The Blue Lion, page 3
part #1 of Cape Danger Series
Meg bit her lip. "We were all buddies our senior year. All of us in the group, including Nikki. Andrea was always," she paused, "pretty much as you saw her last night. She was—"
"Uppity?"
"Catty. Patronizing. She wasn't friendly at all to Heather. She was always self-centered in school, and she doesn't seem to have changed. It made me mad. Heather invited us all to come, and she even said it's on the house."
"Is Andrea coming?"
"She said she was."
A scowl crossed his face. "After what happened last night, I have reservations about letting you go. No, hear me out." Meg frowned, and he continued. "Her goal was either to embarrass you or hurt you. I really don't know, and I don't care. I just don't want you around her. I don't trust her not to do it again."
"I don't know. It never occurred to me that she would do something like that on purpose. You're sure about what you saw?"
"Absolutely sure. Is she jealous? Has she ever done anything like this to you before? I want to know."
Meg shook her head as an uncertain and worried glance creased her brow. "I don't think… I know I'm clumsy sometimes, but I don't remember for sure…" she trailed off. But even as she spoke, something nagged at the back of her mind. A memory not quite there, but not quite willing to go away.
"Think about it. If you come up with something, I want to know about it immediately. If I'm at work, call. Or text me; it's important, all right? Promise me."
Meg blinked. "I promise."
"Anything else about her I should know?"
Meg sank her teeth into her lip thoughtfully, and Matt put his finger to her lips.
"Stop that. Have you any idea what that gesture does to me?"
She grinned, trying to ignore him. "Andrea's last name is the same as it was back then. And she dated Johnny—" She frowned. "Oh gosh, what was his last name—I think it might have been Barrenger. Anyway, he was the captain of the football team. Of course—Andrea would have to date him. I can't believe she didn't get married."
"I can. Tell me about the others."
"All right." Meg took a bite and chewed, thinking. After swallowing, she looked up. "Amber, it's Nelson now—the strawberry blonde with the big smile—doesn't seem to have changed all that much. She was a cheerleader then and dated a football player. I don't know about children. She said she married a dentist. She was the thinnest of everyone in school, and she's very self-conscious about her weight now, even though she's still thin."
"But she was nice to you?"
"Yes. She was always nice to me. Mellie…" She paused, frowning again, and Matt reached out to smooth away the little creases in her brow. "I think she said her name is Jenkins now—she was always nice too. Very sweet. She was the one with the big blue eyes and brown hair who looks like she just stepped out of a spa. She hasn't changed much, either. She obviously married because her name is different, but I don't know to whom."
Matt grinned. "Fellow by the last name of Jenkins," he tossed out.
Meg smacked him on the arm playfully, and he put his hand to the spot, pretending to be dreadfully injured. "Funny man," she mocked. "She dated a basketball player then." She paused.
He nodded. "Okay. Hannah, I know. I've seen her as a patient once or twice when Scott was off. But I couldn't tell you anything about her personal life."
She nodded. "Hannah was always sweet. I felt so sorry for her last night. I'll bet she doesn't weigh ninety pounds now."
Matt's hand rested on the back of her neck and brought her closer. "You, baby girl, have a big heart, in addition to being so gorgeous."
"And you, Matthew Hart, have a need for glasses. I'm apparently not the only one who's blind."
His hand slid down her back to rest on her bottom, giving her a warning pat. "Watch it. And Heather. How does she fit into this group?"
Meg made a face. "Not very well, I'm afraid. She's probably the one who's changed the most since high school. She's really beautiful now; I'm sure you noticed."
Matt stared at her blankly.
He didn't, she thought. He really didn't notice. She smiled and brought her mouth up to his. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"
Strong arms enveloped her as he pulled her into his embrace and then into his lap. One brow raised warily. "I'm not sure what that's all about, but yes, once or twice. I'm a little fond of you, too, princess." A wink followed, and his mouth descended on hers fiercely. "And if you think last night was challenging, beware. I'm taking you back to bed. Now."
Chapter 3
Nikki seemed full of energy when Meg arrived at work Monday morning. She paused as she gathered up charts for the day's patients.
"I kept meaning to call you. What did you do last weekend?" At the flush on Meg's face, she laughed. "You spent the whole weekend in bed, didn't you?"
Meg only grinned.
"You dog." Nikki howled with laughter. "It's not fair, I tell you. I spent the whole weekend arguing with Scott."
Meg stared at her. "About what?"
"About the luncheon next Saturday."
"Oh, please don't tell me he won't let you go."
"No, he thinks I should. I keep telling him he should make me stay home."
Meg rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I can't face that bunch by myself. And Matt isn't sure he'll let me go. If you don't, I know he won't."
"What a man. Wanna trade?"
"Trade what?" Dr. Stone put his head around the corner.
"Umm… nothing!" Nikki's expression dared Meg to tattle, and she turned away to keep from laughing.
When he had disappeared back into his office to make a phone call, Meg whispered, "But what if no one else shows up and we don't, either? I could never forgive myself. Besides, we promised."
Nikki gave her a smirk. "You know, I really hate it when you make sense. It's a good thing I love you, Meg Hart, because you're a pain in the a—oh, hello, Mrs. King. I'll be ready for you in about ten minutes."
Meg turned to see one of their most insistent and frequent patients standing behind her. Nikki managed to walk the woman back to the waiting room as she finished gathering up the rest of the charts. She waited until the door was shut before she allowed herself to burst into giggles.
Dr. Stone came out of the office, looking from one to the other. Staring at Meg, he quipped, "My wife is at it again, isn't she?" before turning back.
Meg was thankfully saved by a phone call.
Meg spent the next few days disturbed and thinking about the conversation she and her husband had on Saturday morning. Matt was on his fourth day of call, and she'd seen very little of him. The promise she'd made to him the week before weighed heavily on her mind.
She'd awakened once, in the middle of the night Wednesday night. Matt had called right before she'd gone upstairs to bed, to make sure she had the doors locked, and she'd gone to sleep, thinking once again of the promise she'd made.
When she awakened during the night, it was Andrea's face she saw in her dreams, and she remembered.
It was the night of the homecoming dance, and Meg was standing on the side of the gym, waiting to be asked to dance. She saw Johnny as he moved toward her and quickly removed her glasses, waiting. She was sure he would pass by and ask someone else.
But he didn't. He stopped in front of her.
"Hello, Megan," he said quietly. "Would you like to dance?"
Meg smiled and set her glasses down on the chair, leaving them. Taking the hand that he held out and wondering where Andrea was, she let him lead her out onto the dance floor. Shouldn't he have been dancing with Andrea instead?
They were nearly finished with the dance when she caught, out of the corner of her eye, Andrea standing on the sidelines. She was blurred, but Meg knew her, and she was bringing her foot down in an angry stomping motion.
It wasn't until later that Meg went to retrieve her glasses. When they weren't in the chair, she began to look under it then behind it.
She found them a few feet away, the lenses shattered on the floor just where Andrea had been standing. It was then, she heard the catty voice behind her. "You should never go off and leave your glasses when you're half-blind."
Meg heard that voice the rest of the night, every time she awakened. Her parents had been angry at her for taking them off; they refused to believe it was anything but an accident caused by her carelessness, and it had taken her weeks to get another pair. Valuable study time had been lost, and it had taken until December to get caught up at school. How could she have forgotten it?
Later that morning, she found a few moments between patients and took out her phone to text Matt and tell him what she remembered.
She paused. If she told him, would he refuse to let her go on Saturday morning? Heather was going to so much effort and expense to provide this for the group. Was it fair to her to have no one show up?
She frowned and put the phone back in the pocket of her scrubs. But the longer she went, the more guilt piled up on her. She and Matt never kept secrets from each other, and if he found out, he'd be upset with her.
It was Thursday evening when he asked if she had remembered anything more, and she irritably answered with, "I said I would tell you if I did." It brought a stern look from her husband, and he'd watched her for a moment.
"Megan?"
She shook her head and replied, "I'm just tired. I'm sorry."
But the next day, things seemed back to normal. Matt sent her several texts throughout the morning and afternoon.
The phone in her pocket vibrated Friday afternoon as she was straightening up the office, and she pulled it out.
Hey, princess. About ready to meet for supper?
She'd been waiting for this all day. He'd spent lunch having to work.
Yes! Where?
I want steak. And then I want you.
Meg had been hoping for a repeat of last weekend. But guilt sat in the back of her mind, daunting her. She tried to ignore it.
Hmm, can I just hear that again? I'll be ready.
You'd better be.
Praying he wouldn't be delayed and he wouldn't ask her again about her promise, she put the phone back into her pocket. If anyone had told her before she married a doctor how much time they'd be apart, she would never have believed it.
"Why the long face?" Nikki's voice broke her concentration.
She looked up, surprised. "I didn't realize I was wearing one. What's the reason for yours?"
Nikki tried to look surprised. "I didn't, either." But she was lying, Meg could tell. She could always tell. "Okay. I was thinking about tomorrow. I'll go once. Just this once. Don't ever ask me again, because I won't."
Meg tilted her head. "Oh, Nikki, if you really detest the thought of going that badly, don't."
"No. I won't abandon you. Not this time. And it's really only Andrea, you know. Everyone else is okay."
"I feel the same way about her if it helps any. Matt does too, and he doesn't even know her."
"He's afraid she'll trip you again."
Meg stared. "You saw it too. Didn't you?"
"No. But I saw her expression as soon as you hit the floor. At the time, I didn't even realize it was you who had fallen. But the Cheshire cat comes to mind, and I hate that. It's really the only reason I'm going. Because I'll stay between you and her. She reminds me of a black widow spider."
"Really? She makes me think of a praying mantis."
Meg felt hands descend on her shoulders, and Matt's deep voice spoke in her ear. "Don't gossip in the office, princess. Someone will hear it and think you're discussing them, trust me."
"It was my fault, Dr. Hart." Nikki came to Meg's defense in a nano-second.
But Matt didn't respond to her statement. Instead, he said, "Tell Scott I'm taking my wife out to eat? And you all have a good weekend."
"Will do, sir. Meg, I'll pick you up in the morning about ten-thirty?"
"Okay, thanks, Nikki," she tossed back.
"What was that all about?" he asked as he led her down to the car and outside. "Although I think I can give it a fair guess." His phone rang as he spoke, and he took it out of his pocket to look at it, frowning. Glancing at her, he waited for the beep and listened to the voice mail. Then, he set the message on it and turned it off. "That was one of my patients, but she realized it was after hours and decided to go to Urgent Care. Brad is taking call this weekend. I'm officially off. And now, young lady, where would you like to go for steak?"
"We could go home and change clothes first," she suggested.
"Oh no. Once we get home, you won't be allowed to wear a single stitch on those gorgeous curves until you have to leave for this thing you've been coerced into attending. So, we need to eat now. You have five seconds to decide, or I will."
"Bully," she mouthed, grinning.
He grinned back. "You've utterly no idea."
She thought quietly for a moment before meeting his gaze. "How about The Blue Lion?"
"Isn't that the place you're supposed to go in the morning?"
"Yes. At least I'll know how to find it."
A frown settled on his face then disappeared suddenly. "All right. The Blue Lion it is."
Meg looked up at him suspiciously. "You agreed to that altogether too willingly."
"Did I?"
Meg wasn't sure what got into her. A combination of guilt and irritation built quickly. Her wary expression answered him. "You don't trust me."
Matt frowned. A second later, he pulled over to the side of the road into a parking spot and turned to face her. Placing his hand under her chin, he lifted it so she had no choice but to meet his eyes.
"Megan Savannah Hart. Why the hell would you say something like that?"
Meg attempted to look away, and he tightened his grip to prevent it. "Answer me."
"I don't know," she answered, her voice despondent. "I just have the feeling that you're going to follow me there tomorrow and spy on us. That's why."
He stared down at her a long time. "There is a difference," he said, his voice stern, "between wanting to protect you and not trusting you."
He was right. Meg sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that, Matt. I'm just tired."
He continued to study her, frowning. "I heard that last night when you snapped at me, and I let it go. Not this time. I understand being tired. But there is no reason to develop an attitude."
Meg lowered her head. He was right about that too. She nodded penitently as he spoke again. "I'll take you through a drive through if you'll tell me what you want."
"I'm sorry. You decide."
He continued driving toward downtown. The Rodger's Theatre came into view, and he nodded toward the small series of shops past it. "There it is. Now, you'll know where to come tomorrow."
Meg looked toward the small restaurant and nodded. "Thank you for showing me where it is."
"You're welcome." He circled the block and began to go back the way they had come. It was a long time before he spoke again. His voice was solemn, but less stern. "Don't ever assume you know what my motives are, young lady. Especially when it comes to something like that."
Meg felt awful. A tear trailed down her cheek, and she brushed it quickly away. A few moments later, Matt pulled the car into a parking spot in the far end of a mostly empty shopping center and put the car into park. He drew her toward him.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."
"We'll discuss this more when I get you home."
She nodded.
His voice was deep, above her head. "I do have a fair amount of distrust, but none of it is concerning you. It's Andrea. You were vague last week when I questioned you about her. I asked if she'd ever done something like that before. Your answer was not exactly forthcoming. I assume you've been thinking about it."
"I have," she said softly. "Promise me if I tell you, you won't say I can't go?"
"I'll do no such thing. You know better than to ask. Spill it."
Meg took a deep breath and explained about the dream and the realization regarding what had happened with her glasses at the homecoming dance.
Matt listened thoughtfully. "And you remembered this, when?"
"Wednesday night."
"That was two days ago. You promised to text or call me immediately. And yet you didn't tell me."
Meg bit her lip. She knew excuses about not waking him in the middle of the night would get her nowhere.
"Princess. Answer me."
After a hesitation, she nodded. "No. I didn't."
She could feel his jaw pulsing, and raised her eyes to his.
His dark eyes were piercing. "Why? Did you not trust me?"
She looked down. "I always trust you. I don't know why I didn't tell you."
He exhaled. "All right. If you've decided where to go, we'll get something and take it home. But this is something we need to deal with."
She nodded.
It ended up being Chinese, and he ordered a family sized meal to go, with all the trimmings. But he said little until they were inside the house. When Meg set his plate in front of him and turned to go upstairs, she felt an arm go about her waist.
"Oh no, you don't. Come here. If you're not eating, we need to talk." He took her by the waist and sat her up on the island, caging her in and leaning forward until they were nose to nose. "Tell me what's going on in that little head of yours. No. Eyes up here. Megan Savannah? Do I need to put you over my knee? I'm quite close."
"No," she whispered.
"Tell me why you failed to explain the incident with the glasses."
"It was a long time ago—"
"You're trying my patience, young lady." He waited a few seconds. "You were afraid I might not let you go in the morning?"
She nodded. "Yes. And Heather is going to so much trouble for us…" She trailed off.
"Is that an excuse?"
Meg was staring at the buttons on his shirt, unable to look him in the face. "No."
"You're right. It's not. One of my responsibilities, princess, is to keep you safe. It's one I treasure. But in order to do that, you have to be honest with me. Does that make sense?"
