Chapter 12

"You aren't going to believe what I saw in the lobby this morning right before you came down," Janice said as she plopped beside Tyler on the bus. "Of course, nobody saw me."

"Oh God, Jan, you didn't see that creepy old George making out with his twenty three year old girlfriend, did you? Come on; I don't want to puke up a good breakfast."

"Ewww, no! This is totally better. Actually, it was Paul laying a big one on your mom before she left for work. Slipping the tongue and all!"

Tyler gave her a look. "Huh?!"

"All true, Ty. I'm surprised no one else showed up while they were doing it. Guess that explains why your mom came back a little after midnight last night, eh?"

"Well, they were watching that movie…"

"Which is only an hour and a half," Janice added. "What were they doing between nine thirty and midnight, hmmmm?"

"For them to know and us to find out," Tyler replied, then grinned. "But I guess he finally captured Mom, huh? No wonder she was in such a good mood this morning before she left. She's usually grouchy, rushing me along and yells when I put stuff in the sink instead of the dishwasher. This morning? 'Just put your stuff in the sink when you're done, Tyler' and was nice as hell the whole time. "

"Go figure!" Janice said cheerfully. "I think your mom's in love!"

Tyler winked. "You think?"

"Wonder if my mom heard anything?" Janice wondered. "She's on vacation this week. She and Paul are always yakking when he's around."

"I don't think he's going to get into it about him and Mom, Jan, any more than he would to us."

"Like Adam says, there's more than one way to skin a cat."

"Oh shit, that reminds me. I hope he remembered to bring the other half of our science project. If I even go below a C, Mom will have my ass."

"I think at this point, your mom won't be so cranky about much of anything, much less you getting a C in science. And Adam put that thing in his backpack last night before he came over anyway. In either case, you have nothing to worry about."

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Sandy had been working on the computer in her office when a co worker peeked in. "Hey, San."

"Hi, Carol. What's up?"

"Nothing much, except there's a very nice, handsome man here to see 'Ms. Dillard.' Being you're the only Ms. Dillard around, I'm guessing he would like to see you."

"What the hell; send him in," Sandy said with a smile, knowing well who it was.

Paul stood in the doorway moments later, a rose between his teeth and a goofy grin on his face.

"You're a nut, you know that?" Sandy asked, laughing.

"It's part of my charm," he said, putting the rose in a vase on her desk, then leaning over to kiss her. "And hi to you too."

"What are you doing here?"

"I was downstairs at PT. You know, rehabbing my ankle boo boo. Isn't the pretty lady happy to see me?" He made a mock sad face, which cracked her up again.

"I'm always happy to see you," Sandy smiled.

"And I you," He started kissing and nibbling her neck before she gave him a slight push.

"Paul, come on; this is my workplace. Somebody could come in here. You need to behave."

"Why? I've missed you all morning, baby." He was kissing her again.

"You're really going to have a hell of a time when you go back on the road in February for days if you're missing me now after only a few hours," she pointed out.

Paul stopped suddenly, his face still buried in her neck. "Yeah, good point. So you got plans for lunch?"

"No, but that isn't for another two hours yet, although I almost hate to ask what you had in mind."

He gave an evil chuckle in her hair. "I got a room right down the street from here. Just you and me, and no worries about anyone walking in."

"I should have known. You dirty boy," she giggled. "Wasn't last night enough for you?"

"Last night was just nibbles, baby. Today will be the whole meal."

"Oh really? And once you get 'the whole meal', it will be like I never existed?" Sandy asked jokingly, yet made it known she was on to guys like that.

I may have been widowed for six years, but it doesn't mean I don't know how men think, she thought.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Paul wondered. "Wait….are you implying I'm just going to try to land you into bed and then never talk to you again?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

"It's not going to happen, Sandy. Just like I said last night, you're worth far more than that. Look, I know there's a lot of assholes in my business that may treat girls that way, but rest assured, I'm not one of them."

He stroked her cheek gently and then added, "When I find something I like, I tend to take very good care of it."

"And you want to take care of me," she said softly, seeing the sincerity in his eyes.

"You got it. So do we have a lunch date?"

"I think I can do you one better. I may have a bit of an 'emergency' at home," she winked, "that may get me out of here the rest of the day."