1. That's What Friends Are For (2 page)

"Besides," he went on, "I felt I had to meet the man who stole Penny away from me."

Penny stiffened at his words, but before she could come up with a caustic reply she heard her mother say, "Well, then you should plan to come back over for dinner tonight. Gregory is going to be here. It will give the two of you a chance to visit together, sort of get acquainted and all before the wedding."

Oh, Mother, how could you? Penny silently pleaded. No two men could be more unalike than Gregory and Brad. The evening would be a total disaster. What in the world would they find to talk about?

"Why, Helen, thank you," Penny heard Brad say, and a definite sinking sensation developed in her stomach. "That would be great." He glanced at his watch. "In that case, I'd better get home so I can visit with Dad when he arrives. I'm sure they'll understand why I'm over here my first night at home."

Damn him. Why did he keep making those little remarks, implying a great deal more than he had reason to? When Helen accepted his comment with an understanding smile. Penny could have thrown something.

Which was exactly why she didn't want Brad Crawford anywhere around her.

Penny considered herself to be a calm, even-tempered person. Everyone at school commented on how well she handled her adolescent students. She did not get upset. She did not lose her temper. She was in control at all times. Brad was the only person who had ever caused her to lose that control, and Penny hated his ability to upset her. Absolutely detested it.

The past three years had been wonderfully serene, and she was looking forward to a lifetime of similar peace and serenity. In other words, she intended to spend her life anywhere that Brad Crawford wasn't.

Penny waited while Brad and Helen made arrangements for his return that evening, smiled politely when Brad said goodbye and watched as he left her home and sauntered across the immense lawn that separated their two places. Then she turned to Helen.

"Do you know anything about how Brad received a wedding invitation, Mother?"

Helen had just picked up the tray to return to the kitchen. She looked puzzled by the question. "I sent him one. Why do you ask?"

"Because his name wasn't on the list."

Helen went into the kitchen; Penny followed. "I knew it was just an oversight. After all, you sent one to his folks. So I just stuck one in the mail to him as well."

"It was no oversight."

Helen set the tray on the kitchen counter and turned around. "Penny! Are you saying that—you mean that you didn't intend for Brad to come to your wedding?" Her shocked surprise could have been no less than if Helen had just heard that Penny was pregnant with triplets.

"That's exactly what I mean."

An expression of pain crossed Helen's face. "Oh, Penny. That's awful."

"What's awful about it, Mother? It's my wedding. I should be able to invite or not invite anyone I please.''

"But to leave Brad out, after all you've meant to each other during these years."

"Mother, don't exaggerate. Brad and I grew up together because we lived next door to each other. Since we're almost five miles out of town, we didn't have too many choices as to whom we played with. And if you remember anything, you can certainly recall that we spent most of our time together fighting!"

Helen leaned against the counter, staring at her daughter as though she no longer knew her. "Why, Penny, that isn't true! Of course you squabbled at times—any kids who spent much time together would be likely to bicker. Besides, you're both extremely strong-willed and determined to get your own way. No one would expect that you'd always agree on everything."

Penny absently opened the pantry door and peered inside with absolutely no idea what she was looking for.

"But, Penny, the two of you were friends. Close friends. I don't understand your attitude toward him now."

Penny closed the door and turned around. "Well, I don't suppose it matters now, does it? He's here and he'll be here for dinner. I think I'll go on up and take a bath. I want to look calm and relaxed when Gregory gets here."

Helen stood and watched Penny as she went into the hallway and started up the stairs. There were times she didn't feel she understood her daughter at all.

Penny stared at her reflected image in the mirror. The pale peach of her dress showed off her darkening tan and brought out the red highlights in her russet-colored hair. She had pulled her hair smoothly away from her face into a cluster of curls at the nape of her neck. She looked poised, sophisticated and calm.

If only she felt that way! Her insides had been churning all afternoon, which was absolutely ridiculous. What possible difference could it make that Brad Crawford would be there for dinner? she asked herself.

Unfortunately she could come up with a half-dozen reasons before she had to draw breath. She knew him too well. Depending on his mood, he could be everything a hostess could want in a polite dinner guest. Or he could be perfectly outrageous. Funny, but outrageous. And he knew entirely too many things about her that he could bring up if he felt the urge. It wouldn't be the first time he'd embarrassed her in front of someone important.

"Oh, Mother," she lamented aloud, "If you'd only asked me, I would have told you that Brad's favorite pastime is ignoring the script and improvising in a situation." A reluctant smile played on her face when she thought of some of the things he'd done in the past. He really did have a wicked sense of humor.

She realized that she was being a coward, hovering upstairs when she'd heard him arrive at least fifteen minutes earlier. Penny had justified her delay to herself, knowing that her father would monopolize Brad for a while. Sooner or later she would have to face him. Glancing at her watch, she decided now was as good a time as any. Gregory should be arriving before much longer.

Sure enough, she found Brad and her father in animated conversation. They'd always gotten along well. Her dad had gone to all of Brad's Little League games and stood on the sidelines cheering during his high school football games.

The little voice inside her said. And don't forget, you were right there, cheering with the best of them.

Of course she was. She'd been proud of Brad. He was a natural athlete and she'd enjoyed seeing him play. But that was years ago, after all—just part of her childhood.

Brad stood up as soon as she walked into the room. "Wow!" he said in a reverent voice.

Penny couldn't help it. She began to laugh. "That's one of the things I've always liked about you. Brad," she said, grinning. "You were always so articulate, with such an artful turn of phrase."

He walked over to her and took both her hands, staring down at her. "And that laugh is one of the things I've always liked about you. I had almost given up hope that it was still around."

She could not ignore how well Brad looked in the navy blue blazer and gray slacks. The ensemble set off his blond good looks. Let's face it, she thought, he looked like every woman's dream of the man she hoped would appear in her life and take her away from daily drudgery. No doubt that was one of the reasons Hope for Tomorrow had become one of the most successful daily serials.

The doorbell served as a reprieve from Penny's runaway thoughts. "Oh, there's Gregory now." she said, unconsciously betraying her relief.

Brad frowned slightly as he watched her return to the hall. For just a moment he'd seen a ghmpse of the Penny he'd known forever, but then she'd disappeared behind the polite, sedate facade of the woman he'd seen this afternoon.

He heard murmured voices in the hallway, and an intimate male chuckle that caused the hair on his neck to rise in protest. Brad determinedly ignored the fact that Penny's lipstick was definitely smudged when she returned to the room, leading a man who must have been Gregory Duncan.

Brad wasn't prepared for the shock he received when he saw Penny's fiance. There was no denying that he was in his late thirties. The mark of time had added character to his face. What hit Brad like a doubled-up fist in his stomach was that Gregory Duncan looked enough like him to be a close relative.

They were both approximately the same height and build, and their hair was the same shade of blond. Brad felt as though he were looking into the future, at what he would look like in another thirteen years.

And this was the man Penny had chosen to marry.

After the introductions were made. Brad said, "I've looked forward to meeting you, Gregory. I've heard some very good things about you." He didn't miss the exchange of glances between Gregory and Penny.

"It's good to meet a friend of Penny's, Brad," Gregory replied in a deep, mellow voice that Brad was sure could be used to great effect in a courtroom.

"Unfortunately, I'm at a disadvantage. She's never mentioned you to me."

Brad glanced at Penny in surprise, and acknowledged to himself the pain Gregory's remark caused him. She had truly dismissed him from her life.

Penny couldn't meet Brad's eyes. She smiled at Gregory and said, "Oh, I'm sure I told you about Brad, Gregory. You've probably just forgotten. He lived next door for years."

'Tm sure you have, love," Gregory said, holding her possessively to his side. "It must have slipped my mind."

Brad was unprepared for the almost despairing rage that swept over him at the sight of Gregory holding Penny so intimately.

What had he expected, for God's sake? She was marrying the man, wasn't she? He found himself clenching his teeth in an effort to control his emotions. Helen earned his undying gratitude when she came into the room and announced that dinner was ready.

Dinner was almost as bad. Brad sat across the table from the engaged couple, a silent witness to their smiles and murmurs. Ralph and Helen kept the conversation going, and Brad determinedly joined them, knowing he would have to deal with his pain later.

Penny began to relax about midway through dinner. As usual, her mother had outdone herself with the meal, and the men were obviously enjoying it. She had just felt the tension in the muscles along her spine ease when Brad said, "Too bad you never learned to cook like your mom, Runt. Maybe she'll take pity on Grre-gory and have you two for dinner often."

Gregory glanced up from his meal and looked at Brad in surprise. "What did you call her? Runt?''

Brad looked a little abashed. "Sorry. I guess that 1 just slipped out. It was a nickname I gave her years ago."

Gregory's gaze fell on Penny. "I can think of many nicknames I might choose for her, but nothing so revolting as that."

"She was always small for her age, you know," Brad said lightly. "I think she always hoped she'd catch up with me, but by the time we were teenagers I she knew she'd well and truly lost the race." He studied Penny for a moment, then smiled. "She's always looked younger than her years, anyway, don't you think so?"

Gregory smiled at her. "Oh, I don't know. I'd hardly confuse her with one of her students, despite her height. She's a very nicely endowed woman."

"Thank you kindly, sir,'' she said.

"As for her cooking," Gregory went on, "Penny doesn't have to do anything she doesn't want to. I'm not marrying her to gain a housekeeper."

"Of course not," Brad agreed. With a perfectly deadpan expression he went on, "I just hope you don't mind the fact that she snores."

The reaction of those around the table was a study of mixed emotions. Ralph looked as though he were trying not to laugh while Helen looked shocked. From the expression on her face. Penny looked as if she could have easily committed murder. Only Gregory showed little reaction—just a slight narrowing of his eyes.

"I had no idea you knew Penny quite that well."

"He's being obnoxious," Penny said heatedly. ''Out families used to go camping together when we were children. Brad always used to accuse me of snoring, just to make me angry."

"And it usually worked," he replied with a grin.

She struggled with her anger now, unwilling to let him know that he had succeeded in riling her once again. She tried to laugh, but wasn't sure that anyone was fooled. "But not now. Your childish tricks no longer have any effect on me."

Brad leaned back in his chair. "That's good to know, Runt. That uncontrollable temper of yours used to get you into lots of trouble."

"Temper?" Gregory repeated, lifting a brow. "You must have Penny confused with someone else. A more even-tempered person I've yet to meet."

Brad began to laugh. "Oh, dear. Are you ever in for a surprise. Counselor." He leaned forward and rested his arms on the table in front of him. "How long have you and Penny known each other?"

"About a year, wouldn't you say?" Gregory answered, turning to Penny.

"Something like that," she muttered.

"And she's never lost her temper?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"How very interesting," Brad mused.

"Only to you. Brad, dear," Penny said sarcastically. Then she stood and said with a smile, "I'll clear for you, Mother. Who would like some cherry-chocolate cake?'' She refused to look at Brad.

No one could pass up such a temptation, so Penny carried the dishes into the kitchen and began to slice the cake and place it on plates. She glanced up when she heard the swinging door open, then frowned.