Lethal Affair (13 page)

A few heads turned on the street.
“Let's take this conversation home, shall we?” suggested Kylie. She
linked arms with her mother. “C'mon Mom, we'll have girl talk over
afternoon tea. See you there, Jolene.”

Rita snorted. “Is tea all you've
got?”

“
You and Jolene can have
wine. I'm drinking for two now, remember?”

They rallied at the apartment where
Jolene, arriving first, had already poured two glasses of
Chardonnay and put out a platter of cheese and crackers. A pot of
Chai tea steamed, a jar of honey by its side.

Rita put her feet up on a hassock and
lay back, wine in hand. She sighed appreciatively.

“
Spill,” she directed
Jolene. “Give us all the dirty details. Kylie, don't give me that
look. We're all females here. Age knows no boundaries when it comes
to hot sex.”

“
Mom! Please, before we go
any further, I don't want any details about you and
Dad.”

Rita sipped her wine and savored its
tart crispness. “I know where to draw the lines.
Jolene...?”

Unabashedly, she obliged. “Lyle took
over my training session today. Let me tell you, he taught me a few
things! On the cot in the back room, twice, and then again in the
shower.”

“
You have a shower in the
back room?” asked Kylie.

“
Well of course they do,”
supplied Rita. “We have one in our back room at the Hardware store
too.” She winked at Jolene, her rich laughter raucous, filling the
room.

“
Mom! What did I just
say?”

“
Oh stop. We didn't grow you
in a cabbage patch. Isn't that right, Jolene?”

“
Right on,” piped in Jolene.
“For God's sake, Kylie, you're pregnant and your guy wants to marry
you. Why so glum?”

“
I'm not glum.”

“
Yes you are. You've been
moping around all week. What's going on?”

The weight of her dilemma suddenly
felt overwhelming. Maybe this was what Dr. Barrymore should have
prescribed, thought Kylie, a heart-to-heart with the two most
important women in her life.

“
Drew had me over for dinner
last Sunday night. It didn't go well. I don't think marriage is in
the cards for us.”

Rita sat forward, alarmed. “Oh honey,
he hasn't hurt you, has he?”

“
His temper flared at
anything I said that conflicted with his own viewpoint. Throughout
the evening he reined it in over and over, and at one point I
thought he might physically lash out at me, but then he controlled
it.”

She had their rapt attention, their
expressions brimming with concern. “Go on,” Rita encouraged
her.

“
That one night we spent
together, it was like I wasn't even there. He was in his own world,
his own head space. Wouldn't back off when I practically yelled at
him to stop.”

“
Oh my,” injected
Rita.

“
He has our whole future
mapped out without any of my own input. Wants me to quit my job and
cater to him like a good little wifey.”

Both women looked aghast.

“
I knew it from the start,”
said Jolene. “There's something off about Drew.”

Kylie frowned. “Am I being paranoid?
Is this hormonal?”

“
I think it's time we meet
this young man,” said Rita. “Your father is a good judge of
character. He'll know the right questions to ask. Ferret out his
personality traits, good and bad.”

Kylie poured her tea, stirred in
honey. “I should be over the moon right now but Drew just plain
freaks me out.”

Her cell phone belted out the first
bars of a popular song indicating a call coming in from Drew. She
held up the phone for the ladies to see. “Speak of the devil. I'm
going to take this.”

She went outside on the balcony
overlooking the street and punched the talk button. “Hi Drew.
What's up?”

“
You haven't forgotten about
dinner at my parent's house tonight, have you?”

She'd assumed it wouldn't happen since
he hadn't called her all week. “Um, is that still on?” she
hedged.

“
My mother is going to a lot
of trouble to impress you. You don't want to let her down, do
you?”

Guilt. Another Drew tactic.

He persisted. “I know things didn't go
that great last Sunday, but with this baby on the way I really want
you to meet my folks. Afterward we'll talk it out, make
plans.”

Whatever sincerity he was shooting for
was lost to the whine in his voice. She didn't think she could ever
get used to his quick change-ups but she was going to be diplomatic
and meet her future child's grandparents. Then she was going to
tell Drew what she did, and didn't feel for him.

“
Alright. I'll be ready when
you get here.”

“
Good. Wear that blue dress
with the lace collar.”

She bristled but said nothing and
ended the call.

Back inside she reported to the women.
“Looks like I'm meeting his parent's tonight. He wants me to wear
that navy blue dress.”

Rita's eyebrows rose. “He tells you
what to wear? I stopped doing that when you turned eight and
decided you were going to live out the rest of your life in a
tutu.”

“
Now there's an
idea.”

Jolene winked at her. “What time is he
coming? I'll dress you in appropriate attire.”

Kylie laughed. “You already did that
once and look what happened. Mom, I'll let Jolene fill you in on
that story. I have to get dressed.” She stuck her tongue out at the
phone still in her hand. “Appropriately.”

*

Kylie would be damned if she was going
to wear that matronly blue rag again, and besides, he'd given rise
to a small rebellion.

Stepping out of the shower
she examined her body in her full length mirror. She refused to
think of the inevitable bulge as the popular, trending
baby bump
. Smoothing her
hand over her belly, she thought about the tiny human developing in
her womb. Thus far very few maternal instincts had surfaced. This
was all such an unexpected mind bender. But now she felt an inkling
of wonder at the entire process of giving life, of how her body
would change, would create. The impact a child would have on her
life, and vice versa. It felt, and this surprised her,
amazing.

She rifled through her closet and
settled on sleek black slacks over low suede pumps, topped off with
a simple white blouse. Keeping her makeup light, she wore the
sapphire studs her parents had given her last Christmas and coaxed
her hair into a sleek, refined up-do.

When Kylie stepped back into the
living room both Rita and Jolene stopped in mid conversation and
gave her a solid ten on her choice of appropriate wear.

“
If he's not happy with this
then he's a fool,” said Rita. “You're absolutely lovely. And I have
to go. Thank you both for a very relaxing afternoon. Kylie, bring
Drew with you to brunch!”

Jolene gave Rita an impulsive hug and
sent her off.

Kylie's mind was preoccupied. Damn it
all, if she wasn't nervous. Again. Ridiculous. But she sensed a
battle was about to be waged.

Promptly at six Drew called up to the
apartment and asked her to come down as he was double parked. He
got out to open the door for her and stopped in his tracks.
“Where's the blue dress?” he snapped.

No hello, how are you. No ten points
for dressing not only appropriately but well. For someone who was
supposed to be winning her over, he was systematically blowing it.
She'd reasoned with herself that meeting Drew's parents was
something she should do for the sake of the baby, to give them the
opportunity to be part of the child's upbringing. It would be their
grandchild after all, regardless if she and Drew were
together.

In even tones she answered, “This is
what I'm wearing. Take it or leave it.”

He nodded and opened her door.
Wondering if she should turn back now while the turning was good,
she slid into the seat of his car.

In the driver's seat, Drew sent her a
side-long glance. “You do look good. I'm just not used to having my
suggestions ignored.”

“
Your suggestions sound like
orders.”

Concentrating on traffic, he merely
grimaced.

“
Why don't you tell me
what's going down at this dinner tonight?”

“
What do you
mean?”

“
Will there be mention of
the baby?”

Drew hit the horn when the driver in
front slowed suddenly for a turn. “Fucker! Did you see that? No
signal. Could've hit him!”

“
I thought you didn't like
foul language.”

He eased the car past but not before
glaring at the other driver. “It's expected of men, but women
should hold their tongues.”

Ah. A double standard. She let it lie,
waiting for his answer to her question.

“
Here's the thing, Kylie.
I've already told my mother I want to marry you but not about the
baby. Let's just keep that little tidbit under wraps for now,
okay?”

“
I thought this little
tidbit was what meeting your parents was all about. You're making
assumptions without much thought as to what I think or
want.”

“
Which is?”

“
I want to find the right
man to spend the rest of my life with.”

He took her hand. “I'm him. I'm the
right man.”

“
I'm not convinced. I'm just
now beginning to see sides of you I hadn't known about.”

Drew yanked back his hand. “Don't
spoil this Kylie.”

They were arriving into the Uplands
where the homes were stately and magnificent. Worth millions. If
Drew wasn't enough to intimidate her on his own, this certainly
filled in any gaps.

Pulling into a circle drive that led
to the front doors of a massive, contemporary home surrounded by
fussily manicured gardens, Kylie took a deep breath and prepared to
be dazzled.

She wasn't disappointed. The ornate
front door was opened by a uniformed Philippine woman who informed
Drew that his parents were in the receiving room. Kylie glimpsed a
sweeping redwood banister and a modern copper and glass chandelier
as Drew led her quickly into the interior.

The receiving room was as big as
Kylie's entire apartment. She wanted to gape but quickly
neutralized her expression as she took in rich Persian rugs over
dark hardwood floors, gilt-framed paintings in muted colors, a
crackling fireplace with an expansive, carved mantle. The
furnishings could only be described as eclectic elegance; deep
upholstered chairs, a rose colored settee, a curving chaise lounge,
all flanked by softly gleaming wood tables. Every inch tastefully,
artfully put together by someone with a deep pocket.

It was likely that someone was walking
toward her now, hand extended, warm smile in place. Kylie took
inventory of well coiffed ash blonde hair, porcelain skin and
rheumy brown eyes. Although somewhat petite, she had
presence.

Drew stepped in. “Kylie, this is my
mother, Olivia.”

Olivia's handshake was firm and
friendly. “Welcome to our home, Kylie. Please call me Olivia.” She
beckoned to her husband. “This is Stanley.” Kylie felt a distinct
drop in temperature as he approached. His shake was measurably
harder, bordering on painful. He said nothing, simply swept her
persona with an assessing once over, then stepped back to the
fireplace where he'd left his drink on the mantle.

“
You have a lovely home,
Olivia,” she offered.

Drew made his way to a side bar and
poured himself something strong. He didn't ask what she wanted,
simply poured her a glass of white wine. When he handed it to her
she raised her eyebrows and he whispered in her ear, “One isn't
going to hurt.”

Seeing Olivia looking at her, she
swallowed the retort on her lips and accepted the glass, sitting on
a long couch facing the fire. She took the tiniest sip and then put
it down on a side table.

Stanley Hammond perched on the edge of
an adjacent chair, drink in hand. By comparison to his small wife
he was a giant with close-cropped silver hair and wire-framed
glasses over ice blue eyes, which he now fixed on Kylie.

His smile didn't make it to his eyes.
“Drew tells us you work out at Valley Farms running their
greenhouse operation. It's a big spread, but how do they survive
the winter months once they close down The Big Red
Barn?”

She figured he already knew the answer
and this was some kind of test. “The Barn is open to the public
from May to September, but our greenhouses produce all year 'round
and we sell to retailers all over the island and the mainland.
We're now producing organic crops, some grown hydroponically. Last
year we put up solar panels to be entirely energy
efficient.”

“
Interesting,” commented
Stanley, taking a swig off his glass. “You're a supervisor? Does
that pay well?”

Olivia sent him a withering look.
“Stanley... “