Free Point of Attraction by Margaret Van Der Wolf Page B

to work. Must be
nice, you know?”
    “Uh huh. And if I were to look inside
that little notebook you keep in your pocket; the one you scribble
on while having coffee as you’re waiting for the right dilation,
counting how far apart the contractions are? What would I find,
Doctor Blanes?”
    “Hanging up now.”
    Georgie burst into laughter. “God, I am
sharp in the morning.” And a dial tone agreed with her.
    But when Georgie put the phone back on
its base, she couldn’t help but look at the rose again, the morning
mirth slipping away. “So who tucked you under my wiper? Jeffrey?
Jeffrey. No. But if not Jeffrey, then who?”
    Daisy barked and Georgie looked out
into the back yard. A soft morning breeze sent golden leaves
floating across the scene. Both Max and Daisy were doing their
outdoor thing; Daisy sniffing, following that all-important scent
from one end of the yard to the other along the fence line, Max
sitting in his corner of the covered patio, watching
Daisy.
    Georgie smiled. She had
been so pleased when Sam had this huge window put in over the
kitchen sink. It was like letting the outside come indoors.
“ I can work in the yard and look up and
see you ,” he said. She’d have to call the
landscaping people to start dealing with the falling
leaves.
    She gave the rose one more moment of
reflection and headed for her writing room.
    ~~0~~
    “Hey, Georgie. Good morning. Want your
usual?”
    Georgie looked at Parker,
manager of the Cup Java Espresso House, but his question only
brought back Tonie Clark’s words, They did
say they could adjust their clocks by Ms. Gainsworth’s comings and
goings . Which is
not a good idea, having a predictable schedule like
that .
    “Georgie? You okay?” Parker asked while
making the espressos already ordered. “I heard about Raggs. I’m so
sorry. Shall I make you your usual?”
    It was difficult to hear Parker over
the hissing steamer and the murmuring chit chat among morning
caffeine patrons. Georgie took a deep breath and said, “No.
Surprise me. I need surprising this morning.”
    “All right, Georgie!” He smiled his
twenty-something charming grin. “Look, your corner table is
empty.”
    Georgie glanced to the far corner where
she often waited for the girls or just sat and sipped an espresso
while re-reading what she’d written the night before. For a second,
she felt shock and a quick shudder. A red rose with a white ribbon
beneath the bud lay on the table. She almost turned to ask Parker
about it, but one of the Cup Java workers towel-dried a bud vase,
poured some water in it, then slipped the rose inside. Georgie then
noticed all the tables this morning sported a rose in a
vase.
    “Georgie?”
    “No, not this morning.” she told
Parker. “I have to get to the shop and get it going.”
    “Here you go then,” he said, handing
her a twenty-ounce espresso. “That’s five-seventy-five.”
    “Ouch! It better be good.” Georgie took
a cautious sip and her taste buds responded. “Oh, yes,” she cooed,
handing over a ten dollar bill. “What is this drink of the
gods?”
    “A Parker Morning Wake-up Special,” he
whispered with a smile that Georgie was certain could send heat
waves through many a young woman’s body. “Coming in for a hair cut
soon.”
    “Call me.” She nodded while slowly
savoring another sip then motioned to his worker, Delsie, to put
the change in the tip jar. “Hmmm. Worth every penny. You’re my
man.”
    “Don’t I wish.” Parker grinned, did the
Groucho Marx-eyebrow lift, and went back to his job. Georgie turned
to leave and found a wall of black jacket and neatly pressed black
shirt with shiny buttons. She sidestepped while sipping her Parker
Special, but the wall moved with her, still blocking her way. Her
sight finally focused on the weaponry at the waist and she looked
up.
    “You and I need to talk,” Mason said,
and pointed to the far corner table.
    “No,” Georgie said, and indicated a
table at the big window