Unforgettable (23 page)

“What’s that?” he asked.

Susan crossed the room and sat down next to him on the sofa taking his hand in hers. “Patrick, destiny had a little help. The night before the Halloween party, when I told you my angel costume was too big…I lied. As soon as you left that night, I ran upstairs and remade the entire costume from scratch. I stayed up all night just to get it done in time.”

“I know and I love you for it!” Patrick said, kissing her on the forehead.

“How? Tom told you, didn’t he? Why that dirty rotten…!” Susan sputtered.

“No, Tom never said a word. When I went to take a shower that night, I mistook the closet for the bathroom and saw the smaller costume hanging on the rod. It wasn’t hard to figure out you were trying to fix us up but I could have gotten out of it quite easily, if I’d wanted to. One look at Breezy, though, and I didn’t want to leave her side. I didn’t know why then, but I do now. I fell completely in love with her that very night. It just took me awhile to accept it for what it was. I just hope you’re right about her and that she learns to love me as much as I love her.”

“She already does, Patrick. She just needs a little more time to accept it than you did. Just give her that time, show her as much affection as you can, and be patient.”

Chapter 13 “The Lady in Red”

Patrick took Susan’s advice and spent as much of his free time with Breezy as possible. He touched her, held her and kissed her every chance he got. It wasn’t without its difficulties. Her innocent touches and responses to his kisses left him breathless and intensely aroused. He was, after all, in his sexual prime and nearly every evening ended in a trail of hastily discarded garments leading from his bedroom to the shower where he sought temporary relief. But it was all worth it if it meant he could treat Breezy with the gentleness and respect she deserved.

The weeks seemed to fly by, each day filled with joy and laughter. Patrick even helped Breezy fill a few of her orders and, in the process, discovered that, with a few pointers, he had a real talent for painting ceramics. Before they knew it, the annual Christmas ball was just a day away and Christmas only a week away. The Christmas ball was held every year to raise money for the seriously and terminally ill children at the local hospital and the entire community would be turning out to make sure they had a wonderful Christmas. Tickets sold nearly 6 months in advance, all proceeds going towards the children’s presents, as well as anything else that might make their stay in hospital more bearable.

No one remembered who originally thought of it but the theme for the ball had always been the days leading up to the Civil War because it was held to be quite a romantic era. After all, it had been a time of horse drawn carriages and sleighs decked out with holly leaves, bright red berries and jingle bells. Back then, carolers sang door-to-door and church bells could be heard in the distance ringing in the spirit of Christmas. It was also a time when gathering friends and family together for the holidays meant something more than just giving and receiving presents. It was in celebration of the true message of Christmas: peace, hope, joy and love.

Although such things seem to have been forgotten in today’s world where every holiday had become so commercialized, by holding the pre-Civil War ball every year, this tight-knit community of family and friends managed to bring these rare values back, if only for one night.

The ball would be held in the High School auditorium with a large, old-fashioned Christmas tree set up in the middle of the room. Everyone who’d bought a ticket was given the name of another person attending the ball and they had to buy that person a gift, like a Secret Santa. The presents were placed beneath the tree and handed out during the course of the evening by an old-fashioned Santa Claus. Tom donated the Christmas music and equipment, with Paul volunteering his time as DJ. A local catering company provided the food and table settings while Breezy and Susan, along with other local merchants, supplied all the decorations.

Breezy had made a new gown for herself at the beginning of the year and, with Susan’s help, she managed to find time to make a costume for Patrick, as well. She’d refused to give it to him until the night before the ball and wouldn’t let him look at it until he got to his own apartment that night, despite his many attempts to cajole her into showing it to him.

“Are you really going to make me wait until I get this thing home to find out what I’ll be wearing tomorrow?” he asked again for the hundredth time, shaking the large white box in his hands.

“You betcha!” Breezy replied, laughing at his pouty expression. “It’s a surprise.”

“Okay, then. What are you going to be wearing?”

“For the last time, Patrick, I’m not telling you! You’ll just have to wait until we get to the ball. I swear, if you’re this bad about the costumes, I’d hate to see you after I put the presents under the tree tomorrow night.”

“Presents? For me? Where?” he asked, looking for all the world like an excited little boy.

“Yes, for you, silly. But you’ll have to wait until Christmas morning like everyone else,” she grinned mischievously.

“Damn! Where’d you hide ‘em?” he teased. For all his wealth, expensive cars and clothes, the Christmas present he wanted most was one only Breezy could give him and it would be worth more than everything he owned combined.

“I’m not telling!” Breezy huffed, trying not to melt into mush at his childlike enthusiasm. She found this playful side of the so-called Heartless Lion endearing in the extreme.

“Okay, okay! I give up! Speaking of presents, what did I get for Mr. Williams?” Patrick asked. He knew the man when he saw him but had no idea what he’d like as a gift so, since she knew him and his wife very well, he’d asked Breezy to find something appropriate.

“I found a really nice pipe set at an antique shop. He likes to smoke and collect pipes so I took his wife to look at them. She said it was a set he didn’t have and would probably like, so I bought it for him. I also picked up some of his favorite tobacco and made a tobacco pouch to go with it,” she explained.

“Thank you! That sounds perfect. It also sounds like you put a lot of effort into getting it just right.”

“Oh, everyone does. This is a very special time of year to spend with our friends and family. And, because the proceeds go to the children, the whole town takes this annual ball very seriously. We all do our best to make sure everyone has a good time.”

“I’m beginning to think this is the last place on Earth where truly decent people live,” Patrick mused.

“Hmmm, I know what you mean. I guess, to an outsider, it is rather like entering ‘The Twilight Zone’…
do di do do, do di do do, do di do do
!” she warbled in a bad imitation of the Rod Serling theme.

Patrick playfully grabbed her around the waist with one hand and clamped his other hand over her mouth, laughing at her wacky sense of humor. Breezy had loosened up so much in the past few weeks. She was actually allowing him to become a part of her life. He was astounded by her beauty, awed by her compassion and in love with everything about her.

He wondered what she’d say if she knew just how deep his feelings were for her. He wanted forever with her…he wanted to marry her, but he knew any such declarations would be too much too soon. She was beginning to care for him, he could tell, so he wasn’t about to do or say anything to scare her off now. Even though he ached to tell her and was dying to hear her say she loved him too, he’d wait until she was ready.

“What time shall I pick you up for the ball tomorrow?” he asked as he was leaving.

“I have to be at the auditorium early to get everything organized. The doors open at 6:30 so you’ll just have to meet me there sometime after that.”

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then,” he replied. Placing one hand gently against her soft cheek, he gave her a slow, lingering kiss at the door that had Breezy unconsciously molding herself against him. “Good night, angel,” he whispered.

The strong electrical current that had flowed between them at their first touch hadn’t subsided in the least but grew more intense with each passing day. It was becoming more and more difficult to ignore. Every glance, touch, caress or kiss was like seeing a brilliant flash of bright lightning and then waiting for the crash of thunder that never comes but only rattles distantly in their hearts.

Patrick was suddenly anxious to get back to his apartment for a private moment in the shower…again!

***

Breezy had come to care more deeply for Patrick than she’d ever cared for any man. Lord knew she was more attracted to him than she thought possible. There were times she wanted nothing more than to run into his arms and pour out her heart and soul to him, hoping and praying he’d understand and love her forever. That was what she’d always wanted from life…good friends, a comfortable living, a large loving family, and a wonderful man to share it all with…a man who could give her that one true, unconditional love that would last a lifetime.

If only Frank hadn’t made such dreams impossible for her to contemplate. The fear of falling in love again, only to have her tender heart ripped apart, had a death grip on her soul, keeping her chained and bound in limbo between her dreams and reality.

***

“Well, that about does it, Breezy. Paul is all set up, Pearl’s gone to open the doors and collect the tickets, Mr. Garrison has the horse drawn carriage all decked out waiting outside, and the food will be ready to serve at seven,” Susan said.

She moved gracefully around the room helping Breezy light the multitude of candles set out on the tables and in the windows. Her full skirted, mauve and white ball gown was complimented by an imitation diamond necklace and matching earrings. With each step, her stiff, taffeta petticoats rustled and the hundreds of tiny bells she’d painstakingly sewn into them tinkled merrily.

“That’s the last of the candles and the Christmas lights are all lit. The choir is rehearsing in the choir room and I turned the air-conditioning up as high as it’ll go. It’s going to get awfully hot in here when the dancing starts,” Breezy replied. “It’s really too bad it didn’t snow.”

“We can open always the doors if it gets too stuffy. Boy, I wish it had snowed, too. I was really looking forward to a ride in that sleigh,” Susan sighed.

“Don’t pout, Susan! The only difference between the sleigh and the carriage is that one has wheels and the other runners. They’re both decorated with the same holly leaves and golden jingle bells,” Breezy scolded with a smile.

“I know, but a sleigh ride in the snow would have been so much more romantic and… Christmassy,” Susan pouted.

“Oh, ho! Look who’s talking about romance! The way you look tonight, you’ll be lucky if Tom doesn’t drag you out of here after the first dance. You’re absolutely gorgeous, sweetie. I don’t think you’ve ever looked prettier.” Breezy put her arm around Susan’s shoulders and hugged her gently.

“You’ll definitely change your mind in a few weeks, I can guarantee you that,” Susan said, ducking out from under Breezy’s arm and moving away to straighten a few tilting candles.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Breezy wanted to know.

She was beginning to worry about Susan and hoped she and Tom weren’t having problems. She’d noticed Tom hovering anxiously while Susan seemed to tire easily, often looking pale and ashen, which wasn’t like her at all. It had been awhile since she’d come over to her house before noon anymore, which was another clue that something strange was definitely going on.

Around the first of November, she’d started looking ill and appeared worse by the day. Since there were moments when she seemed absolutely fine, Breezy had begun to think that maybe it
was
just allergies or the flu…until Susan started showing dark circles under her eyes, having hot flushes and feeling nauseous. When Breezy asked if anything was wrong, she simply said she was tired and maybe catching the flu. Still, she couldn’t help worrying something might be seriously wrong and it was making her very anxious for her friend. She seemed to be fine at the moment, thank goodness.

“Never mind, Breezy. You’ll find out soon enough. We’ve got guests to attend to,” Susan said, rushing off to welcome the first few guests and show them where to place their presents.

Breezy and Susan were talking to a few of their guest when Patrick arrived wearing the costume Breezy had made for him. Not only did he look like Rhett Butler, he also felt as dashing, debonair and arrogant as the infamous rogue himself. As always, her talent amazed him. The costume was an exact duplicate of the one Clark Gable had worn in ‘Gone with the Wind,’ down to the cufflinks and a gold pocket watch tucked safely into the pocket of his vest. She’d enclosed a note explaining that the watch had belonged to her father and asked him to take special care of it. He intended to treat it as though it were priceless because, in her eyes, it was.

Patrick was standing just inside the doorway when he saw her. The beauty and elegance that was hers alone stunned him. Not that they weren’t always evident but, tonight, her dress brought them to the surface for all to see. She was laughing and talking with her friends across the room, all of them wearing equally elegant dresses and suits from the early 1800’s, but it was only Breezy who captured his complete attention.

She wore an off-the-shoulder red velvet gown with ruffles around her daringly bared shoulders, accentuated by the ruby and diamond necklace she wore. The red silk sash around her waist was tied in a bow in the back while the overskirt flared out from her waist, falling gently to the floor over a large hooped skirt. The overskirt was open in front to reveal layer upon layer of red silk ruffles on the underskirt. Her hair was pulled back on both sides with ruby and diamond hair combs leaving the rest of her long auburn hair to fall in a cascade of beautiful curls down her back.

Patrick watched her for the longest time, knowing without a doubt left in his mind that he loved her with all his heart and soul. In a very short time, she’d become the most important thing in his life. He’d never seen anyone look more beautiful than she did right now. He
would
find a way to earn her love in return.