A Wild Ride (Jessica Brodie Diaries #3) (14 page)

“Can I sit down?”

Gladis, followed by Lady holding two fold-up chairs, shielded her face from the glare of the midday sun as she looked down on me. That’s all it had taken, a half a day to pack
and
load all my stuff. All I had was a truck full. Nothing else in the cottage was mine. Nothing in the house I was moving into was mine, either. I felt like a gypsy.

I wanted to say “it’s your lawn” but she didn’t deserve my unsettled bitterness, so I left it at, “Sure.”

“Would you care for a seat?”

“No thanks. I just want to sit on the grass.”

“Do you mind if I sit on the chair?”

“Gladis, don’t be stupid.”

“Ah, you’re in
that
kind of mood. I see.” Gladis knew me pretty well by now. Obviously.

Lady unfolded a chair for her, and one for herself. As was customary of “help” in the old school, Lady sat slightly behind Gladis. It irritated me and Gladis no end, but Lady had her rules, and by darn, order from her employer or no, she would follow her own rules.

“I am happy to see that you are taking the next step with Willie.”

“Yeah.”

Silence.

Gladis was a lover of staring out at a beautiful landscape, letting the thoughts flow and drift. As was I.

After a spell she said, “He’s the best of the lot. The best of the Davies. And he will love you forever. Even his friends love you, which is a testament to how well you fit together.”

“Yeah.”

More silence. There was a beautiful bird chirping away in the trees. I briefly wondered what kind of bird it was.

“He has a beautiful place. It is spacious and cozy and ready for the feminine touch.”

“Except that none of it is mine, and every time we have a fight we’ll each know it.”

“Ah. So that’s the problem.”

“I just—I love it here, Gladis. I love this place. I love that you and Lady and all your staff are a walk away. Everyone you’ve employed is surly and mean, but they love their job and they do it well, and I love that about them. I love the smell of my own place. The freedom of it. I love that William comes to
my
house. Even if it is just a pool house. Now I am moving into
his
house, with
his
stuff.”

“It is hard for an independent woman to become entrenched by her man.”

“I mean, I love him. And he never makes me feel like the proverbial 1950’s woman. When I put my foot down, he listens. He compromises better than I do. But… I don’t know. I am being stupid.”

“You are certainly not being stupid. But you haven’t thoroughly explored all your possibilities either, have you?”

“Obviously not, since I have no idea what you mean.”

“Well, what if it is his shell, but your stuffing?”

“Gladis, just spell it out, please.”

“He owns the house, but he can’t live there without furnishing.”

“I don’t have any furnishing to move in.”

“Well, then, I guess you should buy some.”

“I have enough for a couch and some end tables, Gladis. I’m not from money. I can’t just redecorate on a whim.”

“Well, I’ve never paid you for keeping up the pool house.”

“Keeping up? You mean giving you a reason to send your cleaning staff into it? Or sending your grocer to stock it with food? Or having someone sneak in to turn down my bed, even if I might not be home? Or what about having my friends litter all over half your yard? Or let’s not forget my dog—“

“Jessica,” she cut me off firmly, “I am not ready to hear that spoken aloud.”

I sighed. Most things Gladis could laugh away like Lump and I, but how close I had come to death wasn’t one of them. She never apologized for it, thankfully, but she looked at me with tears in her eyes more than a few times. Saying it was her contacts didn’t fool anyone.

“Bottom line, Gladis, you don’t owe me anything.”

“Nonsense. My accountant says I owe you this—“ I was handed a check for $20,200.

“Does he? That’s all he thinks my services are worth, huh? Some pimp he turned out to be.”

“It is your returned rent, plus interest, and a few investment returns.”

“You know quite well I will not accept this.”

“Yes dear, I do. That’s why I love you. It is also why I put it into a set of non-refundable gift cards.”

I stared at a duck dipping into the pond in the distance. That duck probably noticed me and thought someone was planning to assassinate him.

“You talked to William.”

“Guilty, I’m afraid. That was his advice.”

“What if I took this check?”

“You would have twice the amount.”

“Damn it! I am
so
sick of people with money trying to push me around!”

“Yes, dear.”

“Don’t yes dear me!”

“Yes, dear.”

I ignored her for a while. When she didn’t go away, I huffed and shook my head. “So what, I am going to—wait, did you say you talked to William about this?”

“Yes, dear.”

“Now you are just trying to piss me off.” I looked up at her and saw her smirk.

“And succeeding,” she affirmed.

Was it bad taste to punch an old lady in the nose?

“So he is okay with me completely redoing his whole house?” I asked in a sour voice.

“He only had it done in the first place to appease Denise.”

“I am getting a sickening suspicion that he likes me because I resemble his mother. ”

“The finer qualities that hold him to a high standard, yes. But you also resemble his father, with hardworking, deep hearted qualities. You are a perfect match for our Willie. Perfect. Did I ever tell you? I knew right away to whom you were referring when you described your first encounter with him?” To my disbelief she smiled and nodded. “Right away. But the Willie I knew wouldn’t spend any time on a strange woman at the grocery mart. He would make sure she was taken care of, by someone else, and move on. He wouldn’t pay her no mind. That he saw you to the end raised my eyebrows.”

“It was probably my breath. He was probably wondering if I was undergoing chemo with the radiation on my breath.”

“Yes, dear.”

“So I am supposed to buy a whole new house of furniture?”

“Did Betz tell you that that’s what she is doing?”

“No.”

“Ask her about it. She isn’t a talker; she doesn’t voice her feelings like you do—in fact, I don’t think she really makes up her mind until someone suggests it to her…but she is taking up the redecoration of Adam’s house, and spending a lot of her own money to do it. It’s smart. She feels at home there, and if push comes to shove, she has leverage. It’s what gave me the idea.”

“You two are the same person, only different ages.”

“The same age where it counts.”

“Then being wise must not count.”

Gladis laughed. Even Lady snickered.

“Lady,” I said, “What do you think?”

By rule, Lady never said much. She spoke when asked, or spoke up when it had to do with Gladis’s wellbeing, but otherwise she hung out and waited until she was needed. If you dragged an opinion out of her, though, it would prove insightful and necessary.

“Jessica, he is an attractive, well-bred young man. If he makes you happy, he is worth a sacrifice. But only you can determine how much of a sacrifice that is.”

I take it back. She was a Gandhi impersonate.

“I don’t know. But I am moving in today, so my time for figuring this out is running out.”

“Two outs don’t make a right.”

“Gladis, your sense of humor isn’t great.”

“My sense is, but maybe the delivery is lacking.”

My stuff was in. It was in bags in William’s room;
it
mostly being clothes and accessories. I was standing in the doorway in a house I knew like the back of my hand…but was uncomfortable. William came in, followed by Adam and Lump, and gave me a kiss on the cheek. It was all brought in. My whole life was moved in a day.

I gave a forced, fake smile I hoped William didn’t notice and went into the bedroom with Lump, noticing Adam watching me closely.

“If he’s stopped trying to protect me, why is he freaking staring at me, trying to catch a chink in the armor?” I asked Lump as we hung up my clothes.

“I told you—you hit that vulnerable place. He’s always aware of you--probably half worried you'll randomly cry. But always remember, Willie is number one with him. I bet he sees that something is wrong, and now is trying to protect Willie. Seriously, he is always trying to throw a blanket over someone’s head. Glad it’s usually you two and not me!”

“It's never you, it's
always
me.”

“No, not always.”

“What do you mean?”

Lump scoffed. “I was being aggressively hit on by someone at the school the other day. It wasn’t my day to teach, and students don’t know I am the owner, so I was just a nobody as far as he was concerned. Anyway, the guy hit on me and was doing a suggestive lean when I rebuffed him.”

“Did you kick his ass?”

“Jess—no! It is my school! I’m not trying to bust the heads of students in my school! I’d get bad Yelp reviews!”

When had she turned into such a businesswoman?

“Anyway, as I was politely telling him to F-off, Adam walked in. He was territorial, number one, and seriously aggressive, number two. When he saw I was trying to control the situation, he gave me to the count of ten, then ripped the guy away from me by the scruff of his collar.”

“No
way!”

“Don’t sound so excited. It wasn’t good news.”

“What did the guy do?”

“He was the kind of guy I would have gone for when I first moved here—what do you think he did?”

“He tried to fight Adam?” I got a nod as Lump put a suit on a hanger. “What did Adam do?”

“Kicked his ass.”

“Shut your face!
Details!”

“For a gal that doesn’t like fighting, you sure like to know about them.”

“I am constructing an inner romance novel, and you are the heroine. Your man is fighting for your honor. Oh God, I have Goosebumps!”

“You are so dumb,” Lump said with an eye roll and a smile. “Well, the guy, about Adam’s height, thought he was invincible—“

“Young guy?”

“Early twenties, yeah. He was a purple belt, so not all that experienced.”

“But Adam has no belt.”

“Well, that’s what this guy figured out when Adam just waited to see what this character would do. He wasn’t in a stance—not even boxing like Willie might do—he just sat there and waited to see what came next. I thought I needed to bail Adam out.”

“You did?
Adam?
”

She shrugged. “I never actually saw him throw a swing.”

“What about at Froggy’s?”

“Way too drunk.”

I nodded. Good point.

“Anyway, this guy threw a punch at Adam—not even a good one; I actually talked to his instructor about it. The guy is a class clown.” She looked at me like that was the worst thing in the world. I nodded in sympathy, though I didn’t really care.

“Adam just shrugged it off," she continued, "He barely moved, but dodged the punch completely. Then—get this!—he looked up at me to see if it was okay to punch him back. He had that much time! Well, rules of engagement say that if someone throws a punch, you are allowed to defend yourself.” She paused, reflexive, “I should have said no.”

“But you said yes!” I asked excitedly.

“Yeah, I did!” She giggled. “Then Adam clocked him. The guy barely moved to get out of the way. Adam is fierce fast! Knocked the guy clean out!”

“William said Adam knocked him out once. Then punched him at Christmas, remember? Didn’t knock him out then, though.”

Lump looked over at me, moving on to the dresses. “I heard about that. The first one. Adam still feels badly for it. But then, Willie has knocked him flat twice, so they’re even.”

“
What?”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“Wait. There was the time with Dezeray.”

“Oh yeah. She sounds like some bitch.”

“Oh yeah, serious bitch!”

“That didn’t count, though. One time they were pissed at each other over a chick—both of them screwed her or something. I think Adam called her but Willie grabbed her. She double dipped that night or something.”

“Ew! She did two guys in one night?”

Lump laughed. “Yeah, that’s what it sounded like. Anyway, Adam was pissed—he was the second so it was gross—“

“I don’t want to know about this stuff.”

“Willie knows stuff about you that you didn’t tell him.”

I stopped what I was doing and stared at her.

“Nothing too terrible, but I did tell about that nasty, short kid that you ended up with. The one whose sheets smelt like ass?”

“You didn’t! Lump…I hate remembering that. What must William think of me?”

“He’s probably had worse. Actually, there was a fake-boobed one that looked like Ozzy Osborne with bleached out hair?”

“Yeah, she was gross.”

“Well, apparently William is still disgusted with that. Anyway, Willie got so worked up about being accused, and also because Adam was pitching a fit, that they boxed. Willie knocked Adam out flat. Adam said his ears were ringing he was hit so hard. And from out of nowhere.”

“You should have seen what he did to Dusty.”

Lump put down what was in her hands. “Jess, I had no idea how bad that was. Adam told me in
Adam detail
what it was like seeing you, which I took with a grain of salt. But the part about you holding a gun to a man’s head, execution style—how are you? After everything.
Honestly.”

“Fucked up on the best of days,” I answered flippantly.

“Jess…”

I sighed. “What do you want from me, Betsy? I am fucked up. I have a regular appointment with Dr. George. I saw a man dead with his throat ripped out. I heard a gunshot while staring at its bang-hole. I was nearly raped, twice. I thought I would lose William on one of those. I’m fucked up.”

“But hanging on?”

“Barely. Some days, barely. Texas has been my life blood some days, but my worst nightmare others. Adam is right to be defeated up by it. Especially with his past. I’m sure I looked worse than he described. I don’t know why William isn’t more messed up. Maybe he’s better at hiding it. I’ve been through some shit. But I’m still here. Somehow.”

“I’d give anything to be in those shoes instead of you. I’d give anything for a crack at Dusty.”

“You wouldn’t even be phased by him. You’d probably knock him out accidentally. Then make fun of me.”

“I wouldn’t… Look. Truth?” Lump turned to me, baring her soul, tears coming to her eyes. “I’ve always had a special place for you. You think you are a pessimist, but in reality, you think only the best of everything. Then you’re still shit on.
Constantly.
It is heart breaking to see. You get so few breaks you haven’t worked your ass off for. The courage you’ve always shown when you’re in over your head has always made my chest hurt. Then to see you go through one of your…Texan issues. To walk into a room, with two dead bodies, and my friend lying on the ground with blood inching toward her head—it’s unbearable. I would take your place, if only to ease your suffering. I can’t bare it. I think Willie dies a little everyday thinking of what he heard and saw on the news. I don’t blame him. The horror is still in your eyes. You are still half wild. And it kills me.”

I sat still for a minute, my throat constricted. I really didn’t want to hear any of that. Heartwarming on one hand, fairly awful on the other.

“Do you think William will break up with me?”

Lump, a tear breaking loose, threw a shirt at me. “See what I mean? All this turmoil is happening to you, and you worry about Willie leaving you. He’s a lucky fucking guy, I’ll say that much.”

“Except for the fact that his girlfriend is so much drama.”

“Glass half full: I think that just helps him realize how much he can’t live without you.”

“Or he likes S&M and hasn’t told me yet.”

“Let’s hope it’s my theory.”

Between Lump and I we had the clothes in the closet and organized in no time. I still had space to use up if I wanted it. Normally, I would decide a shopping trip was essential. However, for some reason I just didn't feel like bothering.

Adam and William were relaxing in the living room watching a game on TV. Lump walked to Adam and sat down next to him, putting her hand on his leg, taking a sip of his beer. I followed suit, leaning up against William. He put his arm around me and hugged me close. It felt good. But soon I was bored. I hated watching sports games.

Without thinking I patted him on the chest with the intent to get up, tell him to call me later, and head out. It wasn't until then that I realized I didn't have anywhere else to go. I got up anyway, asked Lump if she needed a beer; she assented so I got her one. I didn't feel like one myself.

I walked around listlessly, like Fred when he couldn't find his bed. Consequently, Ginger walked around with me. I was the only constant thing she knew since she’d left the ranch, so she followed me around like a security blanket, even though Fred had been returned to me.

Although, the Fred returned was a sorry state for the dog I knew. He was a mope and grumpy and whiney—just like a man. The lampshade and a few patches of stiches wasn’t making him feel any better.

Making a decision, I called both dogs. In the living room again, William looked to me concertedly. Adam still had the studying expression on his face, and Lump ignored me completely. This was her way of letting me figure this out for myself. She didn't have experience with this and could offer me no guidance.

"I am going to take Fred and Ginger to the ranch to run around," I said more brassily then I intended.

"Are you okay?" William asked.

"Yeah, but I'm bored. And Fred needs exercise, so..."

"I'll come with." He started to get up. “Fred should be babied, and Ginger pushed.”

"Willie, hang out with Adam," Lump said, jumping up. "He's getting on my nerves. Plus, I want to see what Jessica has learned at school."

Before William knew what was going on, Lump was ushering me out the door with two big dogs in tow.

"We'll see y'all tonight!" Adam yelled out the door.

We were going to Gladis’s for a move in celebration. The only people celebrating, of course, were male. Funny how the tables had turned.

Lump and I were silent on the way to the ranch. When we got there, I let both the dogs out, then had to prompt them to run around. Ginger, finally, took off sprinting, and Fred did a couple jogging type steps before coming back to me. I didn’t push further. He was undoubtedly as messed up as I was.

“Gladis told me that you were buying Adam furniture,” I blurted.

Lump looked out at the distant clouds. “Yeah.”

“What if you and him break up?”

Still looking into the distance she said, “I don’t ever want to. He’s the first space of home I’ve ever felt. So I’ve been going with that. But if that happens—well…I’ve wasted a few dollars.”

“So why does it matter whose money it is?”

She looked at me, speculating. “If I move in, which I have a feeling will come shortly, since Adam hates to be outdone by Willie—so if I do, then I want a bartering chip. If shit goes down, and one of us has to go…well, if I go, I take everything in the house with me. Without him I have no roof. Without me he has to start over with only an outer shell. It seemed fair.”

“And he went for that?”

“Ain’t told him yet.”

“Ain’t?”

“Sometimes it sounds cooler.”

“Speaking of ain’t—slang," I kicked at the ground. "Adam has been to college, right?”

“Yale.”

“Fuck off—
Yale?”

Lump laughed. “Yes. Fucking Yale. Apparently he wore cowboy boots the whole way through. He was in Willie’s class.”

“William went to
Yale?
” I was shocked. How did I not know that? Oh wait, because I never asked…because I was afraid it was something like that.

“He didn’t tell you? Yeah, they went together. Yale business school. I felt like a poor dum-dum when I heard. William went on to his MBA, but Adam stopped there.”

“Holy moly—I feel dumb, too.”

"It is a hard situation, though,” Lump said to sidetrack me from yet
another
reason I wasn’t good enough for William. We wandered toward the horses and curious ranch hands. “If you guys were moving into a place together and bought stuff together, then I would say you were being a spoiled brat. But I would have a hard time if I were you. Have you seen that weird starfish painting in the guest bathroom?"

I sighed loudly. "Yeah. Or the clock with cows on it? I dunno. I'll figure it out. I'll hang my few pictures and try to settle in. If I am there enough I should be able to make it work."

Chapter Eight

I returned to William's house, er...my home as twilight was coming on. I knocked and went in, as was my custom, realizing too late that I technically shouldn't knock. I stopped myself from calling his name and, instead, stood in the entryway.

Okay. What would I do if I was just coming home? I would throw all my crap in a designated "crap" location.

I looked around me and saw no such place in the entryway. Probably best if the door would remain unlocked—didn't want someone peeking in and grabbing it. I walked to the right into the kitchen and looked around. There just wasn't any good location for a handbag. Formal dining room was out. Living room was too comfortable for the first place I would land; I had to work my way into unwinding. It was a process.

I circled around into a room that wasn't used for much. It had a couple odd looking chairs, a coffee table, and a wall of books. The size of the room was significant. The room had more potential than a few pieces of ugly furniture and a mountain of books. It should be a library/office or something.

Hmmmm.

It had a door off the left-side of the entryway so it would be easy to ramble into, leaving coats and handbag and things before wandering to other places in the house. It could serve as a decompression-from-the-day room before I was able to unwind enough to relax. Maybe a cozy chair?

I didn’t know, but the hostile takeover of William’s house would start with this room.

I left my handbag on the ground where a cute circular table would eventually go.

I then wandered out and did a round-about toward the kitchen. Once in there I got a beer and decided I wanted a glass of wine instead.

Mental note: wine rack. Wine needed its own home. Leaving it in the cupboard was not giving it its needed respect.

Once I had a glass of wine I headed toward the living room. It was empty. I wasn't a big TV watcher, so I went to find William, who was in the bedroom petting a moping Fred.

"Hey babe," I said, happy to see him regardless of my living situation, "watch-ya doin'?"

"Just waiting on you." His look held worry.

"We don't have to be at Gladis's for two hours or so, right?"

"No. I meant, in general. Waiting for you to get home. Waiting for you to find me. Waiting for you to be comfortable here."

"Ah."

"Adam said you didn't seem to be...sharing my delight."

I went over and sat heavily on the bed next to William. "He’s a nosey parker."

Fred sat up and put his head on my knee. Ginger put her head on my other knee.

“Ever since Fred got home, Ginger does nothing but copy him. It’s a little irritating,” I said, petting both dogs, despite the awkwardness of Fred’s lampshade.

“Fred was the pack alpha before he went to you. Ginger is just learning her role; settling in.”

“When Fred is better Ginger will go back, right?” I didn’t need two big dogs following me around everywhere.

“No. Ginger will guard the home, Fred will take over guarding you in public. Non-negotiable.”

And I thought he was overprotective before.

Le sigh.
One battle at a time.

"Look William...you have to give me some time. You are sharing your home with me. But it is still your home, you know? I don't have anything here. I don't have anything that is mine. I just need to get used to things."

"But, I gave you free license to decorate. You have money for it that didn’t come from me."

"I know. I’m not happy about where that money came from; I’m not happy that everyone is trying to manipulate me into being comfortable, but I appreciate the sentiment."

"So...what do we do now?" he asked quietly.

"I’ll figure it out, babe. Just give me some time and space, and I’ll figure it out. I love you—you’re not the problem, so don’t get all weird about it. I just need a little time. No biggie.

William, looking down, shook his head miserably but didn't say anything. He would dwell on this. He would dwell until he knew it was okay. It meant I had to go shopping, which usually was a good thing, but decorating was more Lump’s department. I was more the accessory girl. But still, it would be my new home, and I needed to get into the nesting spirit, sooner rather than later.

"Okay, time to get ready." I sprang off the bed.

"It is going to take you two hours to get ready?"

"Yes. Because I have to find my make-up, my toiletries, my hair products, then find a place to fit them into the bathroom."

"I don't have that much stuff, Jess."

"It isn't just about quantity, my good sir, it is about
placement
. You really have no sense of order when it comes to the home."

"I give up." William walked out of the room, recovering a little of his good humor at what he would call my
silliness
. Poor guy, he just didn't get it.

We met Adam and Lump at Gladis’s house. Gladis was in good spirits as she organized the dinner, which would apparently be extravagant. Any reason to entertain was a good reason in Gladis’s book.