays the bills and then some,” he answered deftly. “But more importantly, I go to work every day lovin’ what I do and knowin’ that I do somethin’ worthwhile.”

Carol’s father looked at him speculatively, but her mother just had a sour look on her face. Turning to Sydney, Mrs. Fletcher asked, “How did you meet Tom?”

“Oh, when Tommy and I were close, he headed out of town every chance he got to have a good time. We met at a bar in town here, and he was always
up
for some fun, if you know what I mean,” she laughed, placing her hand back on Tom’s shoulder.

Tom growled, furious. Furious at Sydney. Furious at Ronald and the Fletchers, who he felt sure had set this up to discredit him.
I can see them fuckin’ with me, but how the hell can they fuck with their own daughter this way?
He could see Carol struggling, but had no idea how to make the situation better without causing a scene.

Carol was trying to eat, but her hands were beginning to shake.
Full. I feel full. I need to get rid of it. I just need to get rid of the food, and this will feel better.
Carol felt Tom’s hand on her knee again, this time rubbing softly, pulling her back from what felt like an abyss.
Breathe in. Breathe out. I can do this. I am healthy. I am with Tom. I am capable of making the right choices.

Tom felt the change in Carol’s breathing as she seemed to gain control over her emotions again. Realizing that no one at the table had a clue what Carol was going through made him angry for her that she always had to battle this alone. Not her parents. Not Ronald. No one.
Well, not anymore. She is not alone.

As Carol’s head cleared, she heard her mother speaking again. “Well, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that she chose a common policeman to date since she is still playing at nurse herself.”

Tom had had enough but before he could speak Carol stood up, placing her hand on his arm. “You say what you want about me, mother. You sit here, all sanctimoniously, but you haven’t worked a day in your life so don’t speak to me about a career. You want to talk about me, go ahead. But don’t you dare, DARE speak to Tom that way. He is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I thank God every day that he came into my life.”

Turning to Ronald, she continued. “And you, I used to think that you were my friend. But you are just as bad as them,” she said pointing to her parents. “Don’t think for one minute that I don’t know you set her up to be at this table. I don’t know how you investigated Tom to dig up something, but if this is the best you can come up with, that’s pathetic.”

She then turned her ire toward Sydney. “And you. What did you hope to accomplish? To reconnect? Well, get this straight – you may have been his fuck-buddy, but I am the one he holds all night!”

Beginning to shake, Carol turned and ran to the ladies’ room before Tom could stop her.

Tom stood up, tossing his napkin on the table like a gauntlet. Leaning over, he put his fists on the table and he stated in a cold, deadly voice. “You wanna fuck with me, bring it on. But never, never fuck with Carol, ever again. You got me?”

Turning, he stalked toward the hall near the entranceway where the restrooms were located, leaving a stunned table behind.

Mr. Fletcher said nothing, just staring thoughtfully at the back of Tom as he walked away. Mrs. Fletcher barely glanced at Sydney as she waved her hand in her direction. “You may leave. Your part is over.”

Shrugging, Sydney left the table, disappointment written on her face.

Tom made it to the ladies’ room but hesitated outside the door. Just when he was ready to barge in to check on her, she came out.

Carol looked up with a look of surprise on her face that quickly melted into tears. “Oh Tom, I am so sorry,” she sobbed.

He crossed the space to her in two steps, grabbing her tightly and held her against his chest. Pressing his hand against the back of her head, he rocked her gently. “It’s okay, angel. I’m here now. It’s okay. I got you.” Over and over, he chanted the soft words as her sobs subsided.

When she finally was able to catch her breath, he continued. “Don’t worry about it, angel. We’ll call the counselor first thing tomorrow and I swear, I will never let you around those people again. You’re not gonna purge because of them.”

Carol leaned her head way back so that she could look into his eyes. Concerned blue eyes met teary blue eyes. “Tom,” Carol said softly. “I didn’t purge. I wasn’t in there purging.”

Still holding her head in his powerful grip, he looked down in confusion. “Then what are you sorry about?”

“For them,” she exclaimed, sweeping her hand out toward the ballroom. “For my parents that have never paid attention to me until I finally made a decision that went against their image of what I should be. For Ronald, a man who escorted me around like I was a prize he won, but who never cared for me. For all of it. I am so sorry that you were insulted by them.”

Tom chuckled as he pressed Carol’s head back into his chest. She could feel the rumble from deep inside of him and couldn’t help but smile as her head shook with his mirth.

“Angel, you got nothin’ to be sorry for. The way you stood up to them…sexy as fuck, girl. Baby, I couldn’t be more proud of you and proud of bein’ with you than I am right now. In fact, how about you and me ditchin’ this joint and headin’ home. I’ve been thinkin’ about peelin’ this dress off of you since I first saw you in it!”

Carol smiled up at him as he twisted her body so that she was firmly planted into his side instead of his front as they walked down the hall. They had only taken two steps when they were halted by a sound behind them.

“Tommy?”

Tom hung his head.
Fuck. Does this nightmare just keep goin’ on and on?
He could feel Carol turning around, but he immediately wanted to protect her, so he kept her pulled in tightly to him as they both turned together to face Sydney.
Shuttin’ this shit down right now.

“I just wanted to apologize to both of you,” Sydney said, looking embarrassed as she forced herself to make eye contact. “That was horrible, and I had no idea….well, I just wanted to apologize.” She turned to walk away, when Carol stopped her.

“Sydney, this was a set up wasn’t it?” Carol asked, almost fearful of the answer.

Sydney, gorgeous in her own way, looked back at the angelic creature standing pressed into Tom’s side.
He loves her. I can tell.
“Yes, it was.”

“But why? How?” Carol’s words seemed to stutter.

Sydney, looking up at Tom’s granite face, knowing he was barely containing his fury, answered, “A man came into the bar I work at asking if anyone knew Tom Rivers. We got into a conversation, and I let him know that Tom and I had … um …been … um… friends.” Her eye cut back to Carol’s in a silent apology. “He told me that he would like me to come to a formal event, sit with Tom, and that things would work in my favor.”

Carol’s brow furrowed in question.

“He said that Tom would have a date that he was interested in and that if I showed up looking sexy, Tom would want me and he would get Tom’s date. It sounded simple and I honestly didn’t see anything wrong with it.” Sparing a glance at Tom, she could tell that he had gone from furious to almost explosive. “But once I got here and saw the way you two were, I knew she was no casual fu-… um… date. I’m really sorry.”

Sydney turned to walk away, then stopped again. Looking at both of them, she said, “You two are the real thing. I can tell and anyone who can’t is a fool.” She then turned, walking down the hall once again.

Tom, having wanted to avoid the conversation, looked down at Carol’s angelic face. Her beauty went so far beyond the average woman. It was haunting. It stayed with him. It pulled him in and wrapped itself around him.

“Angel, I’m sorry about her. I never imagined that we would run into anyone from my past. I just…”

Carol pressed her fingers on his lips. “I know. None of this is your fault. It is strange to run into one of your old girlfriends.”

“She was never a girlfriend. It was never more than physical,” he quickly interjected. Carol winced slightly and Jake cursed silently.
Fuck, how do I make this right?

“Well, one of your…um… former friends with benefits.” Taking a deep breath, she continued. “But what’s important is that we are still together in spite of my family’s machinations, and I didn’t purge.”

Pulling her back into his chest, he held her as close as he physically could. Pressed together from chest to knees, arms wrapped around each other, they presented a beautiful couple to anyone passing by.

“I can hear your heart beat,” she whispered.

“It beats for you, angel,” was the reply.

Neither saw her father standing around the corner, taking them in.

L
aughing with Marcus and Jon, Carol walked out of the hospital with them toward her car. As they approached, Marcus grabbed her arm, holding her back. “Stay with Jon,” he bit out.

Jon moved protectively in, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they both looked at Marcus staring at a note taped to her window. He leaned in to investigate the note without touching it.

“What is it?” she asked, hoping it was just an advertisement. That hope died as her eyes scanned the parking lot, seeing no other notes on anyone else’s cars.

Marcus’ only answer was to pull his cell phone from his pocket and hit a few keys. She looked up at Jon, who shrugged as he kept his eyes on Marcus as well.

“Tom? Marcus. Gotta note taped to her car. No, man. I didn’t touch it. Yeah. Parking lot C.”

“You have Tom on speed dial?” she asked.

Marcus and Jon both looked at her, incredulously. “Girl, you gotta note taped to your windshield and you’re worried about who is on my speed dial?”

“But Marcus, you just called Tom, and maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s an ad for pizza.”

This time Jon squeezed her shoulders until she looked up at him. “Sweetums, no one else has a note on their car and Marcus has looked at it close enough to decide it is suspicious. Don’t you think Tom wants to know?”

“I just don’t want to be such a bother to everyone. Like I’m the little fragile female that everyone needs to protect.”

Marcus walked over, stopping in front of her. “Girl, you’re sweet as can be and everyone likes you. No one thinks you can’t handle things, but if that note is what I think it is, then we need the police here to collect it as evidence.”

Visibly paling, she stared at Marcus. “What do you think it is?”

Marcus and Jon shared a quick glance, but Carol caught it. “What? What are you not saying?”

“Don’t know, honey, but it could be threatening, so we want the police to gather it and don’t want our fingerprints all over it,” Marcus explained.

By this time, the sound of a large pickup truck gunning through the parking lot could be heard.

“Oh lordy,” Jon exclaimed, giving her shoulder another squeeze. “The Hunk Calvary is here.”

Jake’s truck had barely come to a stop when Tom came barreling out of the passenger door. Stalking over to her car, his eyes found hers first and she watched as he did a head to toe scan of her body.

“I’m okay, Tom,” she said softly, wanting to assure him.

Tom gave Jon a head nod, before turning to Marcus who had walked back over to her car. Jake joined them, pulling on his gloves. Tom allowed Jake to remove the paper from her window and stood over his shoulder as it was opened. Carol waited, not breathing, to see what was on the paper.

“Fuck!” Tom cursed, as he turned and walked a few feet away. Jakes’s eyes looked at his partner before glancing back over to Carol, who was pale, not breathing, just staring at Tom’s back.

“Tom,” Jake warned quietly.

Understanding his partner’s plea, he turned and went to her as she willingly left Jon’s protective embrace to plant herself full body into his. He wrapped an arm around her middle, and the other hand cupped the back of her head, cradling it into his chest.

“What did it say?” she asked. “Please tell me.”

Jake walked over with the note as she turned in Tom’s embrace so that she could see what was in his hand. Marcus and Jon leaned over as well, curious as to the contents.

To the beautiful Carol. I hope that one day you realize how special you are. And that day you will be mine. Not his.

The air that she had been holding rushed out of her body. Glad for the support of Tom’s arms, she twisted her head around to look up at Tom, needing to know what he was thinking. His handsome face was tight with anger, but his eyes softened when they went down to look at her.

“Tom, it’s not too bad,” she said tentatively. “I mean, it’s not threatening.”

Tightening his hold across her body, he growled, “Don’t go there, angel.”

“Go where?”

Jake looked at his partner, knowing he was holding on by a thread. “Carol.” He waited until she looked up at him. “This is harassment. Someone is stalking you, harassing you, frightening you. A threat is implied. It does not have to state explicitly that you are in danger.” He paused, letting his words sink in, continuing to hold her eyes as she was still wrapped protectively in Tom’s arms. “Do you understand, honey?”

She nodded silently, not knowing what she thought or how she felt. Twisting back around again to look at Tom, she whispered, “I want to go home.”

“Don’t want you there by yourself, angel.”

Jon spoke up quickly. “I’m off now. I’ll go home with her and will hang with her until you get off work.”

Tom cut his eyes over to Jon and nodded. “Appreciate it, man.”

Carol huffed. “I don’t need a babysitter.”

All four men spoke at once, and she quickly threw her hands in the air in defeat. “Okay, okay. But we’re taking my car, Jon. Yours is totally unreliable.”

Jake nodded at her, then walked back to his truck with the note bagged in plastic. Jon grabbed her keys from her outstretched hand and hopped in the driver’s seat.

Tom turned her around, still wrapped up in his embrace. First kissing the top of her head, he then leaned down to make sure she was connecting. “I want you in your apartment. I want Jon with you the whole time. I want you to stay there till I get off duty. I want you safe, angel. You get me?”