Judging Judas (Tarnished Saints Series Book 3) (23 page)

“You know, Evelyn
, that your baby will benefit by this as well,” Laney told her.

“Really?” she asked, rubbing her stomach. “How?”

“Because the baby can hear things as well as feel vibrations right in the womb. So while you meditate, your baby gets relaxed too.”

“Maybe J.D. should try this,” mumbled Judas.

“How about you, Judas?” asked Mabel. “Did you feel anything?”

“I
don’t know. I think I just felt like having something to eat on that new table of yours,” he said and smiled at Laney.

“All right, that’s all for tonight and I hope you enjoyed it.”
Laney told them, throwing Judas a scolding glance.

“When’s the next session?” asked Mabel
, taking Judas’s hand as he helped the woman to her feet.

“And do you do this fo
r teens as well?” asked Valerie. “I think a lot of the students at the high school could benefit by this. Perhaps we could have you come give a demonstration at the school once classes resume after Labor Day.”

“I think that’s a wonderful suggestion,” said Laney. “And I invite you all back here again this time next week.”

“We have to wait a whole week?” asked Mabel, seeming disappointed.

“Well, you know you can practice meditatio
n at home as well, Mrs. Durnsby,” Laney pointed out. “But after the car show and when things slow down, I’ll start up having meditations more often.”

Everyone left and Judas
and Candace helped Laney move the furniture back inside the shop from the front sidewalk.

“Well, that went well, don’t you think?” asked Candace.

“I hope so,” said Laney. “But with Mabel, one never knows.”

“Well, I’ve got to go
get the kids from Thomas and Angel’s,” said Candace. “Levi’s over there and he probably has them all roiled up by now.” They all said their goodbyes and when Candace left, Judas locked the door.

“What are you doing?” asked Lane
y. “We need to get home as well or J.D. will wonder what’s happened to us.”

“Let her wonder. It’s been a couple days now Laney and I’m . . . hoping to try out a new table if you know what I mean.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” she said. “But I’m too tired tonight.”

“Come on, where’s that spunk I know and love?” He
smacked her playfully on her bottom, and she cringed and tried to muffle her cry of pain.

“Laney, is something the matter
?”

“Well, I was hoping to wait, but I can see that’s not going to happen.”

“What does that mean?”

“Come on upstairs, I have something to show you.”

“If it involves taking off clothes or trying out a new table, I think I’ll like this.”

“I hope so,” she said, leading the way. When they got upstairs she lit a candle and made sure the shade was drawn. “Come over by the pillows,” she told him.

“Anywhere you want,” he said excitedly.

When he reached for her again, she held up a hand to stop him. “Judas, I did something that I hope you
’ll like and won’t anger you instead.”

“What did you do
?” His voice was cool and calculated.

“I changed a mistake of my past.” She pulled down her pan
ts and he looked at her with hungry eyes.

“Laney, I’m not sure if this is a game, but you’re getting me very excited right now.”

“Let me turn around and bend over for you and I hope you’ll still be excited.”

“You know I will,” he said, his hands going
to his belt buckle. She turned around and bent over and held her breath.

Silence. And she wasn’t sure if it was a good thing.

“Say something Judas, please.”

“You . . . changed your tattoo for me.”

“It’s not a spider anymore, it’s a sheriff’s badge,” she told him.

“I can see that.”

“And they told me it was easier to just change a few letters, so they only had to do a few adjustments to change the word Spyder into Silver. Please don’t be mad at me for using your middle name, but it would have been impossible to change it to Judas.”

Judas stood there with his eyes fastened to Laney’s naked ass, not sure if he was more excited by the fact she was bending over in front of him, or because she’d changed her tattoo for him since she knew how much it bothered him. Seeing Silver written on her rump made him think back to the days when he’d liked it when she called him Silver when they were having sex.

H
e reached out slowly and caressed one of her butt cheeks in each of his hands. He knew it must have been painful for her to have the tattoo changed and he also knew now why she’d just cringed when he’d slapped her on the bottom.

He bent over and kissed her right next to the tattoo, then slowly turned her around and took her into his arms.

“I love it, Laney,” he told her. “You have no idea what that means to me.”

“Oh, I’m so happy. I was afraid you would hate it.”

“I don’t. But I do hate the fact I’m hard as a rock and probably shouldn’t make love with you until it’s healed.”

“Oh, I don’t think that’s a proble
m,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. “Just as long as we use the pillows and you let me be on top.

“It’s a deal,” he said, kissing her again. “But
you do realize that all these lusty vibes are going to be picked up by your customers. And don’t be surprised if next time Mabel comes to meditate she wants to buy some pillows.”

Chapter 22

The weekend came f
ast, and Laney was so happy by the fact she’d made breakfast, and both Judas and J.D. were seated together at the table. They were going to eat a meal as a family for the first time since she’d married Judas.

Laney laid the food on the table with a smile, presenting her steel-cut oatmeal with cranberries and slivered al
monds with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

“What’s this?” asked Judas, putting do
wn his mug of coffee and stabbing at it with his spoon, inspecting it like it was a crime scene or something.

“It’s steel-cut oatmeal. It’
s very healthy and good for you,” she said with a confident smile.

“Mom, I’m not eating that slop,” said J.D. rubbing her stomach.

“It’s good for the baby, too,” she told her, sitting down at the table.

“Then save it and I’ll feed it to the baby when it gets here.”

“Honey, don’t we have any donuts or maybe some bagels?” asked Judas.

“You know those things are just empty calories
, right?” she asked. “And bad for you, too.”

“
I’ll take a pass.” He finished off his coffee and set the mug on the table and stood up. “I need to get going anyway. I told Levi I’d get to town early and help with organizing the festival since he’ll be doing his mayoral duties. We need to make sure the car show and festival today goes off without a hitch.”

“I’ll come too,” said J.D. getting up from the table.

“No you won’t,” she told her daughter. “You’ll eat something before you go. And you two aren’t the only ones with things to do, as I need to not only open the shop but help Mrs. Durnsby set up the tables for the bake sale.”

“Bake sale?” asked Judas with interest. “Maybe I’ll stop by and see what she’s offering.”

“It’s mostly healthy things that Candace made,” said Laney. “So don’t think you’re going to find cream puffs and jelly donuts. It’s amazing your body is in such good shape with the things you eat.”

“It’s
because I work out vigorously every day,” he told her. “And get plenty of . . . exercise.” He smiled and gave her a kiss, and Laney had no doubt of what kind of exercise he meant.

“
Well, now my stomach’s really revolting,” complained J.D., obviously knowing exactly what Judas meant. “Maybe I’ll stop by and see if Candace needs help at the restaurant this morning.”

“I’ll give you a lift,” Judas offered. “And maybe we can grab a bite to eat while we’re there.”

“Sounds great, I’m starving,” said J.D.

“Wait a second, you promised to help me at the shop today, J.D.,” called out Laney.

“I’ll be there later. I need to meet the band I hired first and show them where to set up.”

“Yes, did you hear that J.D. was able to book us a band at the last minute?” asked Judas proudly.

“I heard something about it. So what’s the name of this band?” asked Laney, cleaning up the unused bowls from the table.

“What is it called, J.D.?” asked Judas. “The Moonrats or something?”

J.D. laughed. “No, they’re called the Spyder Veins. It’s my dad’s – er I mean Spyder’s old band.”

“It is?” Judas stopped in his tracks and looked over to Laney.

“That’s the band you hired?” Laney asked, just as surprised as Judas. “Honey, is Salvador going to be there too?”

“Of course he is. H
e’s their lead guitar player since Spyder died, so why wouldn’t he?” She rolled her eyes. “How else do you think I got them to come on such short notice?”

“Are you saying you booked a
band with the father of your baby in it?” asked Judas.

“Yeah. Why?” asked J.D.
flippantly.

“Did you tell him you’re pregnant with his child?” asked Laney.

“Not yet. I was going to surprise him.”

“That’ll
be one hell of a surprise,” mumbled Judas. “Now lets go get something to eat before my stomach rumbles any louder.”

“See you two later,” called out Laney, thinki
ng she was witnessing a miracle that J.D. and Judas were going out for breakfast together. Now she was almost glad they didn’t want her oatmeal. She sat down and poured herself a bowl of steel-cut oats, reveling in the wonderful taste. If only she could get her husband and daughter to give it a try.

Then she started wondering just how Judas would react when not only her late husband’s band came to town, but also the father of J.D.’s baby. This couldn’t go well, she told herself. No father was going to just smile and say nothing to the boy who knocked up his young daughter. And she knew the band
members too well to think they were going to just take whatever kind of reprimanding Judas dished out to them.

She jumped up and started cleaning up the kitchen quickly, knowing she had better hurry up and get to town and keep an eye on everyone so there wouldn’t be trouble.

* * *

Judas sat in Margery’s Diner with J.D. across from him, eating a big breakfast of pancakes, lots of butter and syrup, crispy bacon and a big glass of orange juice. He could tell by the way his daughter was eating the same amount, that she was eating for two. He wanted to say something to her, but at the same time didn’t want to scare her away.

This was the first time besides
being at work that they were alone together with no one else around. He felt as if this was a major step in the right direction.

“So,” he
said, pausing and taking a sip of orange juice. “Tell me about the father of your baby.”

“Huh?” she looked up briefly and then continued eating. “There’s n
othing to tell. His name is Salvador and he’s the lead guitarist now that . . . now that Spyder is gone.”

He could tell she was choosing her words carefully and he liked the fact
she wasn’t calling the man her father anymore. Or at least not in front of him.

“
What’s Salvador’s last name?”

“Not sure,” she said, still chewing.

“Are you in love with this boy?” he drilled her with the questions.

“No.” She swallowed her food and licked her lips and then proceeded to lick the syrup off her fingers. “Why? Should I be?”

He handed her his napkin, seeing that he had a lot to teach her in the way of manners. He’d also have to try to convince her to dye her hair back whatever color it was before it was black and pink. And to grow some hair on the one side of her head that was shaved. And maybe get rid of some of the piercings before the baby arrived.

“You made love with the guy, so I figured he meant something to you.”

“We had sex, that’s different,” she said with a slight smile. “He was drunk and I was a little drunk too that night and it just kind of happened.”

“For Heaven’s
sake, J.D. you were sixteen at the time. Please don’t tell me you have a drinking problem.”

“She threw
down the napkin like she was throwing down the gauntlet between them and stared him in the eye. “I don’t have a drinking problem. And my father didn’t care, so what’s it to you?”

Well, one step forward and three steps backwards
, he realized. He’d angered her and she was back to referring to Spyder as her father again.

“It’s against the law for underage kids to be drinking you do realize.”