Connections of the Mind by Roseanne Dowell Page B

you?”
    “Actually, I was thinking about staying and taking a college course.”
    “What kind of course? Damn it, Beck, if you want to take a course, come back and go to Tri-C or Cleveland State. Why do you want to stay there?”
    “Web Design. It’s only an eleven week course.” Rebecca didn’t like the tone of her brother’s voice. He was going to argue with her as usual. Seemed like everything she wanted to do, he argued. When she got the secretarial job right out of high school, he had a fit. Wanted her to go to college. Now she wanted to go to college, and he was throwing another fit. She let out a loud sigh.
    “What’s really going on, Beck? There’s something you’re not telling me. If you’re not back by the end of the week, I’m coming down there.”
    “No need for that, Les. I’m not changing my mind. And nothing’s going on.” Except I’m falling in love. “I like it here, that’s all. It’s a great little town.” And Jeremy was taking in every word.
    “How are you going to go to college? What about your job?” Rebecca knew Lester wasn’t going to give up easy.
    “I’ve decided to take a leave of absence.” She didn’t dare tell him the truth that she was planning to quit. “Besides, I have almost six weeks of combined vacation and sick days I haven’t used.”
    “So, you’ve made up your mind? Without even discussing it with anyone.”
    “Yes, I have.” Rebecca sat down at the desk. Her breakfast was getting cold, and she didn’t like the grin on Jeremy’s face. Okay, she did like it. Liked it way too much. He was reading her mind; she knew it. Maybe this relationship wasn’t such a good idea. Jeremy’s grin got bigger, and he leaned back in the chair.
    Her face burned, and she knew a blush crept into her face. Oh Lord. She turned away from him. Maybe if he didn’t see her, he wouldn’t know what she was thinking. And why didn’t she know what he was thinking all of a sudden. It was like her mind went totally blank. Not that she could read his mind all the time. Mostly it was just the visions.
    “Besides, I still have the inheritance money. I can use some of that. I’ve not touched it so far.”
    “Okay, then, I’m coming down there to check this place out and to look at the college. I’ll see you Saturday.”
    Lester hung up before she could object and without saying goodbye. Rebecca flipped her phone closed and took a deep breath. All of a sudden, a wisp of breath blew on her neck. Jeremy’s arms went around her waist.
    * * * *
    Lester hung up. Now what? It wasn’t like Rebecca to go off half-cocked. Not like her not to listen to reason. He didn’t like this. Didn’t like it at all. He paced the room, scrubbed his hands through his hair. There had to be something he could say to change her mind, but what?
    “Allison!” He snapped his fingers. If anyone could change Rebecca’s mind, Allison could. They’d been best friends like forever. But that meant he had to call her. He wasn’t sure he could do that. Not that he didn’t want to. Far from it. He’d wanted to call Allison for years now. Ever since Rebecca told him Allison had a crush on him after their parents died, he tried to avoid her. Hell, she was just a kid. Jailbait. But now she was twenty-five. Rebecca hadn’t said anything about Allison in a long time. Heck, she probably had a boyfriend. For all he knew, she was married. Nah, Rebecca would have told him that for sure.
    Dared he call her?
    Hell, why not? What did he have to lose? Nothing, but he had everything to gain. If Allie could talk Rebecca into coming home, he’d be a fool not to call her. He flipped through his phone book, found her number, and punched it in. It rang once, twice, he held his breath.
    “Hello.”
    “Allison, hi, this is Les, Rebecca’s brother.”
    A gasp and pause on the other end startled him. “Listen, the reason I called, you know Rebecca is in Morrisville.”
    “Yes.”
    Again Lester swore he heard her gasp.