The Grunt (7 page)
“A Marine who has been recently widowed. I’ll be living with them for a while. The pay is really good, and it’ll eliminate some of my bills and allow me to finish school.”
“A Marine?” The colonel looked at his wife, knowing she had known about his daughter’s decision for some time before him. “Is he an officer?”
“He’s enlisted,” Courtney said, bracing herself.
“Are you serious? You mean to tell me that
my daughter
is going to be working for an enlisted man in his house as
the help
?”
“You’re being ridiculous now,” Diane said, stepping in. “The point is that she has found employment and a way to solve her problems without us. You should be proud of her.” She nodded at her daughter.
“Oh, I’m ecstatic,” the colonel said sarcastically. He sucked his teeth. “Is he Black?”
“No,” Courtney said quickly, looking down at her plate. Suddenly, she wasn’t hungry. “Why can’t you ever be proud of anything that I do, Daddy?”
“There are other jobs out there, Courtney.” He heaved a heavy sigh. “Do you realize how this looks? It’ll be all over the base. My daughter personally help set people of color back one hundred years in this area with a simple decision to become a house…”
“I could always be a stripper. Get a job at the Driftwood.” She rolled her eyes. “This isn’t about
you
. Everything is not about you!” Courtney exclaimed.
“Lower your voice in my house,” the colonel demanded. His fists were balled around his plate, his jaw clenched. With a stern voice and glaring eyes, he snarled.
“Respect your daughter’s decision,” Diane countered in a low, calming voice. “And she’s right. This isn’t about you, Jeffery. We’ve already told her that we won’t pay for her tuition. She’s responsible for her own bills. It’s not her fault that her job was cut. She did what any responsible adult would do. She found another job.”
“I don’t know why I even bother,” Courtney said, standing up. “It would be easier to convert Fidel Castro into a Baptist republican that it is to impress my own father.”
The colonel looked over at his daughter and felt a tinge of compassion and guilt. Reaching out for her, he motioned for her to sit down. “Courtney,” he said a little calmer. “What I’m simply asking you to do is look at it from my viewpoint. This is a serious blow to the family name.”
“What have I ever done that wasn’t a blow to the family name? This is exactly why I don’t use it anymore. I don’t’ want to embarrass you.” Courtney sat back down reluctantly, but she could feel her mother’s stare – willing her to not walk away as she had done so many times before.
“This isn’t permanent, is it?” the colonel asked, seeing his wife become uneasy. The last thing that he wanted to do was ruffle her feathers. And he knew how protective she was over her daughter. It was like a lioness and her cub.
“No, the job is only until I graduate and can find a position as a librarian. I’ll even take a job in another state, if I have to.”
“Well, I’m sure that I can find you a job on base. If you had only let me know…” His voice trailed off as he remembered telling her specifically to
grow up and handle her problems herself
.
“I wanted to handle this on my own,” Courtney said, looking over at him for understanding. “I can look over my pride to accomplish my long-term goals.”
“That’s very mature of you, Courtney. We’re both proud of you, and we will stand by your decision, won’t we dear?” Diane said sternly to her husband.
The colonel nodded. “Yes…of course we will,” he digressed in bitterness. It was useless to fight it anymore. The women of the house had made their decision, a bad one, but their collective decision none the less.
Lose the battle, win the war
, he said to himself as he picked up his fork again.
***
After dinner and Courtney had gone, the colonel and his wife stood in front of the kitchen sink carefully washing the wine glasses and listening to the jazz station. Under the dim light, he looked at his wife’s delicate hands as they glided over the crystal and took a minute to appreciate how grounded she had always kept him. Passing her another flute, he scooted closer to her and looked down into her eyes.
“What would I do without you?” he asked in nearly a whisper.
“Fail miserably,” she answered with a grin. She lifted her long lashes at him and raised her brow. “Are you flirting, Jeffery Lynn Lawless?” she asked in a deep, charming southern accent.
“I am, Mrs. Lawless,” he said, taking a breath of her perfume. “Do you think I was too hard on her
again
?”
Diane smiled, showing the delicate lines of age around her full mouth as she did. “I always think you’re too hard on her.” Putting down the glass in her hand on the counter, she turned to her husband. “You know, we had to make our way. If I recall, your father wasn’t too happy about you joining the military. His exact words were…”
“
A black man has no place in the military
,” Lawless finished her sentence. “Yes, I know all of that.”
“Well, could you imagine what your life might have been like if you had not joined, if you had listened to him? What I’m saying, dear,” she said, easing up to him to put a hand on his chest, “is that you raised them and now you leave them to make adult decisions. They often know what is best; you just have to give them time to do what is best and not interject yourself into their lives. It’s rude.”
“Nobody complains when my interjecting saves the day. What about that other boy and his trifling dog? I found him and kicked his ass myself. And I never told a soul about that. I didn’t gloat, though I wanted to. The boy handled himself like a nun. I beat his ass in four minutes flat. I didn’t even get anything on me.” He was proud of that considering he was suffering from a quiet mid-life crisis.
“Well, there were some benefits to you helping Courtney, but look at the draw backs. She lost a lot of self confidence in herself. That can irreparably damage a young woman. And it didn’t help that you didn’t allow me to tell her that the money was from you. She still thinks you’re a tyrant, incapable of empathy.”
Lawless’s chest began to swell. “You think it’s all my fault?”
“I think it’s your responsibility to help her, not to harm her.”
“I would never harm Courtney. She’s my only daughter, and I love her more than life itself. It just drives me crazy to see her make such bad decisions. Now, do you mean to sit here and tell me that you’re proud that she’s now working for a
white
enlisted man as his help?” He put his hand on his hip as he awaited his answer.
“You’re very blind, Lawless,” Diane said, turning back to her dishes.
“How do you figure that?”
“Because anyone with eyes could see that she’s not taking the job just for the money.”
Lawless opened his mouth but quickly closed it shut. His eyebrow raised as thoughts assailed him. “You think she is…”
Diane shook her head. “I’ve said my peace. Leave her to make her own decisions.”
He scoffed. “
Said your peace?
You’ve said nothing. You’ve just put all these horrible thoughts into my head.”
Diane snickered. “Well, at least they are there. It’s been ages.”
“It’s been since last week,” he defended, forgetting about Courtney.
“Like I said,
ages
,” she repeated with a naughty grin.
Colonel Lawless pulled his wife up into his arms and kissed her full mouth. Rubbing her backside, he moved her hair from her face. “Is that what all the fuss is about woman? Well, please allow me to remedy the situation.” He growled at the thought, especially since he had already taken the little blue pill for later.
Diane laughed aloud as he grabbed her hand. “Where are we going?” she asked, holding tight to her position.
“Up to the room,” he answered with a frown.
“No, Colonel Lawless. On the base, you are the final word. Here, I rule. And I say we do it
here
.” Taking off her apron, she pointed over at the large kitchen table.
He cracked a smile and saluted her. “Yes ma’am.”
Early Sunday morning while families rushed off to church and ate breakfast around the table, Brett scurried around the house in a pair of yellow gloves, completing the last of his deep cleaning before Courtney arrived. For the first time since he had moved into the house, he went through it with a fine tooth comb and inspected what needed to be cleaned like he was on the base during a barracks inspection. Not to his surprise, there were many things that had gone unchecked, like the dust balls in the corners behind every door, the dirty base boards, the closet full of dirty linen, the bottom of the refrigerator and the cobwebbed corners of the vaulted ceilings. His list went on and on.
On a mission, he had been up since three cleaning. However, to him it was well worth it. He didn’t want Courtney to see the house in a mess, especially after seeing that her place was spotless. Now, it was near nine and he had spent six hours bent in crooked positions with scrubbers, sprays and other chemicals, but the end result was a more presentable home with a lot less clutter.
“Is she still coming, daddy?” Cameron asked, sitting in the living room with his eyes glued to the front door. He had been waiting for Courtney the entire day, excited that someone new was coming to the house.
“Yeah,” Brett said exhausted. “She’ll be here any minute.” Looking at his watch, he pulled his disposable gloves off and went to the kitchen to push them down in the overflowing garbage can.
That would be the last task of the day. He had to get rid of all the evidence that told the story of their unkempt house. With a quick spray of linen air freshener, he pulled the black Hefty garbage bag out of the can and tied it off then carted it out the back door to the garbage can.
Opening the lid, he was greeted by the foul odor of spoiled meat that had festered in one hundred degree heat. Maggots stuck to the side of the garbage can and fell as he dropped in the bag.
He flinched a little, thinking of the carcasses that were lined up and down the streets of Fallujah during his deployment there a few years ago. No civilian could imagine the type of larva that oozed out of a dead body that had been out in the heat for a few days straight. People often walked passed them like it was common place there, but he could never get used to it.
A quick flashback caused beads of sweat to form on his head. Slamming the lid back shut, he wiped his arm over his sweaty upper lip and took a minute to breathe. The war seemed to never go away, and it reared its ugly head in the strangest of places. Brushing the thoughts off, he looked out across the half-acre of backyard and reminded himself of something else he needed to do. It felt like he was always cutting the damned yard.
It was going to be a hot day, bright with a scorching sun and no clouds, perfect for throwing some meat on the grill. Just as the thought crossed his mind, he heard the hum of an engine in his driveway. Courtney. Looking over his gate, he saw her truck come to a stop and turn off.
Brett could feel his heart constrict when Courtney closed her door shut. Peeking over the top of his fence without being detected, he eyed her as she looked around at the houses, surveying her new home and hopefully approving of it. A single strand of hair fell out of her ponytail and flirted with the nape of her neck in the heat. Moving it out of her face, she threw her backpack over her shoulder and headed towards the front porch.
Brett quickly darted inside, letting the back door slam behind him.
Cameron was already screaming for him. With his little hand on the door knob, he tried desperately to open the door.
“Cameron, don’t ever open the door without my permission,” Brett admonished, moving him out of the way. The last thing he needed was for his son to wonder off one day. The thought made his heart skip a beat.
Opening the front door, Brett could barely repress his smile. Courtney, however, did not bother to hide hers. “Honey, I’m home,” she said cleverly as she stepped inside. She brought the sunshine with her. The entire house instantly brightened up and everyone in it.
“Hey,” Brett said, stepping back. He couldn’t help but look her over. She looked effortlessly beautiful. “You’re early. I was expecting you later.” He lied through his teeth and prayed that Cameron wouldn’t call him out on it.
“Well, I figured that I’d get a jump on the day,” Courtney said, looking around his living room. “Wow, you have a nice place.”
“Once I get you all moved in, I’ll give you a personal tour,” Brett said, taking her backpack. “Why don’t I go outside and help you with your stuff.”
Courtney nodded. “Okay.” Dropping to her knee, she extended her arms for Cameron. “Hey you,” she said as he ran to her. “How are you feeling today, buddy?”
“I’m hungry,” Cameron said, giving her a big hug.
Brett winced. Shit. He knew he had forgotten to do something. Courtney looked up at him and raised her brow. “Mind if I fix him something to eat before we haul in my stuff?”
“I can do it,” Brett said, feeling like he had dropped the ball.
“No, I want to do it. It’s what I’m here for. Remember? Now,” she said, standing back up. “where’s the
cucina
?”
“Right this way,” Brett said, leading her out of the living room. It had been a long time since a woman living with him was eager to get to the kitchen to cook.
As they walked through the house, Brett spied out the corners and rooms to make sure that everything looked picture perfect. It was odd to him that he even cared, but he wanted Courtney to feel as comfortable as possible.
“I can’t thank you enough for doing this,” Brett said, stepping aside to let her look over the kitchen.
She acknowledged that and then said, “I’m happy to be here. This is going to be great. Trust me.” Her eyes found his and locked for a minute.
Brett couldn’t quite explain it, but Courtney had a carefree, light heart that made him feel incredibly at ease. Maybe it was her lingering smile or her wide eyes full of hope, but it had been a long time since he had seen one person full of life. Plus, it didn’t hurt that she was gorgeous. Her dark smooth skin looked as soft as silk and her fluffy black hair curled with heavy locks past her thin shoulders in a feminine way that turned him on. The twinkle in her brown eyes and curve of her tempting lips made him instantaneously think about their kiss. But he had made a promise. He had to control himself.
Courtney looked around the kitchen, opening cupboards and drawers. Going to the pantry, she opened it and put her hands on her hips. “We’re going to have to go shopping.” She looked back at Brett. “You okay with that?”
“You’re not the maid, Courtney. You’re his nanny. I can go shopping,” Brett said, walking over to the cupboards to see what was so abhorrent about it. He looked in and sighed.
Shit again
. It was nearly empty with the exception of a large container of whey protein powder, a box of cereal, and a few cans of vegetables.
“See what I mean,” Courtney said with a chuckle.
“I’ve just been so busy with him,” Brett tried to explain.
Courtney put her hand up and silenced him. “That is what I’m here for. I’ll fix him some cereal for now, and then you and I can make a list of things we need to stock up on later.”
Brett liked the way that sounded, even if he didn’t admit it. Being alone with Cameron, he had found out firsthand how hard it was to manage a house alone. There was a never-ending pile of dirty clothes in the washroom, dishes that always needed to be washed, a spill every five minutes on the floor, the boy was always hungry and never wanted to sleep alone in his room, and there was never a private moment where he could just relax.
Most days, Brett ran around in a daze with food spilled on his clothes and a washcloth in his hand, cleaning up behind Cameron and doing things he had married a woman to handle. Now thoroughly domesticated since Amy’s death, the very thought of someone coming in to help brought him comfort that money never could.
It only took a few moments to unload the back of Courtney’s truck. He noticed everything was color-coded in yellow and lime green stickers. Oddly, it made him think of a Sprite commercial. But it fit Courtney perfect. Bright colors for a bright person. She happily carted her things inside, placing them carefully in the entryway to separate the things going into his storage room apart from the things that would go with her.
“You ready to see your room?” Brett asked as he closed the front door.
“Sure,” Courtney answered as Cameron curled up next to her leg. She looked down at him lovingly, already feeling a small bond growing between them.
Cameron looked up at her with a warm smile as if he knew something she did not. They gazed at each other for a quiet, brief moment sharing unspoken admiration.
Courtney was instantly moved. The poor little guy had gone through so much, yet he still had the courage to open his heart and try to love. The thought made Courtney wanted to give this job her best go at it.
Brett caught the exchanged between Courtney and Cameron but didn’t speak on it. Who would have thought that he would end up in this situation? And while he was happy to have her here, he didn’t have the luxury of such open fondness due simply to the sheer number of times he had been roughly disciplined for it. Exhibit A.
Amy Black.
The last thing that he wanted to do was set himself up for failure again. He would have to by any means necessary back off.
Clearing his throat, Brett breezed past them. “Your room’s just up this way,” he said in a low gruff voice.
His bottom foot hit the stairs with a thud, bringing Courtney out of her gaze. She followed him up, running her hand over the newly polished alabaster staircase as she glimpsed a view of his backside. Brett’s tight, muscular butt fit into his dark, denim jeans with ease and led down to his long, wide legs and the brown, quarter-length hiking boots that added a couple of inches to his already tall build. A faded gray T-shirt stretched across his back, clinging to his muscular form. And his high and tight haircut was
Marine Corps perfect
. Courtney definitely gave him an A for effort. It wasn’t just the mood that night two weeks ago that had sent her into a frenzy. Brett Black was hot every day.
Brett could feel her looking at him, and it damned near caused a stumble. He repressed a chuckle.
Weren’t women supposed to have more couth?
When he got to the top of the steps, he looked back at her quickly and watched her eyes move up to his own. A smile quirked at his lips.
“I cleaned it as best I could,” he said, opening the master bedroom door. He stepped aside and allowed her to step past him. “You have your own bathroom, a garden tub and shower, walk-in closet, bay windows that open for fresh air, a king-size bed, Wi-Fi, and you’re right down the hall from Cameron.”
Courtney looked around the room in approval. It was nearly empty, spotless and airy. The white-on-white furniture and walls gave the room a bright but lonely feeling, like something great had once lived here but had since gone away.
Brett leaned against the doorway, refusing to enter like crossing the threshold was his very own brand of kryptonite. With his large arms folded across his broad chest and pain visible on his sun-tanned face, he watched her as she sized up the room and his old life.
“Was this your room?” she asked, turning away from the window to look at him.
The sun caught in her brown hair and lit up her face. It was a warming sight for Brett, so he answered truthfully.
“It used to be…once upon a time.” His rugged voice cared the hum of a country music singer and the pain of the blues.
“And you don’t mind me sleeping in here?” she asked, walking towards him. “You don’t have a guest room?”
Brett’s crystal blue eyes twitched. “No, I don’t mind.” He swallowed hard. “I don’t sleep here. I normally crash downstairs in the den.” Nervously, he scratched the back of his head. His bicep bulged again as he did, drawing Courtney’s attention.
“I like it,” Courtney said finally. “It’s a beautiful room. Thank you.”
Brett nodded, relieved that that was over. “Good. Well, let me know what you need to make it more
like your own
, and I’ll get it for you. I have to return back to work tomorrow. So, I’ll stop by the commissary and pick up some stuff.”
Courtney raised her brow, noticing he avoided any conversation about Amy’s death or how it made him feel. Evidently, he was a man of very few words,
maybe too few
, but she’d change that soon enough.
Brett could see that she was thinking something clever, but he did not want her to get any ideas. He looked down and realized that she had moved all the way from across the room and was now right in front of him. Her smell wafted up to his nose, familiar and sexy. Taking a deep breath, he shifted gears. After all, he had promised her that he could keep things Kosher between them. No point in ruining things on the first day.
“Well, I’ll help you get everything moved up here, now that I know that you like it,” Brett said, looking at the shape of her lips. His breaths quickened slightly.
“I’ll help you,” Courtney said, stepping past him and Cameron, who stood behind his father’s leg listening.
Brett growled as she passed. This was going to be harder than he thought. He had to be crazy moving her in here as vulnerable as he was, yet he knew that he needed her more than he wanted her.
He looked down at Cameron, who watched him carefully and shrugged his shoulders.
“Do you like her?” he asked his son under his breath.
Cameron smiled and looked down the stairs. “Yes,” he said with a giggle. “So do you, Daddy.”
Courtney smiled as she hit the bottom step. Strange thing about acoustics. They carried every sound. But she was glad that Cameron liked her. She liked him too. Only, she liked Brett a lot more.