“Hey, wait a minute, you guys. Sure I like Jonas Lockwood, but liking is a long way from marriage.”
“You’re perfect together.” Maureen was incredulous that Stephanie could question her fate. The four romance-lovers had everything arranged, and her resistance wasn’t appreciated.
“Perfect together? Jonas and me?” Stephanie frowned. The two of them did more arguing than anything. They were only beginning to come to an understanding.
“You have to plan your strategy carefully.’’
“My strategy?”
“Right.” Barbara nodded.
“You’ll need to make him believe that love and marriage are all his idea.”
“Don’t you think we could start by holding hands?”
“Very funny,” Jan said, placing her hand on her hip.
“I feel it’s more important to let this relationship fall into its own time frame.” Stephanie looked up at the four who were standing around her desk, arms crossed, staring disapprovingly down at her. “That is, if there’s going to be a relationship.”
Together they all shook their heads. “Wrong.”
“Okay, what are you planning next?” Jan asked.
“Me?” Stephanie held her hand to her breast. “I’m not planning anything. Should I be?”
“Of course; Mr. Lockwood made his move, now it’s your turn.”
This romance business sounded a lot like playing chess. “I... hadn’t given it any thought.”
“Well, don’t worry, we’ll figure out something. Are you doing anything after work?”
“Depositing my check, and picking up the bookcase I’ve had on layaway.”
“Well, for heaven’s sake, what’s more important?” Jan gave her an incredulous look.
“You want the truth?” Stephanie glanced around at her friends. It didn’t matter if she was with them or not; they were going to plot her life to their own satisfaction. “I’m going with the bookcase. If you four come up with something brilliant, phone me.”
Several pieces of polished wood lay across Stephanie’s carpet, along with a bowl full of screws. The screwdriver was clenched between her teeth as she struggled with the instructions. The phone rang, and she absently reached for it, forgetting about the screwdriver.
“Hebbloo.”
“Stephanie?”
“Jonas?” Her heartbeat instantly quickened as she grabbed the screwdriver from between her lips. For one crazy second, she actually wanted to tell him he couldn’t contact her—it was her move!
“I hope this isn’t a bad time.”
“No... no, of course it isn’t. I wasn’t doing anything.” She stared at the disembodied pieces of the bookcase scattered across her carpet, and added, “Important.”
“I know it’s short notice, but I was wondering if you were free to join me for dinner.’’
“Dinner?” Stephanie knew she sounded amazingly like an echo. Again she toyed with the idea of contacting Jan before she agreed to do anything with Jonas, but just as quickly rejected that thought. Her co-workers were making her paranoid.
“If you have company or...”
“No, I’m alone.” She picked up the instructions for assembling the bookcase and sighed. “Jonas, do you speak Danish?”
“Pardon?”
“How about Swedish?”
“No. Why?”
At this point, she was so frustrated she wanted to cry. “It’s not important.”
“About dinner?”
“Yes, I’d love to go.” Never mind that she had a roast in the oven with small potatoes and fresh peas in the sink ready to be boiled.
“I’ll pick you up in a few minutes then.”
“Great.” Stephanie glanced down at her faded Levi’s, ten-year-old sweatshirt, and purple Reeboks, and groaned. She picked up the receiver to phone Jan, decided she didn’t have enough time, and hurried into her room. The sweatshirt came off first and was flung to the farthest corner of her small bedroom. She found a soft pink silk blouse hanging in her closet and quickly inserted her arms. Her fingers shook as she rushed to work the small pearl buttons.
She had the jeans down around her thighs when the doorbell chimed. Stephanie closed her eyes and prayed that it wasn’t Jonas. It couldn’t be! He’d only phoned a couple of minutes ago. She jumped, hauling her jeans back up to her waist, and ran to the door, yanking it open.
“Listen, I’m sorry if I sound rude, but I don’t have the time to buy anything right now—” Stephanie stopped abruptly, wishing the earth would open up and swallow her. Her breath caught in her throat and she closed her eyes momentarily. “Hello, Jonas.”
“Did you know your pants are unzipped?”
She whirled around, sucked in her stomach and pulled up the zipper. “I didn’t expect you so soon.”
“Obviously. I called from a pay phone across the street.”
“Please come in. I’ll only be a few minutes.” If he so much as snickered, Stephanie swore, she’d find a way to take revenge. Some form of justice fitting the crime, like a pot roast dumped over his head.