A Creed in Stone Creek Part 22

In other words, Melissa thought, Get the h.e.l.l out of my office. Get the h.e.l.l out of my office. She was inclined to agree. She was inclined to agree.

Steven smiled, nodded politely and headed for the door.

Melissa would have waited until she was sure he was gone to duck out, but the fact was, she wasn't any more eager to deal with Tom than with Steven at the moment.

Steven was waiting in the hall. Melissa ignored him, walking on by. He stopped her by reaching out and taking a light but firm hold on her elbow.

Her temper flared. "I can't believe you would actually consider representing that sc.u.mbag!" she whispered, her fury at such a fever pitch that the words just formed themselves, seemingly independent of her brain, and came tumbling out of her mouth. "Pete Ferguson would step off the sidewalk and into the street before he'd squash a bug squash a bug under his shoe, let alone manhandle anybody. And as for Carter-" under his shoe, let alone manhandle anybody. And as for Carter-"

"Whoa," Steven said. "Everybody has a right to counsel. Or were you out sick when they covered the fundamentals the first week of law school?"

Melissa jerked her elbow free, in no mood to be reasoned with. "Yes," she agreed tartly, "everybody does does have the right to counsel. But before you take on any more clients, you might want to take the trouble to find out what kind of people they are!" have the right to counsel. But before you take on any more clients, you might want to take the trouble to find out what kind of people they are!"

"It doesn't matter what kind of people they are," Steven replied moderately. "The law is the law."

She took a step back. "Pete Ferguson's father was the last sheriff," she said. "Before that, it was his grandfather, and before that, that, his his great great-grandfather. The Fergusons are some of the finest people in this community-"

Steven leaned in, so his nose was nearly touching hers. "Beside the point, counselor," he said. "If your friend, Deputy Ferguson, gave Nathan Carter a working over, I'll nail him for it." counselor," he said. "If your friend, Deputy Ferguson, gave Nathan Carter a working over, I'll nail him for it."

For a long moment, they just glared at each other.

Then Steven turned and walked away.

Melissa didn't move until he'd disappeared through the outside doorway. It took her that long to calm down enough to set foot inside her office.

She was immediately met with a whole new Andrea. Gone were the jeans, the hair spikes, the too-tight T-s.h.i.+rts, the heavy eye shadow and the white lipstick. She was wearing a nice skirt, a white blouse and modest makeup.

Melissa couldn't help staring. "What happened to you?" she asked.

The girl straightened her spine and lifted her chin. The expression in her eyes was completely earnest, and she held Melissa's direct gaze without looking away. "I'm turning over a new leaf, that's all," she replied, with a little sniff. "Byron says it's important to look professional."

Melissa barely kept herself from smiling at that one. "Oh?"

Andrea nodded and then pushed back her chair and stood. "I even made coffee. It should be ready by now."

Melissa raised both her hands, palms out. "Sit down, Andrea," she said. "I was only teasing before. Making coffee really isn't isn't in your job description." in your job description."

"Can't a person do something nice for somebody?" Andrea asked. Her lower lip was wobbling now, and her eyes misted over.

"Sit down," Melissa repeated, but gently.

Andrea sagged into her chair.

"What's this all about? This big transformation, I mean?"

"I almost ran over you yesterday morning," Andrea burst out, and a tear slid down her cheek. "I-I guess I'm just trying to-well-make up for what could have happened to you, at least partly, if-if-" for what could have happened to you, at least partly, if-if-"

Melissa felt a burning sensation behind her own eyes now. "You've apologized," she reminded her a.s.sistant. "You've promised to be more careful in the future. You don't need to do anything more, Andrea."

Andrea absorbed that in silence, looking straight ahead. Her hands rested on the surface of her desk, fingers tightly interlaced.

Melissa waited a few moments, then asked, "Were there any messages?"

"Mrs. Brady called," Andrea said, turning her head. "So did Mrs. Hillingsley. They agree on one one thing, anyway, that the Parade Committee meeting didn't go very well." thing, anyway, that the Parade Committee meeting didn't go very well."

Meeting? It was a beat before Melissa recalled the great toilet-paper debate, and how she'd suggested that the committee gather right away to settle it.

"Oh," she said.

"Half of them want to let Mrs. Hillingsley decorate the Chamber of Commerce float any way she pleases," Andrea went on, a smile creeping over her mouth as she spoke, no longer gazing off into the beyond, "and the other half say there'll be h.e.l.l to pay if she embarra.s.ses the whole town of Stone Creek by decking the thing with miles of toilet paper."

Melissa muttered under her breath. If troublemakers like Nathan Carter didn't give her a migraine, the Parade Committee would. "Did anyone else call?"

"Mr. Blake left a voice mail," Andrea said. "It was so long that I thought it'd be better if you just listened to it yourself, instead of me trying to write it all down. You know how he rambles on."

Oh, indeed she did.

"More s.p.a.ce aliens landing in his cornfield and scaring his sheep?" Melissa asked.

Andrea nodded, then gave a little giggle. "Sorry," she said, after a moment, clearly insincere.

Melissa heaved out a sigh. "Okay," she said. "That's everything, then?"

"That's everything," Andrea said.

Melissa practically dove into her office.

Concentrating on her work proved to be a challenge for the rest of the morning-she kept thinking about Steven, and the things they'd done together the night before, juxtaposed against the cold, hard reality of their separate philosophies concerning the practice of law.

She was a prosecutor.

He was a defense attorney.

There were similarities between them, of course, but just then, the differences looked a whole lot bigger.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

JUST BEFORE NOON, Melissa saved a computer doc.u.ment to the file labeled "to be reviewed" and noticed for the first time that she was hungry. That morning's after-jog smoothie had definitely worn off. Melissa saved a computer doc.u.ment to the file labeled "to be reviewed" and noticed for the first time that she was hungry. That morning's after-jog smoothie had definitely worn off.

Too bad the residual effects of Steven Creed's lovemaking lovemaking hadn't-or those of the confrontation outside of Tom's office after Nathan Carter's release from jail. The occasional faint aftershock hadn't-or those of the confrontation outside of Tom's office after Nathan Carter's release from jail. The occasional faint aftershock still still rocked her-at once delicious and annoying. rocked her-at once delicious and annoying.

Melissa decided to remain in the office over her lunch hour, although the day was lovely and it would have been a lot more fun to munch away on a half sandwich and a fruit cup from the little market down on the corner.

So, silently telling herself to get over it get over it all the while, she had strawberry yogurt from her stash in the break-room fridge instead. all the while, she had strawberry yogurt from her stash in the break-room fridge instead.

And she waited.

When she couldn't sit still for another moment, she stood up and walked out of her private office, past Andrea and into the corridor.

Tom was sitting at his desk when she walked in, scribbling away at some form on a clipboard. Seeing her, he pushed the paperwork away and got to his feet. His desk chair creaked in the process.

She didn't speak right away, so he spread his hands wide and said, "What?"

"Do you have any idea what kind of problems you've opened yourself up to?" Melissa demanded. "Maybe it was all right to throw someone into jail just to get them off the street back in the day, but it isn't anymore!"

Tom's eyes twinkled, though he looked weary, too. "Tell it to Pete Ferguson," he said, slowly sinking back into his chair. "He made the arrest." made the arrest."

"You tell him," Melissa snapped in response. "You're his boss." tell him," Melissa snapped in response. "You're his boss."

Tom arched an eyebrow. "Are you through?" he asked, with a grin he couldn't quite suppress, though he did make a visible attempt.

Melissa began to pace. "Carter could could sue the county for false arrest," she reminded her friend. "And even if Steven Creed didn't take the case, some ambulance chaser from Flagstaff or Phoenix would be thrilled to do it!" sue the county for false arrest," she reminded her friend. "And even if Steven Creed didn't take the case, some ambulance chaser from Flagstaff or Phoenix would be thrilled to do it!"

Tom nodded toward the chair facing his desk. "Sit down," he said. "You're making me nervous."

She plunked herself onto the seat, arms folded.

"Speaking of Creed," Tom said, when she didn't speak, "what's going on between you two?"

"Who says anything is 'going on'?" Melissa countered, perhaps too quickly.

"Oh, come on," Tom said. "The air was flammable flammable in here this morning. Good thing n.o.body smokes in public buildings anymore, because the whole crowd of us might have gone up in a blast if anybody had flicked a lighter or struck a match." in here this morning. Good thing n.o.body smokes in public buildings anymore, because the whole crowd of us might have gone up in a blast if anybody had flicked a lighter or struck a match."

Melissa folded her arms. "I'm not discussing Steven Creed with you," she said. She wanted to discuss Steven with someone someone-Ashley and Olivia were both likely candidates-but not Tom. Definitely not Tom, because he'd tease her to death if she admitted anything.

Tom chuckled. "All right," he said, spreading his hands in a gesture of affable acquiescence. "But don't think you're fooling anybody, because you're not."

Melissa took a step toward him. Let her arms fall to her sides. "Speaking of not fooling anyone," she said, "remember our bet? You were supposed to ask Tessa Quinn out for dinner or a movie-or have you forgotten?"

He reddened slightly, under the jaw.

Elvis made a rhythmic thumping sound against the floor as he scratched under his chin with one hind leg.

"You said the bet was off," Tom told her.

"No, I didn't," Melissa argued. "You did. And that's as good as losing, as far as I'm concerned." She leaned in, tucked her fingers under her armpits and flapped her elbows like wings. "Cluck-cluck-cluck." did. And that's as good as losing, as far as I'm concerned." She leaned in, tucked her fingers under her armpits and flapped her elbows like wings. "Cluck-cluck-cluck."

"Look, it isn't that easy, okay? Tessa comes from a different world world than I do. She's beautiful. She used to be on TV-G.o.d only knows who she's dated in the past and-" than I do. She's beautiful. She used to be on TV-G.o.d only knows who she's dated in the past and-"

"Cluck," Melissa said. "Cluck. Cluck-"

"Stop it," Tom ordered.

"Arrest me," Melissa challenged.

"That is tempting," came the raspy reply. Tom hooked his thumbs under his belt. "And if you think all this jabbering is throwing me off, you're wrong. I'm a trained investigator, remember. I know there is is something going on between you and Steven Creed. In fact, I'd go so far as to say you weren't even home last night." something going on between you and Steven Creed. In fact, I'd go so far as to say you weren't even home last night."

"What makes you say that?"

"I might have driven past your place once or twice."

Melissa raised one eyebrow. Tilted her head to one side. "Is that right? Well, let's a.s.sume, for one wild and crazy moment, that I did did have something 'going on' with Steven. Why would that be any of your d.a.m.n business?" have something 'going on' with Steven. Why would that be any of your d.a.m.n business?"

He smiled. "It wouldn't," he conceded. "But I'd be happy about it. The whole d.a.m.n county county would be happy, in fact." would be happy, in fact."

Melissa's tone was dangerous, which was fine, since she wanted it that way. "Because-?"

"Because you don't have a life. Ever since you and Dan broke up, you've been-it seems like you're-"

"And I suppose you you have a life?" have a life?"

"I get by," Tom hedged.

"'Getting by' doesn't count. You're still a young man, Tom. You're nice-looking and honest and you have a steady job. Lots Lots of women would be interested in you, and Tessa might just be one of them, for all you know. I can't of women would be interested in you, and Tessa might just be one of them, for all you know. I can't believe believe that as brave a man as you are, you're afraid to risk one tiny rejection." that as brave a man as you are, you're afraid to risk one tiny rejection."

Tom didn't answer. He just stood there, looking like he was trying to think of a smart-a.s.s comeback, but none was forthcoming.

"All right," Melissa said, "there's a dance at the Grange Hall Sat.u.r.day night. Why don't you ask Tessa if she'd like to go?"

He let out a breath. "Tessa's always friendly when I stop by the cafe for coffee, or pick up something from the bakery side," he confessed, "so I get to thinking she might be up for dinner and a movie, anyway, but then at other times she seems pretty distracted, like a lot of things are worrying her. How do I know I'm not misreading the smiles and all that? After all, Tessa is nice to everybody, not just me."

Melissa felt a rush of sisterly tenderness and touched Tom's arm. "It's a dance, dance, Tom. Ask her. Either she'll accept and you'll both have a great time, or she'll refuse, and you'll be able to stop wondering and move on." Tom. Ask her. Either she'll accept and you'll both have a great time, or she'll refuse, and you'll be able to stop wondering and move on."

He turned stubborn then. "I'll ask Tessa if you'll you'll ask Creed," he said. ask Creed," he said.

The depth of her reaction to the suggestion startled Melissa. Suddenly, she wanted to run back to her office and hide behind her work again.

Which was completely crazy, considering the things she and Steven had done in bed together just the night before.

Weren't parts of her still humming with sense memories?

Tom pounced on her hesitation and jumped in feet first. "Now who's chicken?" he asked. who's chicken?" he asked.

Melissa forced herself to relax. Tried for a throw-away smile. "How do I know this isn't a trick?" she asked. "I invite Steven to the dance and then you conveniently fink out on asking Tessa. Where would that leave me?"

"Dancing with Steven Creed?" Tom teased, a grin in his eyes.

"You go first," Melissa said. "And I have to be there when you ask her."

Tom pretended to be horrified. "You don't trust me?"

"Not when it comes to this," she replied, lifting her chin. "You've been waffling for a year, telling me you're going to make a move and then backing off again."