Hot Spot (31 page)

Stella didn't move for several minutes after she hung up the phone, needing some down time after being run over by that truckload of delirious joy. She was happy for Megan. Really. But she was envious, too. Especially now when nothing was going right and she was being reminded of all the negatives of a relationship with Danny Rees. You know, like
him being a criminal
.

Luckily, the store wasn't busy this time of day so she could mope unnoticed. With suppertime near, most of the kids had left. Only three or four were still lounging in the chairs in the front room, loathe to go home.

Right now, she knew the feeling. Her home had always been her haven. And now it seemed empty and comfortless without one particular man.

Not good.

Not good at all.

Maybe she'd have to take up a hobby in addition to all the other stuff going on in her life. Every time she had a quiet moment she thought of him.

Aaargh.

Ink in a black cloud over her head, she thought. This particular frame of her life wasn't going to need any bright colors.

AND THEN, AS if Stella wasn't down in the dumps enough, Megan called back no more than twenty minutes later with another news flash.

"I'm whispering," Megan said, "because Buddy's watching cartoons with the kids in the other room, but I couldn't wait to tell you something more fabulous than Valley Fair! You're going to just die!"

Because she was sliding into a slough of depression big time, obliging Megan on the dying thing might not be too difficult. "Tell me your great news," Stella said, forcing warmth into her voice. Megan's level of excitement was beyond her capabilities at the moment, but friendly was doable.

"Well, first Buddy brought a Palm Pilot home, and you know how expensive those are. And second, he's going to call some friend of his who's some media guy who runs campaigns—I mean, big-time campaigns. He's going to have this fellow give me a list of voters in my district who are interested in the environment. And best of all, Buddy's going to drive me around and help me knock on doors and show me how to punch in data on the Palm Pilot to keep track of all the voters who might vote for me. Is that like a miracle or what?"

Megan's long, breathless explanation had given Stella time to gather her composure. She was able to reply with sincerity that would have passed muster with the Pope. "Your senate seat is in the bag, sweetie. I'm so pleased."

"Isn't Buddy just the best?"

"He's a pretty nice guy." In contrast to the possible criminal type she was fixated on.

"I can't thank you enough for knowing him. Really, I mean it—if not for you, I'd never have met Buddy."

"Thank the mangas."

"The who?"

"The comics. That's how I met Buddy."

"Well, whatever, I'm so,
so-o-o
happy," Megan whispered.

"And I'm happy for you, kid. You deserve it. Keep me posted on your happiness updates. I've got a good feeling about this relationship."

"Do you think so? Do you think it could be—you know… an actual relationship?"

"Jeez. How many guys go out of their way like Buddy's doing?" Stella pointed out. "Calling his media friend. Asking for valuable information from him. I doubt that's going to be free."

"Oh, shit. I didn't think about that. How much do you think it will cost?"

"Don't worry. Buddy can afford it."

"But he shouldn't have to pay for my campaign stuff."

"If he didn't want to he wouldn't, believe me. I've yet to meet a guy who opens his wallet just for the hell of it—like for platonic friendship. I'm guessing you're involved in a real relationship, sweetie."

"You think?"

"Ask him."

"I couldn't. No way. Besides, I probably shouldn't be obsessing about some guy I met a week or so ago. You know… I should be sensible—especially after Chad."

"You never obsessed about Chad."

"I didn't?" There was a lengthy pause. "I didn't, did I?" Megan said slowly, like a mystery had been solved.

"Nope. You liked him, but you didn't obsess. You'd known Chad since grade school. It was probably one of those comfortable-as-an-old-shoe things."

"That's depressing. Oh, well," Megan whispered, brightly a second later. "It all turned out for the best."

Stella hadn't ever heard Megan say anything so cheerfully positive about her divorce—ever. "It sure looks that way," Stella remarked. "Nothing but sunshine and rainbows from now on."

"I really feel that way," Megan enthused. "Like the whole world could be mine."

With Buddy's money it probably could, Stella thought. But she said instead, "Just be sure you remember us little people once you're a big-time senator."

"You know, it almost seems possible now. Like
really
possible. I'm talking to Stella," she said in a normal tone of voice. "Are the cartoons over? I'll be right there. Buddy says hi."

"Hi back."

"I'd better get supper on the table, but I had to tell you all the unbelievable things that are happening to me—to us… the kids, too. Buddy's so nice to them," she added in a whisper. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."

And Stella was left with the phone in her hand and her life going in the opposite direction from the next state senator who was on the love train chugging along at top speed to Happy Town.

Megan's life was turning into a Hallmark card with a house and a white picket fence in the background, a smiling family in the foreground, and a big yellow sun above symbolizing their bright future.

She, on the other hand, was mixed up in a disaster-in-the-making, the man with whom she was obsessed so secretive she didn't even know what he did for a living.

And speculation wasn't very comforting.

Although she may have been cut from his to-call list if his mood when he dropped her off was any indication of his true feelings.

Maybe she should finally kill off Marky B's new sidekick and get it over with.

You know, like cut your losses.

Because a Happy Town ending didn't look like it was gonna happen for her.

FOR THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS, IT WAS A STAND-off of sorts in the lives of Stella Scott and Danny Rees—that stance maintained by a convoluted process of denial, evasive thinking, and seesawing resentments.

Stella absolutely refused to be infatuated with a man who was most likely a drug dealer. It was not only counterproductive, but it led nowhere fast. She was a mature, sensible woman who knew enough to make informed, adult choices.

Danny had never spent more than ten minutes thinking about any one woman, and Stella Scott had tramped all over that record a couple thousand minutes ago. But the real deal-breaker had to do with her possible involvement in these break-ins. If she was working for the competition, there was no way to sugar-coat that.

If she'd stuck to her rule about dating customers, Stella reflected, she'd be ringing up some stellar sales right now, compliments of Danny Rees's comic habit. As it was, she'd just lost a ton of money. And all for sex. How stupid was that?

Danny had tried to erase the new female character in his video game but found himself adding to her fighting skills instead of killing her off. He told himself it was all about making money with the new game; complex characters were more interesting.

Suffice it to say, neither of them were entirely sane by the evening of the second day.

Danny gave in first because he didn't have a store full of kids to marginally detract him from his lust and he'd wacked off so many times, his arm was getting sore. He didn't understand that carnal desires had anything to do with love, but then he'd never had any experience, so one could cut him some slack in that regard.

He debated briefly whether he should call or just drive over.

Gee, what would Spiderman do?