Read Online What Matters Most by Gwynne Forster - Free Book Online
Authors: Gwynne Forster
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got a folding chair from the kitchen and telephoned for a taxi. She didn’t leave a message. “If he doesn’t know why, telling him won’t help,” she told herself. That night, she slept in her own apartment.
Melanie awakened the next morning, dressed and went shopping. With so little money, she could only buy kitchen essentials and food for the weekend. She found a pay phone and called Jack.
“Where are you?” he asked, and she hoped that his urgent tone reflected his concern for her, not as his nurse, but as a woman.
“I’m in the supermarket. I don’t have a phone yet, so—”
“What do you mean you don’t have a phone?”
“Sorry. I got ahead of myself. Late yesterday, I moved into my own apartment. It’s—”
“You what? With what? How?”
“With a taxi. I only have a mattress and a folding chair, Jack, but it’s mine. It’s quiet and peaceful, and I’m so happy I could cry.”
“Do you have money for furniture and other things you need?”
“Some. Monday, I’ll know how much of a salary advance I need.”
“Good. What’s your new address?” She told him. “Terrific,” he said. “Now go to this place and get a cell phone right now. I’ll call there and tell them you’re coming. Just give your name.”
“But I can’t let you—”
“I need to be in touch with my nurse.”
“I don’t think so, Jack.” She was already obligated to him, and she didn’t intend to get further in debt to him.
“Consider it partial pay for your overtime.”
She thought about it for a minute, and decided that it made sense. “All right. I can do that, and thanks so much for your help.”
“I haven’t done anything to earn your gratitude,” he countered. “Call me as soon as you figure out what you’ll need in order to get your apartment livable.”
“Okay. See you Tuesday.”
“Woman, let me tell you something. You and I can work together as professionals, and we’ll make a great team. But we will never again be who we were at ten minutes to nine Tuesday night, a minute before you pulled my tongue into your mouth,” he said in the voice of a person thoroughly exasperated. “And don’t you forget it. We’ll never be the same.”
At least she wouldn’t, and where did that leave her? Too annoyed with him to cover her tracks, she spoke from her heart. “What do you think I am, Jack, a piece of wood?” She didn’t heed his gasp. “I do not need to be reminded of the way I felt in your arms. Goodbye.”
Jack listened to the dial tone and slowly shook his head. He had no choice but to learn how to follow Melanie’s lead. And maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. The chemistry between them threatened to cause an explosion, and after that sample of her fire and passion for him, he knew they would eventually make love. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her, and because she was without guile and wasn’t coy, she either couldn’t hide what she felt or didn’t consider it.
He had spent too much time with women who pretended what they didn’t feel, said what they didn’t mean and behaved as if a man was their whole world when, in fact, an intelligent child could see right through their chicanery.
When his cell phone rang immediately after Melanie hung up, he answered without checking the caller ID.
Thinking he would hear Melanie’s voice, he said, “Did you call to apologize for hanging up on me?”
“What? Who do you think you’re talking to?” He recognized Elaine’s voice, closed his eyes and looked toward the ceiling. “What can I do for you, Elaine? I hope you didn’t call to chew me out about my second office, because—”
She interrupted him. “That and you’ve been avoiding me these past days. Can’t you find some other way to waste your time? Honest, Jack. This is too much.”
From honey to gall in one minute. He took a deep breath, hooked his foot under a chair to drag it closer to the table and took a seat. “Yes, Elaine, I agree that
Melanie awakened the next morning, dressed and went shopping. With so little money, she could only buy kitchen essentials and food for the weekend. She found a pay phone and called Jack.
“Where are you?” he asked, and she hoped that his urgent tone reflected his concern for her, not as his nurse, but as a woman.
“I’m in the supermarket. I don’t have a phone yet, so—”
“What do you mean you don’t have a phone?”
“Sorry. I got ahead of myself. Late yesterday, I moved into my own apartment. It’s—”
“You what? With what? How?”
“With a taxi. I only have a mattress and a folding chair, Jack, but it’s mine. It’s quiet and peaceful, and I’m so happy I could cry.”
“Do you have money for furniture and other things you need?”
“Some. Monday, I’ll know how much of a salary advance I need.”
“Good. What’s your new address?” She told him. “Terrific,” he said. “Now go to this place and get a cell phone right now. I’ll call there and tell them you’re coming. Just give your name.”
“But I can’t let you—”
“I need to be in touch with my nurse.”
“I don’t think so, Jack.” She was already obligated to him, and she didn’t intend to get further in debt to him.
“Consider it partial pay for your overtime.”
She thought about it for a minute, and decided that it made sense. “All right. I can do that, and thanks so much for your help.”
“I haven’t done anything to earn your gratitude,” he countered. “Call me as soon as you figure out what you’ll need in order to get your apartment livable.”
“Okay. See you Tuesday.”
“Woman, let me tell you something. You and I can work together as professionals, and we’ll make a great team. But we will never again be who we were at ten minutes to nine Tuesday night, a minute before you pulled my tongue into your mouth,” he said in the voice of a person thoroughly exasperated. “And don’t you forget it. We’ll never be the same.”
At least she wouldn’t, and where did that leave her? Too annoyed with him to cover her tracks, she spoke from her heart. “What do you think I am, Jack, a piece of wood?” She didn’t heed his gasp. “I do not need to be reminded of the way I felt in your arms. Goodbye.”
Jack listened to the dial tone and slowly shook his head. He had no choice but to learn how to follow Melanie’s lead. And maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. The chemistry between them threatened to cause an explosion, and after that sample of her fire and passion for him, he knew they would eventually make love. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her, and because she was without guile and wasn’t coy, she either couldn’t hide what she felt or didn’t consider it.
He had spent too much time with women who pretended what they didn’t feel, said what they didn’t mean and behaved as if a man was their whole world when, in fact, an intelligent child could see right through their chicanery.
When his cell phone rang immediately after Melanie hung up, he answered without checking the caller ID.
Thinking he would hear Melanie’s voice, he said, “Did you call to apologize for hanging up on me?”
“What? Who do you think you’re talking to?” He recognized Elaine’s voice, closed his eyes and looked toward the ceiling. “What can I do for you, Elaine? I hope you didn’t call to chew me out about my second office, because—”
She interrupted him. “That and you’ve been avoiding me these past days. Can’t you find some other way to waste your time? Honest, Jack. This is too much.”
From honey to gall in one minute. He took a deep breath, hooked his foot under a chair to drag it closer to the table and took a seat. “Yes, Elaine, I agree that
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