CHAPTER SIX

 

BELLA KEPT BUSY SATURDAY MORNING, but by early afternoon, she was nearly sick with anxiety over the fund-raiser. It would be bad to stand in front of a crowd, but with everything that had escalated this past week, she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. She didn't want to think about it and she really didn't want to go to this boring event.

Entering the bedroom, she sat on the edge of the waterbed, and then lay back on the warm surface. It had been a week ago this morning that she'd met Garrett Brooks. She felt cheap and wanton. She'd let a stranger kiss her, and then he'd disappeared from her life. If she hadn't talked to Ned last night, probing for any information on Garrett, she would have thought he'd been a figment of her imagination. But Ned gave her little information.

She ambled into the bathroom, taking the brush off the counter she began brushing her long hair until it shone, its auburn luster reflected the light. Well, by this time tomorrow, the dreaded gala would be pushed back into her mind as a memory. She just wished the Sheriff would find who was stealing at the care center and make this disgusting time of her life a memory, also.

What she needed was a long, hot shower to calm her nerves. She still hadn't decided what to wear when she stepped out of the shower wrapping a thick towel snugly around her body. The towel matched the colors in the bedroom that she'd redecorated last year, saving money each month to complete the project. The urge to live beyond her means was a constant struggle. She furnished the apartment from discarded items she found at yard sales and auctions.

When she bought something new, guilt filled her with regret. She was becoming exceedingly frugal. She had a simple black dress in the closet. Along with black stockings and the new heels, she would look fine. Her hair was a mess. It probably would take her all afternoon to make it look good. As she leaned over the bathtub with the hand held sprayer rushing water over her hair, an idea struck her. She grabbed a towel and rubbed the water from her hair. She dropped the towel; her damp hair flopped around her shoulders in long strands. She ran her fingers through the damp hair and bit her lips together to suppress a giggle that rose from her chest.

* * * *

From the stylist's chair, Bella stared at her reflection. She'd emerged from the bulk of hair that now lay on the floor surrounding the chair. She looked nothing at all like her old self. The red highlights had overtaken the somber brown tones in the collar length bob that turned under at her chin. A fringe of wispy bangs touched her brows. The style accentuated her high cheekbones and large almond-shaped eyes.

"You like?" The stylist asked as he smoothed his hand over the back of her hair to smooth a few hairs. Grant was her mother's hair stylist. When she'd called him a little over an hour ago, he'd been more than happy to have her come in immediately for the transformation. Video's blared from the television as she changed her appearance.

"It's great, but now I need some color in my face. I look so pale."

She seldom wore makeup, but she left the salon amid blushing cheeks, shiny, pouty lips and long, thick eyelashes. Under her arm, she carried a black bag filled with new cosmetics. After tucking her purchase in the trunk of her old car, she struck off down the street to buy earrings now that they would show with the shorter hair. Bella felt so free with the breeze playing through the bouncy hair. She couldn't remember when she'd felt the tickle of hair against her face or the heavenly smell of floral shampoo as the hair blew against her cheeks.

Grant had placed a round, natural bristle brush in her hand and explained the process of blow-drying. Hopefully, she'd be able to accomplish the same look in the morning. It was five o'clock when she drove into the garage. She'd planned to drive over to the country club at seven. She had two hours to get ready.

Rushing into the house, she stopped on the landing. Garrett's apartment sounded empty. She shrugged, slipped out her key and unlocked the door. Maybe it was for the best that she not see Garrett. At least she controlled her emotions when she was by herself. When she was with Garrett she felt like a tornado had swirled inside her, turning everything upside down.

As she sat on the edge of the bed gliding her panty hose over her freshly shaved legs, she heard the stereo pound out a beat from across the wall. Her heart rhythmically caught the cadence and the air in her lungs froze in place. Garrett was back.

Damn! She didn't want to leave for the gala. She'd rather whip up a plate of cookies and take them to Garrett. But that wasn't possible. No one would believe that she was ill or had other commitments. Trying to slow her galloping heart, she pulled the dress on over her head. The newly cut hair bounced right back in place with one swinging bounce.

Six o'clock, the blue digital numbers shone into the dark room. Bella couldn't stand waiting any longer. She didn't know what she was going to do at the country club for two hours, but she couldn't sit around here any longer. Garrett's stereo switched off fifteen minutes before, and now, the apartment settled into silence. All she could hear was the sound of the wind whistling through the trees outside in the night. Closing the door softly behind her, she entered the landing and sighed with disappointment.

A rubber mat covered the torn floor covering. She would have to thank Garrett the next time they met. If they met.

Bella opened the door and a frigid blast of air hit her. Pulling the coat collar over her ears, she looked down at the icy walkway.

"Want a ride?" Garrett yelled out the passenger side window of his vehicle. He leaned across the seat and tossed open the door for her.

Bella walked toward his vehicle. "I'm not sure. I thought you were an apparition. I haven't seen you for a week."

"Look. About the other night...well, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so...Aggressive, kissing you that way. I don't know why I was so brusque."

Oh, his beautiful, sensitive eyes. When he lifted his gaze to here, it lingered on hers filling her with uncertainty.

She was a sucker for sensitive eyes. "Okay, but you'll have to drive me up to the country club. The hospital gala is tonight."

"That's no problem. I bought a ticket for myself, I'm going to the gala as well."

He smiled at her. "You look beautiful. I'll bet you'll be the classiest woman there."

"It must be the mink coat."

"No, ma'am. It's you. I love your new hairstyle. You look so different--not as young and vulnerable."

Her gaze sharpened suddenly. "First, you tell me I look old, and now you keep me standing out her in the cold wind. What's a girl to do, Garrett?"' At that moment, a ferocious gust of wind nearly toppled her.

Garrett's eyebrows rose in surprise and he turned his head sharply to look at her. "You should have waited for me to help you down that slick sidewalk." An off-center grin pulled at the corners of his mouth. "Oh...I know! You wanted to make a grand entrance by sliding into my waiting arms?"

Bella laughed and entered the warm interior of the vehicle. She was glad to have accepted his invitation. His nearness weakened her resolution. Her life had become too mundane and settled. As of tonight, she hoped Garrett could change all of that.

Engaging the gears, he expertly entered the road, the back tires sliding slightly in the deep snow. "I've been sitting out here for thirty minutes waiting for your lights to go off. I was afraid to ask you out."

"Really?"

He glanced over at her and smiled. "I knew you would refuse my invitation, so I figured this tactic would work best. By the way, we're taking a slight detour."

A smile played at the corners of her mouth. "Where are we going?"

"Someone gave me the name of a restaurant--Mill Lodge. Is it any good?"

"Good?" She gaped at him. "That's an understatement." Time was the issue. Somehow, she had to hunt down the administrator. "Scott and I went there once and it...." Her excitement turned to a somber ending. Would she ever get over the feeling of being unfaithful to her husband?

"You don't have to stop talking about him, you know. He was part of your life."

Garrett's words reassured her. His interest in her made her feel wanted and feminine. If felt so good to feel the emotions a seductive male could induce. And she suspected her hibernating passions were powerful.

"I'll tell you about my wonderful life with Scott Mann one of these days, but right now, I don't want to think about it, okay?"

Garrett nodded his head slightly but his brows knitted together in question.

The wind blew the light snow across the road swirling it in the beam of the low headlights, obscuring his vision for a second. Mill Lodge was just outside Evergreen, but the drive took longer than usual because of the weather. It was six-thirty when they arrived at the restaurant. The popular nightspot featured charbroiled steak and a lavish salad bar.

Garrett clasped Bella's arm firmly as he helped her up the wooden walkway that led to the log structure. The covered rough wood deck was used for outdoor dining in the warmer months. However, tonight the air was crisp and a cold wind blew snow across their path.

"I hope you're hungry," Garrett remarked and pulled Bella close to his side. "It's been a long time since I ate breakfast."

She tried to remember when she'd eaten her last meal. She forgot to eat, and then she became so hungry that she devoured junk food just to fill the emptiness. Becky tried to get her into a healthy life-style of balanced meals and exercise, just as Bella tried to get her friend to stop smoking.

Entering the Lodge through the rustic wooden door, the smell of searing steak on the grill and the aroma of burning cedar from the fireplaces assaulted their senses. The hostess wore a western outfit, brown suede skirt and vest under which was a low-cut blouse that skimmed the top of her breasts and dipped low enough to show the area where her breasts curved back against her body. Promenading up toward the small counter, she gushed sweetly, "I'll have a table for you shortly." She slipped around the tabletop, never looking away from Garrett's eyes. "I'll seat you in the lounge until your table is ready."

Bella grinned with amusement while looking down at the floor. She felt uncomfortable with the woman's blatant sexuality. How could she act that way? Bella just felt embarrassed.

They followed the hostess down a short flight of steps; the woman's hips undulated in a provocative manner as she flirted with Garrett. Entering the lounge, it smelled of mellow whiskey and cigarette smoke.

Bella wasn't the jealous type, but something pulled at the pit of her stomach each time Garrett grinned at the overtly sexual woman. The combination of hunger pains and fluttery nervousness felt like a bowling team on league night had been set loose in her mid-section. Her apprehension was familiar...why had she agreed to give that blasted speech? It happened each time she spoke before more than five people. She glanced at her watch. Two hours until the speech, and after that, she could enjoy the rest of the evening.

"Do we have time for both drinks and dinner?" Bella whispered as the hostess seated them at a table in the corner near a roaring fire.

Garrett withdrew a chair from under the table and seated her. "We have plenty of time." His breath tickled her ear and he squeezed her shoulders in a reassuring manner.

She sighed trying to shake off the feeling of doubt that continued to linger as the hostess returned to the table with their drink orders and embarrassed Bella, making her flush from her chest to her cheeks as the tart brushed her breasts against Garrett's arm when she placed the drink in front of him spilling some of the drink. It looked intentional to Bella.

"Don't look so serious. The weather will make everyone run behind schedule." Garrett smiled slyly at her.

The hostess walked through the room with a drink order, delivered it, then sauntered over to flirt with Garrett again. "Your table will be ready shortly," she gushed, never taking her eyes from him.

"What's with that woman?" Garrett exclaimed after she turned to walk away.

"Don't you know? She...ah...fancies you." A laugh bubbled from her throat and she took a sip of the wine.

Garrett skimmed his finger over the edge of his glass. "Well, she makes me damned uncomfortable," he grumbled with disgust.

Bella tried not to giggle. He didn't recognize how handsome he was. The cold Wyoming wind had brought out the ruddy tones in his deeply tanned skin. The contradiction of his summer tan and the cold winter dryness mottled the skin that stretched across his prominent cheeks. She liked the way his jet-black hair was beginning to gray at the temples and the way it curled over the collar. The bend of each curl caught the firelight and gleamed crisply against the soft material. She could almost imagine what he looked like as a little boy.

"What?" Garrett asked lightly.

"I'm sorry," she spoke quietly. She shouldn't have been staring at him like that. "I was just wondering what you looked like when you were a child."

"Thanks a lot," he exclaimed, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "My intention was to seduce you, but--you're thinking of me when I was eight years old."

His remark went unnoticed as a loud crack from the cedar log in the fireplace grabbed her attention. The roaring fire sucked the heated air from the room, ignited it and tossed it up the flue where it mingled with the icy sky only to leak back between the cracks in the log structure and began the cycle again.

The hostess returned to take them to their table. As she stood, Garrett's words--his proposed seduction--sunk in and her mouth flew open. He put his hand on the small of her back and guided her from the lounge.

Garrett whispered in her ear. "Did my statement shock you?"

Bella couldn't form a coherent answer and stood looking expressionless as she stared at him. She did know one thing. His admission had started a fire in her core that dwarfed all the flames that were offered at the Mill Lodge.

* * * *

The drive to the country club took very little time. It was located higher up on Bear Mountain than the restaurant. Garrett skillfully piloted the Blazer. The road, camouflaged beneath a dense shroud of blowing snow, was slick. She began to worry about the return trip. If the wind continued, the snow would make the road a treacherous mess. Right now, the vehicle floated over the small drifts that were beginning to form, but later into the night, the drifts could grow and become impassable.

Garrett glanced at her. "Are you afraid?

She nodded silently.

"Don't worry. This is a four-wheel drive. If it gets too bad, I'll push this lever and we'll be climbing the drifts with no problems."

His words reassured her somewhat. But when they rounded a curve and the lights of the country club came into view, her self-confidence evaporated. She wasn't prone to anxiety attacks, but now would be a perfect time to have one. Why was she doing this to herself? Her stomach knotted painfully and her hands felt wet with fear. Everyone at the care center hated her. Heck, she'd be lucky to get off the stage tonight before they pelted her with rotten fruit and vegetables!

The heater fan blew hot air into the interior of the vehicle, but she felt cold and snuggled deeper into her fur. The coat felt nice. She hadn't expected to like it when Scott had given it to her. She hated to think about the little animals that had to die for such vanity, but Scott had explained that they were raised, much the same as cattle. She'd eaten a steak tonight without any qualms. What no one, including her husband, knew was, she sold the mink and had a copy made…she was wearing a fake. "I wish the next hour was behind me. I don't even have the speech finished. Mr. Van Horn was to bring me information and of course, he didn't. Guess I'll wing it."

Garrett wheeled the vehicle into the parking lot and groaned aloud. "I think I'll drop you off at the door and then find a parking place. No sense in you having to traipse through this mess."

"Okay, see you inside…where it's warm." She tightened her grip on her coat and quickly ran up the freshly plowed sidewalk. Music poured out the doors in an audible wave as she opened them, walking into the glass foyer. The Club was of a contemporary design unlike the numerous country bars in Evergreen. It overlooked the town that twinkled at its base far below.

Bella stood looking outside and saw Garrett racing through the parking lot at a dead run. His unbuttoned overcoat flapped open and trailed behind him in the bitter wind. His mouth formed a frozen smile when he entered the foyer. "The only place I could find was at the back of the lot. I thought I would freeze before I got in here!" He stamped his soft leather shoes on the tufted mat and opened the second door that led to the interior of the club.

"Are you ready to shed that fur yet?" he asked. The cold air clung to his overcoat; it smelled fresh and clean in the hot, smoke-filled room.

She slid the coat from her shoulders and handed it to him. "Okay. What do you think?" She spun in a circle that set her hair flying, showing the shape God gave her.

He raised his eyebrows. "Umm. You're an astonishing beauty. I love the new you."

"Do you?"

"Come on, quit begging for compliments." He grasped her hand guided her into the dimly lit room. "Hey! Your hands are wet. You weren't kidding about being nervous, were you?" He raised his black eyebrows in amazement. "I never would have thought, you, of all people to be the tense type."

She pulled her hand from his. "What's wrong with that? So, I'm high-strung. You're the only one that will know."

She took a deep breath to steady herself and gain the strength she needed. You're fine, she told herself. You're not a weak person. You can do this. "Y'know, I'd rather be giving Brandy a bath."

Garrett smiled at her. "Come on." His arm tightened around her waist and the gesture gave her needed reassurance.

"I want to find Becky."

The Arapaho County Hospital and conjoined Twin Pines Care Center held their yearly fund-raiser near the holidays. This year, the community showed concern about the finances of the care center and they weren't a bit happy. The new assisted living center had come in well over bid.

They entered the lounge. It was situated at one end of the great room where tables circled the dance floor. Bella saw Becky looking at her from across the room. She looked elegant in a soft gray dress that skimmed her knees with soft pleats.

The dark room was filled to capacity and hindered Bella and Garrett's progress crossing the floor. People were clustered in small groups around the room; the buzz of their conversations filled the cotillion. Occasionally, a group would stop and stare at Bella, look at each other, then resume their discussion. She caulked it up to her new haircut, not her problems within the organization. She didn't want to think about that tonight.

As they approached Becky, Bella became apprehensive and that uneasy feeling was verified when she saw Becky's eyes. Their penetrating blaze narrowed with distrust and was aimed directly at Garrett.

The woman grabbed onto Bella's arm and pulled her from Garrett's side. "Thank God! I didn't think you were gonna make it on time. I like your hair, by the way, now come on."

"Where?"

"To the stage. It's time for your big moment.

Bella's heart skipped a beat, then pounded against her ribs.

"I didn't see old Leo, but Adam did. Gave him hell, too. Mr. VanHorn wrote it all out so all you have to do is read it."

"Adam?" Her face contorted. "Oh, Becky, I can't do this!" Bella cried.

Becky pushed her from behind. "It's too late for that. Mr. Van Horn is waiting for ya by the steps to the stage. Tonight you'll have to muddle through."

Becky put her arm around Bella's waist and walked with her around the edge of the revolving dance floor. The only stationary part was the stage where the band usually set up.

"I don't know how much longer old Leo is going to be in an upright position. If it were me, I'd get that speech over with in a hurry." Becky's mood was serious, but she tried to make light of the situation. Her blue eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled. "Hey, I'm kinda glad you're scared. At least it's an emotion. I was beginning to worry about ya. It's not natural for someone so pretty to lock herself away and only think about work. Wow, your hair is great."

"Okay. Okay, already. Wish me luck."

Becky kissed her on the cheek and gave her a gentle push toward the stage. Bella looked over her shoulder at Garrett and he winked at her. "Don't worry. I'll be right by your side," he said.

Bella's heart gave an unfamiliar lurch as a wave of fear washed over her. This was it! The stage was only two steps high. Large windows behind her framed the star filled night sky and far below, the town twinkled its lights through the thin, cold air. It made a beautiful backdrop for the ballroom.

She located Mr. Van Horn standing to one side of the stage. She steered him toward the steps. "Come on, Leo. Let's get this over with." He leaned on Bella to steady himself.

They walked toward the microphone. Taking a deep breath, she began, "Welcome to the eighteenth annual Arapaho County Hospital and Twin Pines Care Center gala," she said, her voice growing stronger as she turned toward the group of people standing at the side of the platform. She caught sight of Garrett and he smiled at her causing her confidence to soar.

"The auxiliary and the board of trustees appreciate your efforts to maintain a loving environment for the elderly of our community and the support you've shown by utilizing our physicians and hospital." She flipped to the next card. Her hands were shaking. The podium concealed the notes and the evidence of her tension.

"As you know, Mr. Leo Van Horn is retiring as administrator of the combined facilities." A murmur of voices from the audience drowned Bella's voice and she paused, her nervousness at bay. "The hospital auxiliary and the board of directors would like to make a presentation." She stepped back from the microphone as the auxiliary president made his way to the podium and presented Mr. Van Horn with a gold, engraved plaque, shaking his hand.

This is going great, Bella thought, the worst was over. She relaxed and brought the last card forward. Home free! She was so happy this was ending.

She concluded the address. "It is my pleasure to welcome our interim administrator..." She stood their staring at the card. Shock numbed her mind and her knees felt weak.