When Love's at Work Read online

  “A friend of mine?”

  “Said his name was Alex McCallister.” Bobby eyed Pure closely and watched her response.

  “Alex was there?”

  “We flipped a coin to see who was going to beat the crap out of Derek first,” Bob paused for emphasis. “I won.”

  “Our hero,” Meg said, throwing her arms around Bobby’s neck and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

  The move surprised Bobby, even as his hand went instinctively around Meg’s waist.

  “Okay, Mr. Hero, just what did you think you were going to accomplish by beating Derek up?” Not waiting for a response, Purity continued, “Getting yourself beat up? Making him even madder at me? Getting yourself arrested?”

  “He was defending you,” Meg came to Bobby’s aid. “I think its gallant.”

  “Too bad he wasn’t there,” Courtney added. “I would have liked to join you in the bashing.”

  “The question is, how do we keep this guy away from Purity?” Tapestry said constructively.

  “We can’t,” Court commented.

  “Court’s right,” Bobby stated. “Pure needs to concentrate on keeping herself safe, being aware of her surroundings, and maybe even taking a self-defense class.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Tapestry agreed. “I took one of those classes last year and I thought it was really helpful.”

  “We could all benefit from a class like that,” Courtney chimed in.

  “I’ll check it out and book us all for a class,” Meg concurred.

  “I’ll try anything,” Pure said. “I need to get control of my life back.”

  Since everything had calmed down, the girls left and Bobby and Pure had some time alone.

  “So, sis, tell me more about this Alex guy,” Bobby inquired.

  “He’s great, fabulous, wonderful, and he deserves someone who can love him the way he should be loved.”

  “You don’t think you can love him well enough?”

  “I want to. I just don’t know if I’m capable of loving someone, trusting someone. I’m having enough trouble trusting myself, let alone someone else.”

  “You trust Court, and Meg, and Tap. What’s the difference?”

  “They’ve never cheated on me, lied to me, or tried to kill me.”

  “Well, there is that,” Bobby said reluctantly. “What would happen if you just tried?”

  “I could get hurt.”

  “And, what if you don’t try?”

  “Then I spend my life alone.”

  “And you feel hurt,” Bobby pointed out.

  Purity looked her brother in the eye, but didn’t say anything.

  “I love you, sis,” Bob said.

  “I love you, too.”

  The two hugged and then began getting ready to go to sleep.

  “What time do you want to be at the hospital tomorrow… er… today?” Pure asked.

  “In all the hullabaloo I almost forgot about mom’s surgery,” Bobby commented. “Surgery is at 7am, I double checked when I saw mom tonight, so around 6am.”

  “Okay. I’ll set my alarm.”

  “G’night,” Bobby said.

  “Night,” Pure replied and went into her bedroom, then turned around and came back out. “Bobby,” Pure started, as Bobby stopped fluffing his pillow to look at her face, “thank you.”

  “That’s what big brothers are for, kid. Sweet dreams.”

  They were both asleep within minutes.

  Chapter Seven

  When Purity’s alarm went off, she was tempted to throw it across the room.

  Pure woke Bobby up by putting a CD into her CD player and turning the volume up. It was an easier way to wake up than being shaken or yelled at.

  No shower today, they needed to be on the road to Hope as quickly as possible. Purity endured a modified version of her morning routine and then headed back to her bedroom to change out of her pajamas.

  She glanced into Bobby’s bedroom. Bob was sitting up with his head in his hands. He looked exactly how she felt.

  “Mornin’ sunshine,” Purity said, her voice scraggly from lack of sleep.

  “Mmmm.” That was the best Bobby could mumble as he got up and headed for the bathroom.

  While putting on jeans and layering a wine-colored sweater over a white long-sleeved shirt, Pure made her decision. She reached for her cell phone, found his number and hit send. Suddenly her mouth felt dry.

  “Hello,” Alex said, sleep clouding his voice.

  “Hi, Alex, it’s Purity. I was wondering if you were still willing to meet me at Hope this morning?” Purity closed her eyes and bit her lower lip, anxiously awaiting Alex’s reply.

  Alex was pleasantly surprised. He wasn’t going to miss an opportunity, even though his curiosity as to why Purity had changed her mind was overwhelming.

  “I’m heading over right now,” he answered.

  Pure thought for sure he’d say he was busy or needed to sleep or just any reason really not to show up. But he hadn’t. Bobby was right. She could get hurt if she got involved with Alex or she could get hurt if she didn’t get involved with Alex. So, it would be a lot more fun with Alex than without him. She’d deal with the hurt later. Maybe this time would be different.

  “We’re meeting in the surgery waiting area on the second floor. And, Alex,” Purity paused, “thanks.” Both parties hung up their phones.

  Alex ran a comb through his hair, brushed his teeth, put on deodorant and washed his face. He rubbed the stubble on his chin. No shaving today. He wanted to be the first thing Purity saw when she entered the waiting area.

  When Bobby and Purity walked into the large area that served as a gathering place for folks who had a loved one in surgery, Alex McCallister was the first person they saw. Purity wanted to run to him and feel his strong arms around her. If Bobby hadn’t been standing by her side, she might have done just that. Instead, she walked over to Alex and gave him a kiss on the cheek, then leaned in closer and whispered in his ear, “Thanks for coming, Alex.” She could feel his morning stubble coarsely on her cheek. Pure’s legs went slightly weak at the knees.

  Such a simple gesture, yet Alex knew something had changed between them. Purity had taken a not-so-small step toward trusting him.

  He engulfed Pure’s frame in a warm embrace and she breathed in the strength and comfort he offered.

  Alex released her, keeping one arm around her waist. Purity turned at the sound of Meg and Courtney’s voices.

  “I told you they’d be here,” Courtney said a bit too loud.

  “I thought Pure said the third floor waiting area,” Meg replied, grumpy with too little sleep and not enough caffeine.

  “There is no third floor waiting area,” Court chastised her friend.

  “Well, I know that now,” Meggie responded, her body language perking up when her eyes spotted Bobby Zyetta.

  Courtney was wide awake, having decided to stay up all night downing Jolt soda and making a quasi voodoo doll of Derek Worthington. She wasn’t sure if it would really work at debilitating him, but it couldn’t hurt.

  “How are you feeling this morning?” Meg asked Purity.

  “Tired, but okay. This is Alex,” Pure said, introducing him to her friends. “You already know Bobby.”

  Bobby and Alex shook hands, exchanging nods of acknowledgement.

  Tapestry joined the group with two large Diet Coke’s in her hand. She gave Pure a hug and handed her one of the sodas.

  “Thought you might need this, Pure.”

  Purity took a sip and proclaimed, “Ah! Nectar of the gods.”

  “Is Angela here?” Meggie asked.

  “Haven’t seen hide nor hair of her,” Pure replied.

  “There’s a surprise,” Courtney muttered under her breath sarcastically.

  A nurse came by and told the group that family members could come back into the pre-op area. Bobby and Purity headed in that direction to see their mother. The rest of the folks assembled arranged themselves in vari
ous positions on the sofas and chairs in the waiting area.

  Pure and Bobby assured their mom that everything would be fine, wished her well and told her that they loved her. Shortly after, the nurse gave her some medication to relax her and their mother was feeling no pain and enjoying a bit of a euphoric feeling. The nurse said the surgery would take about an hour and a half and recovery would be about the same amount of time. The duo left to join their friends, then they all headed toward the cafeteria to get something to eat.

  After breakfast, they all gathered again in the waiting area. It didn’t take long before the doctor came to let them know the surgery had gone well and their mother would be back in her room in about an hour.

  Relief filled the air. Bobby called Angela and left a message on her cell phone.

  Alex’s hand had been holding Purity’s for quite some time. She didn’t know if he had reached for her hand or if she had reached for his hand. It wasn’t as hard as she thought, allowing Alex to care for her. Pure leaned over and gave Alex a tender kiss.

  “I’m so glad you’re here with me,” she said.

  “I wouldn’t be any place else,” Alex responded, giving Pure’s hand a gentle squeeze.

  “Hey, Tap, where did you go on vacation?” Meg asked.

  “Vegas, baby. Chance and I heard about the Vegas Arts Festival and decided to check it out. It was really fabulous. I almost called you,” she gestured to Purity.

  “Why?”

  “As I was surveying this one piece of art, I noticed the artist’s name. Care to wager a guess as to who it was?”

  “No way?! Was it really his art?” Purity replied.

  “Who?” Bobby asked.

  All four women said, “Viggo.”

  “Viggo Mortensen,” Purity offered his full name. “You’ll probably remember him most as the actor who played Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but he’s also a painter, photographer, poet, writer, singer, and musician. He’s amazing.”

  “Purity has all his books and several of his CD’s,” Meg said.

  “And every DVD of every movie he’s ever been in,” Court added.

  “Glad to see you have a hobby, sis,” Bobby said, kicking Pure’s foot with his own.

  “Some people collect stamps or watch birds,” Pure explained. “I’m a Viggophile.”

  “If you’re going to be obsessed about something, or someone, I’d say Viggo is a great choice,” Courtney remarked.

  “I’d rather be obsessed with sex,” Bobby said.

  Pure picked up a magazine and tossed it at her brother, saying, “You would.”

  “Not to change the subject or anything,” Court began, “but I talked with Emily Cravens last Sunday at church and she said she wants to sell her house quickly and is planning to reduce the price. I may have mentioned to her that you were interested, Pure.”

  “I am interested. I love that house, but I can’t imagine she’s lowered the price enough for me to afford it.”

  “She said she’d love to know the house was going to someone that would cherish it the way she does. I think you should give her a call and check it out.”

  “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to call her,” Pure conceded.

  “It’s a four-bedroom isn’t it?” Meg asked.

  “Yep,” Pure answered. “With a wraparound porch, French doors and two fireplaces.”

  Bobby leaned closer to Meg and said, “Want to go to a movie later?”

  “Sure,” Meg replied, thinking it would be their very first date. “I don’t even know what’s playing.”

  “I’m sure there’s some romantic comedy playing,” Tapestry said, knowing Meg’s penchant for happy endings.

  “Just make sure you have her home by midnight or she’ll turn into a pumpkin,” Court teased.

  Bobby almost said how much he liked to eat pumpkin, but caught himself in the nick of time. He had been told his humor was sometimes crude and he didn’t know if Meg would appreciate it or be offended by it. It could go either way with women he had found.

  “A chick flick it is,” Bob said. “Then I get to pick where we eat dinner.”

  “Deal,” Meg said, reaching out to shake hands on it. As Bobby took her hand in his, Meg silently counted out the number of hours they would be spending together.

  “What about us?” Courtney asked, not really wanting to see a movie, but wanting to watch Meggie squirm.

  “You’re welcome to join us,” Bobby extended the invitation to everyone gathered.

  Meg shot daggers at Court with her eyes, though a smile never left her lips.

  Courtney was enjoying Meg’s dilemma a little too much, Purity thought. “Two’s company, three’s a crowd,” Purity stated. “You guys enjoy yourself. None of us will be tagging along.”

  The nurse came into the waiting area and said Mary Zyetta had been taken to her room and family members could go up and see her.

  Purity and Bobby headed upstairs while the rest of the group remained in the waiting area.

  Pure thought her mom looked good, with more color in her face that before the surgery. They spent half an hour with their mother and then said good-bye, returning to the waiting area.

  Bobby and Meg headed to the movies, while everyone else decided to head for home for a bit more sleep. It had been a long night and a long morning.

  Purity thanked her friends, again, for their support as they walked toward their vehicles. Alex stayed around until it was only he and Purity in the parking garage.

  “Thank you, again, Alex. Not only for today, but for last night, too. Bobby told me what you did. Well, what you were going to do.”

  Alex put his hands on Purity’s arms. “I meant it when I said there wasn’t anywhere else I wanted to be.”

  Purity took a step closer to Alex and encircled his neck with her arms. They stood for several seconds, staring deeply into one another’s eyes. Neither quite sure of where this relationship was heading, but excited to find out.

  Alex initiated a tender kiss. It quickly turned heated and he found his hands exploring the curves of Purity’s back. He knew it would be easy to seduce her, but he wanted more than a quick sexual encounter that would be over and done with in a blink of an eye. He wanted a future.

  Purity felt the emotion and promise in Alex’s lips. Casual sex was simple, but she wanted more than that. She wanted a home and long walks hand-in-hand. She wanted someone she could grow old with and someone she could trust.

  Purity pulled away first, but only a fraction. Just enough to catch her breath, then she rested her head on Alex’s shoulder, keeping her arms around his neck.

  The fatigue hit her suddenly, like she’d hit a brick wall.

  “Man, I’m really tired,” Purity said, not realizing she said the words aloud.

  “I can drive you home,” Alex offered.

  Purity thought about his words. She wanted to take him up on the invitation, but hadn’t she already asked a lot of him?

  “Are you sure you’re not too tired to drive? I mean, you didn’t get much sleep last night either?” Pure asked.

  “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” Alex said with macho bravado.

  Purity sighed. “I’d love a ride home, but I insist that you stick around for a while and get some rest yourself. Neither one of us should really be driving today.”

  “Fair enough,” Alex said, looking forward to seeing where Pure lived and wondering if they would be sharing a bed for their nap.

  Alex led Purity to his car. She found it hard to stay awake on the drive to her apartment. She was glad Alex had offered to drive her home.

  Upon entering her apartment, Pure said, “Bobby’s using the guest room, but he’ll be out for several hours with Meg, so make yourself at home.”

  Well, that answered that question, Alex thought to himself.

  Alex gave Purity an affectionate kiss and said, “Sweet dreams.”

  “You, too,” Pure replied, and then headed to her bedroom for some much needed rest.
/>   Meg didn’t remember the movie. The plot evaded her. Bobby’s leg touching hers, their hands bumping in the popcorn bucket and his arm around her shoulder had sent her to a land far, far away.

  Court and Pure teased her relentlessly about being a dreamer, but what was wrong with wanting a white knight on a fiery steed sweeping her off her feet? Bobby’s armor was bright and shiny in Meg’s eyes.

  Lunch had been a blur of scents and tastes, dimmed by comparison to the feeling of Bobby’s eyes on hers. She knew they talked and shared stories, but now, as they were walking along the waterfront watching the seagulls hover around the ferry as it bumped gently against the dock, all she knew was she wanted to live every day of her life feeling like she did this very minute.

  The moment was picturesque and romantic and Bobby couldn’t keep his eyes off Meg’s lips. His fingers caressed her cheek and his thumb brushed against her lips.

  Meg thought the moment was sheer torture. She wanted him closer still. She looked up into Bobby’s eyes and leaned forward, hoping he was thinking the same thing she was. He leaned forward, as well, and their lips met. Meg closed her eyes and drank in the sounds and feelings coursing through her veins. She would remember this moment. It was being burned into her memory.

  The kiss deepened as tongues explored and hands found their way to secret places. Bobby fisted his hand in Meg’s hair and they both felt their hunger grow.

  Bobby was drowning and he didn’t care that he wasn’t wearing a life jacket. He had dreamed of this, and so much more, for months.

  Meg’s feet couldn’t feel the ground. She was floating. When Bobby whispered in her ear that he wanted to be alone with her, it took a few moments for his words to sink in.

  “You want to have sex?” Meg said bluntly, thinking Bobby’s armor had suddenly become rusted, filthy and full of holes.

  “I want to be closer to you,” Bobby explained, trying to back paddle.

  “I want to go home,” Meggie said, removing herself from Bob’s embrace and heading back toward the car briskly. Her blood was as cold as ice. What kind of woman did he think she was? Had she given him the impression she was easy? She hadn’t prevented him from kissing her and she hadn’t stopped him from holding her hand, but was that really a sign that she wanted to sleep with him? Meg didn’t know whether to be insulted or excited.