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so they would be closer to
the stairs in the gathering shadows of the night. Their new position would make
it easier for her to enter Richard’s house undetected.
    She took the few steps from the corner of the house to
Richard’s back door. Hoping Richard or Derrek was close enough to hear, she
very quietly knocked. The door almost instantly swung open, revealing Derrek’s
freckled face.
    “Hi, Marilee! Why’ya at the back door? Come on in. What’cha
need?” Derrek was nothing if not hospitable. Marilee stepped in and Derrek
closed the door behind her.
    “Is your Dad here?” Marilee asked.
    “Yep. He’s in the shower. Wanna wait?” His smile was a mile
wide.
    Marilee nodded and Derrek led her through the kitchen and
into the living room. She seated herself on the couch, grateful the drapes were
drawn against the night and prying eyes.
    Derrek sprawled on the floor next to a large spread of
paper.
    “Report for school,” he explained as he motioned to the
mess. “I’ve got all my notes and now I’m organizing the whole thing.” He
frowned slightly and nudged the nearest sheet. “All there is to know about the
cheetah and then some.”
    He suddenly looked up, a grin erupting on his face. “Like
why they got thrown out of the football game…for ‘cheetin’.” He giggled as he
returned at least some of his attention to the school project.
    She smiled at his joke and wished the only thing she had to
worry about was a school project. Watching Derrek, she wondered what she was
going to tell Richard.
    After the whole day’s worrying and fretting and getting
nowhere in her planning, Marilee realized she had to tell him everything. If
she didn’t, she’d crumble and nothing would be left but a little pile of rubble.
Tony would win.
    She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She couldn’t
let that happen. Her very life depended on winning this.
    Marilee watched as Derrek shuffled a piece of paper from one
pile to another, and the now-familiar warm feeling invaded her heart for this
boy. She loved him. She had for a long time now. If she lost this relationship
with Derrek, she’d lose more than she was willing to forfeit. Richard may turn
from her because of everything, but hope flared inside that he’d believe her. Accept
her. Like her, at least as a friend.
    No, Tony couldn’t prevail. Not this time. Not now. Marilee
closed her eyes and thought about what she would tell Richard.
     

Chapter Twenty-two
    Richard stepped from the bathroom clad only in a dark blue
terrycloth robe. He crossed the kitchen before he realized they had company. Through
the open doorway into the living room he saw Marilee, and his heart skipped,
his loins tightening at the mere sight of her. Lately, his thoughts had him
sweeping her away to some private lair and making her his.
    He shook his head to clear it. She’d never given him any
indication they were more than friends. Sometimes he caught a look in her eyes,
but before he could analyze it, the look would vanish and she would smile her
friends-only smile. It was a good thing she couldn’t read minds!
    She appeared deep in conversation with Derrek. If his son had
invited her over on some pretext of needing help with his cheetah project just
to throw the adults together, he’d skin him alive.
    The boy invented excuses to be with her and involved Richard
as much as possible. Richard knew Derrek wanted him to marry Marilee. Richard
didn’t want to rush his fences, but he’d need some indication from Marilee….
    Richard dropped that thought and hurried into the bedroom to
get dressed. He drew on the first things he found; comfortable jeans and a
green sweater hastily dragged over his head and drawn into place.
    Pulling on grey woolen socks to keep his feet warm, Richard
emerged from the bedroom. He managed a neutral expression as he entered the
front room. With Marilee here, the room seemed smaller; cozier; more like a
complete home, though her petite frame didn’t