“You can make it Armando, if you’d like.”
“Yeah, I’ll get right on that.”
“Can I order up some coffee or anything for you?”
“No, I’m fine,” she said, standing there before him.
Yet again his skin started to tingle all over that way it did whenever he was near her. It never did that when he was around Cecily. Mitch didn’t wonder why. He knew why. “Bella told me you’d given that up,” he said, glancing at the drawing pad under her arm.
“I just started up again on the plane. Got me some crime scene photos of Richard Procter that I’m working from. It feels good, although the stewardess sure did give me some funny looks.”
“I hear you nailed the Sullivans for killing him. Which I still can’t believe.”
“Believe it.”
“Good job, master sergeant. I guess this means you don’t need my help anymore.”
“Not true. You’re the one who cracked it.”
“I did? How so?”
“It was something you said-about how you can’t turn your feelings on and off like a faucet. Richard kept babbling some words at me on the beach that made no sense. Nor did his behavior. Not until you said that. Then the whole case fell right into place. Couldn’t have done it without you. So give yourself a big pat on the back.” She paused to clear her throat before she added, “It dawned on me that I never thanked you for saving my life.”
“You flew all of the way out here to say thanks?”
“Some things you don’t say over the phone.”
“It was no big deal.”
“It was a huge deal.”
“Molly was the real hero.”
Her face broke into a smile. “How is Molly?”
“I just got an e-mail from her. She’s great. Des, have you got a place to stay while you’re out here? I can call the concierge if you’d like.”
“Not necessary. I’m flying right back. Just came to say what I came to say.”
“How’s your head?”
“Better. I’ve stopped answering phones that aren’t ringing.”
“And how about those fainting spells of yours?”
She bristled instantly. “Bella told you?”
“Naturally. She’s worried about you.”
Des turned his desk chair around and sat, her chest rising and falling. “Actually, that’s something of an ongoing situation. It seems my blood pressure and resting pulse rate skew dangerously high when I’m with Brandon. I also lose my appetite for solid nourishment almost completely. Hence the slimming regimen. Long story short, Brandon is hazardous to my health.”
Mitch responded with one simple word: “Bullshit.”
“What did you just say to me?” she demanded, her pale green eyes widening.
“Brandon has nothing whatsoever to do with your health. Hell, he’s a perfectly decent guy if your taste runs to chiseled, amazingly handsome alpha males. But it so happens that yours doesn’t. The awful truth is that you made the biggest mistake of your life when you nuked our relationship-and you know it and now you have to live with it. That is what your body’s been telling you.”
“Mitch, are you purposely trying to make this difficult for me?”
“Why would I want to make it easy?”
“No reason,” she said softly.
“Des, I appreciate you coming out here. It was a classy move. But you chose Brandon. And I’m with Cecily now. What’s done is done.”
“Things look a whole lot different in the light of day.”
“Different how?”
“For starters, I’ve asked Brandon to find himself a new place to live, not to mention a new running mate. Someone more cut out to be a politician’s wife than I am.”
“What did Brandon say?”
“That he didn’t understand.”
“I don’t think I do, either.”
“The love isn’t there,” she said with a shrug of her shoulders. “He’s not my man.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because he didn’t try to save me. If he was my man then wild horses couldn’t have kept him away.”
“Hold on a second. So the guy didn’t go charging in there like the cavalry. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you. It just says to me that he isn’t completely crazy.”
“What, you’re taking his side?”
“No, but I do think you’re employing movie logic instead of real life logic. Which surprises me, quite frankly.”
“You’ve rubbed off on me. What can I say? Except hold on because I’m just getting warmed up. For the past couple of weeks I’ve been thinking very seriously about transferring out of Dorset to a different town. Somewhere I could start over fresh without all of the emotional baggage. I’ve gotten so tired of everyone owning my private business. But this Sour Cherry experience has changed my mind. I’m finally beginning to understand those people. Or as much as anyone can who isn’t actually one of them. I’m doing good work there. I can make a difference. So I’m staying.”
“Good, I’m glad to hear it.”
“Are you really?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“No reason,” she said quickly, her eyes darting away from his. “How’s everything going with your new TV venture?”
“Okay, I guess.”
“You don’t sound real pumped.”
“No, I am. And the network is real excited. We just have some creative differences to iron out.”
“Creative differences? Exactly what does that mean?”
“It means I want to be creative and they want something different.”
She nodded her head. “And it’s their network so you have to toe the line. Sure, I get you.”
“Actually, it’s not like that. Nobody has said the word No to me. It’s more like we’re speaking a different language. Whenever I talk about the stories I want to do everybody’s eyes start to glaze over. It reminds me of when I had this idea a while back for an epic Hollywood novel. Sort of a What Makes Sammy Run? meets The Godfather meets The Big Lebowski.”
“You never told me that.”
“I never wrote it.”
“Why not, Mitch?”
“Because every time I told people about it their eyes would glaze over.” Mitch paced his way out to the terrace and back again. “Can I tell you something crazy?”
She looked up at him and said, “You can tell me anything.”
“I don’t care about being rich and famous. This isn’t me. Before you knocked on my door I was seriously thinking about chucking this whole deal and going with Lacy’s new e-zine instead. Cecily wants me to. She thinks this whole move is a big mistake.”
“Are you planning to mention her a lot?”
“I haven’t set an exact number yet. I’ll keep you posted. My point is I’d be able to write whatever I want. Spend time on Big Sister again. Walk on the beach. Putter in my garden. Play my music and… Did I just say something funny?”
“Why, no. Not at all.”
“Being back there the other night made me realize how much I miss the place. I was happy there. Of course, it would mean a lot less money coming in.”
