Page 20 of A Girl Like Janet

By dinnertime Janet was famished. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast, but she discarded Gail’s suggestion that they have something

sent to their room and enjoy a quiet dinner. The dining room was sure to be the hub of activity and Janet needed an escape

from the introspection that Gail might force upon her.

The lodge dining room was full of employees from Dyna-Flow. Only vaguely aware of what she was doing, Janet searched the crowds,

seeking Reese. She swallowed with difficulty when she saw him and Bunny on the far side of the room.

The eating area was an informal one with a huge stone fireplace, polished wooden floors and a small section for dancing in

the center.

Gail and Janet were seated at a table for four and were quickly joined by two single men from Dyna-Flow.

“You don’t mind, do you?” Lenny Forrestal asked, taking the seat beside Janet. “The place is getting crowded. I can’t see

taking up two tables when we can share this one.”

“No, we don’t mind.” Gail answered for them both, casting a knowing glance Janet’s way. Lenny had the reputation of being

a flirt, but a nice flirt.

By the time they finished their meal the music had started and several couples were dancing.

“Shall we?” Lenny looked at Janet.

“All right.” She stood and with Lenny’s hand guiding her they weaved through the tables to the tiny dance floor. The crowded

floor left little room to maneuver, and more from necessity than desire Janet was pressed tightly against Lenny’s chest.

He was attentive and pleasant and Janet found herself laughing at his wit and humor. He wasn’t as compelling or as exciting

as Reese but... she refused to allow the comparison to continue. She couldn’t daydream about Reese when he was in the same

room with another woman. Unwillingly her eyes sought them out.

“What do you think of the boss’s bombshell?” Lenny questioned unexpectedly, seeming to follow her gaze.

Janet looked away abruptly. “If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.”

Lenny’s laugh was loud enough to embarrass Janet and create unnecessary attention. His hands slid around her waist, fingers

linked at the base of her spine, bringing her closer than Janet wished. Using her hands as leverage, she pushed against his

chest, creating an inch of space between them. For the moment Lenny accepted her reluctance. At the end of the dance they

were caught in the crowd.

“Would you like to keep on dancing?” he suggested.

“No thanks,” Janet said sweetly but firmly.

“You can’t blame a guy for trying,” Lenny teased.

“This dance is mine.” From out of nowhere, Janet was pulled from Lenny’s embrace and into Reese’s arms. The hold was punishing

as a hard circle of arms enveloped her.

The action had been so unexpected that for a moment Janet was speechless. “Why did you do that?” she demanded.

Reese’s mouth was twisted in an uncompromising line. “I didn’t like the way he was handling you.”

Janet’s blue eyes rounded indignantly. “You didn’t like? Listen, Mr. Edwards,” her voice dipped with the formal use of his

name, “I’m perfectly capable of handling Lenny Forrestal, or any other man for that matter.”

“Just like you’re capable of skiing Priest Creek?” His upper lip curved into a snarl, his eyes harsh.

Janet stopped the pretense of dancing and pushed his hands loose. “I don’t know what it is about you, Reese,” she said in

a quiet voice that trembled with emotion. “You can make me angrier than I’ve ever known I could be. Save your caveman tactics

for Bunny. I don’t want them.”

“Leave Bunny out of this,” he ordered in an ominously low voice.

To hear him so readily jump to Bunny’s defense created a new ache within her heart. “Gladly.” She turned sharply to leave

and almost cried with frustration. She was trapped in a heavy throng of early evening partygoers who were moving about on

the tiny dance floor. Without looking back, bit by bit she eased herself from the crowd and the table where Gail, Lenny and

Thom Aaron were waiting.

Burning color invaded her cheeks as Janet felt Lenny’s piercing eyes studying her closely.

“I didn’t know you and Edwards had a thing going,” he muttered the minute she sat down.

“We don’t,” she denied.

Lenny’s eyes were disbelieving and he rubbed one side of his face with his hand. “It certainly looked that way to me. I had

the feeling he would have easily broken my jaw, given the slightest provocation.”

“I’m sure you’re mistaken,” Janet murmured, avoiding his gaze. Reese was harder to understand by the minute. The Saturday

morning he had taken her to his cabin he seemed reluctant to have anyone from Dyna-Flow, even Gail, know that he was seeing

her. Now he was making an issue of it on a crowded dance floor.

“I’m ready to leave if you are,” Gail leaned across the table and whispered.

Janet had never been more grateful to her friend. “Yes, please.”

They made their excuses and amid polite protests returned to the lodge.

Monday morning everything had returned to normal. Janet arrived at the office at the usual time, but the door between the

two rooms was tightly shut. Reese hadn’t made it in yet.

The coffee was brewed and the mail sorted, and still Reese hadn’t arrived. Maybe he was ill. Although he’d been late on several

Mondays, he’d never arrived this late. By ten a worried Janet decided to call his home, something she rarely did. There was

no answer.

Samuel Edwards sauntered into the office around eleven. Janet looked up, relieved. After the weekend she had decided to play

the unemotional, indifferent secretary, to greet Reese coolly. But if he’d walked into the office at that moment she would

have had to restrain herself from throwing her arms around him.

“What’s the matter, Janet?” Samuel Edwards was astute enough to instantly recognize her distress no matter how hard she attempted

to disguise it.

“Mr. Edwards hasn’t arrived yet.” She unconsciously bit into her lip. “There are several meetings scheduled this afternoon

and I’m not sure what to do. Should I cancel everything? I... I wasn’t aware. I mean, he didn’t say anything about not

coming in today.”

Even Samuel Edwards appeared surprised. “That’s not like Reese.” His look was thoughtful. “Have you tried phoning that blonde

woman’s place?”

A freezing cold stole over Janet and she lowered her eyes. “I... I’d rather not do that, Mr. Edwards. I believe your son’s

private life should be private and I don’t think it’s my position to involve myself.” If Reese had spent the night with Bunny,

Janet didn’t want to know it. “I think you understand.”

The elder Edwards nodded, his features giving the impression of gently understanding. “Of course I do.”

“Could Reese be at the cabin?”

Samuel Edwards glanced up surprised. “Cabin, what cabin? Reese doesn’t have a cabin, at least not one I know about.”

The freezing chill Janet had felt before seemed to settle itself around her heart. “I believe he’s mentioned a log cabin near

Black Hawk.”

“I’m sure you must be mistaken. If Reese had some retreat, then I’d know it.”

Janet was barely conscious of the remainder of the conversation. That whole beautiful day she had spent with Reese last autumn

had been a farce. He had lied to her, led her to believe he sought peace and serenity in a mountain hideaway. Why? Her mind

tossed the question around. Janet didn’t want to recognize the truth. Reese knew she would love the cabin too. Perhaps he

felt she would give herself to him if he... she stopped, hating what she was thinking. That couldn’t be right. He was the

one who had pulled back from making love to her. But why? Reese Edwards was so complicated; Janet realized she would never

understand him. For two years she had been witness to the contradictions in him. He could be a cunning business tycoon and

unbelievably blind about women. She had seen looks from him that made men shake, and yet he was gentle and patient with Joel.

He had held her in his arms, fighting his natural desire for her, then he’d been cold and cruel only hours later. No, she

would never understand this man. It was better if she quit trying.

At five Janet cleared off her desk. What would she do tomorrow if Reese didn’t show? She’d been able to rearrange his meetings

and reschedule appointments, but she couldn’t continue to do so without serious repercussions.

Ben came to pick up Gail after dinner. The couple was receiving marriage counseling from Stewart Montgomery.

“Give Dad my love,” Janet said as they walked out the door.

“Have you told them you lost the cowboy hat yet?” Gail questioned with a teasing glint to her dark eyes.

Janet flinched. “Not yet. Joel’s going to give me a lecture that will last a lifetime. I think I’ll wait until I can catch

him in a good mood.”

“Good idea.” The door closed and Janet was left to face another night alone. With Gail so busy with the wedding plans, Janet

was alone nights more than ever. Usually she didn’t mind, it gave her an opportunity to do things she normally wouldn’t do.

But lately she spent more time steering her thoughts away from Reese. How easy it would be to let him dominate every waking

minute. But she couldn’t allow it to happen, it was dangerous, far too dangerous.

The doorbell chimed a half hour later and Janet answered with her purse in her hand. It was probably the paperboy come to

collect.

“Reese.” Her voice was a strange, strangled sound that was an odd mixture of surprise and bewilderment.

He stood in the open doorway, casually dressed, a wry smile twisting his mouth.

Confused and muddled, Janet didn’t know whether to shout at him for worrying her all day with his disappearing act or throw

her arms around him because she was so glad he was safe and unhurt.

“Can I come in?”

“Of course.” She moved aside. “I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m so surprised to see you.” Her mind was screaming at him, demanding

an explanation. She bit into her lip to keep from hurling accusations. If he had been with Bunny she didn’t want to know.