The Keys to Jericho (13 page)

Facing him and crossing my arms, I say, “Actually, I thought about taking my sister out for drinks.” I wait for his enthusiastic reaction, knowing he won’t turn down a chance to hang out with Hadley, but purposely leaving out that her boyfriend will be with us. Too bad Finn will jam Calder into a wall if he gets too close to her.

Hang on. This might be fun after all.

Holding his red sucker in midair, his face lights up like a Times Square billboard. “Holy hell. I forgot she’ll be in town this weekend? How did I forget that?”

“I don’t know. Are you in or what?”

Dash promptly answers, “Is that a joke? Of course I am! What about Rio?”

I shrug. “If he’s not handcuffed to a bedpost and his governess is busy, why not? We going to Shooters?”

Shoving the sucker into his mouth and yanking his phone from his back pocket, he shakes his head at it and says a jumbled, “No. There’s a new place near South Gate I want to try.”

I’m instantly suspicious. “It’s not a kooky place that worships the zodiac, is it? And take that fucking thing out of your mouth before answering me.”

Pausing, Dash pulls the stick out of his mouth as he lifts his gaze. “I wouldn’t take you to a place like that.” He looks back down to his phone and shrugs. “I guess that leaves out the fortune-telling bar?”

“Categorically.”

“Your loss.”

“I’ll even stay sober the whole night, so you can drink all you want.” I cannot be drunk around my sister. I don’t want her reporting back to my dad. In that weak state, she could get me to say something I wouldn’t normally tell her. 

Dash resumes tapping on his phone with one hand. “I’ll talk to Rio to see what he’s doing.”

“Sounds good.”

As he types, he asks, “Can you swing by and pick me up? I’ll just knock out on your couch.”

I shrug. “Okay. Though, do me a favor and leave your astrological chart at home, hanging on your wall.”

Glancing up at me, he scoffs, “Jericho, that’s old school. It’s an app. on my phone.” He smiles as he returns the sucker to his mouth.

Christ. On second thought, I just might need to get drunk.

Dad and I left the site early because he was in a fucking hurry to get home, not wanting to be late for Hadley’s grand entrance.

We were definitely on opposite ends of the enthusiasm scale. In the time it took me to yank my shoes off, he had already taken a two-minute shower, and then immediately started making Hadley’s favorite lasagna for dinner. It’s kind of funny that she gets her favorite dinner just for staying a couple days. I’m staying here for two goddamned months, but I got jack shit for my first night here.

Avoiding the kitchen and his barf-worthy zeal, I instead, go to my room, grab a change of clothes and head to the bathroom across the hall. As I let the hot water spray against my back, I lean against the white tile and rest my head on my arm, thinking about the fucking predicament that is reverting me into becoming a victim of an injudicious female once more.

How do I keep Kat from invading my life again? She’s at her mom’s house every damn day. I can’t avoid her unless I stay home, but even if that was an option, I can’t now.

Why can I
not
stop thinking about her? Why do the ghosts from my past torture me still? What causes their unrest? Kat didn’t want me in high school, so how does that make it any different now? I dreamed about her wanting me. I mentally
begged
her daily to want me, but nothing. I wasn’t good enough, no matter how hard I fucking tried showing her. No matter how much I silently pleaded with her to kiss me. No matter how much I needed Kat to tell me that I was the one for her—to finally want me. In the end, it didn’t matter because she showed me just how much she didn’t. She turned her back on me and chose someone else.

By putting my balls on the chopping block, I left myself defenseless, yet she laughed as she cut them off with a dull knife.

Now, here I am, years later, and instead of Kat’s ghost haunting me, she’s risen from the grave, taunting me. She didn’t have an ample amount of fun crushing my soul the first time around, so she’s back for more, possibly to finish demolishing me.

She used to be all I ever wanted before she turned into all I wanted to avoid. Nevertheless, I still couldn’t. I thought about her every breath I took since seeing her in that fucking classroom. Only, the image of her I had embedded in my mind was outdated; however, despite the changes in her appearance, she’s still…

She’s even more…

As her face fills my head, the familiar ache beckons me to inevitably respond. Reaching down, I seize it and desperately try to expel her from my mind, as I’ve done since high school. Yet, no amount of insistent tugging can erase the pain, the sorrow, the emptiness, and the loneliness I’ve become accustomed to for so long, and will always loom over me. As everyone else has moved on, I’m stuck in my own past, reliving every excruciating detail I want to forget.

Through my low grunting and final, quiet gasp, I achieve a minor wave of relief as I predictably spurt the same, relentless desolation onto the shower wall, which negates any reprieve I just experienced.

How will I survive her ceaseless tormenting, when she’s right in front of me again?

Equally, how will I survive when she vanishes yet again, still succeeding on tormenting the rest of my existence?

It’s all a vicious cycle.

CHAPTER 8

“Hey, pumpkin pie!”

Standing at the top of the stairs, I take a deep breath as I fluff up my damp hair. Their jovial greetings ring out as suitcases thump against the floor. When the commotion dies to a dull roar, I blow a lung full of air and go downstairs.

“Jared!” Hadley rushes over, her ponytail flying behind her, and she throws her arms around my neck. As I stand here, not sure how to react, my dad beams at us, while Finn lifts his chin to me, grinning, before turning to say something to Dad.

“I missed you so much,” she says against my shoulder, the top of her head brushing my chin.

Reaching up, I uneasily pat her on the back and mumble, “You, too.”

She lets go of me, her clear green eyes shining at my muddled mix of green/hazel. Other than that subtle difference, and the obvious disparity in height, we can’t deny each other as brother and sister. We have the same hair color, lips, the same nose, and chin. Dad also says Hadley and I share the same stubbornness.

Do not.

I wouldn’t call it stubbornness. We’re just strong-willed and refuse to give up on what we truly believe in. At any cost.

Maybe that’s the definition, though.

I will give my sister this much: to those who don’t know Hadley, or underestimate her because she’s petite and soft-spoken, she doesn’t seem like much of a fighter, but I know she has it in her. I’ve been on the receiving end of her wrath quite a few times.

“Congratulations on your new job.”

“Thanks.” I glance over at my dad and Finn, but they’re already talking baseball. I now notice that Dad’s wearing a gray New York Mets shirt, and Finn has on a white New York Yankees shirt. I’m guessing they’ll be fighting over a game on TV tonight, and since I don’t care for baseball, leaving me alone with my sister. Before my dad met Finn, he didn’t seem to care about baseball either, really. Until recently, I didn’t even know he liked the Mets. To me, it seems like a bandwagon thing, although, he isn’t rooting for the Yankees with Finn.

“Right?”

I glance back to my sister. “What?”

Hadley laughs. “I said that you and I will have to find something else to do tonight, since Finn and Dad will be glued to the TV.”

“Oh. Yeah. I guess so.”

She rolls her eyes before looking over to them. “I think those two purposely planned us staying this weekend because of tonight’s game.”

Looking away from my dad, Finn folds his arms, cupping his elbows, and gives my sister a teasing smile. “Don’t be hating on baseball, Becks.”

Hadley says, “You never did explain how you got the whole weekend off from work.”

“There was an opening in the schedule between vacations, so I took it.” Finn shrugs as his smile changes to an assured grin. “Plus, my boss loves me.”

She laughs. “So it
is
true?”

Finn guiltily puts his hand on the back of his neck, tilting his head and giving her a slanted smile. “I’m pleading the Fifth and since you’re a paralegal, you know my rights.” Paralegal. That’s right. I totally got that one wrong.

“Well, you have the right to remain silent about baseball, until after dinner.”

He laughs and Hadley blows him a kiss, which makes me cringe and roll my eyes.

Dad clears his throat and briefly gives me “that look” before swinging his arm and pointing to the kitchen. “Speaking of dinner, let’s eat.”

On the way to the kitchen, I trail behind Hadley as she meets Finn, and he puts his arm over her shoulders. As they walk, she lifts her face to him and he bends to kiss her. She whispers, “I still love you, baby.”

“I love you back,” he whispers against her forehead.

Fuck me. This is going to be a long damn weekend.

As Dad pulls dinner out of the oven, I get glasses from the cabinet and Hadley asks everyone if water is okay. Taking a glass from me, she fills it up at the fridge, giving me a smile as we exchange full for empty, probably remembering us doing this for dinner when we lived here.

“Someone needs to give me a job to do,” Finn says with a laugh. “I’m feeling left out.”

Dad says, “If you want to grab us some plates in that cabinet right there.”

“How adorable,” I say.

“What?” Hadley asks, walking the last filled glass over to the table, and I grab the tray of garlic bread. “Finn’s nice, Jared. Maybe you should try it sometime.”

Dad laughs as I put the tray on the table, and pull out my usual chair, next to Dad’s at the head. Hadley takes her seat across from me and I sneer, “Oh, yeah? Who was the
mean
guy who used to kill spiders or helped his big sister with her algebra homework?”

“Hit,” she says with a sly smile, which unexpectedly makes me smile in return.

“What’s that mean?” Finn asks, taking his seat next to my sister.

Hadley says, “Instead of
touché,
Jared and I say
hit.
In middle school, we went through a Battleship game phase, playing as soon as we got home, during dinner—before getting yelled at—and even in each other’s rooms at night.” Yep. We were definitely obsessed.

Not that I’ve ever been obsessed with anything else in my life.

“I’d find red and white pegs all over the house,” Dad complains with a chuckle. “And don’t think I couldn’t hear you two playing that game on your beds at night. These walls are thin.”

“We had fun, though,” Hadley protests with a pout aimed at Dad. She then looks at me. “Didn’t we, Jared?”

I shrug. “It was alright.” Some of the best times of my life.

“We did that for like six months. It was a massive phase.”

“Titanic,” I abruptly declare, making her laugh, which makes me smile again.
Damn it
.

Reining myself in, I look down at my empty plate as Dad brings the casserole dish over. Dad asks, “How’s work, Finn?”

“It’s good. They keep me busy.”

“Hadley gives me your schedule when you’ll be on TV.” Dad announces proudly. “I watch your broadcast online every day you work.”

Finn smirks. “Do you? I’ll have to remember that in case I get a dare from an Adam Beckett.”

“I’m still trying to come up with them, but it’s hard trying to come up with something you haven’t done before.”

“There’s a lot I haven’t done before, so give me something good.”

“Do you ever turn down any dares?”

“No. I try not to, at least. I love a challenge, but I try to keep them sports-related. I’ve gotten letters and emails from people daring me to do all kinds of things, from wearing a crown during a broadcast to signing autographs in the station’s parking lot. Naked.”

Hadley puts her hand over her mouth and giggles. Confused, I ask, “What? Like you haven’t seen Finn naked before?”

Both Hadley’s hand and mouth drop at the same time, as Finn puts his fist to his mouth, coughing behind it. He does it more to stifle a laugh, and as he glances at me, he can’t hide his proud smirk.

“Jared Adam,” Dad briskly warns, cutting the lasagna, dishing the first piece to Princess Hadley.

I just get better and better at this as time goes on. Though, I’m still aiming for the triple threat of my full name. Those are rare.

“What,” I ask my dad innocently, but keeping a smile off my face is tough, since Finn is coughing harder.

Sighing in exasperation, Dad changes the subject to something banal as he motions for Finn’s plate. “Grandma and Grandpa want to have you kids over for dinner tomorrow night.”
Kids
. Fucking hell. I haven’t been a kid in years, but I feel more like one now than I did as a damn kid.

Picking up my glass of water, I say, “Sorry. Booked solid. I have plans.”

Another sharp looks ensues. “You can see your grandparents while you’re here, Jared. You’ve yet to stop by to visit them.”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah. I’m here for a while.”

“But your sister isn’t. You can eat dinner with them and then go out afterward, can’t you?”

I shift my gaze to Hadley. “What about you guys? Do you have plans tomorrow night?”

Having salvaged her composure, she quizzically asks, “Plans? Here? No, why?”

Dad takes my plate and I say to Hadley and Finn, “I thought we could go out somewhere. Dash has a place he wants to take us to, since he’s in the know of good bars. Though, I don’t think you want to go to a strip joint.” I glance at Finn and he quickly grins until Hadley looks at him, in which he drops his smile like a stolen bag of money.

Hadley narrows her eyes at Finn with suspicion, but is met with his innocent expression in return. Seemingly satisfied, she then turns to me. “Good ole’ Dash,” she says with a small laugh. “He’s so cute.”

“Who’s Dash?” Finn cautiously asks.

With a grin between mouthfuls of garlic bread, I inform him, “One of my best friends who has been crushing on your girlfriend for years.”

“Uh, really?” Finn’s forehead wrinkles, and his gaze darts to the table. Finn usually seems happy when I’ve been around him, but right now, he’s definitely not. Does he think Dash is an actual threat? Isn’t Finn Wilder a confident guy? He should have zero worries about losing my sister to Dash Calder. From what my dad has shown me of Finn’s dares, Finn has major balls. Dash and his marbles can’t compete with him.

Besides that, I refuse to have Dash as my brother-in-law. That would also scar me for life.

She argues, “No, he doesn’t.”

As my dad hands my plate back to me, I solemnly propose, “You want to put money on that?”

Her face scrunches. “Ugh. Now this will be awkward.”

I ask, “Why? Dash has always liked you. He’s still the same, annoying Dash Calder.”

“He’s not going to try to make a move on her, is he?” Finn questions, his jaw and the veins in his neck twitching.

Picking up my fork, I reply, “Calm down. Trust me. He’s no threat. He just likes her from afar.”

Not that I don’t know anything about doing that myself, either.

I continue, “And he’s an elementary school gym teacher, so really. I suppose she could have it worse. My other bud, Rio, is a physician assistant at a gynecology office.” I shake my head, laughing. “You don’t want to hear what we call him.”

“No, we don’t,” Dad says with another sigh.

“I think Finn’s best friend trumps both of yours,” Hadley says.

I aim my attention to Finn. “What’s he do?”

Finn shrugs, picking at his dinner. “Ricky’s a Richmond cop.”

I lean back in my chair. “Oh. Yeah. I guess he does. Rio and Dash are criminals waiting to happen.”

Hadley asserts, “Well, Dash is funny, but not my type.”

Finn smiles again as he looks at Hadley, more self-assured this time. “Oh, yeah? What
is
your type?”

She coyly smiles at him. “I love sportscasters who moonlight as daredevils.”

He raises an eyebrow, gazing knowingly at her. “Just
any
?”

My sister bites her smiling, bottom lip before saying, “There might be
one
I have in mind.”

Gaping at the nauseating display across from me, I set my fork back down, so I don’t choke on my food. They’re giving each other a look that clearly screams
fuck me
this second
.

I loudly clear my throat, impatiently asking, “So are you both in or not for tomorrow night?” I wish there were still a TV in my room that I can use to drown the sounds I’ll be hearing in Hadley’s room tonight.

“Oh.” Hadley briefly looks at me and then back to her fuck buddy. “Would you want to go out?”

He fleetingly glances down, licks his lip, and shrugs before he looks at her. “Yeah.”

What was that about? Does he have a bar phobia?

Hadley then asks, “Are you coming with us, Dad?”

As Dad grabs a piece of garlic bread, he regards my sister as if she’s nuts, as do I. “No, but I’ll come pick you up if you all need a ride.”

“You should come with us.” What the fuck is she doing?

He laughs. “I’ll stay home. I’m not going to hang out with my kids and cramp their style.”

“We’re not kids anymore,” she disputes.
Shut up, Hadley!

“You’re still my kids,” he insists. “That’ll never change, no matter how old you are. You’ll see. When you and Finn get married and have kids together, you’ll feel the same way. They’ll always be your babies.”

Dad smiles at Hadley and Finn. While she responds with a shy smile and glances down to her food, Finn’s reaction is totally the opposite. He instantly freezes, his forkful of food not making it to his mouth. After a few seconds, he anxiously bites his lip, squinting at his food, looking like he’s in pain.

Maybe this entire dinner is making him sick, as well. I’m glad I’m not the only one.

Hadley sneaks a look at her horrified boyfriend, but seems oblivious that he’s having some kind of covert breakdown. Is it because of Dad’s marriage and babies remark? If aimed at me, I’d be the one having a fucking breakdown right now, throwing chairs and food, so if it’s that, he’s taking it rather well. If it’s not, are he and Hadley having problems? From what I’ve seen so far, they don’t look like they’re on the verge of a split. A few minutes ago, they looked like they wanted to rip each other’s clothes off and fuck on the table. Christ.