I pulled her toward me, leaving just an inch between our lips.
“See how easy I make it?” I whispered.
Jordyn swung her left hand and slapped my face.
It wasn’t hard, but I backed away again.
“I didn’t even get to kiss you,” I said.
“I owe you one. Jerk.”
I laughed. “Sorry. I had to. I just wanted to see you get it off your chest.”
“Get what off my chest?”
“The anger,” I said. “Tell me what happened. I won’t judge or anything, darling. Consider me a friend right now. Wasting my Friday night of drinking to hear you talk about your life.”
“Jeez, that makes me feel comfortable.”
“I could sweet talk you into another almost kiss,” I said.
“Down, boy,” she said. Then she sighed. “So, here’s how it always goes…”
My back was against the pillar. My right leg bent on the second step, my left leg stretched out. Jordyn sat right across from me, knees bent, hugging her legs. It almost felt like we were teenagers with nothing to do and nowhere to go.
That sense of innocence only existed in my mind because as she spoke, it started to piss me off.
“It was never easy when we decided to split up,” she said. “I knew it was going to be hard. I just… I just knew it.”
“I’m sure,” I said. “And who is the father?”
“Keith,” she said, blushing. “Keith Rolens.”
“Ah, I remember that name,” I said.
I felt a little fire of jealousy burn for a second or two. My mind took me back to the old days for a minute. Keith was considered a bad boy, but all that meant was that he wore a leather jacket, smoked whenever he wanted, got into fights, got into trouble, and could get any girl he wanted. That included getting Jordyn.
“Your hair was longer back in high school,” I said to her. “And it was blonder.”
“You remember that?” she asked.
“I’m starting to.”
“I used to get highlights,” she said. “I was a total bad ass back then.”
From what I remembered, Jordyn hung around with the bad kids but was never all that bad. She just smoked and tried to look cool. Which eventually led to her having a kid with Keith. A guy I never liked because while he pretended to be bad, I actually was bad.
But that was a whole other thing to think about, which I did not feel like doing.
“So, you had a kid with Keith,” I said.
“Surprise,” she said.
“Nah. You and him were close.”
Again, that little fire of jealousy burned.
“It fell apart on me,” she said. “And he lives a little bit away, too. He works crazy hours. When we split, he needed to get himself cleaned up, so we agreed he could see Sam every other weekend.”
“That’s your son’s name? Sam?”
“Oh. Yeah. Sam, I named him after my grandfather.”
“He must’ve been happy about that.”
“My grandfather passed away when I was a kid,” Jordyn said.
“Shit. I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t know. So, yeah, I have a son and his name is Sam. And his father sees him every other weekend. So, the rest of the time I’m on my own. That’s my life. It is hectic, and I don’t have time for this.”
“What’s this? Talking to someone?”
“Going out with someone, Rams.”
“So, this was a date?”
“You have to put a label on everything, don’t you?”
“No. Just wondering what this is.”
“Anyway,” she said. “Seeing Keith is hard enough. But he gets to show up on a Friday and take Sam until Sunday. Usually he drops him off too early on Sunday. I figure by then Sam is ready to come home anyway. I don’t know what kind of relationship they have. Sam says he has a good time, so I believe him. But he’s a kid. I have to put a lot of trust in Keith to not fuck anything up. And that’s hard.”
“What got you so upset today?”
“Just trying to talk to Keith. About money.”
I nodded. “I imagine it’s pretty hard trying to balance everything in life, including money.”
“Just a little,” Jordyn said. “We’re obviously doing okay… or so it seems. I can’t believe I’m telling you this stuff.”
“Why not?” I asked. “Who else would you tell? One of your friends? And what would they say to do?”
She laughed. “I don’t even know. Norah and Brenda are the only really close friends I have.”
“Norah being the one who bailed on you at the bar that night?”
“That’s the one.”
“She seems reliable.”
“She’s harmless,” Jordyn said. “She’s just in a different place in her life. She listens. Let’s me vent when I need to.”
“And Brenda?”
“She’s married with a young son. Don’t see her as much as I used to, but I totally understand why.”
“Which leaves you dealing with all of this by yourself?”
“To be fair, Rams, I did this to myself. There’s nothing anyone can do.”
“I can take you out, as I said I would. It’s good to do that, darling. Forget about life for a second and let your mind settle.”
“You don’t know me all that well, Rams. That’s why I told you to stay away. You can’t just whisk me away for a cheap draft beer and flirting.”
“Wanna bet?” I asked.
I got her to smile again, which was worth everything, for the moment.
“You were crying when I got here,” I said.
“Just caught up in it all.”
“In what?”
“I made the mistake of talking to Keith,” she said. “I walked Sam to his car. As Sam was getting himself settled, I went around to the driver’s side window and thought I could make small talk for a second.”
“He didn’t want small talk?”
“I may have mentioned about some things that had cost money and that I expected to spend over the next two weeks. I really don’t know how to handle those situations, Rams. When everything went bad, we had an agreement and that was it. For me, it was more or less a way to get away from Keith and keep Sam safe. At that time…”
She turned her head and swallowed hard.
I moved my left foot to bump it against her leg.
She caught her breath and looked at me, eyes beautiful and glossy.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I shouldn’t be asking so many questions. I’m just intrigued by this, Jordyn. Sitting here on your porch, just talking like we’re old friends.”
“Not the wild night you expected.”
“Night’s still young,” I said.
I gave a nod behind Jordyn to the last little flicker of daylight as it clung to the horizon for dear life.
She turned and slowly pulled herself to her feet. “Oh, wow, that looks amazing.”
I sat there, smiling, watching her watch the sunset.
The night was getting cool. I reached for the railing and pulled myself to my feet. My lips and tongue were thirsty for a drink or three. That had been the plan for the night. Yet standing there with Jordyn, I could feel the week just slipping away. Not giving a damn about things that happened, my only focus on her.
I took two steps and hesitated.
This was her house. This was where she raised her son. By herself. I wasn’t going to jump to judgement on another man’s actions, but it didn’t sit well that she had been crying. It wasn’t my place or my job to understand anything. I wanted to take her out and enjoy her company, in whatever way that meant. There were no strings linking me to her. We could have a few drinks and laugh. I could take her back up to the top of town and count the stars… in her eyes. Or I could let her escape for a night and come back to my place.
“I can stand here and watch this all night,” she said.
I almost laughed, it was as though she had been sifting through my thought
s.
“Well, you know, this only lasts a few minutes and it’s gone,” I said. “Kind of like us, huh?”
Jordyn looked back and rolled her eyes. “Smooth.”
“What? We get our little bit together and then we’re apart for two weeks.”
She slowly turned, her back against the opposite pillar on the porch. She reached behind herself to touch the pillar. Something about that view just got to me. The faint purple color, off in the horizon, that was quickly turning to black. The look in her eyes was borderline dangerous to me.
I moved toward her for what felt like the hundredth time.
Before I could say a word, she put a hand out and touched my chest. “Rams…”
I nodded. “This is where you kick me out, right?”
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry, Jordyn. It was worth it.”
“What was?”
“Right now,” I said. “Standing here, watching you with the sunset behind you. The cold chill in the air. The sound of the leaves. The way the air smells.”
“Is this you making a cheap move on me again?”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
“You’re all big and tough with muscles and tattoos and now you’re spouting off some poetic crap…”
“It’s working though,” I said. I touched her hand and pulled it away from my chest. I kissed it and sidestepped down off the porch. “Have a good night, Jordyn. I’ll be around if you need to talk about anything else.”
That’s when she moved at me. “Wait a second.”
I turned and was on the third step down. Which put me and her at eye level.
“Thank you for listening to me,” she said. “I really hoped for something else tonight.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Whatever you wanted to do.”
“Last time I checked it’s only Friday night.”
“Yeah…”
Her eyes burned that dark honey color. I studied the line of her jaw, dreaming of a moment when I could trace it with my finger and then with my lips.
“Meaning tomorrow night is Saturday,” I said.
“You know how the days of the week go,” she said. “That’s good for you.”
I gritted my teeth. Smart mouth, darling. That’s only going to get you into more trouble with me.
“That means I’ll see you tomorrow night,” I said.
“You just assume that? What if I have plans? Or work?”
“Then I’ll make my place on your porch and wait.”
“Like a lonely dog?”
“Woof,” I whispered.
Who the hell are you right now, Ramsey?
“You’re the kind of dog that needs a warning sign,” she said.
“You didn’t take the warning seriously, darling.”
“You sort of just showed up and barged your way in,” she said. “I never had a chance to take the warning seriously.”
“Tough break for you. Goodnight, Jordyn.”
I had the perfect chance right there to steal a quick kiss, but I saved it for a different time.
I stepped down another step.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked. “Do you feel bad for me or something? Or think that it means I’ll sleep with you faster?”
I laughed. I rubbed the scruff on my face and dug at it until I felt my hard jaw. “You know, I have no idea why I’m doing this. Maybe you’re just that pretty. You’re worth the hassle.”
Jordyn’s eyes went wide. “Worth the hassle?”
I turned and walked away.
I felt her staring at me.
I never thought I’d show up to pick her up, only to not leave but just sit there on her porch and talk.
When I looked back to see if she was still there, she was. She wasn’t staring at me though. She was staring at the spot where I had been standing and sitting. And she was biting her bottom lip.
I could make her forget about all the messes in her life.
And she could do the exact same for me.
9
Not Even a Real Date
Jordyn
I stared down at the screen of my phone.
“Everything okay?” Ramsey asked, gently bumping into me.
The sound of Shammy’s felt four times what it was the last time I was in here. It was packed.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Yeah. Everything is okay.”
“You don’t have to apologize for checking on your kid,” he said to me.
I knew I was looking at him with a sense of disbelief. He didn’t know how many times I had tried to go on a date or two only to have things fall apart when the kid thing was brought up. Yet, he played it off so cool and made me feel okay about it. Which was a terrible way to think and feel because Sam was my son and the most important person in my life.
Then again, it wasn’t like Ramsey and I were getting married.
We were just hanging out.
Some of his friends from work were there.
Some of my friends were there.
Just a bunch of people hanging out.
Even though he stood in a way where a part of him was always touching me. I wasn’t sure if it was on purpose or not, but each time I realized it, it sent a tingling feeling through my body.
“I told him there was no fucking way I was going back to that house to touch a thing,” a guy named Lance said.
He had been drinking vodka like it was water and it showed.
“So, what did you do?” Ramsey asked.
“I went back to the fucking house,” Lance said.
Everyone started to laugh.
There was a guy named Little Billy who was as tall as Ramsey, but really fat. He was named after his father, which was where the little came from.
He grabbed Lance by the shoulder and shook him. “You were always a punk like that. Talking a big game and never following through.”
“Yeah right,” Lance said. “I’ll fight anyone here tonight.”
“Oh, the vodka muscles showed up,” Ramsey said.
“Fuck you, Rams,” he said.
“How about the language around the ladies?” a rough voice said.
Another person was at the small table now. Tall and skinny, gray hair and gray scruff on his face. A beaten up flannel and even more beaten up jeans.
“Hey, Doc, have a drink with us,” Ramsey called out. “My treat.”
“You’re buying drinks?” Little Billy asked.
“Just for Doc. And Jordyn.”
Ramsey looked at me and winked.
“How do you get free drinks out of this guy?” Little Billy asked.
“You know how,” Lance said with a smirk.
I narrowed my eyes. “Do you drink with your right on purpose?”
“What?” Lance asked.
“So when you go home and jerk off, it’s like you bought your date drinks, right?”
“Oh, shit,” Ramsey said. He made a fist and hit the table.
“He’s speechless,” Little Billy said.
Lance curled his lip at me.
“Doc, how about that drink?” Ramsey asked.
“I’m good,” Doc said. “Heading my way home now.”
“I hope I didn’t insult your friend too much,” I said to Ramsey.
“Nah, don’t worry about him. He’s always like that.”
I felt someone bump into me from my right and I turned my head to see Norah standing there. Holding a glass with some orange looking drink with a skinny red straw.
“Having fun?” she asked.
“Actually, I am,” I said.
“It’s good to see. Plus, all these construction workers are making me hot.”
Norah had no filter and no control over the volume of her voice.
Now she had everyone looking at her.
She smiled without a care.
“Everyone, this is Norah,” I announced. “Her bite is bigger than her bark.”
“Hey,” Norah s
aid, slapping my arm.
“I don’t mind getting bit,” Little Billy said with a wink.
“That’s because of all that skin you have,” Lance said.
“What the hell does that mean?” Little Billy growled.
“I don’t mind,” Norah said. “Nights are cold now, so it’s nice to have something to cuddle with.”
“Oh, Christ,” Ramsey said. “Are you kidding me right now?”
Everyone started to laugh.
Norah raised an eyebrow, confidently.
“Shut up over there,” Little Billy said. “You’re the one who punched a stranger to get your girl’s attention.”
Your girl…
Ramsey looked at me. “I guess he has a point.”
“So, who are you going to punch for me?” Norah asked Little Billy.
“Pick someone,” Little Billy said. He made a fat fist and showed it off.
“That guy,” Norah said, pointing to Lance.
“Me?” Lance asked. “I’m his fri-”
Little Billy threw a punch and hit Lance in the arm. Lance was built with toned muscle, the opposite of Little Billy. He didn’t move much when he was hit, but his reaction was explosive.
Lance hit Little Billy in the cheek.
Next thing I knew, glasses were breaking as everyone jumped to stop the fight.
I grabbed for Ramsey’s shirt. “What the hell…”
“Don’t mind them,” he said to me. “They’ll work it out.”
The scuffle lasted all of five seconds.
Lance shook off two other guys whose names I didn’t get. They walked away with Lance as Little Billy touched his cheek.
“Damn near a bitch slap, huh?” he asked.
“Take it easy,” Ramsey said. “We’re supposed to be here having some fun.”
“Well, that wasn’t the first time two guys fought over me,” Norah said.
“Won’t be the last, I’m sure,” I said.
“Don’t be jealous that you jumped into bed with the first guy who punched someone for you.”
“Oh, we didn’t…” the words were there, but I stammered on them.
I looked back at Ramsey for some reassurance but he just grinned and wiggled his eyebrows, playing into Norah’s comment.
“Wait a second,” I said. “He only…”
“Only what?” Norah asked.
Before I could answer, my phone lit up on the table.
Every Other Weekend Page 8