"No, just come home."
"I'll just grab my mail and leave. I'll have it forwarded to your address, if it's okay."
"Certainly. Good idea."
"See you soon." Carolyn placed two fingers to her lips and blew a loud kiss at the phone. Annelie's soft laugh was well worth it.
"Soon."
***
What will she think of me, meeting her by the door like this? Waiting in the open doorway for the elevator to reach the fifteenth floor, Annelie felt her face grow warm when she thought about how needy she must seem. After a muted ping, Carolyn exited, followed by an enthralled doorman pulling her suitcases behind him. God, she's beautiful, even when she's worn-out.
"Thank you so much for your help. I'm fine now." Carolyn tipped him generously, and then she and Annelie pulled the bags over the threshold. "Hello. I'm home."
Closing the door, Annelie wrapped her arms around her lover and hugged her close. "Yes, you are, and it feels so good to hold you." Softly kissing Carolyn's lips, she pulled back a little. "You look tired."
"Long day. We're all set for the promotion picture shoot tomorrow. Regina and I finally settled for a look. Simple but modern." Carolyn continued to tell Annelie how a crowd of fans had been waiting in front of her apartment when she dropped by to pack. "I had no idea they could find out where I live. My number's unlisted."
Annelie frowned. "They have their ways. I've always made sure nobody knows where I live. I'm really glad now."
Carolyn had pulled one of her bags into the bedroom. "Me too. Where do you want me to unpack my things?"
"In that closet and the drawers over there. I'll help you later. Margo should be here in"—she checked her watch—"twenty minutes. I ordered Italian for us, and it's staying warm in the oven."
"Without the cardboard plate, I hope?" Carolyn raised an eyebrow, making Annelie smile.
"No cardboard plates." She walked up to her lover, enfolding her in another embrace. "No fires today…well, at least not in the kitchen." Leaning down, she traced Carolyn's lips with her tongue, coaxing her to open her mouth. "Mmm…oh, yes." Annelie deepened the kiss while stroking Carolyn's back underneath her jacket.
"Oh, Annie…" Carolyn breathed against Annelie's mouth. "I…I better freshen up before dinner…oh…"
Annelie let the passion flare for another minute before she relented. "I know you're right, but it's hard to let go. You feel so good."
Carolyn raised a hand and cupped Annelie's cheek. "So do you, so hold on to that thought. I'll only be a second."
Opening a bottle of Beaujolais Royale, Annelie thought about how Carolyn fit in her arms. She just feels so right. The sound of the phone ringing roused her from her daydream.
"Peterson."
"Hi, kiddo, it's Jem. How're you doing?"
Annelie gave a wry smile. "Okay. How are things in Florida?"
"I wanted to call yesterday but didn't want to disturb you. I know all hell's broken loose, and I figured you had Carolyn and Margo there helping you deal with everything."
"That's true, but I appreciate your call. It's been awkward and downright painful, but I'm handling it. Thank goodness, I'm not alone."
"Look, Annelie, I'm calling for a reason. The security guard where you live called, concerned since a media posse's set up camp just outside the gates. I'm not sure how they found out where you live."
Annelie closed her eyes, stifling a groan. "I guess they have their sources. That's all I needed," she murmured. "Thanks for letting me know. Can you get rid of them?"
"They're smart enough not to trespass, so we can't touch them. I know you'll be in New York a long time, so they'll probably give up when they realize you're not here." Jem paused. "Damn that man. I could wring his fucking neck!"
"Calm down. I need you to keep your cool. Have they approached any of the companies at your end?"
"Are you kidding? We've been swamped with calls, but so far we've told them no comment until the press conference. You okay with that?"
"Excellent. We'll fax you the statement Margo's going to give the press, probably tomorrow. I want you to give a press conference and use her statement. We have to keep a united front. It's vital to all our projects."
"Got it, kiddo. I'll try to control myself, but you know me. I'm ready to…" Jem was obviously bristling.
Annelie understood. She heard the doorbell ring and looked up.
"I'll get it," Carolyn said, coming out of the bedroom.
"Margo's here. Thanks for calling. Talk to you later, my friend. Take care."
Annelie overheard Carolyn greet Margo. "Hi, come on in. Hope you've got some good news."
"It's looking up!" Margo's Irish accent was more obvious than usual. "Where is she?"
"With our dinner. I just got home."
As the two women entered the kitchen, Margo hugged Annelie firmly. "Hello, girlie. How're you holding up?"
"Fine. Carolyn's agreed to move in with me while she's filming, so that helps."
Margo didn't as much as flinch, though Annelie detected a curious gleam in her eyes. "Sounds like a great arrangement." She winked at Carolyn. "It'll be closer for you, won't it?"
"Yes, but that's not the real reason. I just don't want to be away from her."
Oh, my…Carolyn, do you know what you're saying? Annelie stared at her lover. Carolyn's unexpected candidness took her breath away. Glancing at Margo, Annelie noticed her pleased smile.
"I'm glad you're sticking together. Let's get dinner on the table so I can let you in on what I've found out."
While they ate, Margo pulled out a stack of documents and handed them to Annelie.
"Here's what I've confirmed so far. The media is going nuts, mostly because of the Maddox movies. If things hadn't happened so close together, the press wouldn't have cared."
"Give me the short version," Annelie said, glancing reluctantly at the large stack of documents.
"These affidavits prove your father owed eleven years of child support and didn't pay a single cent. And his rap sheet includes doing time twice for drug trafficking and several DUIs. These complete telephone listings for your house in Florida and the apartment here prove he's lying about trying to call you. And no records exist to show he ever tried to reach you at either the Florida office or the law firm."
"Good job, Margo," Annelie offered, feeling some of the weight fall from her shoulders. "Anything else?"
"Copies of documents when your mother filed for sole custody of you. You were ten, and that's when she quit hoping he'd ever return, if I remember right. She wouldn't say a bad word about him, not even after the court awarded her full custody, Annie. I'd sometimes go off on a rant, but then she'd look at me with those mild blue eyes and remind me that you're his daughter. Without him, she wouldn't have you. Honest to God, girlie, she was a saint."
What would I have done without her silent strength? Annelie suddenly remembered the way her mother's hand had felt against the back of her head, one of her rare caresses. After she died, I didn't think I could survive without her. More than fifteen years but, to this day, I miss her. Oh, Mother…
Anna Clint had worked two jobs to support them while Annelie finished high school but had died just before her graduation. "Yes, she was a saint, in a lot of ways," Annelie said. "I don't think she ever raised her voice to me."
"You never gave her a reason, child. Not that you didn't exasperate her, always with your nose in a book or watching your favorite soap on TV—not getting enough sunlight according to your mom." Margo wrinkled her nose at Annelie and winked at Carolyn. "I don't have to tell you which soap it was, do I?"
"No, I can guess." Carolyn smiled. "But I'm not complaining."