Evolving Dreams (New Beginnings Series) (24 page)

After a conversation that lasted well over an hour her mother had convinced her to fax the contract over to her brother-in-law. He was a corporate attorney and had agreed to give the contract a look so he could advise her on the business end of the deal. Sometimes it was nice to have a lawyer in the family.

Meg sensed her mother was hoping she would accept the offer too. She knew her mom and dad worried about her and would like to see her settled. Sheila had even floated out the idea that, if Meg didn’t want to stay in San Diego because of Trace, maybe she could find another school and teach there.

Meg found a Kinko’s and faxed the paperwork to Keith—and to Doug too. It was always nice to have her Daddy check things out for her. And it made him feel all fatherly too, she told herself with a smile. She made her way down the strip mall to a sandwich shop and treated herself to dinner, then went back to Tobi’s.

Tobi had planned her hot date with Sonny that night, so Meg knew she’d have a nice quiet evening to think. Or not, she thought. Her head was pounding from thinking too hard anyway. Maybe she’d take the night off while her dad and Keith did some thinking for her back in Illinois.

Meg was nesting on the sofa in her favorite sock monkey pajama pants and tank top with her pink fuzzy blanket wrapped around her. She had her face scrubbed clean and was settling in to watch the better part of a season of
So You Think You Can Dance
on Tobi’s DVR when the doorbell rang.

Tobi called out, “Can you let him in, hon?”

Meg set her mug of hot cocoa on the end table and rolled herself off the sofa, still wrapped in the blanket. She opened the door. “Hey, Sonny! How are you?”

He couldn’t quite meet her eyes. “Hi, Meg. Fine, thanks. You?” He didn’t know the particulars, but he knew Trace had broken up with her.

“I’m peachy.” She plopped back onto the sofa, her legs curled under her. “Have a seat. Tobi’ll be out in a minute.” She leaned over to pick up her mug and the fuzzy blanket fell away from one shoulder, leaving it bare.

Sonny grinned as he sat on the edge of one of the armchairs. “Well, Meg, you look cozy.”

She grinned back, “Well, Sonny, you look
hot
.”

Tobi came around the corner just then. “Hey! You’re not trying to steal my date, are you?” she asked Meg.

Meg threw her arms out. “Looking like this? Hah! I was just admiring his great leather jacket.” She turned back to Sonny. “You clean up good, Sonny.”

“Thanks.” He stood up and let out a low whistle as he walked a circle around Tobi. “Meg, as cute as you look all cozied up like that, you can’t compete with this.” He kissed Tobi’s cheek and she blushed.

“Don’t I know it,” she replied.

Sonny held Tobi’s coat for her as she told Meg not to wait up for her. Meg just rolled her eyes.

“It’s kind of chilly out there, guys. Are you sure you don’t want to stay in? I’ve got a
So You Think You Can Dance
marathon going with hot cocoa on the side.”

“No thanks, Meg. We’ve got reservations.” He winked at her as he held the door open for Tobi.

Meg heard Tobi say, “Ooh . . . reservations . . .” as he closed the door and they moved on down the hall. Then she turned off the lamp on the table next to her and hit the play button on the remote.

As Sonny and Tobi
took the elevator down to the lobby, he said, “She seems like she’s doing really good. You know . . . after the break up and all.”

Tobi rolled her eyes at him and muttered, “Men . . .”

“What?”

“If you tell Trace this I’ll kill you. She’s
not
doing good. She was putting on a show for you so you’d
think
she’s doing good.”

“Oh,” he said in a small voice.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Early Friday morning Meg made another call home before she left for work. She didn’t worry about waking her parents because of the two-hour time difference. When her mom answered, Meg chirped, “Morning!”

“Hi, Meg! It must be the crack of dawn out there. Everything okay?”

“Yes. I wanted to call and talk to you before I left for work. Are you busy?”

“Not really. Nothing that can’t wait.”

“Good. I just wanted to let you know . . . after conferring with Daddy and Keith yesterday, I think I’ve made my decision.” Meg took a deep breath. “I’m going to take the job.”

“Oh, Meg!” Sheila exclaimed. “I think that’s great! Have you let them know yet?”

“No, I wanted to talk to you first. I’m planning to sign the contract today.” Meg bit her lip. “I know you were expecting me to come home next week. I think I should change my plans, though. I’d like to start house hunting next week. If I start now I could be settled in by Thanksgiving and I’d come home for that. Then I’d have a few weeks to come back to the west coast and try to make some contacts in LA before Christmas. That’ll give me at least two full weeks over Christmas to spend with you guys. Does that sound okay?”

Sheila laughed, “Sounds like you’ve thought it through pretty thoroughly. That sounds like a great plan. Maura should be delivering the baby just before Christmas. The timing is perfect.”

“I know. Almost like it was meant to be. It’s kind of scary, actually.”

“Don’t be scared. I’m taking it all as a good sign.” Sheila paused and wondered briefly if she should bring up the subject of Trace. She decided to take the bull by the horns. “And you’re okay with being so close to Trace?”

“I really don’t think it’s an issue, Mom. I doubt I’ll even run into him. It’s a big city and he’ll be mostly around Coronado. I don’t think anyone from the SDDI has had occasion to run into the SEALs before I came along,” Meg chuckled, then sobered. “Seriously, I think I can trust myself to be strong enough not to show up unannounced on his doorstep.”

“I think you’re being
very
strong. I know what a heartbreak this has been for you.”

“Well . . . it happens to everyone eventually, I suppose. I don’t know why I should be immune.”

A light bulb went off over Sheila’s head. “Hey! Can I come out and help you house hunt? I could fly out on Sunday!”

“Would you really want to do that? You were just here last weekend.”

“Yes! It would be fun. Then, when we find you a place we can shop for furniture and household stuff.”

“I think it would be great. What about Daddy? Will he mind if you leave him for a few days?”

“No! He’ll be working during the week. He can fend for himself.” Meg could hear clicking on the other end of the phone, then Sheila said, “I’m logging onto the computer now to look for flights. Here we go . . . Sunday afternoon . . .”

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait ‘til Monday? You could spend Sunday with Daddy.”

“Well . . . we’re going to keep Aubri Saturday night, then after Sunday school on Sunday morning, your dad is taking her to the petting zoo.”

“You won’t want to miss that.”

Sheila laughed, “I wasn’t invited. This is just a Papa-and-Aubri date.”

“Aw . . . that’s sweet,” Meg cooed. “It would be great if you could come in on Sunday. We can get started first thing Monday morning.”

“Are you looking to buy a house or rent? There are usually a lot of real estate ads in the Sunday paper,” Sheila said.

“I’m thinking I’ll rent. The contract runs for a year-and-a-half, so until I know this is really a long term thing for me, I’m safer renting.”

“I think that’s smart. Okay . . . I can fly out at three thirty-five on Sunday afternoon and would arrive there at quarter after seven. How does that sound?”

“Sounds great. I’ll be there to pick you up. Don’t rent a car.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll book us a hotel suite. Tobi’s place is really small so we don’t want to crowd in on her. Besides I have a bunch of stuff I’m moving out of my studio today, so we’ll have more room to put it in a suite.”

“Sounds like a plan. Let’s go for it. I’m booking the flight right now.”

“Wait!” Meg exclaimed. “Give me the information and let me book it for you. I don’t want you having to pay for a trip to come out to help me.”

“Don’t be silly! I’m booking it myself.” Sheila giggled, “I can’t wait. This is going to be so much fun.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Do you want me to get the stuff you have stored in our basement packed up and ready to ship? We can have Daddy ship it when we get your new address.”

“No, no . . . I can pack it up and ship it when I’m there for Thanksgiving. Thanks anyway.”

“Okay. Well, I’m going to let you go so I can call Daddy at work and fill him in. I’ll let Maura and Keith know you’ve made a decision too.”

“Alright. I have to get ready for work. It’s a big day!”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

It was difficult, but Meg
was able to hold her tongue with Tobi before work. She thought it would be more professional to give Marcy the news first. After that, though, word spread among the faculty like wildfire. Meg finished packing up her studio and a couple of the security guys loaded up her things and dropped it by Tobi’s apartment—all by noon. After lunch, she met Marcy back in her office where the school’s legal counsel and a notary public waited to witness her signing the contract. She also signed the salary documents.

Marcy, several of the other administrators and Estelle walked with her to the auditorium where the students and staff had all been assembled for the big announcement. Meg knew that Estelle’s students would miss her, and she just hoped she could step up and fill the spot adequately. After that Meg was free to go.

She went back to Tobi’s to make sure the guys had stacked her boxes as out of the way as possible. There wasn’t a lot room in the apartment, but they had done a good job of stashing it all in as small an area as could be managed. She would haul it over to the hotel suite on Sunday when she checked in before Sheila’s flight arrived.

It was shortly before three o’clock and she didn’t know if Monte and Tatiana would be working, but decided she could always leave a message if they were. She called to give them the big news and Tatiana answered. She was thrilled that Meg would be settling so close and got off the phone pretty quickly so she could call and give Monte the news.

Meg had planned to meet her Institute friends for dinner after they finished work for the day. They had a double celebration planned. They were celebrating the end of her six weeks with them, but even more so, they were celebrating her decision to join the faculty team. She was sure it would be a wild time, and she was looking forward to cutting loose.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Trace walked into Maxie’s and looked around for the guys. It was Friday night and the place was packed. He had left Arizona after his final jump that morning. He’d qualified for his advanced certification and flew back to Coronado, arriving late that afternoon. After reporting to his commanding officer, he’d gone home, unpacked and decided to go out and find his friends instead of staying home alone on a Friday night. He was tired, but excited about the week’s training.

He noticed his friend, Lila—one of Maxie’s waitresses, bustling by. “Hey, Lila!” He leaned
in to kiss her cheek.

“Trace! Long time no see. Looking for the guys?”

He nodded. “Some crowd, huh?”

“Yeah . . . but hopefully the tips will be good. I’m gonna need a massage after this.” She
grinned at him. “Need a beer?”

“I sure do. You know what I like.”

“Got it! The guys are back in the corner.” She pointed toward the back. “Back by the last pool table.”

“Thanks, Lila,” he said as he headed that direction, weaving through the crowd.

She called after him, “I’ll get your beer and bring it on back in a minute.”

He waved and kept moving until he found Sonny, Charley and Titus. For such a goofy guy, Charley had almost supernatural powers of observation—which was valuable in a Navy SEAL. He noticed Trace’s arrival first. “McKenna! When’d you get back?”

“A couple of hours ago.” He snagged an empty chair from a nearby table, dragged it over and sat down.

Sonny looked him over. “Looks like you’ve either been in the desert all week, or laying by a pool with a hot babe somewhere.”

Trace snickered, “This is a jumping-out-of-planes-in-the-desert tan, dude.”

“How was it?” Titus asked.

“Great! Heaven! Anytime you can spend all day everyday for four-and-a-half days jumping out of planes, life is good.”

Charley asked, “But did you get the certification?”

“Of course!”

“Okay, then. Want a beer?” Charley started looking around for a waitress.

“Lila’s bringing me one.”

They spent some time asking questions about the training program until Lila showed up with his drink.

Charley piped up, “Hey, McKenna . . . guess what? Sonny here took Tobi out while you were gone. Do you believe that?”

Trace glanced at Sonny, who looked a little embarrassed. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised.”