Anything You Can Do(29)

"You like him? I mean, really like him?" Bailey sat down on the edge of her bed, unable to comprehend what she was hearing.

Paula smiled in pleased embarrassment. "Yeah," she said. "I really like him."

"Then why the hell don't you tell him and get on with it and quit this nonsense?" And stop letting me make a fool of myself, she added silently.

"Are you kidding? I'm having too much fun. Think of it, Bailey, I'm finally in control of a lawyer. He's falling all over himself to please me, and I love it!"

"Paula! How can you care about him and talk like that?"

"Come on, Bailey. Loosen up a little. He's having as much fun as I am. Why spoil it? I'll tell him when he finally gets around to confessing." Her smile turned wicked. "Or maybe I won't. Maybe I'll act horrified and let him sweat a little."

That, at least, would serve the jerk right, Bailey thought.

"In the meantime, can't you play along too? I thought you were having fun. I know you like Gordon, and it sort of seemed like you and Austin were getting on better."

Paula looked so happy, so pleased with herself. "Sure," Bailey mumbled. "If that's what you want."

Paula tiptoed up to kiss her friend's cheek. "Thanks. I knew I could count on you. This might be it, Bailey. The real thing, I mean."

Oh, brother. This was bad. The only other time Paula has used the it word was about her then future ex-husband, and she'd been sixteen at the time. Since then, the good ones had been better than the one last week or slightly more interesting than Saturday night television.

"I'll change clothes while you call Austin and tell him I'll go to the concert and do the stupid run with him, though I fail to see the purpose of it. The run, that is."

Paula laughed. "Austin wants to run with you, and you don't see why? Come on, Bailey. Get real. Competition, of course. The lifeblood of your relationship."

"Ah. Of course." So he thought to make Paula jealous by running with her friend? Was that why he'd kissed her? What a jerk!

*~*~*

Austin couldn't believe it when Bailey hung up in his ear. He'd slammed his own receiver down even though it was too late for her to hear. She was, by far, the most confusing woman he'd ever met as well as the rudest.

What on earth had made him want to run with her anyway? She was no real competition. Even out of shape, he'd beaten her in that first race. So he should just drop it.

Okay, so she'd beaten him at the deposition and the chessboard. He'd won at running, swimming, and cooking. That made it three to two, his favor. Not to mention that he deserved an extra honorary point for eating that awful cheesecake. So that made the score four to two. A good time to quit.

He stalked into the tiny kitchen and gently shook each of the four beers in the refrigerator, selecting the one that seemed the least frozen. Damned apartment. Nothing worked right. Maybe staying in Kansas City wasn't such a hot idea after all. Maybe he'd request a transfer back to St. Louis after things got rolling at the office here. At least at home he had a refrigerator that only made ice in the freezer.

When the phone rang, he took his second sip of beer and considered not answering it. But it might be family or friends back home. Sunday afternoon was prime phone time.

"Austin! This is Paula. I have a message for you. On behalf of Bailey Russell, I herewith extend her apology and request that the festivities begin."

That was it? The woman told him to blow it out his ear then sent her weak apology by proxy?

''I'm sorry, Paula, but I've already made other plans."

"No, you haven't. Look, Bailey was just upset about something, and she took it out on you. Haven't you ever done that? I'll bet you've done it to your secretary a lot of times."

Austin smiled into the receiver. "You could be right on both counts, but I'm still not going. You and Gordon get along just fine with that impossible woman, so why don't the three of you go together?"

"Because we're the Four Musketeers and because Gordon can't possibly handle two women at the same time. Confidentially, I doubt that he could handle even one."

Paula giggled as Gordon shouted something unintelligible from the background.

"All right," Austin agreed. One more time he'd go along so Gordon could be with Paula, but only one more. Even friendship had its limits, and tolerating Bailey's bad temper was pushing them.