Lights Out (14 page)

A woman, huh? Finally, and not his usual type, Reye thought. Joe always had women, but went nowhere near any that would maybe last past temporary. He never talked about them, and he wasn’t talking about her much now, but this was huge for Joe.

“So you think it might work, that it’s a good idea?” he asked her.

“It’s worth a try,” she responded, reaching for his hand.

“That’s what I was thinking,” he said, glancing around, watching for signs on her face that he’d given away his appreciation for Piper in his conversation. He squeezed her hand.

“She sounds like a nice woman,” she said. “What does she look like?”

“Why?” he asked, now on the alert.

“Maybe I’ve seen her around. Austin’s not that big, and I’ve hit most of the popular coffee places. I may have met her.”

“She is about your height, hair long, curly, all around her face, light brown skin, athletically built,” he said. Reye’s eyebrows lifted at that description. It was more than she expected.

“Okay,” she said. “Well let me know how it goes.”

“I will,” he said, sitting back like this had been a major decision for him. Reye smiled. Joe liked a woman. Her smile widened. No way was she telling him that, but inwardly she was so pleased. Oh, please, let him find someone to love. He deserved it. She didn’t know about the whole of his childhood, what had brought him to this place where he loved his nephew fiercely, but guarded his heart like his life depended on it.

No one but the sturdy got through to Joe. She hoped this woman was sturdy enough to withstand Joe and the guard dogs surrounding his heart. What a catch he’d be for the one who could break through. A more loving, committed man she’d yet to meet. She had included him with Stephen, her brothers, and her dad—the gold standard for them all.

* * *

October

Saturday morning Piper stood behind the counter of her shop with the girls, surprised as she watched Joe and Shane walk through the door.

Shane waved at her before moving to his friends, who were dancing in front of the TV to a video game. Joe walked over to her with something in his hand. The look on his face was uncomfortable.

“Hi,” he said, a little tentatively.

“Hey,” she replied.

“Shane and I were out shopping today and we thought…. I mean we wanted to drop this off as a way of thanking you for the help last week. ”

“It wasn’t a problem. We don’t mind helping if you need us,” she said.

“Thanks again anyway,” he said handing her a small square-shaped object wrapped in plain brown paper.

Piper opened it. It was a CD of zydeco music. She wasn’t familiar with this artist.

“He’s new on the scene,” said Joe, watching her face. “You’ll like him.”

“Thanks, Joe, that was very thoughtful.”

“Do you have time to talk for a second, maybe in your office?” he asked.

“Sure, let me call some help and we can head back.”

She stuck her head into the kitchen and said something to someone. A few minutes later, Joe watched as a college student dressed in the coffee shop uniform came out and moved to the counter.

“Shane, Taylor, Ken,” Piper called, waiting for the three heads to turn her way. “Joe and I will be in my office for a second.”

“Sure,” all three children replied in unison, happy to have more time with Shane.

He followed her in and over to the small couch where she sat down and looked at him expectantly as he joined her.

“What’s up?” she asked.

“I have a proposition for you,” Joe said, getting straight to the point, catching the interest as it flickered across her face. “I would like to hire you to pick up Shane after school on the days that I’m tied up. Picking up Shane has become a problem for me since I’ve accepted this new position. I thought I could manage it and Shane, and I haven’t had much luck finding a long-term sitter I could count on. And believe me, I’ve tried. Shane really likes being around you and your sisters, and I need a reliable place for him to be.”

“I offered, remember?”

“I know, but this could be more than occasionally.”

“Still, it’s not a problem. Shane’s easy, my sisters love him, and he’s a sweet kid.” She turned to find his eyes on her, serious. She was finding out when it came to his nephew, he was always serious.

“I’ll help, but you don’t have to pay me,” she said.

“Yeah, I do. It works better that way.”

“Okay,” she said, choosing not to argue the point. Just ’cause he gave it to her didn’t mean she had to spend it.

“So how long would you need me?” she asked.

“For as long as you have the girls living with you. I wouldn’t expect you to help if you didn’t have your two,” he said.

“Okay,” she replied.

“There are some days each week that I’ll run late, usually no more than two. I’ll know as early as Monday which days they’ll be. I can pick Shane up from the shop. Would you be willing to take him home with you if I’m later than 6:30?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“So,” he said.

“So,” she replied, chuckling.

“I thought we could meet every Monday morning to cover our schedules, to confirm the times that I’ll need you. I’ll drop by the shop, if that’s okay.”

“Sure, if you want. You could just contact me by e-mail instead of coming here if that’s easier for you.”

“No, I stop somewhere for coffee most mornings anyway, it might as well be here. I would also like to list you as an emergency contact for those times when I can’t get to Shane. There are also last-minute things that might come up. If I’m on call I might need your help, too. Most times I can work from anywhere, but there are occasions that I need to go in.”

“Okay,” she replied.

“Can you start next week? Thursday and Friday, to be exact. Can you take him with you from school both days?”

“Sure,” she said.

“So what about the pay schedule?” he asked.

“What about it?”

“What do you want?”

“Whatever you pay the others is fine. You’re more familiar with all of that than I am.”

“Fine,” he said and sat back, relaxed now. She could see the loosening of his body.

“Thanks then,” he said, looking around her office. “Is your other shop similar to this one?” he asked.

“It’s older, and a different crowd too, more college kids.”

“It’s impressive, what you’ve done.”

“Not really. I’ve been lucky to have my dad to help,” she said, catching his gaze. She had no idea what he was thinking.

“Well, if you need me, call me on my cell, and of course Shane has his own cell and can call me when he likes. I’ll notify the school to add you permanently to the list of people who have my permission to pick up Shane,” he said, standing up. “I’d better get going. Shane and I still have a few more errands to run.”

He led the way back to the front and immediately called Shane, who said goodbye to the girls. They left just as unceremoniously as they’d entered. Interesting, she thought, her mind moving in so many directions; dissecting his visit, the gift, his request for help.

* * *

What time was it, Joe wondered, checking the clock on his nightstand. Two in the a.m., late Saturday night, or early Sunday morning was more like it. He’d hung out with Shane the rest of the day after he’d dropped that package off to Piper.

After his talk with Reye, he’d decided that Piper’s taking care of Shane would be a great idea and was glad that she’d agreed to help him. The purchase of the gift had come from a different place; his spur-of-the-moment decision surprised him. He and Shane had been at one of those all-in-one music, video, and electronic stores. While Shane looked for a new video game, Joe had been browsing the music section. He found the CD and purchased it with her in mind.

Before he knew it, he’d had it wrapped, and didn’t think to put it away before Shane had gotten an eyeful. Then the inquisition began, so he’d ended up explaining what an impulse purchase was to his nephew. Then, of course, he had to deliver it to her amid all his second thoughts and misgivings of what it meant.

He liked watching the delight on her face, and the pleasure reflected in her eyes at receiving it. A bit of something else was in her eyes, too, and he liked watching that part as well. He was glad he’d done it. He still felt weird, a little disconcerted by the whole of it.

So, he called up Sondra—red hair falling down her back, no-strings-attached Sondra, professional-by-day, wild at night Sondra. They’d gone to a movie and then come back here. He turned to find the space next to him in his bed empty and sighed. He hated when that happened, and it almost always happened. Woman on the roam in his home.

He sighed, sat up, pulled on his jeans, and walked out of his room, running his hand through his hair. There was a small light on in the kitchen. He headed toward it.

And yes, there was a nude woman, hand on the door, staring at the contents of his refrigerator. He stood quietly and watched Sondra move, admiring the female form before walking over to her to slap her softly on the part that was the closest to him, causing her to jump and giggle. She pushed herself into his body, seeking his lips, which he gave over quite willingly.

“Hey, sweet cakes,” she said, smiling, and then lifted her head up to his again for more.

They stood there for a second, lost in the kiss, when Joe heard a sound and turned. Shane stood in the doorway, taking it all in, and Joe moved to put Sondra behind him.

“Didn’t see your light on,” he said to his nephew.

“I heard a noise,” Shane said. “Sorry.”

“No, nothing to apologize for,” he said. “Head on back to bed. It was just me making noise. I’m sorry I woke you,” he said.

He knew better, he thought. He was usually more careful, but it was two in the morning and Shane usually slept like a brick. Still, Joe silently admonished himself.

“Night, Uncle Joe,” he said, turning and walking back toward his bedroom.

* * *

Shane stumbled back to bed. His Uncle Joe was something. Women loved his uncle. He’d noticed women checking his uncle out when he wasn’t looking, even Piper, but she turned away before his uncle noticed.

And this wasn’t the first time he’d seen women here. He hid sometimes when Joe had them over, and there was always something to see, if you hid in the right places.

He knew that his Uncle Joe, when it came to women, was the best. He hoped he’d be around to offer advice as Shane grew up. He seemed to know what to say, and sometimes, like tonight, he’d slap their butts, but not too hard. They must have liked it, because they always giggled.

Shane didn’t quite understand how that was fun for them, but they always kissed his uncle after he did it. Shane had tried it on Taylor and she punched him in his stomach.

“You do that again, and I’ll knock your tongue down your throat,” Taylor had told him. Maybe she was too young. It must only work for older women, Shane thought as he drifted off to sleep.

Friday of the following week found Piper sitting on the floor in the game room. Shane, Taylor, and Kennedy sat on the couch above her, lost in a movie. She’d seen this one before, a film about kids taking over the world. She didn’t like to contemplate that possibility, even on the movie screen. Joe had called her earlier that evening; he’d been delayed leaving San Antonio and would arrive later than he’d anticipated.

It was the last week of September and her first full week of taking care of Shane. She’d had him three days this week. She couldn’t believe how fast the year was moving. The kids and work had kept her busy.

McKenzie and Pepper jumped up, tails in the air, standing up from their spots on Taylor and Shane’s laps. They jumped down, started barking, and ran like hell down the stairs. The kids, engrossed in the movie, didn’t move. Piper stood and walked down the stairs, following the two banditos. She had gotten used to having them around. She could see Joe through her peephole. He looked tired.

McKenzie and Pepper kept up the barking until he entered. He was promptly sniffed and approved. Then the barking ceased—they knew this guy. The world was safe once again, and they trotted back upstairs to the game room.

“Playing dress up? Don’t see you in a suit and tie much,” she said, holding the door open for him. He gave her a distracted smile and pulled at the knot of his tie, loosening it from his neck.

“The kids are watching a movie upstairs that has about another thirty minutes or so before it’s over. Do you mind waiting? I could call Shane if you want to leave now. I know how appealing home can be after a long day.”

“No, I don’t mind as long as I can sit and not answer any computer-related questions,” he said, looking longingly at her L-shaped sectional sofa in the living room. It was cushy and large.

“Be my guest,” she said and pointed toward the couch. He kicked off his shoes, his pair mixing in with the four other pairs in a pile. He’d recognized Shane’s tennis shoes in the pile, along with a couple pairs of flip-flops.