Just a Memory by Lois Carroll

looking at her that way, damn it. You've no right .
    The fact remained that he'd been enjoying Carolyn's visit, not only because of the fun he'd had teasing her until she relaxed, but because he now knew she was just as aware of him physically as he was of her. She looked so soft and feminine even in the tailored business suit with the skirt tucked above her knees, leaving her shapely calf exposed to his scrutiny.
    When she'd left his office, he'd been surprised to see Terri run across the room to her mother's side. He hadn't realized she'd come with Carolyn to the station. On top of that he was surprised how much he enjoyed talking with the kid.
    "I'm going now," Ellie announced, reaching for her coat.
    "Oh, right. Good night," Mac called as he returned to his desk.
    He sat in the chair where Terri had just been. She looked so much like Carolyn, the same blue eyes and blond hair, except Terri's hair was even lighter. She was cute, and when she grew up she would be as beautiful as her mother.
    What would it be like to have a kid who looked just like him? Mac tried to picture such a child, but the child he pictured looked like Carolyn. "Damn it, Mac. There you go again," he said aloud, as he rose with enough force to send his desk chair bouncing off the wall behind him. He snapped off his desk lamp. "Enough!"
    Grabbing his coat, he stayed only long enough to make two phone calls. First, to the special force director. Nothing new. The dealer against whom Mac had testified was awaiting sentencing. Mac told his boss he hadn't remembered any more of what happened that night and reported that his shoulder was much better. Still a little stiff was all Mac would admit to. He didn't want to add that his range of arm motion was still small. He was confident it would improve soon.
    The second call was to Sandi Houseman, the too-friendly realtor. He didn't feel like looking at any properties tonight. It was already dark out.
    "I'm so glad you called," she said when he reached her at home. "I tried at the station, but you had already switched the calls. I've got a lovely house to show you." She steamrolled on, not letting him get in a word. "It's not actually on the market yet, but I know the owners. It's a recently built house right on the lake–just what you're looking for. The people who built it are retired and they'd prefer to live in a warmer climate now. They've gone to Arizona to see how they like it there. They're inclined to sell, but they're not positive yet. I think you could rent now with an option to buy later, though."
    "Sounds interesting. When can I see it?" Mac asked, feeling excited at last about the possibility of finding a place of his own on the lake.
    "I was going to show you tonight, but you'll want to see this one by daylight. It gets dark so much earlier now. How about tomorrow morning? If you could get away at about eleven we could go see it, and then I… Well, I normally take my clients to lunch to talk about what we've seen."
    Mac ran his hand through his hair. This woman didn't give up and he knew very well what lunch might mean. But he could handle it. What the hell. It wasn't as if women invited him to lunch all that often. "That would be fine, but I won't have a lot of time," he added to cover a quick exit in case he needed one.
    "I can drive us out and back. I'll pick you up at eleven at the station."
    "Well, okay. See you at eleven."
    Mac mumbled under his breath, wishing he'd said he would drive himself as he headed for the apartment to see what he could dig up to eat for his dinner.
     
    A gray sedan pulled in behind Carolyn's vehicle as she and Terri left the station. She noticed in the rearview mirror the driver was slouched behind the wheel, hidden under the brim of a baseball cap. He was still about half a block behind her when she pulled into her driveway at home. Carolyn saw the car go on by as she and Terri climbed out of the car in her garage. Despite not knowing who was driving, she waved in