CHAPTER NINE

 

TAKING BELLA BY SURPRISE, LILLIAN OPENED THE DOOR at her knock. Usually, the resident called for her to come in. Lillian Brooks was a very independent woman and this was the root of Bella's doubt if Lillian really needed the assisted living center. None of the visual signs of a self-care deficit were apparent such as: anorexia, bruising from falls or dental problems. Lillian Randall and Garrett Brooks confused her. She was very glad that Garrett had the confidence to tell her Lillian was helping him with this investigation. Could her placement actually be part of their act? The more she pondered the idea, the clearer it became. Lillian didn't even need to be here.

"Right on time," Lillian exclaimed. Her words tossed Bella back into reality. "I like that. Young folks these days don't worry about punctuality." Lillian stepped away from the door and allowed the younger woman access to the warmly decorated suite.

Bella walked into the room. The thin rays of the setting sun threw bright, spectral colors against the cream-colored living room walls giving the room a lavish atmosphere. Charming. Lillian's antique furniture added another layer of opulence to the surrounding and the various jewel-toned materials mixing with the rare furniture left a definite imprint in her mind; this was an affluent woman.

"Is there a problem, Lillian?" Bella asked. She didn't want to rush her, but she knew Garrett would arrive at her office shortly. The vision of the way he looked at her a few moments ago reverberated in the back of her mind like a clock, its booming tick-tock counting off the seconds until she would see him again. Bella didn't care if he was angry or not. To be close to him was enough.

"Sit down, dear. I must tell you some news that is truly upsetting."

Bella dropped in the winged-back chair and Lillian eased into a brocade rocking chair. "Oh. If you're unhappy here," she whispered, "can I do anything to make you more comfortable? I..."

"Bella! That's not why I wanted to see you. I'm afraid there are people employed at this place who want to cause you harm." Lillian's forehead puckered with wrinkles.

"That's not really a surprise." Bella's body felt numb. She crossed her arms in front of her and rubbed near her shoulders, trying to increase the circulation so she wouldn't feel so physically deadened. The only thing shocking was hearing Lillian say it aloud.

Lillian leaned forward in her chair and peered sternly at her…there was no doubt she was concerned, the lines around her eyes deepened and her jaw pulsated in the same manner her grandsons does so often. "You have become more than just an acquaintance to me. You are my friend. That's why I am trying to help you and I need you to take my words seriously."

"There have been a few--incidents." Bella's full bottom lip began to tremble and she bit down on it to gain control. She took a deep breath and continued. "I shouldn't be telling you this. It is a breach of confidentiality. They could fire me for this."

"Well, if this offensive duo I'm thinking of have their way, that is exactly what will happen to you. I suspect they want you out of here, one way or another."

"Oh, surely…"

"Listen to me, now. Watch yourself very carefully. They are up to something."

"Who are they?"

Lillian shook her head. "I can't tell. I've heard them whispering, and their tone does not sound honest. I do know that one is male and the other voice is female. I've tried to slip around the corners to find out, but I don't know this building well enough and I end up getting lost. When I find my way; they are gone."

"We need to tell Garrett about this."

Lillian shook her head and pursed her lips in defiance.

"No?" Bella closed her eyes and tried to analyze what Lillian had told her. "Why not, Lillian?" she asked quietly. "We need someone on our side and I can't think of anyone better than Garrett. Besides, I thought you were helping Garrett sort out this mess."

"When we moved here, I promised him I would stay out of trouble. I'm supposed to tell him things I observe. He doesn't want me meddling, opening up myself to harm. I can't go back on my word. I-I had to tell you. You are my friend and have been since the day I moved in here. I don't know how I would have adjusted if it wasn't for you. I want you to stay around here.

Bella leaned over and patted Lillian's knee. "I'm happy to know that, because you're special to me, too."

Lillian smiled at her. "If I hear anything else, I'll call from my telephone. Can I call directly to you or do I have to enter a facility code?"

Bella shook her head. "No. You have to punch in my office lines." She wrote the number in Lillian's address book and started to leave. This information frightened her, but she didn't want to show Lillian her fear. She feared for Lillian's safety as well. There had been no physical abuse at the home, but there was always a first time and she didn't want her friends hurt. They'd lost enough coming to the institution without losing their dignity, also.

As she reached for the doorknob, the older woman touched her shoulder. "You are falling in love with my grandson, aren't you?"

The words weakened Bella's knees, stunning her. Without turning around, she nodded her head, opened the door and walked back down the hall toward her office.

* * * *

Bella leaned back in the oversized desk chair, thinking about her conversation with Lillian as she felt the supple leather cuddle her in its depths. The chair was where she did her best thinking, and where she'd shed a thousand tears but now, all she felt was a soul-stirring passion for Garrett. But it wasn't painless to overlook the anxious thoughts forming in the back of her mind. She'd accused him of hiding something, but she realized her fear of being hurt was overriding her stronger emotions…pleasant emotions. Bella laughed aloud. Shoot, the truth was he raised her libido to a fevered pitch! How had Lillian honed-in on feelings she didn't know existed? She was falling in love with Garrett Brooks. How in God's name had that happened?

Bella forced herself to think about work. Garrett would be there any moment. She shook her head slightly. Those darned invitations. If only she'd known he wanted to do them himself. She'd done a great job, too. The Christmas invitations brought a throng of visitors to Twin Pines and her goal was to have the building filled with people. That's where the invitations came in…for the last three years, she'd been sending each address in the county a special solicitation to come and spend time with the residents. She wanted to show the community the true spirit of the season and of Twin Pines itself.

The center had a choir that sang for religious services and performed special holiday music for Christmas. Resident volunteers helped along with community volunteers to decorate all the hallways and visiting areas with for the holidays using the ornaments that were made at the center throughout the year. For the needy families this year, Bella helped the residents make cuddly dolls and the clothes in which to dress them.

The open house took many hours of preparation, and the timing of the event was critical to its success. If it were scheduled too early in the month, it would flop and the same held true if it was too near Christmas. So many people were out of town or busy with their young families.

She stood up and looked out into the atrium. The snow had become heavy since lunch; the accumulation of deep, wet snow bent the branches on the small trees. They look like I feel…twisted by life Standing here dreading Garrett's visit wasn't getting her anywhere. She had work to do. She whirled around and switched on the computer. After the machine offered a few whirs and groans, she located the position where she'd left off on the newsletter.

This was another one of the jobs that had become hers when she'd suggested it. A publicity tool. She supposed she could take the disks home that night if she didn't finish, but when she was home, she really needed to distance herself from work. At this time of the year, her stress levels ran high.

Opening the desk drawer, she withdrew her thick-framed bifocals and placed them on her small nose then knuckled-down to her work.

Bella hadn't heard Garrett knock and suddenly, she looked up from her work, and there he was, smiling at her from near the open door. "Excuse me, Bella?" Garrett called out as he walked closer to her desk.

Bella smiled at him and motioned him in, then pushed her glasses to the top of her head. "I didn't hear you. Sorry." Her hands felt damp and clammy and her stomach did a slow roll. She knew Garrett would be angry and yet she really couldn't blame him. She hoped her demeanor appeared calmer than she actually felt.

She motioned him to sit in the emerald green chair that faced her desk. Funny, their positions were reversed. She appeared the person in charge and he only the flunky.

"I wanted to bounce a couple of ideas off you," Garrett said as he leaned forward, dropping a file in front of her.

He sounded excited, not angry at all. This confused her, and she had to ask, "Garrett, I thought you would be furious about the invitations."

He looked at her with a blank expression on his face, then he stood and walked to the large window, staring outside into the dark night. He took a good deal of time before he spoke. "It's still snowing. Does that happen a lot around here?" he asked softly.

"All winter." Bella braced herself for some reaction.

Garrett's eyes narrowed and his whispering tone sounded void of emotion. "Did you authorize her to do that?"

Here was the big question. Would he fire her? Taking a steadying breath Bella replied meekly, squirming in her seat, "Yes, I sure did. I accept full--"

He interrupted with, "Is this the way things are done around here?"

She couldn't tell if he was irritated or just asking for information. "Yes, it is." Taking a deep breath, she summons all of her confidence, "I run my department quite well, thank you." She wanted to fold her arms in front of her in a protective manner…she felt insecure and submissive, but she couldn't let Garrett suspect her feelings.

He raised both hands to his head and combed his fingers through the tight black curls and dropped into the chair. Supporting his head with his hands, he leaned back, stretched out his long legs in front of him and leveled his gaze at her.

Oh, oh...now she'd done it. She should have known better than to let her temper flair.

"Bella, don't get the wrong idea…Hey are you okay? You should see your face. It's pale. Are you afraid of me or what?" He picked up the folder from the desk and looked at the schedule for December and the open house invitations. "You're doing a fine job. I like the invitations. The sample you showed me looked quite professional. I guess I need to quit trying to control everything and let others lead the way."

She didn't know what to say so she sat quietly and examined him as he reviewed the information packets. Garrett was robust, both physically and mentally and there was no doubt that he was in charge of the situation. When he walked into the room you could feel something like static electricity from his energy and power.

"Hum…"

The sound was barely audible. Garrett's kept his gaze down at the papers; his thick, black lashes cast a shadow upon his high, sculptured cheeks. She daydreamed she was in his arms with her head thrown back as his full, pouting lips pressed against her smooth, white neck leaving a trail of hot, wet kisses toward her ear.

"Hey! Where are you?" he whispered, startling her.

Bella dropped back to the present with a sickening jolt. How could she have been so comatose? The remaining color drained from her face. "I'm sorry. I was thinking about something else," she apologized sincerely.

Garrett closed the folder and pushed it toward her. "I like your independence. I've been in many activity departments and their directors rely heavily on the administrator. Some of them won't make a move on their own without approval. They're afraid to stick their necks out. I like your spirit, but could you let me work with you…once in a while?" When he finished his speech, he was smiling.

His praise stunned her and she had trouble finding her voice. "Sure, if that's the way you want it." She hesitated, then offered, "I do have an idea that may help."

"You do?"

"You were going to use the invitation to introduce yourself to the community, right?"

Garrett nodded.

"I'm in the middle of writing the facility newsletter. It goes out next week. Would you like to have your own column each month?"

"That's a great idea. I could talk about health care issues as well…show them the service we offer here at the hospital." He laughed, a triumphant sound. "Wow, this is a fantastic idea, Bella, I'll have an article for you by the end of the week. Will that give you enough time?" he asked, the excitement still poured from him.

"It will. It goes to the printer next Tuesday."

"I wasn't teasing when I said you did a great job. I hear there's a corporate level position open for an activities consultant. You should apply for it."

Bella rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I already have, but that was months ago. I'm sure that I'm not even in the running. No one's contacted me about it."

Garrett shrugged then stood. "Well, I guess that's their loss. I think you do an incredible job."

They walked to the door and Garrett pulled her into his arms and kissed her lightly on the lips. She melted into the sensation, her head spinning. Bella's lips parted and Garrett teased them open further.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approaching broke the spinning spell and Garrett pushed her away from him. "Uh, Mrs. Mann," he now spoke formally. "Thanks for showing me this work."

After the nurse passed, Garrett pulled her against him, nuzzled her neck, and kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear. He asked, "Will you go out with me tonight?"

She stammered, and then answered, "I'd love to, but I have gobs of work to do on the newsletter when I get home."

"I'll come over to your apartment at seven, okay? If you're not finished with it, I'll help you."

"How can I refuse an offer like this? It's a date," she laughed. A few hours one way or the other wouldn't make that much difference on the newsletter.

Garrett looked around the room. "You know," he said, "I like your office a whole lot better than mine. Maybe we should trade."

"Fat chance, buster," she said, and drew her hand into a fist and raised it toward his chin.

"I get the picture. You don't have to get violent!" He closed the door softly behind him.

* * * *

Bella gazed into the closet looking for something to wear. Garrett hadn't told her where they were going, but casual clothing was the norm in this area of Wyoming. She pulled her tightest jeans from the hanger and dropped to her hands and knees amid the clutter of the closet floor looking for her leather Ropers.

The closet was a frightful mess. Every Saturday she considered sorting through the junk in the closet, but that was as far as she'd gotten on the project. Someday, she thought wistfully.

She'd almost given up the search when she spotted one toe peeking out from behind a storage box. "There you are, you little rascal. Where's your mate?" Bella panted from the exertion and continued her search. A few moments later, she had both boots in her grasp.

Sliding open the bottom drawer of her dresser, she lovingly separated her sweaters. Her newest sweater was made from a fine yarn and it was covered with geometric shapes. One of the predominant colors matched her boots. Bella loved to coordinate her outfits with matching socks, shoes, or hair accessories.

All she needed to complete her look was the silver Concho belt and earrings. She'd worn Indian jewelry and costumes since her high school days. She liked the southwestern influence in her wardrobe. It seemed to fit her tall, big-boned frame. Small jewelry got lost on her, where the squash blossom necklaces and silver belts held their own. Her style was becoming more popular, and she resented it slightly. She liked to look different, stand out in the crowd.

After dressing, she closed her bedroom door and appraised her looks in the full-length mirror nailed to the back of the door. She wanted to look sexy for Garrett.

Picking up her hairbrush, she tipped her head between her knees and stroked the silky mass. Scott would have been shocked if she'd cut her hair. He loved her hair long. She sat up, tossing her hair away from her face and smoothed it into place. It worked well until she misted hairspray over it. The coppery hair seemed to have a mind of its own and stuck just were she sprayed it, actually freezing in the wrong shape. Taking up the brush again, she raked through the mass, but it was worse. Now what was she supposed to do? Garrett would be here any moment. She thought she'd outgrown temper tantrums, but a violent urge to throw the brush at the mirror coursed through her. The anger had little to do with her hair; there was no sense ruining the bathroom just because she couldn't bring Scott back. She had to start life again, but God it was so scary.

The doorbell chimed and Bella rushed through the apartment and, throwing open the door with more speed that she'd intended, found herself looking into Garrett's startled eyes. He held a bouquet of pink rose buds toward her.

"T-these are for you," he stammered as he offered her the fragrant flowers. He caught his full lower lip between his teeth.

Bella stared at the flowers unable to find the words to express her surprise. Rose buds were an unusual offering during the winter. They must have cost him a fortune. She bit the insides of her cheek to keep from smiling. Garrett was so nervous, quite uncharacteristically so.

"So...you hate pink, or what?" Garrett full lips pulled into a crooked grin.

Bella reached for the green paper that covered the stems and turned toward the kitchen to find a vase. "I love them…they're beautiful." She blew air up into her bangs and rolled her eyes as she rushed across the living room. She was so darned embarrassed. She wore one boot, her hair looked a fright, that's not how she'd wanted to greet him.

"Hey! Are you still mad about me kissing you in your office?" Garrett called out as he followed her through the apartment. "The last time, your face turned red and you had that certain set to your jaw, like you were ready to throw me out of the nursing home for kissing you."

"No. I'm not mad. I love the flowers. As a matter-of-fact, roses are my favorite flower. And the pink color looks so fresh, just like spring-time." Bella lowered her head and looked at her one-booted foot. "They look a lot better that I do at the moment."

Garrett touched her chin and brought her head up. "You look beautiful."

Her face broke into a smile that reached her eyes. "Let's get these posies into some water before they wilt. I'm sure they're stressed enough from the cold."

She stretched her arm toward the top shelf of the cabinet and brought down her favorite vase, a bubble-glass container. Once clear glass, it now glowed like a stained glass window with a blend of red, blue and purple acrylic paint. This had been a successful craft project that she'd taught the residents at the care center. She pushed the faucet handle and bubbling water flowed into the vase.

Suddenly, she could feel Garrett's presence behind her. He wasn't touching her, but she felt his sweet breath softly move her hair. "Garrett..." she said, taking a deep, shuddering breath to steady her hammering heart. "Please, don't...." How had she gotten herself into this situation? She certainly hadn't planned this.

He slid his fingers through the back of her hair, exposing her slim, sensitive neck. Once freed, the short, bouncy hair at the nape of her neck moved rhythmically as his breath jostled it, tickling her sensuously. He kissed the soft, tender skin behind her ear. His kiss gave her a rush of goose bumps down her arms and legs.

Garrett elicited an erotic desire she'd tried to bury with Scott. However, these feelings were not the same. Kissing Scott had been nice, but it wasn't this avalanche of longing, he hadn't been overly affectionate. Bella had longed for his arms around her when she stood at the sink washing dishes, or folding clothes. But it hadn't happened and it most probably never would have.

Now, here was Garrett acting like the man of her dreams, but the guilt she felt because of Scott threatened to destroy her joy. She had to put him in her past, but with so many questions unanswered, she didn't know how to do this.

She turned in his embrace, facing him, her eyes swimming with tears. "We can't do this. You're my boss."

He grasped her arms, pushing her away from his body "I'm not asking you to have an affair." He gave her a wicked grin. "But you look so good…ummm."

Bella skewered him with an icy gaze. "I think we need to change the subject." She pulled out of his grasp. "I don't deny that there is a certain...something between us, but we can't...can't kiss at work. I'm in enough trouble as it is." She moved to the counter that separated the kitchen and dining area, and unwrapped the paper from the flowers and laid them in the middle of the table.

"I have to finish getting ready. Look at the mess I've made of my hair. Ouch!" She yelped when she ran her hands through the clumpy hairspray. Her face flamed with irritation.

Garrett chuckled as he watched her tantrum build. "You really can have a rotten disposition when you get going, don't you?"

Bella sank into a chair, his words seeming to deflate her. "I guess I'm just put out because you made me see I was hiding from myself." She rested her chin in her hands. "I wanted to change, and now, I can't make this new style work. I'm so clumsy. I feel as if my arms are on backward!"

His blue eyes traveled over her face. "I caused all this, huh?"

She nodded.

"Bella I think you give me way too much credit. I think you were ready for the change. I only acted as a catalyst."

Bella blinked in surprise. Silence fell between them as she sat there transfixed by his eyes. "You're right," she said, feeling somewhat scarce of breath.

"I wanted to tell you something, but was afraid you'd get angry."

Her eyes became bright as she turned toward him. "What is it? If it makes me angry, I'll hold it in so you won't know if I am or not."

"Ha!"

"Ha, what?"

His mouth split wide with a grin. "Ha, you're too expressive to hide a strong emotion like that. It's that maniacal expression in your Bambi eyes. And besides, you look so damned adorable when you're irritated." He reached out and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Where is your brush? I'd like to try this."

"You," she questioned, "have you done this before?"

He nodded.

She contemplated his request. Now this would be different. She'd never had a man brush her hair, but there was no time like the present to find out just what it felt like. Would brushing her hair bond them? She kept telling him that she didn't want to become involved, but he sure could make her choice difficult because each time he touched her, she could feel the strand of desire coil within her body…it threatened to explode any moment

She wished Lillian hadn't questioned her about her feelings for Garrett earlier. Now she recognized that she really did love him, and now it made her life much more difficult. Her emotions were caught in a swirling vortex of emotion.

When Garrett kissed her neck she wanted to throw herself into the passion, but she didn't dare. "Well, if you are going to fix my hair you'd better follow me to the bathroom. My mother taught me not to comb my hair in the kitchen. It's not sanitary."

Minutes later, he'd brushed the stiff hairspray out and the ends of her hair were bending under at her jawbone. She glanced in the mirror when Garrett stepped aside. The style highlighted her cheekbones and accentuated her large eyes.

Garrett leaned back against the vanity crossing his arms over his muscular chest. "We're going ice skating. You know," he tipped his chin, studying her, "you'll be a cheap date. You look about twelve years old. Children only have to pay two dollars to get into the rink!"

Bella slowly shook her head. Where did this man come up with these strange ideas?

They stepped out the door and Bella reached back in to snap off the light before the door closed. Suddenly, a loud squeal pulsated from Garrett's pager.

"Well, we might as well go back in. I have a bad feeling about our plans." Bella opened the door just as Garrett reached for his cell phone.

Trying not to listen to his call, she stepped into the living room and walked across the thick cream-colored carpet. She pulled the drawstring at the insulated drapes that kept the cold from transferring into the room.

"When did it happen?" He was silent for a long time. "Who's seeing her in the emergency room?" Another pause. "I'll be there in a few minutes. You take care of your staff."

She could hear bits and pieces of his conversation, but she couldn't tell the content of the discussion. One thing she did recognized was the tone of his voice. Something was terribly wrong. Lillian? she wondered with fear.

Garrett turned toward her. "I have to go to back to the center. There has been an accident. One of the residents in the housing section got locked out in the courtyard. They just found her.

"My God. That's horrible. Who was it?"

"I-It's Mrs. Fortney, and she's not doing very well."

Bella felt herself go weak in the knees. Mrs. Fortney would never go out into the courtyard without assistance. There was a big problem here, and she wanted to help find the solution.

"Garrett, can I come with you? Since I'm working as Social Services I should contact her family, see if I can help them in some way."

He walked toward the door without answering and just stood there, a puzzled expression crossed his face as he contemplated her request. "Get your coat." He opened the door with such power that the door banged against the doorstop and his footsteps thundered down the stairs.