Page 183

20

“PLEASANT WORDS ARE AS AN HONEYCOMB, SWEET TO THE SOUL, AND HEALTH TO THE BONES.” —PROVERBS 16:24

C old, wet darkness closed in like a giant faceless mouth, devouring her. It was useless to fight. There was so much water, and she was so tired. But she must help him. She must get to the boat. She could feel the heat, the searing burning of her flesh, so powerful in its fury that even the blackest water couldn’t shut it out. Her hand reached for something solid. Instinct told her that she must stay above the water. She must try and hold on. The hammering started in the distance. It was a steady rhythmic beat at first, and then it started racking her brain, crowding out everything else. Maybe she should sink into the darkness—anything to get away from the hammering.

Sydney jolted up in her bed. Her pulse was racing, and she was bathed in sticky sweat. She pushed her matted hair back from her forehead. The dreams had started in the hospital when she was recovering from the boat accident. Over the years they’d diminished to the point that she’d thought she was over them for good. Ever since her return to Stoney Creek, they’d come back. And they’d come with a vengeance. Last night’s visit to Stella had prompted this dream. But wait. Where did the hammering come from? That was new.

It took her a moment to realize that the hammering in her dream was in reality a loud pounding on the door. She looked at her clock—8:30 on a Saturday morning. She threw her off her covers and stumbled out of bed. She’d grown used to Kendall’s unexpected visits, especially on Saturdays, but this was a little ridiculous. Kendall had held a late practice the night before to get ready for next week’s game. What was he doing up so early?

There wasn’t time for her to try and do anything with her hair. “I’m coming,” she called. He must not have heard her because he kept pounding. “I said, I’m coming!”

She unlocked the door and removed the chain. “Come in,” she said with a yawn.

“It’s about time. I thought I was gonna have to call in the National Guard to get you out of bed.”

All sleepiness fled when her mind registered that it was Sean, not Kendall, who had spoken. He barged past her, and she just stood there, staring at him with her hand on the open door. He plopped down on the sofa like he owned the place. “Good morning, Syd.”

One hand went to smooth down her disheveled hair and the other tried to pull her T-shirt farther down over her shorts. His eyes flickered over her bedraggled appearance.

“I wasn’t exactly expecting you.”

His eyes danced. “You look fine. You ought to see me when I get up.”

She gave him a courtesy smile and sat down in the oversized chair across from him. “To what do I owe this honor?” She looked at his sweatshirt, jeans, and hiking boots.

He spread his hands and flashed a disarming smile, probably hoping that it would melt her right into the floor. “What? I can’t even stop by to see you?”

Her blue eyes met his with a trace of defiance. She wasn’t in the mood for this. “At 8:30 on a Saturday morning?”

“I want you to spend the day with me.”

“What?”

“Look Syd, things are always so tense between us at work. I thought it would do us both some good to spend some time together away from the mill.”

Sydney shook her head. “I’m sorry, I have other plans today.”

“With Kendall?” There was a challenge in his dark eyes that was scary and inviting at the same time. What was it about him that made her feel so alive? What was it that made her want to pit her will against his?

Her chin jutted out. “Maybe.”

“I see how it is.”

“Do you?”

Sean nodded and looked her straight in the eyes. “Loverboy’s got you wrapped around his little finger.”

Her eyes narrowed. “That’s not how it is,” she said, all the while remembering how she’d gone to Kendall’s practices every day this week and sat there like a groupie.

Sean’s voice became smooth. “Come on Syd, I don’t wanna argue. It’s a perfect day. Let’s go have some fun. Do something spontaneous for once. You don’t have to ask Kendall’s permission. I’m going flying. Come with me.”

She shouldn’t have let Sean get away with that comment about getting Kendall’s permission, but her mind was already jumping past that. “Flying? What’re you talking about? Where?”

“The airport is in Rome, Georgia.”

Sydney wrinkled her nose. “You fly planes?”

Sean nodded with a grin. “I have a pilot’s license. It’s awesome, Syd. You’ll love it. Afterwards, I thought we could head down to Marietta and eat dinner.”

She glanced at the door. What if Kendall really did show up here this morning? She didn’t want to have to explain what Sean was doing at her house. She stood. “Make yourself at home. I’ll go and get ready.”

“Don’t you want to eat breakfast first?”

“No, I’ll grab something to take with me.”

The drive to Rome was a feast for the eyes. They followed along the rolling hills that were splashed with the colors of fall. Sydney stole a sideways glance at Sean. He had one hand on the steering wheel while the other rested in his lap.

Sydney pointed. “Oh look, there’s a See Rock City sign.”

“Those signs are all over the Southeast.”

I know that , Sydney was itching to say. I’m from here! She could have given Sean a little history lesson. For instance, how the signs used to be painted on the sides of barns.

While holding tight to the steering wheel with one hand, Sean reached behind her seat and retrieved a brown paper bag. He placed the bag in his lap and pulled out a moon pie. “Want one?”

“No thanks.”

“These things are delicious. I discovered them when I moved to Stoney Creek.”

Sydney remembered how Avery would bring home boxes of Moon Pies. They had a marshmallow center that was sandwiched between two graham crackers and coated with chocolate, vanilla, or banana flavoring. Susan used to tease Avery about bringing them home for everyone else because he was the only one who ever ate them. Sydney laughed. “Next you’ll be offering me an RC cola.”

“What’s that?”

She shook her head. “Never mind.” RC colas were a southern delicacy, ranking right up there with Wonder bread and potted meat.

Sydney leaned back in her seat. She knew she shouldn’t compare Kendall to Sean, but the thought came barging through nevertheless. Sean was as relaxed as Kendall was uptight. He had a bold confidence that showed in his mannerisms, and he talked about everything. Sydney found herself laughing more than she’d laughed in weeks. Sean’s wry sense of humor was a surprise that she hadn’t anticipated, making her wonder what else she didn’t know about him. She’d thought she had him figured out, but now she wasn’t so sure. There were no uncomfortable stretches of silence with Sean like there were with Kendall, and Sean didn’t stutter all over himself when he spoke. Sean O’Conner was a ladies’ man in every sense of the word, and Sydney had to admit that she was no more immune to his wiles than any other woman. A picture of Jessica flashed through her mind, and she felt a stab of jealousy. She wondered what little Miss Heartbreaker would think if she knew her man was here with her. Sydney’s blue eyes glittered in satisfaction at the thought.

“We’re almost there,” Sean said.

The time had flown by. It was an hour and a half drive to Rome, but it felt like they’d just left. “It’s about time.” A playful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She caught herself. What was she doing? Flirting with him? A warning went off in her head. Don’t be stupid. Keep your guard up. She had enough trouble in her life without falling for the likes of Sean O’Conner.

When they pulled into the parking lot, Sydney reached for her door.

“Stop.” Sean jumped out and ran around to open her door.

“Thank you.” The warning was still going off, but she shut it out of her mind. The sun was shining, and the air felt good against her cheeks. She was going to stop analyzing everything and enjoy herself for once.

Sydney was amazed how easy it was to fly from a small airport versus a commercial one. There were no other passengers, no security checks, and no hassles. Sean stopped at the front desk and spoke to the attendant. He’d called ahead to reserve the plane, so everything was a cinch from there.

He walked outside with the attendant, giving her an opportunity to look around. The airport was tiny and looked deserted except for the one attendant. There were a few chairs in the main room and a handful of magazines on a square table.

A few minutes later, the attendant returned and told her that Sean was bringing the plane around. She walked through the double glass doors and waited. The plane was white with blue stripes. She felt her first shiver of apprehension when she realized how small it was.

Sean drove the plane around and turned off the engine. He got out and then helped her into the passenger seat.

“Watch your step.” He put his arm around Sydney’s shoulder and helped her to her seat.

He ran around and got in and handed her a set of earphones. “Put these on so that we can talk. Otherwise, the noise of the engine drowns everything out.” He glanced at her. “Nervous?”

Her palms were sweaty. “Not in the least.”

He started the plane and followed the instructions given by the attendant at the control tower, checking off each item as it was called out. The plane started moving slowly at first and then raced down the end of the runway. Sydney felt the adrenaline rush akin to riding a roller coaster when the plane lifted. She was struck by the lack of movement once they were in the air. She looked below them. The landscape got smaller and the trees changed to pencils with pom poms stuck on their ends.

She was amazed at how well Sean maneuvered the plane. “Look to your right,” he said. She saw a cluster of buildings that encircled what looked like a castle. “That’s Berry College.”

“It’s so beautiful up here.”

“There’s nothing else like it.”

Sydney forced herself to pay attention while he pointed out various sites of interest. She tried not to think about the nearness of Sean or his strong, steady hands on the wheel. The ride was over all too soon for Sydney. She loved being in the plane, soaring free like a bird.

When they got back to the car, Sean opened her door. A comfortable silence stretched between them. He started the engine and turned out of the parking lot. “Thanks for bringing me here. I had a really nice time.”

Sean chuckled. “I’ll bet you say that to all your dates.”

Her face reddened, and she changed the subject. “You’re a good pilot.” She studied his chiseled profile then cocked her head. “Where did you learn to fly like that? As a matter of fact, you’re very cultured, considering you grew up on the streets of Houston.”

“Woodland, north of Houston.”

She smiled. “Close enough.” She watched him squirm. Were her questions making him nervous? He was always drilling her. She was going to give him a taste of his own medicine for once. “Why did you come to Stoney Creek?” She motioned at the passing scenery. “I mean, I know this is a beautiful area, but I’m sure it took a lot more than that to attract the illustrious Sean O’Conner to backwoods Stoney Creek.”

“Hey, I like Stoney Creek.”“So do I. Don’t try to evade my question.”

Sean looked in both directions when they came to the main highway. “I can’t remember which way we turn.”

“Turn left to go to Marietta.”

“All right. Left it is.” Sean looked at Sydney. “For an out of towner, you sure seem to know your way around.”

Blood rushed to Sydney’s face. “I never go anywhere without looking at a map first.”

Sean raised an eyebrow. “I’m glad you had enough foresight to check your map before we rushed out of your house this morning.”

There was nothing Sydney could say to get out of this one so she remained silent.

Sean spoke first. “I don’t know about you, but I’m getting hungry.”

“Me too,” Sydney said, glad he’d changed the subject. She relaxed in her seat, and then stiffened right back up at his next comment.

“So how are things going with Kendall?”

Discussing Kendall with Sean was the last thing she wanted to do. She already felt guilty for spending the day with Sean. “Things are fine.”

“How well do you know Kendall Fletcher?”

Sydney frowned. “Well enough.”

“You sure about that?”

“Just what are you trying to say?”

Sean shrugged indifferently, but Sydney noticed that grip on the steering wheel had tightened. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt, that’s all.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The next words shot out of her mouth. “Thanks for your concern, but I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”

“Okay, whatever.”

Sydney folded her arms tightly and turned away from him to look out the window.

It was dark by the time Sean pulled into Sydney’s driveway. Things had loosened up between them at the restaurant, and Sydney found herself telling Sean about her life in Ft. Worth. She figured that was a safe subject and one that would help erase any doubts in Sean’s mind concerning where she was from.

He turned off the engine and turned in his seat to face her. “Thanks for coming with me today.”

“It was fun,” she said mechanically, all the while waiting for him to spit out whatever it was he was trying to tell her.

“Look Syd, I know we don’t always see eye to eye about the mill, and I know I’m not the easiest person to get along with.”

Sydney rolled her eyes. “That’s an understatement.” He tensed, and she instantly regretted her remark. “I’m sorry. Please go on.”

“The safety procedures you’ve implemented have really helped. I’ve seen a lot of improvement since you came.”

She studied his dark eyes to see if the compliment was sincere. “Thank you.”

He reached and touched a strand of her hair. His nearness was electrifying. When he drew closer, she realized he was going to kiss her. And she wanted him to. Why was she always attracted to the wrong type of guy? The warning bell was going off again in her head, and she made one last ditch effort to think of Kendall. But it was no good, she could see only Sean. She pushed the last fringes of doubt from her mind and closed her eyes and parted her lips. She waited. Nothing happened. When she opened her eyes, he was studying her. There was a trace of amusement glittering in his eyes. She backed away from him, heat burning through her veins. He got out to open her door, but she beat him to it.

It was an effort, but she managed to keep her voice light. “Well, it has been interesting. Goodnight.” With that she turned and walked away before he could respond. She could feel his penetrating gaze eating into her back. She hurried up the sidewalk. He was still watching when she went into her house and locked the door.

“I can’t believe you went out with that creep.”

Sydney rolled her eyes. She should have known better than to call Ginger. Ginger was used to hearing Sydney complain about Sean and had dubbed him that creep . “A temporary lapse in good judgment. I assure you.”

“Does Kendall know?”

“No, of course not. But what if he did? It’s not like I’m married to him or anything.” Sydney tried to keep her voice indifferent, all the while wondering if Kendall had dropped by her house today.

“What were you thinking?”

The incredulous tone in Ginger’s voice struck a nerve. Everything was so black and white with Ginger. Ginger with her close family and perfect marriage. It was all too easy for her to sit back and cast judgment. “I guess I’m just not perfect like you,” Sydney said. She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth.

It took Ginger a moment to respond. “I’m not trying to judge you.”

“It’s been a rough day,” Sydney said, trying to soften the blow.

Ginger slipped back into her guard dog mode. “He didn’t try anything, did he?”

A dry laugh escaped Sydney’s lips. “No, he was a perfect gentleman.”

“Do you have a busy day planned for tomorrow?” Ginger asked. Her voice was innocent, but Sydney knew she was fishing. Ginger was dying to ask if she was going to church.

“No, I don’t have much planned.” She broke into a smile. “Except for going to church.”

“Halleluiah!”

Sydney wasn’t sure why she’d said that. She hadn’t been planning on going. Maybe she’d told Ginger that because she felt guilty about snapping at her. Oh well. Whatever her reasoning, she’d committed to go, and now she had to follow through. She said goodnight to Ginger and hung up the phone.

She went to her front window and looked through the blinds, half expecting to see Sean still parked in her driveway. The driveway and street were both empty. She looked at Hazel Finch’s house. The lace curtain moved, and Sydney imagined the old woman standing on the other side, her beady eyes watching through the window. Her face flushed. Hazel had probably been spying on her the entire time she sat in the car with Sean. There was no escaping the woman. It was like living in a fishbowl. Sydney snapped off her porch light and then flipped off the lamps in the living room. “Feast your eyes on that,” she said and stalked to her bedroom.