Waking Up To Love (Lakeside Porches Book 4) (28 page)

Lyssa sucked air between each sob until Manda reached the third-floor landing and steered her back inside.

For the second time, Lyssa sat across the table from Joel at the Bagel Bin at seven-thirty in the morning, following a meeting of the Early Risers.

“I’m glad I missed the fireworks last evening. Manda told me about it.”

“I’m sorry. In fact, ‘sorry’ seems to be what always come out of my mouth when I see you, Joel.” Her hands shook too much to lift the coffee or the bagel to her mouth.

Joel pressed her hands with his. “Let’s see if you and I can get ourselves out of our sorry rut. I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m alarmed at your anxiety level, and I want to help.”

“Thank you. How do we change this?”

“First, take four deep breaths, with your eyes closed, and then eat half your bagel.” He slid his hands away. “You do that while I do a little business by iPhone.”

She did as he said. She was still shaky enough that she finished with dabs of peanut butter on her cheeks and chin.

“There’s some on your nose, too.” Grinning, Joel handed her a pile of napkins. “Do you feel any better?”

“Honestly? I’ve never felt so much like quitting in my life.”

“Was that ‘quitting’ or ‘drinking’ that I heard?”

“A drink wouldn’t help in the least. Quitting sounds good, though. Quitting the job and my relationship with Kyle.”

“Well, that’s two more than necessary.”

“How do you figure?”

“What you need to quit is this insane spy business that Justin cooked up and the house-hunting fabrication that we layered on top of it. Would you agree?”

“Yes, you’re correct.”

“There’s one more resource you haven’t tapped, someone who might persuade Justin to see reason.”

“Who? You and Kyle and Gianessa have all failed to persuade him.”

“That’s right. But you told me one more person can stand up to Justin.”

Lyssa looked blankly at him.

“We sat right here after your ill-fated sailplane ride with Rand, and we talked about Kyle needing backup when he went up against Justin. You said one more person could influence Justin.”

“Miriam Sekora, the provost. Brilliant.” Lyssa’s head rose and her backbone straightened. “But I can’t go to her like this. I’m an emotional wreck.”

“Turn it around. What do you have to do to prepare for your meeting with her?”

“Well, to start, schedule a meeting.”

Joel pointed to her phone on the tabletop. “Make it for this morning, if she’s available.”

Lyssa left word on the administrative assistant’s voicemail that she needed to talk with the provost on an urgent matter, this morning, if at all possible.

“Good. Step one accomplished. What’s next?

“While I’ve got you for a sounding board, I need to line up my agenda and my key questions and statements. I want to keep it simple and professional.”

“We’ll do that together, right now. And then?”

“Dress appropriately and rehearse all the way to the meeting.” She nodded at the simplicity of the plan. “And let go of the outcome.”

“And then she said she’d take it up with Justin, and I should consider it done,” Lyssa told Joel and Manda at dinner that evening. “I’m to focus on being a valued colleague and effective teacher.” She took a nervous gulp of coffee. “Great brew, Manda.”

Joel tapped a staccato with the fingertips of his left hand. “So you think it’s a done deal?” he asked.

Manda held her breath.

“I need it to be done, so I am going to act as if it’s done.”

“Good choice.”

Manda asked, “Does that mean you’re not going to the concert with Rand and company?”

“I’m not sure, and I want to talk about that. I accepted the invitation from Bethany, and I want to go. It is not a date with Rand, although he and Kyle seem to think it is. I’ve told them both it’s not a date. What do you two think?”

Joel smiled at her. “I’m glad you asked. Personally, I think you should go. Reinforce the message that it’s not a date by wearing something unsexy. Sit in the back seat with Bethany on the drive up and back. Sit next to her at the concert. No goodnight hugs or kisses with anyone. Make your whole demeanor say it’s a friendly evening with colleagues.”

“I can do that.”

“Kyle’s going to be pissed if you go,” Manda said.

“Kyle’s already pissed. But as Miriam said, I need to act like a responsible faculty member for the balance of the year.” She ticked off the requirements on her fingers. “See to every student’s learning needs. Stay healthy and good-humored as the tension mounts, leading up to finals. Prepare for next semester, which is a big job. And, as I’ve said, be a good colleague. Following through with the concert is being a good colleague.”

Joel raised his coffee cup to her.

Her face relaxed in a smile. “Thanks, Joel.” She looked at her sister, who sat back with a worried frown. “Manda, I can tell you’re upset. Talk to me.”

“I’m mostly distracted, thinking about the fact that we’re moving into our house in a couple of weeks. But I think you’re making the right choice to go to the concert. I just hate that Kyle’s acting stupid.”

When Lyssa emerged from the back seat of Brad’s P.T. Cruiser, her gaze moved uneasily over the parking lot and the modern building with the curved, white roof that loomed above them.

“Everything okay?” Rand asked her.

“This is not the Eastman Theater, guys. Did I misunderstand where we’re going?”

“Ohmigod, I forgot to tell you.” Bethany’s laugh bubbled. “Brad decided, since none of us are classical fans, we’d see a dance performance instead. Garth Fagan.”

Brad added, “His dance troupe is fantastic. He did the choreography for
The Lion King
, the movie and the Broadway production.”

Lyssa’s frown disappeared.

They entered the venue and climbed a grand staircase. Lyssa lifted her gaze to the three-dimensional art display filling the wall to their left, abstract clock faces with brightly colored hands that made a sculptural, conversation piece for theatergoers.

“What do you all think?” Lyssa asked them, with a bright smile. “Are they telling us time flies?”

“I think it says embrace the moment.” Rand winked at her.

“I want the one with the blue hands for my living room,” Bethany said.

“Since every clock has a different time, I think it means the performing arts are universal. Dance, music, and theater span the globe,” Brad said.

“That’s eloquent, Brad.” Lyssa tipped her head to him.

“I’m sure you ladies want to freshen up or whatever. I’m going to grab a cigarette.”

“And I need to make a phone call.” Rand followed Brad out to the courtyard, as planned.

From a private spot surrounded by evergreens, they lit joints and Rand made a call to Pris. “We’re at the theater, and I just have a few minutes before the event starts. She’s cool with the change of plans.”

“Do you want me to go ahead and get four tickets to
The Lion King
on Broadway?”

“Yes, and arrange the plane for us. I’ll probably come ahead on the train to spend time with you and take care of business. And Brad and Bethany may stay another day and take the train back, but plan for four of us anyway. Hotel, two rooms. Dinner before the show, if you can swing it.”

“Absolutely. The parental unit is making a sweep of our clients in the South and West for a couple of weeks. I’ll have no problem arranging it.”

“You’re the best.”

“Anything for my favorite brother, even if I’d rather you broke it off with Lyssa.”

“Don’t start on me.”

“I hear you. I’ll let you know the dates I come up with. Love you.”

“Love you back, Pris. See you soon.”

After they took their seats, boy-girl-girl-boy at Lyssa’s insistence, Lyssa read the program notes out loud to Rand, annotating with questions about his interest in dance. It turned out neither of them had any ability as a dancer and little experience with dance performances.

“My family was more into skiing at Park City or kayaking on the Maine Coast,” Rand told her. “How about yours?”

“There wasn’t money for expensive trips or sports or concerts. We had a nice record collection of classical, and music filled the house when I was growing up. It’s nice to learn about other performing arts.”

“You and Kyle probably saw a lot of performances in London, right?” He watched her closely, saw the moment when she caught herself and censured her response.

“Pennington? No. It’s been interesting house hunting as his consultant. It’s giving me lots of insight into my own house buying a year from now. Do you own your loft, Rand, or do you rent?”

Good try
. “The units in my building are rentals. Are you thinking you’d like a loft or a house or something else?”

“I’ve changed my mind sixteen times.” She laughed just as the lights dimmed and the audience quieted.

A chorus of shushes set her back in her seat, like a turtle seeking safety in its shell. He stretched his arm along the back of her chair and rubbed her shoulder. “I think you’ll enjoy this performance,” he whispered. Not that he knew anything about it himself.

As it turned out, Lyssa and Bethany were both captivated by the dancers. On the way to the car, they exclaimed about the strength, grace, and discipline required by the performers to move their bodies.

Brad stood by the car for a moment with the remote in his hand. “Hey, does anyone know if
The Lion King
is currently on Broadway? If we all liked tonight’s performance so much, we should see it. What do you think?”

Rand winked at him.
You played it just right, buddy
.

Lyssa and Bethany nodded.

“I’ll make it happen,” Rand told them.

Lyssa’s smile was like the sunrise.

He kept his cool when she slipped out of the car as soon as they arrived at her apartment. With only a cheery wave for the three of them, she called, “Loved it all!” before she shut the door to 14 Lakeside Terrace.

He still considered it a victory. There were no lights in her apartment and no sign of Pennington’s car.

Shrugging deeper into his parka, Kyle stuffed his hands into the pockets. A cold wind off the lake canceled out the warming effect of the rising sun. Lyssa had her arms wrapped around herself. Her copper curls, held back from her forehead by a wide band, tossed about in the fickle wind.
She’d be warmer with her hood up
. He resisted drawing her close.

“I need to know what really happened last night.” His tone was harsh, even to his ears.

She squinted and cleared her throat. “Brad and Bethany and Rand came to my place at six-thirty. I sat in back with Bethany. We rode to the arts center, saw the show, and enjoyed it. They dropped me off at home not long after eleven o’clock. I said goodnight, went upstairs, and went to bed. That’s what happened last night.”

“You’re sure it wasn’t later?” It was precisely 11:23, which he knew because he’d been freezing his butt off, watching from the shadows of Overlook Park.

“I don’t know exactly, except I was in bed at eleven-twenty-eight and slept straight through until my alarm at seven. Why did you cancel the appointment with Andrea to look at houses this morning?”

“Because we need to talk.”

“About last night?”

“That and more.”

Her outrush of breath sounded more like agony than anger. “Kyle, talk to me. I get that you’re upset, but I don’t know what it’s about.”

“It’s about you and Rand.” He hated that he was shouting. “About you not being where you said you would be last night.”

“What?” She turned on him, eyes flashing with frustration and hurt. “Are
you
spying on
me
now?”

He met her look with a cold one of his own. “Where were you last night?”

Her face drained of color. “My god, you can’t be serious.” She studied his face, her breath making puffs of vapor between them. The silence stretched until she broke it. “When we got to the arts center, I could see it wasn’t the Eastman Theater, where I
thought
we were supposed to see a concert by the Rochester Philharmonic. That’s what I understood the plan was from what Bethany said when she invited me to go along. I’d looked up musical events in Rochester for last night, and the only one that fit what she’d said was the RPO concert. I think I told you—”

He snapped at her. “Yes, you did. Where were you, Lyssa?”

Lyssa made a noise in the back of her throat. Her chest heaved. As the silence stretched on, it became clear she would not continue without some concession on his part.

“I interrupted,” he said. He didn’t apologize.

She gave a curt nod, returned his cold stare, and answered only when she was ready. “When I questioned where we were, Bethany said Brad had changed the plans to a dance performance at a college in Pittsford, since no one was into classical. Evidently they didn’t know or care that I was a fan of classical music, although I’m pretty sure Rand knows I am. So we saw the Garth Fagan Dancers, and it was a spectacular show. In fact—” She closed her eyes and shook her head.

“In fact, what?”

“Nothing relevant. Your turn.”

“I reserve the right to come back to that.”
Now I’m being a complete ass
.

“That’s your prerogative.”

They glared at each other.

Kyle’s jaw clenched.