Satellite of Love (31 page)

Michael had tried.

And he’d failed so incredibly, spectacularly badly. On a scale only Michael could fail. Why did he have to do something marvelous at exactly the wrong time and make her feel so awful for being angry? Any woman in her right mind would have been thrilled to have her boyfriend go out and buy her a car. He’d done the most thoughtful thing imaginable. He was taking care of her.

If she just walked away. Saved everyone the trouble of fighting it out. She could get another job in California or not if she wanted. He wouldn’t even notice supporting her. A lot of hard feelings in the community would be averted. This mess was going to linger in the air like the stink of burning rubber. She could stem that now by simply giving in, taking his gift and packing her things. Theresa could coach her on what to say to soothe feelings on all sides. He would be thrilled to have her waiting for him at home when the tour ended. Kim would be pleased to have someone to go to farmer’s markets with. Connie could fulfill that promise to take her to the set. Tessa would be glad to know Michael was marrying rock star wife type two so she could cross him off her to do list. Everyone would be happy.

She might even be happy once the dust settled.

The back door opened, he came inside and put his hands on her shoulders. “Baby, I’m sorry. You’re right. I didn’t think it through. I should have bought you the kind of car you needed instead of the kind of car I wanted you to have.”

She turned and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m sorry I didn’t appreciate it.” In his arms, she was secure and safe. His hard chest supported her against all the slings and arrows life wanted to throw. “And I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“So was it a rough meeting?”

“The board is still stonewalling. The lawyer says all she can do if they don’t renew my contract is file a defamation of character suit. Ginnie Labbe told me the kids’ parents don’t want to think of a teacher having a personal life at all, let alone such a public one.”

“A public one?”

“With you.”

He swallowed, but didn’t say anything.

She pressed her cheek against his chest. Why were they making her choose? Her whole life she’d been waiting for someone to love and when he came along he was wholly inappropriate for the life she loved. Why couldn’t she have fallen for some nice accountant who came home at night and didn’t mind a little gardening on the weekends if it didn’t interfere with football?

He guided her face to his and kissed her. It felt like goodbye so she sank her fingers into his shoulders to hang onto him. He responded by kissing her hard, taking possession of her mouth as his arms tightened around her. Welcoming the deep exploration and the tight hold, she melted into him. This man cared about her. He cared about her more than anyone in the world ever had. He wanted to do everything for her.

Why was that so frightening?

He lifted her up and carried her back to the bedroom. Laying her in the middle of the unmade bed, he stripped off her clothes before taking off his own. She couldn’t speak as he explored every inch of her, kissing and licking, tasting and touching. In turn, she touched him, admiring the velvet softness of his skin in the afternoon light. The well developed muscles sliding under that skin, trained for strength and yet capable of such tenderness. His dark eyes held her. Every odd wrinkle or bulge she’d always thought were imperfections, he studied like art. His every sigh was music.

She brushed her fingers down his arm and around his elbow, placing a kiss in the inside. Then she followed the blue veins along his forearm to his thick, powerful wrists. Drew his palm to her mouth, kissed it, traced the creases with her tongue. Which one was the life line? The heart line? Where did they cross?

His other hand trailed up the inside of her thigh sending out soft waves of pleasure as she took one of his fingers into her mouth. His incredible, talented fingers. On stage, she’d watched him spin drumsticks between his fingers before dropping them effortlessly into his palms to pound out a thunderous beat.

His lips brushed her nipples, pulling a gasp from her. A slight breeze blew hot air through the curtains, making them move and letting in a shaft of sunlight across the bed. Outside she could still hear the twitter of birds and children playing on the next street, but all of it was so far away. So insignificant.

Only he mattered. Nothing else. She needed to tell him and hear him assure her that only she mattered to him.

“Michael?”

“Shh.” He closed his mouth over hers again to keep her from speaking. The slow movement of his hands spoke more eloquently than words. Nothing else mattered. This moment in time, this small room, this touch.

She tangled her fingers through his hair. Sweat slicked their skin. She could taste it sliding into their mouths as they kissed. The sharp, salty flavor reminding her that this was real and not some wonderful dream.

He groped toward the table. Yanking open a drawer, he pulled out one condom. She wanted to tell him to skip it again, but this was another part of his taking care of her. He’d done it since the moment they met. Telling her she couldn’t drive the way her brakes were and then taking her out to dinner before driving her home. Fixing them for free. Admitting who he was instead of taking what he wanted and disappearing. Buying her a car because hers had an unfortunate tendency to not start.

She took the condom and tore open the package. Rolling it on, she eased him onto his back then straddled him. He hadn’t wanted her to speak before. No words could meet the moment anyway. Lowering herself onto him, he groaned. His strong hands closed around her hips, guiding her rhythm. She planted her hands on his chest for balance against the tide of sweet desire moving between them until it crested over her. Her breath caught in her throat as she heard his answering groan. They were linked. Eternally.

Slumped onto his chest, she tried to breathe. His heart hammered under her ear.

“Maureen? I can take back the car and switch it for something a little more you. A Saturn or a Taurus or something.” He stroked his finger through her hair. “And I’ll talk to Tony about storing the Satellite at his place. It probably doesn’t look good for you to have it in the street here. He can unload your car for you too. Sell it to somebody who doesn’t mind fucking with it.”

She nodded.

“When is your school board meeting?”

“Tuesday night. First Tuesday of the month.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

Maureen chewed her lip. Trying to think clearly right now was too hard. “I’ll talk to my lawyer and see what she thinks.”

“Good idea.” He tangled his fingers through her hair. “I want to help, baby. Tell me what to do. I’ll do whatever you ask.”

He would. If she told him to leave town, he would go until it all blew over.

But she didn’t want him to go. She wanted a hand to hold. All her life she’d managed everything on her own and now—

Now she needed him.

15

“I’m really not sure about this,” Theresa said.

Maureen clutched Michael’s hand in her lap and hoped he hadn’t heard. The school board meeting had been scheduled for a former classroom in the old school building the board used for offices, but the number of people arriving caused it to be moved to the auditorium. She’d been here a number of times for in service, but never felt like she’d swallowed two cups of lead before. The auditorium wasn’t air-conditioned and the fetid heat made the room feel like a scummy classroom aquarium forgotten over summer break. Someone had set up a long table and a couple of folding chairs on the stage. When the school board filed in, a hush fell over the crowd.

Michael sat beside her. He cleaned up very nicely. The neat blue button down shirt and khakis were a far cry from the coverall he’d been wearing or the shorts he usually performed in. Theresa had objected to his being here, saying he would draw unwanted attention. So far he hadn’t. Most of the attention had been focused on her, good and bad. Tony and Pam sat on Michael’s other side. Crowded around her like a personal security barrier, the parents of her former students and many of her colleagues sat in the rows in front of her and behind.

The list of boring housekeeping dragged on while the crowd grew restless. She closed her eyes when they got to the list of renewed teachers. She’d always thought this was a pointless waste of the board’s time. Listing off the names of all the teachers up for renewal and then voting yea or nay? They always renewed everyone so why not do it all at once? Michael put his arm around her shoulders.

“Andrew Dean.”

A chorus of “yeas.”

“Maureen Donnelly.”

For a beat, nothing. Then like the clang of funeral bells, “nay, nay, nay, nay, nay, nay.”

“Yea.”

She opened her eyes at the collective gasp.

Ginnie Labbe stood at her seat, gripping the table like it might fly away. “I would like to lodge...a formal protest...about this vote.” She sounded like she had hiccups or perhaps it was the fact that she couldn’t believe what she was doing. She had the wild-eyed look of someone possessed. “I have personally worked...with Miss Donnelly...and believe that the board is...in error. I would like to call for a second...second— Second vote.”

The other board members scowled at her, but the crowd had started yelling, both in support and opposition. Police officers stationed at the walls, straightened. Police. At a school board meeting. Because of her.

The board president pounded the gavel. “I will have order.” His voice had an edge of panic to it that she could have told him was defeating the purpose of his words. The best way to get order was to stay calm. “I will not have chaos at this meeting.”

“You started it!” someone shouted from the back of the room.

The president stood up. “This meeting is now going into closed session.”

The other board members followed him backstage. Maureen wondered what he was going to do when he found out the only way back into the school was through the auditorium. Not very good planning on his part. Behind them, the crowd got louder. They sounded more like the crowd at one of Touchstone’s concerts, only angrier.

“We need to get out of here.” Michael pulled her to her feet.

She swayed, staring at him. “Why?”

“The crowd is getting ugly and I don’t want you in it.” He turned her and propelled her by the shoulders over Theresa and out into the aisle. The outer aisle was already filling with people, but he shifted in front of her and cleared a path to the door towing her behind. Before she realized where they were, the metal doors were clanging behind them and he was pulling her down the sidewalk to the parking lot.

“Wait a minute,” she said, yanking her hand out of his. “We can’t just leave.”

“We have to. This looks dangerous.” His eyes scanned over her shoulder.

“There isn’t going to be a riot at a school board meeting.” She glanced back at the people already spilling out of the building. At the moment, they did look more like a mob than the audience of a school board meeting.

“Let’s just go.” Tony waved his hands like he was trying to herd them forward.

“Come on, Maureen.” Theresa grabbed her arm. “You shouldn’t be here right now. Let Michael take you home. I’ll meet you at your place.”

Pam and Tony hurried off in the direction of their car and Theresa went to hers. Maureen allowed Michael to take her to the sedate gold Saturn he’d bought for her.

“This isn’t happening,” she muttered.

“I’m sorry, baby. It’s happening.”

“I didn’t just lose my job.” She turned to the window. They were one of the first cars to leave. Four police cars and two vans were parked in the fire lane. Some people straggled to their cars, but a larger group congregated on the cement apron in front of the main doors. She could pick out half-remembered faces from parent teacher conferences past.

Michael reached for her hand as he turned onto the road. “We’ll go home and regroup. You knew this might happen. What’s next? The defamation suit?”

“I just lost my job.” Her throat closed. “This must make you really happy.”

“No, baby, it doesn’t.” He glanced at her. A second later he glanced at her again, frowning. Then he pulled off into a restaurant parking lot. “Why would you think this would make me happy?”

“You get what you want now.” Arms tensed, she fought the urge to pull away from him. She couldn’t do that now. Without him, she had no income. She’d lose her house and her car. She’d never get another job.