Now and Forever 4, The Renovated Heart (27 page)

“You did?”

“They saved a spot for you in the
kitchen—”

She tossed a pillow at Tunney. He didn’t
duck in time. He grabbed her wrists, pulling her back underneath
him.

“You’re so sexy when you throw things,” he
teased, subduing her.

“Am I?” Her hips pressed against him.

“Honey, do that again…we’ll never get to
sleep.”

Kit reached over to switch off the lamp.

Two days later on Bay Street

Tunney had to work the next day, so he
returned to his house for the night. Kit fell into bed exhausted
but satisfied after another long lovemaking session. She survived
her first Christmas without Zoe. Instead of celebrating with her
daughter, she savored her first Christmas with Tunney in her new
home. She met many of his friends at the Kiwanis Christmas party.
Small town life had a grip on her. Checking her email before
turning out the light she found a message from Sarah.

Kit –

How are you lovebirds? Gotten out of bed
yet? Being laid up gives me a ton of time to write. Lol. When are
you going to get into your new car and come over?

When I’m not writing, I’m baking. Learned to
make scones. Come.

Hugs,

Sarah

Kit hit the reply arrow.

Sarah –

Glad to hear you’re doing a lot of writing.
I got back to it today while Tunney did some repairs. He does keep
me busy in the bedroom. Lol. But I’m sure Jim does the same for
you! Lol. Scones sound great. Will be over this week in my new
wheels. Get better fast so I can take you for a spin.

Hugs,

Kit

Kit turned off her computer, switched off
the lamp, pulled the comforter up around her shoulders and drifted
off to sleep.

The insistent jingling of the phone drew her
back from an emotional dream. Slowly she returned to Earth, via the
ringing of the phone, at first thinking the alarm clock went off
but after hitting it three times without silencing the ringing, she
reached for the phone.

“Hello?” Cradling the phone, still
half-asleep.

After a few minutes on the phone, she bolted
upright, wide awake. She jumped out of bed into the shower, then
threw a few essentials into a suitcase and flew downstairs,
grabbing the plane ticket from Johnny still on the coffee table.
She plucked her passport from the desk in the parlor before running
out the front door, and jumping into the limousine waiting in her
driveway.

She looked at her phone.
Crap! One bar
left.
She searched her purse for the cord.
Dammit, it’s in
my bag in the trunk.
She typed in a quick text.

Off on an emergency. Back in a few
days,
added Tunney’s cell number then hit send. The driver
turned up the heat but a chill in the air caused her to draw her
knees up to her chest for warmth as her gaze pierced the frigid
night, still dark with cold stars glittering in the sky. The car
picked up speed when it pulled onto the highway headed for New York
City.

* * * *

In the modern house in Willow Falls

Tunney got up at seven a.m. He swung his
feet over the side of his bed. Stretching his arms above his head
then giving a good yawn a smile crept over his face.
A great
Christmas.
He padded downstairs to turn on the coffee maker. He
watched a squirrel search for food on his back lawn while he sipped
his first cup. Peace and happiness flowed through his veins. He was
in love, seriously in love, wildly in love with the right woman.
Now he’d do something about it. He couldn’t stop smiling. Then he
picked up his cell phone to read Kit’s text. He dialed her number
but his call went straight to voicemail.

* * * *

In the airport, Kit sailed through security
then settled into a chair. She quickly fell asleep only to awaken
to the call over the loudspeaker for her flight. Making a mad dash
for the ladies room, she washed her face, then pulled out her cell
phone.
Time for one call to Tunney.
Soap residue made her
hands slippery. When she tried to grasp the phone, it leaped out of
her hand, into the sink, under running water. Kit heard another
call for her flight, scooped up her phone, drying it off on her
jacket and bolted out the door.

On the plane, when the crew gave the green
light for cell phone use, Kit pressed the “on” button. But nothing
happened. She pressed it again with the same result, then asked the
man in the seat next to her to try. No luck. After muttering a
curse, she accepted the fact her phone had died. Knowing there was
nothing to do; she sat back and closed her eyes.
Nothing like
water to kill a cell phone.

After a nap, she noticed the phone on the
plane. A smile swept over her face.
Probably cost me fifty bucks
to call Tunney but so what.
She lifted her hand to dial and
stopped.
His number. What’s his number? Shit. It’s in my
phone!
She slammed the receiver down, pressed the button for
the stewardess, and ordered a drink.

* * * *

Tunney called her cell phone everyday but
never got through. Some days he was so frustrated he called five or
six times. A few days became a week, a week morphed into two.

“No messages, Anne Marie?” He tried to look
casual, dropping the question into conversation as he stood near
her desk, perusing the mail.

“Nope. Not from Kit, anyway.” The
receptionist continued to file a broken nail.

“If she calls, put her right through. Find
me, okay?” He tossed half a dozen unopened envelopes in the
trash.

“Don’t count on her calling.” Anne Marie
cracked her gum.

“Why do you say that? She said she’d be gone
for only a couple of days.”

“Well, it’s two weeks already, isn’t it? She
lied. Maybe she’s back and doesn’t want to talk to you.” A nasty
gleam settled in her eyes as a vicious smile curled her lips.

“Doubt that.” But at her suggestion, his
confidence deserted him.

Tunney trumped up an excuse, grabbed his
briefcase and got in his car. He drove to Kit’s house. Her new car
sat in the driveway, but no one answered the bell. He still had his
key. He let himself in and called her name. No answer. He checked
every room, even the third floor. No one home.

He went directly to the coffee table. The
airplane ticket was gone. He went into the parlor to check the
secret compartment in the desk where she kept important papers. Her
passport wasn’t there.

Tunney felt like someone had punched him in
the stomach, hard. He sank into the wing chair, staring out the
window. Kit was gone. Gone to Europe. He had no idea when she’d
return.
Maybe Johnny came up with an offer she decided to take.
She told me she turned him down…yeah but she told me she was
married, too. Maybe she did go to be with Johnny just to write her
book.
He slumped down on the sofa and put his head in his
hands. He couldn’t believe she left him. Tunney couldn’t catch his
breath.

Why couldn’t he believe she lied again? He
thought Kit loved him. Her words said so but…
Maybe she lied
about that, too. I can’t believe this is happening again.

After another four days with no word from
her, Tunney gave up. He had to accept she wasn’t coming back. He
packed a suitcase and flew to Seattle.

* * * *

Christmas Eve in the house on James
Street

By Christmas Eve, Sarah got around the house
by herself. With the help of her family and friends, she purchased
all the right presents. The kids were in bed. Jim thumbed through
the Christmas cards when he spied a fancy card with an embossed
signature “Congressman Michael Flanagan” on the bottom. He flipped
it over to read a personal message on the back.

“
I’ll be back on Dec. 26. Looking forward
to seeing you then. I hope you’ve decided to join my team…resume
where we left off. Love, Mike”

* * * *

Christmas morning was chaotic. The kids got
together with Jim to buy voice-activated software for Sarah so she
could continue to write. Short on funds, she managed to scrape
together enough money to buy him a leather-bound version of
Dodsworth
, his favorite work of American literature.

Jim had a special present for her he saved
until everyone had settled down. While Scottie played his new video
game and Laura texted her friends with her new phone, Jim took
Sarah aside in the living room. He put two cups of coffee on the
coffee table.

“I hope you won’t be mad…” he started,
sitting down next to Sarah on the sofa.

Sarah bristled.

“I know I should have asked first, I wanted
to save you the pain if it got rejected…”

“What are you talking about?” She sipped her
coffee.

“Your manuscript…the book you made for
Scottie,
Old House, New House
.”

“What about it?”

“I sent it in to our publisher…Acton
Press…the one publishing our writer-in-residence book. Since I’m in
charge of WIR, I’m on good terms with the editors there.”

“You sent in my book?” Her eyes widened.

“Remember the copy you gave me? It’s a great
book, Sarah. I gave it to Rita Goldman, our editor…who loved it.
Here is the best Christmas present ever, honey, a contract from
Acton Press to publish
Old House, New House
congratulations,” he said, handing her a big manila envelope.

Her mouth hung open. She stared at him.

“You gave it to them without asking me?”

“Well, I…I know I should have asked. But I
thought you might say no.”

“I would have.”

“Such a terrific book, so original I
thought…” he stammered.

She threw her arms around him, kissing him
soundly.

“Thank you. Thank you, Jim. Thank you.” She
resumed kissing him.

He smiled shyly, pleased with himself. She
tore open the envelope and read the details. He peeked over her
shoulder. They talked about the terms of the contract then shared a
glass of wine. Sarah stretched out on the sofa and fell asleep. Jim
covered her with a blanket. He looked again at Mike Flanagan’s
Christmas card before he returned home.

Back in his own kitchen, Jim poured himself
a glass of scotch. He sat watching the squirrels searching for food
outside the kitchen window. Tomorrow he’d probably lose Sarah.
She’ll take the great job working for Mike in Michigan, resume
sleeping with the man she had loved for years, leaving Jim in the
dust.
What irony! On Christmas Day I have everything,
tomorrow…nothing.
As soon as Mike came on the scene, Jim should
have left. He should have known she’d leave him for Mike.
History repeats itself. This time is worse. Much worse.

* * * *

At midnight, Sarah woke up, turned off
lights in the kids’ rooms, covered them up then went looking for
Jim. An amazing day, capped by the publishing contract, but not
quite the best Christmas present, not the one she wanted.

She looked again under the tree, but didn’t
see a small box there waiting for her, promising her his love
forever. She sighed, blinked back tears, swallowing her
disappointment.

Refreshed by her nap, desire crept back into
her body. Sarah slipped the filmy white negligee she’d been saving
over her head.
Ready for love.
But Jim was nowhere to be
found.
He must’ve gone home.
She picked up her cell phone.
The phone rang several times before he answered.

“Jim, where are you?”

“Home.”

“Why aren’t you here, with me? I have a
special present for you.”

“Leave it under the tree, I’ll get it
tomorrow.”

“I can’t,” she said, laughing, “you’ll have
to come over.”

“Okay. Okay. I’ll be there in a minute,” he
said, sounding tired.

She turned down the lights then lit candles
when the key moved the tumblers in the front door lock. Jim was
surprised. He stared at her in her beautiful gown.

“I’m taking the reins…”

“What?”

She walked up to him and started to unbutton
his flannel shirt.

“Remember you said I could take the
reins…make the decision when to resume our love life? I’ve taken
the reins, tonight’s the night…if you’re in the mood,” Sarah said,
sliding her hands under his shirt.

Jim pulled her to him to kiss her with
passion, opening her lips to his tongue. She softened against him.
He barely contained his hunger as he slid his hands up and down her
back pulling her closer to him.

He picked her up and carried her into the
bedroom, laying her down gently on the bed.

“Are you going to tell Mike you’re going to
Michigan with him when he comes tomorrow?”

“Mike isn’t coming tomorrow.”

“But his card says he is…he wants to resume
sleeping with you…”

“He wants to. But I don’t. I already called
Mike.”

“When?”

“A few days ago.”

“What did you tell him?”

“I told him thanks but no thanks.”

“You’re
not
going to Michigan?”

“No.”

“You’re not going to sleep with him?”

She shook her head

“Oh, Sarah!” he said, tears clouding his
eyes as he buried his face in her neck.

“You thought I’d leave you?”

“I did.”

“Why? I love you.”

He closed the door then quickly discarded
his clothes

He removed her gown.

“We’ll have to be careful…your wrist…your
knee. Take our time”

“I trust you.”

He looked into her eyes and knew she spoke
the truth. While she moved pillows around propping herself up, he
reached down into his pants pocket. They both sat up at the same
time.