Chapter 4
***MALCOLM***
After a busy morning with the real estate agent and class, Malcolm found himself getting sleepy as soon as he sat down in front of the computer.
It didn’t help that the narrator’s voice had one tone and volume.
It was almost like listening to white noise, making it almost impossible to resist the lure of a short nap.
No one would know if he closed his eye for a few minutes just to rest, he thought, fighting to keep his eyes open.
The video would keep playing, and he was sure he could pass the test at the end without even looking at the questions.
He drifted off a few minutes later, the drone of the narrator the last thing he heard and woke with a start, the video over, the screen flashing at him to take the test. Shoving himself back up in the chair, he stretched his arms over his head, trying to remember what the video had been about as he worked out the kinks in his back and neck.
Groaning when he realized that he had no idea and he would have to watch the stupid thing again, he pulled off the headphones and threw them onto the desk, deciding it was time for a break.
Grabbing his empty coffee cup, he started to get to his feet, but the feeling that he wasn’t alone slowly settled over him, and he looked over at the doorway, expecting to see someone standing there.
It was as empty as it had been a few seconds before, and he got to his feet, shaking his head, wondering if taking a nap had been a mistake.
Blaming his foggy brain for the feeling, he turned to head for the door, then let out a yelp of surprise when he saw the woman from the hallway standing in the back of the room staring at him.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” she said, her cheeks turning pink. “I guess you didn’t know I was here.”
He looked around, surprised to see stacks of invoices covering every available space, then back at the woman, remembering what Roger had said about her.
“You’re Rose, right?” he asked, ignoring the way saying her name made tingles rush through his body.
“I’m Malcolm. Maybe now that we’ve formally met, we’ll stop running into each other. ”
“I didn’t know it was you,” Rose said, her voice shaking a little. “I mean…I didn’t know…that you worked here.”
“Well, I don’t know how you would have since this is the first time we’ve talked,” he said, then paused, wondering if he should mention the first time they’d run into each other. “I’m sorry I knocked you down the other night. I didn’t see you. I hope you didn’t get hurt.”
“Just a little wet, and I should have been paying attention to where I was going,” she said, shaking her head. “Honestly, I shouldn’t have been out there so late. I couldn’t sleep, and sometimes taking a walk helps.”
“Do you live close to campus?” he asked, feeling her out to see if she’d heard about the explosion. “I’m a senior this year. I’m getting a degree in business administration with a focus on finance.”
“I’ve got an apartment not too far from campus, but I already graduated last year.
I was just learning my way around, but I probably should have done it in the car,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.
“I was a business major too. This is my first job since graduation, and I’ve only been in town for a couple of days. ”
“Welcome to town,” he said, flashing her a big smile. “Working for Sandra can be…difficult, but Roger is a solid guy, he’ll treat you right.”
“So far it’s been a bit…stressful, but I’m hoping it will get better,” Rose said, smiling back at him and making his insides do funny things. “Vanessa seems nice, and now that you’re not trying to knock me down, you seem okay too.”
He laughed, making her blush. “Just okay?” he asked, then stepped a little closer to her. “Since we’re friends now, I was wondering if I could ask you a favor?”
“Umm…I guess,” Rose said, instantly wary. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll say yes.”
“Setting boundaries already, I like that,” he said, then sighed.
“The thing is…the other night when I ran into you…well…I wasn’t exactly supposed to be there.
I was hoping that you’d keep seeing me, our little secret.
I didn’t hurt anyone or anything; I was just…
playing a prank, I guess you could say.”
“Oh, Vanessa said that you belong to a fraternity,” she said, then her cheeks turned pink. “We weren’t talking about you…I mean not really…she just…”
“It’s okay, after I nearly plowed you down in the hallway, I’m sure she had a few choice things to say about me,” he said. “She and I have a bit of a history.”
“Yeah, she warned me about you,” Rose said, then slapped her hand over her mouth.
He laughed. “I guess she would,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “It’s okay, I understand why she’s upset. She liked me more than I liked her, I’m not exactly the relationship kind of guy.”
“Good to know,” she said, clearly embarrassed. “I really didn’t mean to bring it up, it’s none of my business. Sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my brain.”
“That’s okay, at least you were talking to me instead of behind my back,” he said. “Now about that vow of secrecy…”
Rose looked confused for a second, then her eyes widened.
“Oh, right, the fraternity prank,” she said, then smiled at him. “My lips are sealed, not that there’s anyone I could tell. I don’t have any friends in town yet, but I promise to take it to my grave.”
He studied her for a second, then, before he could stop himself, blurted out. “Come to dinner tonight. I’m sure everyone would love to meet you, and Hattie is cooking tonight, you don’t want to miss that.”
“Oh, that’s sweet, but I wasn’t fishing for a dinner invitation,” Rose said, shaking her head. “I’m sure Hattie wouldn’t appreciate you bringing home an extra guest at the last minute.”
“There’s already twelve of us, one more won’t matter,” he said, wondering why he couldn’t let it go. “Hattie loves to cook for us, she’s like our second mother. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye when we graduate.”
“Well, if you’re sure,” she said, the color back in her cheeks making his body begin to tingle. “What can I bring?”
“Just yourself,” he said. “If you give me your number I’ll text you the address.”
***Rose***
As Rose parked in front of the fraternity house she had to fight the butterflies in her stomach.
She’d been sure that it was going to take weeks to get close to Malcolm.
Now she was calling him her friend and having dinner at his house, putting her in the perfect position to find out about the missing men after only being there for a week.
Looking over at the beautiful old house, she shivered, wondering if one or maybe all of the occupants had something to do with the disappearances.
Turning off the car, she got out and started up the front walk, reminding herself that she had nothing to be afraid of, no one knew who she really was, as long as she stuck to her story, she’d be fine.
Malcolm opened the door with a big smile on his face when she rang the bell, then opened it wider and motioned her inside before taking her coat.
“I’m glad you could make it. Everyone is already in the kitchen,” he said. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. I hope you’re hungry.”
Her stomach growled its answer for her, and she felt her cheeks getting hot. “It’s been a long time since lunch,” she said, putting her hand over the offending organ, hoping to silence it. “This is a beautiful house, I’d love a tour sometime.”
It was a ploy her stepfather had taught her to get an invitation to come back, and it worked.
“It’s a big place, a tour would take a while,” Malcolm said.
“Why don’t you come back this weekend when we have more time?
I have an early class tomorrow and then work.
If I don’t get my eight hours, I’m not pleasant to deal with. ”
She laughed. “This weekend would be great,” she said. “I won’t stay long tonight. I have to prepare myself to deal with the dragon lady tomorrow.”
Malcolm got a funny look on his face, then started laughing. “Oh, you mean Sandra,” he said, then shook his head. “You lost me there for a second.”
“Sorry, a dragon just came to mind; it felt like I’d been burned a couple of times today,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “If I picture her as something scary and horrible, it’s easier to fight her and not just let her walk all over me, not that I’ve done a very good job of that so far.”
He studied her for a second, his eyes locked on hers. “You know not all dragons are scary, horrible things,” he said, reaching up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “There are some who are noble and wise, some who would never hurt a human, especially one they love.”
She let out a long sigh, completely lost in his eyes, her body tingling with anticipation but for what she wasn’t sure, then realized she wanted him to kiss her, wanted it more than anything in the world.
Shocked by the strength of what she was feeling, she stepped back from him, looking away to break the spell, and took several deep breaths.
Malcolm was the enemy, potentially involved with the disappearance of two men, and she had no business kissing him or doing any of the other things that had popped into her head.
Understanding a little more clearly why Vanessa had warned her about him, she tried to hide how much he’d affected her.
“Well, I’ve never heard any stories about those kinds of dragons, I sure would love to though,” she said, then grinned at him.
“Would it make you feel better if I pictured Sandra as an evil witch?”
“As a matter of fact, it would,” he said, grinning back. “An evil witch with green skin, warts all over her face, orange hair, and glowing eyes.”
“It sounds like you’ve thought about this,” she said, laughing. “But that’s exactly what I was picturing.”
“Great minds think alike,” he said, winking at her, and she tried to ignore the way it made her heart flutter. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone before we eat.”
She followed him down the hallway and into a huge room filled with people, and for a second, she began to feel overwhelmed, but then Malcolm took her hand, melting the anxiety away.
He gave it a squeeze as he led her across the room to a back corner and a little breakfast nook where two couples were studying.
All four looked up when they approached, and smiles appeared on their faces. “This is Jackson and his girlfriend Abby, they’re both going to medical school,” Malcolm explained, then turned to the other couple. “Taylor and Emily are both going to law school; they were married about a month ago.”
After a brief conversation with the two couples, Malcolm led her across the kitchen to the big table where another couple was sitting together at one end.
“Hey, guys, this is Rose,” he said, then turned to her.
“That’s Cooper, he’s getting an architecture degree, and Abby is an archaeologist, she teaches at the college. ”
When they’d chatted for a few minutes, Malcolm led her over to the main part of the kitchen. “Hattie, this is Rose,” he said, putting his arm around the older woman’s shoulders. “Hattie is the best cook on the planet; you’re in for a real treat.”
Hattie shook her head. “It’s nice to meet you, Rose. I’m glad you could join us,” Hattie said. “But watch out for this one, he’s a flatterer.”
“You mean he’s full of bull…” a young man said, walking up to them. “I’m Ryan, by the way, and Hattie’s right, don’t listen to a thing this guy says, he could sell the Brooklyn Bridge to someone in the desert.”
She laughed. “I’ll remember that,” she said. “It’s nice to meet you all.”
“Oh, could we tell you stories,” a man she hadn’t met yet said, joining them. “Walker, Gabe, get over here, tell Rose about the time…”
“Aaron, I don’t know what story you’re about to tell, but can it,” Malcolm said, herding her away. “Let’s get something to drink and find a place for you to sit. We should be eating in just a few minutes.”
“Now I really want to hear that story,” she said, grinning up at him. “Come on, Malcolm, it can’t be that bad.”
“No way,” he said, shaking his head. “I’d like you to continue thinking that I’m brilliant and successful like you do now.”
“Who said that’s what I think?” she said, shocked to find herself flirting with him. “The truth is, I think you’re a loser, so one story can’t do any damage.”
He pretended to be shot in the heart. “Oh, the pain,” he said, staggering away from her. “I’m mortally wounded.”
“I think you’ll live,” she said. “Now, did you say something about a drink? I’m dying of thirst over here.”
“Maybe I can be of assistance with that,” Aaron said, walking over. “Malcolm needs to work on his manners.”