Waking Up To Love (Lakeside Porches Book 4) (6 page)

“I have two agenda items,” he told her. “The first is an offer I hope you’ll find attractive.”

Lyssa’s pulse quickened.

He gave the highlights of the faculty benefits package and invited her to speak with Human Resources about any questions or concerns. Then he offered her a salary that was ten thousand higher than she expected.

She gasped, repeated the amount, and looked at him with a question in her eyes.

“The salary recognizes your two years of adjunct work at UT Austin and the full year of professional experience at an international level through your work in the UK.”

“I’m very happy to hear that.” She raised her cup for another sip to steady her nerves. The room held a whiff of the wonderful roast and caramelized vegetables they’d had for dinner.
Such abundance
.

Justin sounded her out about moving from the UK, and she answered, “I don’t really have much to move. A dozen boxes,” she said with a shrug.

He looked at her with skepticism, and she wondered if she were answering the wrong question.

She finished what she’d started to say. “My flatmate, Karin, suggested I give her a list of what I want, and she’ll pack it and ship it, which is very kind of her. It really isn’t much.”

“In that case, we can give you a moving allowance to help you set up an apartment, and you can use it as you see fit. No accountability.”

“This is all very generous, Justin. Or should I call you Mr. President?” That brought a chuckle. “Dr. Cushman?”

“Justin will do.”

He lowered his eyes, and Lyssa had the same uneasy feeling she’d had when she’d seen his wariness at the start of the evening. “Do you have reservations, Justin?” Her voice quavered.

“For my part, no,” he said firmly.

“Then . . .”

“Rather than shake on a final agreement tonight, Lyssa,” he said, “I want you to sleep on it, and we’ll talk again in the morning. I’ll come by the inn at nine, and we’ll have a private breakfast together. That will give you a chance to prepare questions, request additional time or . . . talk with others who are affected by your decision.”

What is he thinking?

“How does that sound?”

“Oh.”

“It has been a whirlwind two days for you and you may find you have reservations,” he said vaguely. “I know how I am after a long flight, and I don’t want to rush you.” He looked out the window.

“Talk to me,” she said, more sharply than she intended. “You said there was a second agenda item.”

His sharp gaze took her measure. “I do want to make you aware of something that has come up since I invited you for the interview.”

Her heart hammered, and her mouth was dry. When she reached for her cup, it was empty. She lifted the pot, splashed in half a cup of lukewarm tea and drank it down. “What’s come up? What’s the problem?”

“I owe you an amend,” he said, “and it may affect your decision.”

Lyssa felt light-headed. “Oh god, Justin, just tell me.”
I have to curb this panic attack
.

Justin closed his eyes, almost as if he were praying. “Kyle Pennington is an old friend of mine, and right now he is furious with me for luring you here for a job at Tompkins College. And since I introduced the two of you, I feel responsible for what’s happened, and I—”

“Back up,” Lyssa snapped. “I met Kyle at a faculty soiree last summer. By chance.”

Justin’s eyes strayed to the closed door. “No, actually, I arranged that. If you’ll recall—”

“Justin,” she growled, “are you saying you set us up?”

He hung his head and nodded.

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” she screeched. “You
made
him date me? Do you think I’m some pathetic loser who can’t find my own boyfriend?”

Justin laughed from his belly. “Of course not, but Kyle—”

“Kyle
what
?” she roared.

Justin pinched the bridge of his nose. “Kyle is a gentleman, and I knew he would watch out for you.”

“You’re saying my entire relationship with Kyle was a fraud?”

“Lyssa, don’t.”

“Oh,” Lyssa rolled the word. “Now I see. You told Kyle to show me a good time but not to lay a hand on me?” Her shoulders heaved and her face flamed. She rose from the chair and stood tall, felt herself morph into an hysteric, and couldn’t stop it.

“He must have laughed his bloody head off at the airport when I told him I thought I was in love with him. What a
fool
I’ve been.” She pointed her shaking hand at Justin, and her voice shrilled, “And
you’re
behind it all?”

Somewhere in the house a baby cried.

“Lyssa, please.”

“This is worse than my worst nightmare. Worse than crying non-stop across the entire Atlantic Ocean, worse than—”

Another baby joined in a chorus of wailing.

“I beg you, stop.”

“Don’t worry, Justin.” Her voice was heavy with sarcasm. “I’m leaving.”

“Lyssa, what I’m trying to tell you is Kyle loves you, too.”

She covered her face, and a sob shook her slender body. Justin sidestepped the table and reached for her.

“Don’t touch me,” she cried and backed away. “Don’t even think you can make this better.”

“Lyssa, my dear, I am so sorry. You’re right. I did ask Kyle to keep his distance. You were new to sobriety, in a foreign country, alone. I hoped the two of you would hit it off, but I didn’t foresee you would fall in love with each other, and I never gave a thought to how literally he would take my request for restraint. I suppose it’s a code among British school chums, or some such, God knows. The point is . . .”

He drew in a breath. “Lyssa, can you even hear me?” His voice competed with loud crying, hers and his children’s. “Lyssa, Kyle is in love with you, and he’s furious with me for stealing you away, most especially now that he knows you love him. Or might love him. Or think you love him.”

An insistent tapping sounded at the door. “Justin,” Gianessa said sharply and entered the office. “Excuse me, Lyssa. Justin, get downstairs and see if you can quiet your son. Nanny is seeing to Jill.”

“Sweetheart—”

“This instant.”

Justin mumbled an apology and slunk toward the door.

“And close the door after you.”

He did.

“Drink this.” Gianessa thrust a full glass into Lyssa’s hand. “It’s water. We need to talk.”

Lyssa accepted the tall glass with a hiccough. “Thank you.” She gulped down half. “I’m sorry about the babies.”

“I’m sorry about my husband. He thinks he’s God sometimes.”

Lyssa laughed.

“Come.” Gianessa produced a box of tissues and placed them on the window ledge. “Stand by the window with me, and let’s talk a bit.”

Lyssa set down her glass on the ledge and held a fistful of tissues against her nose. “Do you know what he did?” She blotted her eyes and snuffled.

“All I know is Kyle called him the night before last,” Gianessa said, “and left a vitriolic message. And he called again last night, after midnight London time, and raged at Justin. They are old friends and colleagues. Justin knows his actions have cost him Kyle’s trust, and he’s clueless what to do about it.”

“He’s already
done
enough,” Lyssa muttered.

“Yes, I agree, Lyssa. Tell me what you need right now.”

“Maybe a draft of hemlock, if you’ve got some in the pantry.”

“We don’t keep it on hand, with two babies in the house.”

Lyssa laughed and bit back a sob. She pressed the back of her hand against her nose and mouth and gazed at the lake. The moon had just topped the horizon. It was one day past full, luminous and hypnotizing as it inched higher. “You must love seeing this every day.”

“Yes.” Gianessa’s exhale released all the tension from her body. She glanced at Lyssa. “You know, Joel’s old apartment has been sitting empty since Justin and I moved to this house last fall. If you took the job and lived there, you’d have a view like this yourself, for as long as you wanted to stay.”

As if on cue, a shimmering path of moonlight reached across the lake to their shore. At Lyssa’s sigh, Gianessa made a proposal. “Why don’t you and I go to the Early Riser’s AA meeting tomorrow morning, six-thirty? We can take coffee to the lakeshore after, go for a walk, and strategize. Then when Justin comes to pick you up for breakfast at nine, you’ll know what you want to say.”

Lyssa pressed her forehead to the cool window glass. “The pathetic thing is, I have no other options, except this job.”

“You have Kyle.”

“I don’t think so.” Lyssa searched the glistening band of silver on the lake. “You didn’t see the look of horror on his face when I blurted out that I . . .” She shook her head. “I’m not sure what I said, but his face said it all.”

Gianessa touched her arm, and Lyssa felt a warm current flow across her shoulders and into her chest. Her breathing eased, and her heart filled with peace.

“What did you just do?” she asked her hostess.

“Just a healing touch I’m known for. Did it help?”

“Immeasurably.” She looked sideways at Gianessa. “Tell me you’re not a witch.”

“Of course not.” Gianessa’s musical laugh filled the room.

Lyssa hugged her.

“Do you need me to drive you back to your inn?”

“No, I’m good, thanks.”

“I’ll pick you up there at six-fifteen in the morning. Just dress for comfort, as you did tonight, and be sure to bring a jacket. It’s cool by the water that early.”

It was on Lyssa’s tongue to say she’d lost her jacket to the wind on the cliff path in Cornwall, but the memory was too painful.

When a woman’s voice answered her ring, Manda Cushman said into the intercom, “Hi. Lyssa?”

After a pause, loud static garbled an agitated discussion in the background.

“That didn’t sound like Lyssa,” Joel said. “I’m sure we have the right—”

“Er, no.” A man’s voice squawked out of the box. “Lyssa’s not at home.”

Joel changed places with Manda on the narrow platform by the intercom. “We’re Lyssa’s brother-in-law and sister, and we’ve come to London to surprise her. Can you tell us when she’ll be back?”

The man gave a
whoosh
of frustration. “I’ll be right down, Joel and Manda. Karin, you can handle the boxes, right?”

“Your finger’s on the—” Karin’s voice was cut off, apparently when the man lifted his finger from the intercom.

Manda’s eyes filled with fear, and Joel pointed out, “He knows our names, so he knows Lyssa, and he’ll tell us what’s going on.”

“She has to be okay. I can’t stand it if something’s happened to her.”

“Don’t worry.” Joel stroked her back as they descended to the sidewalk.

The inner and outer doors opened. Joel held up his hand in greeting to a mid-thirties man wearing pressed jeans and a cashmere crewneck, who stepped down the granite stairs, his gaze focused on his feet.

Joel cleared his throat. “I’m Joel Cushman.”

“Yes, of course. Kyle Pennington, Lyssa’s friend.” Gray eyes studied Joel as they shook hands. “You look so much like Justin when I first met him.”

Kyle gestured behind him with his thumb. “That was Lyssa’s flatmate, Karin, who answered the buzz.” He flashed a lopsided smile at Manda, and his eyes twinkled. “Definitely Lyssa’s sister. Hello, Manda.”

Instead of extending her hand, Manda clung to Joel’s arm. “Can you tell us where she is or when she’ll be back?”

“That’s a problem. You see, Lyssa is in Tompkins Falls interviewing for a job.”

“Ohmigod!” Manda’s voice was filled with excitement.

“You’re not serious?” Joel growled.

“I’m afraid so. You’ve come a long way to be disappointed. We have Justin to thank for that. No offense. I was just upstairs helping Karin box up Lyssa’s books and clothes. She’ll ship it all out this afternoon.”

“I’m very sorry, Kyle, not just for Manda and me, but for you. I understood from our friend Gwen that you and Lyssa were close.”

Kyle’s forehead wrinkled in puzzlement for a moment before he acknowledged, “Ah, yes the lady who came with Justin to the, er . . .” Kyle flushed.

“The AA meeting?” Manda finished, and Kyle nodded.

“My uncle has some brilliant ideas, but he’s sometimes oblivious of the impact on people’s lives.”

“Tactfully said. Look, let me at least make it worth your while to be in London. Do you have a place to stay?” At Joel’s nod, he said, “Shall we have a meal together? I’m famished after a morning of packing.”

Manda stared with pleading eyes at Joel, and he smiled at her. “Lunch sounds great, if we can take a cab.”

Kyle pointed to a Jaguar at the curb. “That’s mine. Shall we head to a new pub along the Thames that Lyssa and I like?”

As soon as they’d put in their orders at the upscale bistro on the river, Kyle suggested they walk over to the wall of windows that fronted the river.

Joel bowed out, but Manda went ahead with Kyle. “Wave to Churchill for me,” Joel called after her with a secretive smile.

Manda’s eyes opened wide as they approached the view. “Is that Big Ben?”

“Yes, it is.” Kyle was touched by her genuine excitement. He pointed to the famous sights. “Parliament, with Big Ben on the corner. A little behind, Westminster Abbey.”

“Where Kate and William were married?”

“Indeed. Centuries of history in that building. You could spend an entire day there.”

“Maybe I will, but I hope Joel will hang out at the hotel spa. The trip has been hard on him.”

“Then it will do him good to rest for a couple of days before the return flight, eh?”