From The Executive Officer’s Wife
By
Lila Munro
Copyright 2010
Why Rosa hadn’t answered the door yet was beyond Libby’s comprehension. She was trying to come out of what seemed like a comatose state of sleep in which she felt she had been lost for days. She stretched, moved, and was grateful that the incessant pounding had quit. Hoping Rosa could contend with whoever it was, she rolled over wanting to savor this peaceful rest. The sight of the cowboy from Texas, leaning on one elbow, staring at her quietly with a grin on his face jolted her to reality.
“I take it you slept well, Libby?” It was more a statement than question. “I wondered if you ever would hear that knocking on the door. I didn’t think me answering it was a good idea or I would have and let you sleep longer.”
“I’m sorry.” She cleared her throat. “In fact, I’d completely forgotten where I was.” She pushed herself up and rubbed her eyes.
Chase thought she looked radiant. The morning sun streamed in on her and her dark hair a crumpled mess.
Bang, bang, bang. This time a voice accompanied the frantic thumping. “Miss Calhoun, please wake up and come to the door.”
“Shit!” She leaped from the bed and hysterically searched the floor for her clothes, and then stopped midstream, placing a thumb on her temple and forefinger between her eyes. She took a few deliberate breaths. “Calm down, Elizabeth.”
“Who the hell is it that has you this upset? Not another ex-husband or boyfriend I hope.” Chase left the bed and pulled on his jeans, contemplating if his boots would be necessary.
“No, worse. It’s my driver. What time is it anyway? Good God, Rosa is probably having a conniption…have you seen my shirt?” She talked a mile a minute, the pitch of her voice getting higher all the while, and still searched the floor as if she’d lost something of great value.
“Easy. It’s not quite noon and…Wait…did you say your driver? Who the hell is Rosa? Your mother?”
She looked at him as though he had cursed her to damnation. Curtly she told him, “No, she is not my mother.” Then added, with more panic than bite, “Yes, my driver. I told you last night you had no idea who you were dealing with, and I had hoped you wouldn’t find out.” She was struggling with her shorts.
“Miss Calhoun, please answer the door.” Bevins pounded again. “I swear it’s important…”
Calhoun, why should that ring a bell? Chase began an internal inventory of his still foggy mind.
Another string of expletives flew from her mouth, none of which really shocked, but only served to amuse him. He thought she was kind of cute in a tizzy. She raced down the hall and flung the door wide open. Bevins’ raised his fist, ready to resume the assault on the flimsy wood. The sudden motion caught him off guard and he had to take a couple of steps forward to keep from falling.
“What the devil is wrong Bevins?” she whispered discreetly. “I am sorry, I forgot about you last night.”
“Don’t worry about me Miss Calhoun. I slept on Murray’s couch. Pretty comfortable actually.”
She then noticed her purse dangling from Bevins’ other hand.
“I was going to leave you alone as long as you needed.” His cheeks mottled pink. “But, I thought you would want to know, the Colonel is on his way here. I thought you might need some time to, well, collect yourself.” He cleared his throat and glanced down. “Your phone has been ringing all morning and I finally answered it. Something happened overnight. Anyway, he’s on his way here, sounded pretty furious, and he’s calling your new bodyguard, said it couldn’t wait until….”
The unmistakable ringing of a cell phone interrupted him. She turned, wide-eyed, back into the small living room and watched her stranger from Texas reach in his pocket and retrieve the ringing blackberry. Holy Mother of God, what have I done?
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