Authors: Glenys O'Connell
He’d been on his way to a cocktail party when he’d been virtually kidnapped by the sharp-tongued beauty who’d hijacked him – and his car – and brought them out to this god-forsaken wide spot in the road where she somehow seemed to think he was going to act as her lover.
Or maybe not just act – she’d booked them a hotel room for afterwards. Somehow this was all moving too fast. He’d certainly no objections to spending the night with a woman as gorgeous as this Anna, but he figured she had to be out of her mind, a few sandwiches short of a picnic, as his Daddy used to say, and Jed was no longer sure this adventure was worth its salt.
His Daddy had always told him New York was a weird and crazy place, and after a few years in the city, Jed had little difficulty in believing his old man. But this was definitely the weirdest thing that had happened to him so far. And if he was going to go to bed with a woman, he reckoned he didn’t like the idea of being kidnapped and then being ordered how to behave.
No, not at all.
In fact, he’d been about to get her out of the car, see her safely into the school hall, and return to the cocktail party when he’d caught sight of her face. And it was pure and simple fear he’d seen there – the lady was terrified of walking into her high school reunion!
And suddenly Jed Walker, who many people would hesitate to call a gentleman, was hit by a wave of old fashioned chivalry. He just couldn’t leave this woman to face her demons all alone. Whatever those demons were, the look on her face made him want to scoop her up in his arms and soothe away her fears.
And, having felt the sharp side of her tongue, he could just imagine what her reaction would be to that!
“Would you please stop grinning like an idiot and get to work?” Anna demanded, wondering what on earth was going through his mind as he stared appraisingly at her with those gorgeous green eyes. Then his expression opened up and she saw what he was thinking, saw the desire flickering there just in time to gasp as he gathered her in his arms and kissed her thoroughly on the mouth. A kiss that seemed to inject warmth into every part of her, from her toes to the tip of her head, and places in between – tender places she’d vowed no man would have access to again!
When she was able to draw breath again, she was ready to splutter a reprimand when she saw the gleam of laughter in his eyes and held her tongue.
The beast was laughing at her.
“Just doing my job, Ma’am,” he whispered in her ear, and yes, he was! People were staring into the car, staring at the beautiful, passionate people in the car! Yes! This was exactly what she wanted….and maybe later she’d think about just how much she’d enjoyed that kiss.
Been there, done that - got the scars,
she muttered to herself.
“I’m sorry - what did you say?”
“Oh, nothing. Let’s get this over with.”
Now to face her former classmates, the people who’d mocked her and made fun of her studious ways and conservative dressing, who’d laughed at her shyness and called her Mouse. She’d always dreamed of paying them back, and now an adventurous publisher had given her the opportunity. She would grasp it with both hands.
Payback’s a bitch.
And she was just the bitch for the job!
* * *
Jed stepped around the car to open Anna’s door and offered her his hand while displaying a charming smile to the small crowd who’d gathered round them. Anna puzzled him, and he was beginning to find her intriguing, despite his better judgement. Of course, his judgement might be a bit skewed right now – that kiss had hit him right down to his, well, his toes…..
Gorgeous creatures like this had usually been high school princesses adored by all. But Anna didn’t give the impression she had enjoyed a cosseted high school tenure – so just what had these people done to her to make her feel this way?
He was amazed at the sudden protective surge that washed over him, wanting to take on any comers who might wound this little lamb – even though he knew she was a little lamb with sharp teeth and claws. Maybe he should just get in the car and go right back to New York City while he could escape unscathed…
But it was too late. They were already out of the car and a skinny big-haired blonde was bearing down on them with several others in her wake.
“Well, Anna Findlay! What a delight to see you here at the reunion! Just you come along in now, dear, and tell your friends all that’s been happening to you. Not that I guess that’s been very much.”
“Hi, Lindy,” Anna said, her voice small. Jed thought the last time he’d seen a look like that it had been on a rabbit that had been cornered by a pack of dogs. He’d rescued that old rabbit – surely he could take the time to rescue this one? Flinging his arm around her shoulders, he urged her through the group. “C’mon, honey, let’s go inside and you can introduce me to all your friends.”
“My friends? That won’t take too long.” She sighed back at him, grateful for the shelter of his protecting arm. Then a backward glance revealed to her satisfaction, that Lindy and company were gazing open-mouthed – at Bob, her escort.
*****
As a lonely teenager she’d dreamed of walking in to the annual school dance on the arm of a gorgeous hunk – preferably the football team captain – and watching all the other girls turn green with envy.
The dream had changed as she got older. She fantasised about returning to a gathering at the high school as a successful and desirable woman, and setting the whole room quivering with envy at her achievements.
Now both dreams were coming true at once. She was a bestselling author, a recognised academic in her own field of sociology, AND she had a gorgeous hunk on her arm. Not to mention the fact that she looked terrific, she added to herself as she passed by the mirrored walls of the entrance hall.
Sometimes she looked at her reflection in the mirror these days, and wondered who that woman was…
Yes, Anna thought, all the dreams are coming true.
But it’s all so hollow.
I’m still the Mouse inside
. She wanted to turn tail and run, and keep on running until she was far, far away from her childhood home and all those people who remembered The Mouse. But she couldn’t do it... and Bob was already leading her to the drinks area and asking what she’d like as an aperitif.
“Well, little Anna Findlay…Oh, my, who’d have thought you’d grow up into such a sexy lady?” The deep, rich voice sent goose bumps up Anna’s spine. Just as it had when she was fifteen and he’d been the school sports hero.
Slowly she turned around. Her eyes trailed up – way up, until they were looking into the meltingly delicious gaze of Joey Henderson. Ah, Joey, with the eyes as mouth-watering as freshly baked caramel brownies, and the biceps so hard and strong, it made a girl wonder about his other parts…
Stop it this minute, Anna Findlay!
This is the guy who laughed when his girlfriend named you The Mouse! This is the guy who asked you to meet him outside the arena on the day of the big match – and you stood there for two hours before you cottoned on that he was having you hold a parking space for him while he and his buddies took off laughing for a couple of beers before the game!
This is the guy who is now looking down at you from way, way up, with a big smile on his face and eyes just for you.
Oh, my, my…
“Why don’t you come and sit over here with me. It’s been a long time since we managed to have a chat alone.”
“Yeah, the last chat we had alone was on the sidewalk when you asked me to watch your motorbike while you popped into the 7/11 to buy cigarettes…”
He wagged his finger. “Still that same old sense of humour, eh? Always love that in a girl.”
And before she knew it she was sitting at close quarters – very close quarters – with the star football captain of her graduating year, his hard thighs jammed against hers and his muscular arm encircling her in ways she’d always dreamed of. Anna let herself go for a moment, let herself slide back in time to when she was 18 and Joey Henderson was her whole world. And
his
whole world was the homecoming queen and his buddies on the football team.
Just then the school principal clapped his hands for silence. A low groan slithered around the room -
was old Hawkbeak going to make one of his interminable speeches?
Anna looked on with amazement - yes, this was the same Mr Hawkins - the one who’d ruled Knotting Grove High with a rod of iron when she was a teenager. Of course, the iron rod had generally landed on the backs of misfits like Anna, not on the cool kids, the valuable kids. Kids like beautiful Lindy whose Mom was on the school board, or Joey who was a shoo-in for a football scholarship….
She was so caught up in a disturbing reverie of the past that she startled when she heard her name called. “Anna Findlay - now don’t be shy, girl. Come on up to the podium.” It was Hawkbeak. His voice dripped a combination of false humility and patronization, and Anna’s stomach clenched. The last time he’d called her into his office, his voice had dripped contempt as he’d accused her of some misdeed someone else had committed and fingered her for the rap…
“Go on, don’t keep old Hawkbeak waiting,” Joey said, pulling her to a feet and scooting her forward with a hand a little too firmly cupping her butt. The touch started a flood of
color rising in her cheeks, and she desperately tried to stem the tide and resume the cool, dignified, above-it-all manner she’d been determined to pull off.
She cast a glance around for her escort, hoping for a last minute rescue, but the jerk was standing over by the makeshift bar, half hidden under streamers and a floppy banner upon which
Welcome, Class of 99!
was scrawled in shiny sparkles. Something lurched inside her chest as she saw he was deep in conversation with a predatory looking beauty - red haired, dark eyed Maria Wilson.
Homecoming Queen, class of ‘99. Ringleader of one of the greatest humiliations in Anna’s life.
I’d like to go over there and tip a drink all over her and her ‘enhanced’ boobs! And then yes, I’d slap the idiotic grin off MY escort’s face….
Seeing Bob pander to her arch enemy made something deep in her chest quiver with hurt.
I wish I’d never come here…Damn Alex! Damn Bob - and double damn Maria Wilson and her friends…
“She always was a shy one - who’d have thought she’d write a bestselling book? Friends and former students of Knotting Grove High, I give you our own, Anna Findlay!”
Hawkbeak’s voice continued to grate through the sound system.
Anna heard muffled sniggers, but a few people clapped as she climbed the stage and walked toward the podium. Sweat was pooling below her breasts. The auditorium was too loud, and the lights too bright but thankfully, she could see nothing from the podium but darkness in the auditorium below.
“Thank you for the welcome, Mr Hawkins,” she said, forcing herself into her professional persona. Her voice grew stronger as she continued: “I’m one of those students who always said she would never return to this school, even for a reunion. School was not good to me - some of my fellow classmates were snobs and bullies.” Anna enjoyed the muted gasps which emerged from somewhere out in the blind darkness in front of her.
“But for that, I have to thank them. Because their loser behaviour made me want to be something more, made me determined to rise above the petty hierarchy of school and make something of myself.”
She glanced over at the school principal, not at all ashamed to see that he was mopping sweat off his scarlet face and glaring at her.
***
“Wow - did you hear that? Hot damn - looks like the Mouse has finally grown a spine!” Maria whistled under her breath as she turned from Jed to look at the podium.
“The Mouse?”
“Oh, yes - that’s what we called her in school. She always seemed to be on the outside. She never had the right clothes. I guess she was a bit of a geek, really. But it doesn’t surprise me that she wound up writing a book.”
Catching the frown on Jed’s face, Maria turned back to him, her hand resting on his arm. “I must admit I felt sorry for her, but what could I do? She seemed to go out of her way to be a target - sometimes she’d try to be cool, and that was hilarious!
“And she had the hots for Joey Henderson - star footballer, Captain of the team. Can you imagine? Little Mouse actually thought Joey would be interested in her.”
“And why wouldn’t he be?” Jed moved slightly away; this woman was crowding him and he didn’t like the cruelty that lay so close to her surface.
“Oh, really – I mean, I don’t know how well you know her –” Maria’s pause made her suggestion obvious. He couldn’t know Anna very well if he hadn’t caught a whiff of scared rodent emanating from her. “To those of us who knew her at school, she’ll always be Mouse.”
That sudden surge of protectiveness hit him again. “You must admit, writing a book is no mean achievement – and she looks like she’s making a good living off it. And her looks – well, they’re not what most guys would describe as Mousy. She looks all genuine to me,” Jed said, casting a lazy glance over Maria’s hard, round, enhanced bosom.
He was shamed that he enjoyed the dark flush that spread over the woman’s cheeks, and the old saying his mother used: ‘More to be pitied than blamed’ resounded in his mind.
He put his drink on the bar and scanned the room to see where Anna was.