It's Only Make Believe (23 page)

“Brad, we still have a lot of work to do.” Ruby massaged Brad’s shoulder.

“We’ll do it later.” Brad traced a line along Michele’s hair. He reached in his pocket and pulled out the car keys. “Here, take my car. I’ll meet up with you later?”

“But then how will you get home? It’s okay I’ll wait.”

Michele hated the sultry sound to Ruby’s voice. Something about it grated on her nerves. That sexy seductive look on her face didn’t help. Why didn’t she just leave? Of course she wouldn’t leave, not without Brad. Even now, Ruby would do everything in her power to get Brad away. Michele closed her eyes. She’d rather Brad left if it meant Ruby staying too. She opened her eyes and looked at Brad. She’d give him his out. “It’s okay, you can go if you want. I’m still tired from the surgery.” At least that part was true, she couldn’t ever remember being this tired before. “I’m pretty sure I can come home tomorrow.”

Brad soothed Michele’s hair back from her forehead. “Are you sure? I mean, I would like to get this mess cleared up as soon as possible.” 

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”  No, Michele wanted to scream. You just got here and already you want to leave. And she wanted to slap that smug look off Ruby’s face. Never in her life had she wanted to hit a person so badly. Given half the chance she’d beat her to a pulp. But it wasn’t all Ruby’s fault. Brad wanted to leave, too. She gulped back the sob rising in her throat. If he didn’t leave soon she’d be blubbering like an idiot. She closed her eyes, feigning sleepiness. Why didn’t he just go?

Brad leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I’ll call you later.”

Ruby put her arm through his and ushered him out before Michele could even say goodbye.

***

God, he hated leaving her. Even in the hospital bed she looked sexy. He still loved the way the curls framed her face. She looked so vulnerable. And damn Ruby for not giving him that message right away. What the hell was wrong with her? He had to get this crap with Edgehurst cleared up.

Cleared up, right now he wanted to chuck it. Drop it in Ruby’s hands. If Edgehurst didn’t agree to these plans within the next couple of days, that’s exactly what he’d do. Unreasonable, inconsiderate jerk. What made him think he could run other people’s lives? If Ruby hadn’t been standing there, no way he’d leave Michele. But she was anxious to get on with this campaign. He already made up his mind to convince his father to promote her. Let Ruby deal with these egotistical clients. She thrived on it. And she didn’t have anything to tie her down. She could go flying off halfway across the country at a moment’s notice, even in the middle of the night. He wanted nothing more than to go back in that room. Back to his wife’s bedside. Once this campaign was done, he was never leaving again. This wasn’t a life for a married man, a family man. How the heck had his father done it all those years?

CHAPTER FORTY THREE

Tears stung Michele’s eyes when Ruby put her arm through Brad’s and all but dragged him from the room. Her smug look turned into a vicious, conniving grin. Chalk up another point for Ruby. She swiped at the tears, no longer able to hold them back. She hated that woman. She’d met people she disliked but never had she hated anyone with such intensity. What was she going to do about Ruby and Brad? What was she going to do about her marriage? A sound at the door interrupted her thoughts. Oh great just what she needed now, her mother and Myra.

“Wasn’t that Brad I saw getting on the elevator?” Myra hardly stepped into the room when the words were out of her mouth.

“Yes it was.”

“Who was that with him?” Her mother wasn’t about to keep quiet about this. Michele knew her too well. She’d probe and pry until Michele answered her.

“That was his assistant.”

“What was she doing here? And why did Brad leave? Is he coming back?” Myra stood next to the bed.

Worry and concern lined Myra’s face. Well why wouldn’t it? That was her son. The son she forced into marriage. Maybe Myra realized her mistake. She knew Brad had a thing going with Ruby, had disapproved of it. Another person who thought they could control her kid. Just like Patrick. Thank God, he came to his senses before it ruined his son’s life. What a shame it took something so drastic to make him realize his son’s happiness came first.

Of course, in this case, Myra was probably right. Ruby only wanted the money. Money, power, influence, and standing in their society. Well let her have it. She couldn’t fight it anymore. Every time she thought she and Brad were making headway, Ruby reared her ugly head, and Michele crashed back to earth.

Let him go, she couldn’t take this up and down anymore. She’d rather he just left now. Why continue this charade? Every time she saw Brad with Ruby a spike went through her heart. How was she even going to live in the same town with them? At least they didn’t travel in the same social circles.

“Michele, are you all right?”  Her mother stood next to her bed, soothed the hair from her forehead the same way Brad had done a few minutes earlier.

All right? Michele didn’t know if she ever be all right again. Why had she allowed herself to fall in love with Brad? Allowed it? No way, she didn’t allow it. It just happened. “Yes, Mother, I’m all right. I’m just tired.’ Michele squeezed her eyes to keep the tears from falling.

“Is Brad coming back, dear?” Myra repeated her question.

Coming back? As far as Michele was concerned there was no reason. But she didn’t want to hurt Myra. She’d find out soon enough. “He had work to do. He said he’d call.”

“Work!” Myra practically spit the word out.

Never had Michele seen such anger on Myra’s face. She wouldn’t want to be on the other end of that wrath. She had only seen Myra angry once before. Brad and she had climbed one of the big old trees in the yard and Brad got stuck. They had to call the fire department to get him down. Myra was furious. Michele realized now it was fear not embarrassment that had her so upset. At the time, she thought Myra was angry because she had to call the fire department. This time Myra showed a different kind of anger. She wouldn’t want to be in Brad’s shoes when Myra got a hold of him. The thought almost made her smile. If she didn’t hurt so badly, she probably would have. Michele closed her eyes. She didn’t want to deal with anyone anymore. Not tonight anyway. Especially not Myra and her mother. She didn’t need the questions and sympathetic looks and told you so attitudes.

Finally, her mother leaned down and kissed her cheek, but Michele didn’t open her eyes. Let them think she was sleeping. Although, it’d be a long time before she fell asleep. Another long restless night lied ahead of her. Pictures of Ruby and Brad wouldn’t leave her mind. Were the dreams true? A subconscious warning to her? She didn’t know. All she knew was Brad and Ruby were a reality, and she had to deal with. She fell asleep without realizing it.

The sound of breakfast trays being banged about woke Michele. Who ever thought you could get rest in a hospital was sadly mistaken. She swore no one did anything quiet around here. Thoughts of Ruby and Brad flitted into her mind. It surprised her that she had slept. Lord, she wished she could go home. Go home and somehow deal with Brad. Set him free. Make arrangements for the baby. She didn’t know if he’d want visitation. With his job and running about the country he wouldn’t have much time for that, but she’d compromise. Work with him whenever he was home.

A child needed both parents, and whatever else was between her and Brad, she certainly wouldn’t prevent him from seeing his child. She hated the idea Ruby might play a part in her baby’s life, but there wasn’t much she could do about that. She only hoped Ruby would treat the child well. Somehow she couldn’t picture Ruby and a baby. Surely a baby would interfere with the lifestyle Ruby wanted. The jet set that’s the way Michele saw Ruby. Flitting off here and there. No ties. No responsibilities. Just her and Brad. Maybe Brad felt the same way. Maybe the baby would be a hindrance to him, too. Maybe he wished Michele had miscarried. No matter, she loved this baby regardless of how Brad felt.

If he didn’t want to see the baby then so be it. She had no control over him. She knew his parents would see to it that he provided for it. And she wouldn’t withhold the child from them. If Brad didn’t want to see it, at least the baby would have two sets of grandparents that doted on it.

Maybe she needed to get away. Go someplace and think this through without anyone’s influence. If she stayed here her mother and Myra would visit every day. Heck they’d probably just about move in. No, she couldn’t deal with that either. She needed time by herself. Needed to think. Maybe Andrea would let her stay there for a week or so. Not too far away - but far enough from interference. Would Dr. Hill allow her to travel that far, that was the question. She didn’t think a three hour drive would hurt her. Besides, if she was going to miscarry, then so be it. What difference did it make if she was here or in Nelsonville?  She had to do something. If she couldn’t go now, maybe she’d take an extra week and go after. At least she could still work at home.

“Good morning, Mrs. Lawson.”  The nurse’s sing songy voice interrupted her thoughts. “How are you this morning?”

Michele couldn’t help but smile at the nurse’s bubbly attitude. “I’m fine. Just waiting to go home.”

“I understand that. I hated being in the hospital even when I had my kids. Sure not a place to get any rest is it?”

Myra and her mother came in, interrupting the conversation while the nurse continued to take her blood pressure and temperature.

“You look much better today, Michele.” Her mother leaned down and brushed her lips across Michele’s cheek.

Michele sat up and smiled. “I feel much better.” Even well enough to deal with the two of them for a while. The aide brought her breakfast in and Michele swung her legs over the side of the bed.

“Is Brad coming to pick you up?” Myra asked.

Brad – Michele had managed to put him out of her mind for a while. It was too much to think about right now. All she wanted was to go home, get through the day. She had no idea what Brad’s plans were. More than likely he had worked well into the night with Ruby. If, in fact, they were working. She had no idea if he even went home.

Dr. Hill came in while she was eating breakfast. “Everything looks good, and you can go home anytime you want. But I want to see you in my office in two weeks. Call the office when you get home and set up the appointment. Any questions?”

“Nothing that I can think of.” Michele wanted to ask if she could take the ride down to Nelsonville, but didn’t dare with her mother and Myra sitting there. She’d have to ask when she called the office. She put her hand on her stomach. Maybe she ought to wait. Two weeks wasn’t all that long. Why risk it? She had plenty of time to make decisions before the baby was born. No point in being hasty.

After Dr. Hill left, her mother went to the closet and got her clothes out. “Myra and I will take you home. No sense calling Brad since we’re already here.”

Michele couldn’t disagree with her logic. Besides, she didn’t want to call Brad. Didn’t really want to see him either. Didn’t want to know if he wasn’t home. Didn’t want to deal with the whole mess of their marriage.

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR

Michele threw the car door open the minute her mother stopped. Brad’s car wasn’t in the drive, so either he hadn’t come home last night or he had already left. Maybe he even went out of town again. She didn’t care. Glad of the reprieve, she went into the house with Myra and her mother. Now, how to get rid of them without insulting or hurting them? She loved them both dearly, but right now she needed time alone to sort out her thoughts.

Anna met them at the door. “Missy, you all right? Are you hungry? I’ll make breakfast.”

“No, thank you, Anna, I ate at the hospital. Right now I’m just tired. I think I’m going upstairs to rest.” That should do it, now maybe Myra and her mother would leave. She didn’t want to ask Anna about Brad. At least not in front of them.

Myra saved her the trouble. “Did we miss Mr. Lawson?”

The look on Anna’s face told Michele Brad hadn’t been home. “Did Brad leave for the office already, Anna.” She hoped Anna took the cue from her. But sometimes the woman didn’t understand.

“Yes, Missy, Mr. Lawson is gone.”

Michele smiled. Smart lady, she didn’t lie. Although, why Michele felt the need to cover for Brad, she had no idea. So what if her mother and Myra knew Brad didn’t sleep at home last night. They were going to find out soon enough that the marriage was over. But still...she didn’t want them know just yet. Didn’t want them questioning her. She needed to think about this, needed to talk with Brad about it first. At least she owed him that much. He owed her that much.

Michele kissed her mother and Myra goodbye. “I’m going to rest now. No need for you to stay. Anything I need Anna will get for me. Thank you for bringing me home. I’ll call you later.” She didn’t give them a chance to object but held the door for them to leave, and then went up to her room. She sat down on the bed, not the least bit tired. Visions of Ruby ran through her mind. The look on her face when she walked out of the hospital last night infuriated her. She needed to get her thoughts together. Needed a plan of action. Needed to know the right words to tell Brad the marriage was over. But mostly, she needed to compose herself. Even now she couldn’t hold back the tears.