Chapter Twenty-Two

Sitting at her desk, Stephanie practically growled as she read the same paragraph for the fifth time.  This story made no sense.  She shook her head and added it to the growing pile of rejections.

Tossing her pencil down, she stood and stretched before taking the three steps to her window. Staring out into the rainy afternoon her thoughts turned to Richie.  They had finally connected late Saturday afternoon. 

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the window frame. That phone call had been more than a little awkward.  She had been glad they hadn’t been face to face.  She was sure her face was the color of a tomato by the first question.  It was her own fault though. If she hadn’t drank so much, that phone call would not have been necessary. But, to his credit, he hadn’t laughed at her or made her feel any more embarrassed than she already had been.  He had been his sweet, charming self while he filled in the few blanks she had had about Friday night.  

Sighing, she paced between the window and her desk.  She hadn’t said anything to him about her mini-revelation.  That she needed to tell him face to face.  But it looked like it was going to be a while before that happened.  He had been busy the rest of the weekend, Thanksgiving was in a few days and then he was leaving for Japan, New Zealand and Australia.  He wouldn’t be back until nearly Christmas.  And she was going home for the holidays to see her family.  She wouldn’t be back until December 30.  At this rate, it would be January before they saw each other again.

Frowning, she turned from the window and moved back to her desk.  Right now she had a few more rejects to address and Thanksgiving to worry about.  

Thanksgiving.

This would be the first time she spent a holiday alone.  That thought left her feeling a little lost, out of sorts.  She hadn’t been alone, even right after Mark and Ben had died.  Her parents had come to her house, practically dragged her to the car and took her to her sister’s for the day.  She had been surrounded by her family.  But this year, there would be no one to come drag her off to somewhere else.  She’d have to get by on her own. 

While the office was closed for the holiday and the day after, she hadn’t been able to get a flight for a decent fare.  Not that money was an issue these days, but that wasn’t the point. She wasn’t going to spend a ridiculous amount of money to fly across the country for two days.  As much as she loved and missed her family, she just couldn’t bring herself to do that.  So she had arranged to skype with her family Thursday afternoon.  It was the best she could do. Afterward, she’d eat her turkey breast and sweet potatoes and watch a movie.  

Tapping her pencil on the desk she flipped absently through the next novel.  Looking at the stack she wondered if she shouldn’t just add them all to the reject pile.  Dropping her pencil she turned to her computer.  Her concentration was shit today.  She had just opened her gmail when someone tapped on her door. 

“Hey.”

She looked up to find Darcy standing there.  “Hey yourself.  What’s up?”

Darcy sauntered in and dropped down into a chair, sloshing her coffee up to the rim of her mug.  “Nothing.  Just went and got coffee. Thought I’d stop and see what you were working on.”

Stephanie waved at the pile on her desk.  “A whole lot of nothing.  All rejects.”

Darcy eyed the pile.  “All of them?”

Steph nodded.  “Yeah.  I don’t know what’s going on lately.  Nothing good has come across my desk in a week.”

Darcy shrugged.  “Must be the time of year.  So, how was your date Friday night?”

Stephanie nearly laughed.  Talk about not beating around the bush.  “It was fine.”  More than fine, they damn near overheated her hot tub.

Darcy raised one slim, dark eyebrow.  “Just fine?  That’s too bad.”

Stephanie returned the high eyebrow.  “Why is that too bad?”

Darcy grimaced.  “I haven’t gotten any in so long I’m starting to forget what sex is like.  I was hoping you could tell me all about it, help me refresh my memory.”

This time Stephanie did laugh.  “Sorry to disappoint, but even if there had been sex involved Friday night, I don’t kiss and tell.”

Darcy pouted.  “Damn.”  She shrugged, “it was worth a shot.  What are you doing for Thanksgiving?  Going home?”

Stephanie shook her head.  She wished she was.  Maybe she should just bite the bullet and lay out the scary amount of money to fly home.  “No.  I’m going home for Christmas.  I have a date with my family at 1:00 our time to skype with them.  Then I’ll be having my turkey and sweet potatoes and watching football and then Christmas Vacation.”

Darcy set her cup on the edge of Steph’s desk and hurried around it to sit in front of her.  “Oh no, you’re not going to spend Thanksgiving alone.  You’re coming to my house.  You can help me keep my mother off my back about not having a man in my life.”

Stephanie’s head started moving side to side before she even opened her mouth.  “No, I couldn’t intrude on your family time Darcy.  Thanks for asking though.”  She wasn’t sure she could handle being around a family not her own for the holiday, and who knew how much of a mess she would be after talking to her own.  No, it would be better if she just stayed home.

Darcy wasn’t about to be swayed.  “You’re coming.  It’s just me, my brother and the ‘rents.  You’re not intruding.  I invited.”  When Stephanie started to protest again Darcy held up her hand.  “You can just stop talking right now.  You’re not getting out of it.  Dinner is at 5.  You’d better show up or I’ll come to your house and drag you into my car myself.”

Stephanie’s eyes widened at Darcy’s threat and she held up her hands in mock surrender.  Her new friend really didn’t want her to be alone.  “Okay, okay, I’ll come.  What can I bring and if you tell me you’re a Detroit fan, I’m gonna have to hurt you.”

Darcy smiled widely, picked up her coffee mug “can you make an apple pie?  I always have trouble with that.”  She headed to the door and just as she was about to disappear Stephanie heard “Go Dallas” and the click of Darcy’s heels as she walked away.