Miss Fortune (24 page)

Think of it, darling, she said softly. Remember it with me. Im thinking of it, too, touching myself precisely where you licked me, she whispered. Do you remember? Wouldnt you like to lick me again like you did that day? Wouldnt you like to feel me come again ?

His dick was beginning to pulse, and he slipped his hand inside his boxers, stroked it. Go on, he said hoarsely, as his fingers curled tightly around it.

It was delicious, she purred. I was quite wet, just as I am now, and insatiable. I couldnt get enough of you. I

came so hard, but I only wanted more. I said, Flynn, darling, shag me, She moaned into the phone.

But Flynns hand stilled. This was all v a lot of fun, but Iris had skipped one small detail he could never skip. That same day, he had asked her to return the favor, but she had wrinkled her nose with disgust and vowed that her lips would never go near that thing.

And I remember how it felt when you slid inside me

Youre forgetting something, arent you, Iris? he said, withdrawing his hand from his boxers and sitting up. Youre forgetting that I wanted something from you, too.

She said nothing for a moment, but he noticed her breathing stilled. Oh Flynn, why must you bring that up now? she asked softly. I thought we were having a spot of fun.

Because its important to me. Now lets play another game of recall, shall we?

Flynn

Lets start with the day I discovered you and Paul. You tried to brush it off by saying that you had onlyand these were your precise words blown him on occasion.

Iris wisely said nothing.

I actually loved you, Iris. But Im not certain you ever loved me.

Of course I did, Flynn! What a horrid thing to say! And I still do love you! Desperately so! Why do you think I keep ringing you? I am quite despondent and quite frantic to salvage what we had! she cried.

Im hardly convinced, he said calmly.

What other possible motive could I have? she demanded, her voice going shrill.

Actually, thats an excellent question, and one I havent quite put my finger on. But I suspect it has something to do with my familys ties to the Duke of Alnwick and your esteem of the aristocracy.

Thats horrid!

Perhaps it is. As I said, I havent quite worked it all through. But I dont think I want to work it through, Iris. I

think Im quite done with you, really. Its over. Really very much over. And now, if you will excuse me, I must run along, for Ive got quite a lot to do here.

Flynn! she cried. Please dont hang up! Dont toss everything we had into the rubbish bin!

I havent tossed a bloody thingthat was you, love, he said, and hung up, tossed the phone aside, dragged his hands through his hair.

That was the first time shed said she loved him since he had discovered her infidelity. He wondered if even Iris realized it. It mattered little now, for he really felt as if he was completely and irrevocably through with Iris Willow-Throckmorton.

He sighed, stood to go shower, and walked past the little table where he kept his laptop and files.

Something caught his eye as he walked past, though, and he paused, leaned down to look at the table.

It was glitter. Shed left a bit of her sparkle behind.

With a smile, Flynn headed for the shower.

Subject RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: [FWD: Re: Whats going on?]

From: lt; [email protected] gt;

To: lt; [email protected] gt;

CC: lt; [email protected] gt;

Rmanning70(a)houston.rr.com wrote:

-

So where have you been, you little witch? Ha haaa. Im figuring no news is no news. Im guessing the guy you conjured up didnt work out, right? Well, dont worry about it, kid. Your time will come, and like you said, you really dont have time for dating right now with all thats on your plate. And besides, half the time its not all its cracked up to be, believe meremember Evan?

P.S. Dont forget the book.

P.S.S. You dont have to explain white magic, duh. Its all stupid.

Whats that supposed to mean, dont worry about it? Im not worried. Why should I be worried? Do you think I have something to be worried about? Like what? Like always a bridesmaid, never a bride worried? Is that what you mean? Like if a woman isnt married or significantly involved in her 30s then there must be something wrong with her? there is nothing wrong with me! 1 just said it wasnt that spectacular, like dont write home to Mom and Dad, Im not going to reach the exalted status of married Lear girl anytime soon. But Im still going to SEE him. Actually, Im seeing him and another guy. So lets see thats one guy white magic; one guy just my good looks and charm. See? Nothing to be worried about! Im still playing the field thats all. And I wont forget the stinkin book !

Subject: Imodium AD contest

From: Lillian Stanton lt; [email protected] gt;

To: Rachel Ellen Lear lt; [email protected] gt;

-

Hi honey. Thanks for the name of the stuff you gave Grandpa at Blue Cross. He still aint 100% but hes better you know how he is has to discuss each detail till hes just blue in the face or you are. But a funny thing happened. Imodium AD had a little thing on the back of the box that said theyd pay five hundred dollars for a funny Imodium story well El just got up and typed them an e-mail about one day when he was playing golf and had an attack. Lets just say he wasnt in the pond looking for lost balls. But I had put a thimble full of Imodium in his golf bag and sure enough it cleared his problem right up. Ill let you know if Grandpa wins the contest. He says if he does hes going to share it with every one of you girls. Whats the weather in Providence it is still too warm here and the holidays right around the corner. Well gotta go fix his supper because if he dont eat at five Im gonna hear about it. By the way I found this diet in Good Housekeeping. I hope you like grapefruit as much as I do because you really need to eat a lot of it according to the article but Im sending it to you see for yourself. Luv U. Grandma

When Rachel hit the gym Monday morning, Lori, the desk jockey, said, Wow ! I mean, youve been coming almost a whole month now! as Rachel signed in. And judging by her half-sneer, she was losing the office pool on that one.

Rachel did twenty miles on the bike and even a few weights before heading off for Turbo Temps with a pay slip and the caterers black skirt in hand. An hour later, she left Turbo Temps without the skirt and ten dollars lighter, but with a paycheck and a three-day job. Yessir, as of 7:30 in the morning, she was entering the heady world of fishing industrys processing and production phases.

Her next stop was the Brown University library so that she could continue her search for a dissertation topic. By the time she arrived home, her head was hurting and her sight was blurred from reading such tiny print all afternoon, but she believed she was very close to settling on a topic.

Fortunately, her sight wasnt so blurred that she couldnt see the red light blinking on her answering machine. She put down her bag and checked the display. There were three messages; she punched the playback button.

Hey. Call me, Dagne said into the phone. In the background, Rachel could hear the familiar sound of a computer keyboard being tapped at warp speed and figured Dagne was buying off eBay again. See you, she said, and hung up.

Rachel took off her coat and kicked off her shoes as the answering machine moved to the second message. Ah

Rachel, this is Flynn. You knowthe chap who saved you from certain incarceration?

Rachel immediately turned around to beam happily at the answering machine.

As it happens, Ive been thinking quite a lot about you, and frankly, Im rather disappointed youre not in. In the future, Id request that you might better anticipate when I might ring you, he said, and she turned her beaming up a notch. Were still on for Wednesday, are we? If its not a bother, could you possibly ring me and let me know for certain? Theres a love. He rattled off the number. Rachel memorized it, etched it into her conscious thoughts for all of time. Cheers, then, he said, and clicked off.

She was still smiling when the machine moved to the last message. This is Mr. Donald Gregory calling for Miss Rachel Lear.

Surprised, Rachel looked at the machine. I regret to bother you at home, but I must reluctantly inform you that I will not be attending class tomorrow evening, he said evenly. My wife passed away today after a lengthy illness.

He said it as if he was announcing hed had a gall bladder attack.

Rachel didnt know if she should be more startled by his apathy at having lost his wife or the fact that he had a wife. She would have sworn he had a boy toy or an ancient queen stashed away in a tiny apartment.

While this is very sad news, it is also a blessing, he continued stoically. She has really suffered for a very long time, he said, his voice catching just a little. In any event, I shall be absent from class. Thank you, and have a good day. The answering machine clicked off.

That poor, poor man! Regardless of how ill his wife had been, or for how long, it had to be excruciatingly painful to lose her so close to the holidays. It reminded Rachel of her fathers cancer, and she felt the burn of tears in her throat just thinking about the awful possibility of his death.

She shook off the morbid thought, glanced at the clock, picked up the phone and dialed Myrons number. His answering machine picked up. Im not in. Please leave your name, a brief message, and a number where I may reach you .

Myron, my cell? she said to the machine, wondering if that was brief enough for him. Did you borrow it again? If you did, Id really like it back. She clicked off, dialed her cell phone, but got her own voice mail and hung up. She next dialed Flynns number.

He wasnt in, either, and more was the pity. Hi , Flynn, she said, trying to sound sexy, and wincing at her lack of finesse. Were definitely on for Wednesday. Im really looking forward to it. And of course, there is class tomorrow evening. I think youll find my loom techniques are very good , she said, unable to think of a sexy word, and said a quick good-bye, then hung up and moaned, Loom techniques? Gawd , Rachel! And with that, she stomped away from the phone, headed upstairs, determined to pay a visit to Mr. Gregory, poor thing.

After successfully locating the class papers and Mr. Gregorys address, she dressed in a long denim skirt, a ruby sweater, and Doc Martens, then donned a denim jacket and scarf and walked out onto her drive. She was fitting her key in the car lock when Mr. Valicielo stepped out of the shadows to the fender of her Beetle. Judas Priest! she cried with alarm. Mr. Valicielo, you scared me!

Sorry, he said, ducking his little head. She took a breath, noticed he was wearing a giant parka that swallowed him, and a fishing hat that was barely on his head, which gave her the impression that he had slapped it on in a hurry. Im sorry to bother you, but I cant ever seem to find you at home. You, ah you said youd have money to remove the tree? he reminded her, glancing uneasily at said tree.

Right. She had said that. But that was before shed gone and spent her money on a new dress for her first date in eons. Yeah, I did, she said, nodding thoughtfully, and looked at the tree. What was the big deal, anyway? It didnt look like the fence was any more damaged than when the tree first fell. The thing is, I didnt make as much as I hoped, she explained.

Mr. Valicielo pressed his lips together so hard that they almost disappeared. Your father has money, doesnt he? Maybe hell loan you the money.

Well, theres just a little bit of a problem there, she said, holding up her fingers to show him just how little a problem, which of course he could not see through her mittens. My dad doesnt support me

I meant, just ask him for a loan.

Rüüght but not even that. Hes, ah well heres the thing, Mr. Valicielo, she said, studying the angle of her sideview mirror intently. The long and short of it is, he has sort of cut me off.

She peeked at him. Even in the dim glow of her porch light, she could see the color drain from his face. He looked at the tree, put his hands on his bony hips (sort ofhis jacket was far too big), and turned a pretty hellacious glare on her. I dont know if I can be any plainer, Miss Lear, he said, going all formal on her. Your tree is ruining my fence. If you dont have it removed, I am prepared to take you to small claims court!

What ? she sputtered. She had visions of Judge Judy and cameras and a rooting section filled with dozens of Valicielo clones. Mr. Valicielo! she cried. Please dont do that! I promise Im saving money as fast as I can to have it removed! You just have to give me a little time!

Now he tried to fold his arms in that huge parka, but could only manage to grab each elbow as he shifted his weight, still glaring at her from beneath his stupid fishing hat. Im sorry, Miss Lear, but you are running out of time! he declared. I have tried to be patient, I have tried to give you time, but the fact is, you have made no effort to dispose of that tree, and it is ruining my fence! he said sharply, and pivoted about, marching back into the dark and toward his house.

Miserable old coot, she said.

I can hear you! he shouted from the edge of darkness.

Rachel quickly got in her car and drove off.

This was the last thing she needed. But for the moment, she was refusing to let Mr. Valicielo ruin her good spirits. She had Mr. Gregory to worry about after all, and besides, SHE HAD A DATE THIS WEEK, THANK YOU! Right, like some stupid tree was going to mess that up.

But a teeny-tiny voice kept whispering small claims court in the back of her mind.

SHE found Mr. Gregorys house easily enoughit was in Mount Pleasant, an older, established neighborhood where neat bungalows and cottages lined the streets. A porch light was on, but there was no light coming from the windows, save a sliver that peeked out between a crack in the curtains.

Rachel hoisted her bag onto her shoulder, walked up the old steps and across the wooden porch, and rapped sharply on the door. She heard a floor creak somewhere, then footsteps, steady and slow. The footfall stopped just on the other side of the door, and although she couldnt see anyone, she smiled and waved at the peephole.