by Mandie Tepe
She blinked at him, “Because it’s broad daylight?”
“It was broad daylight when whoever broke in did their dirty deeds,” he reminded her.
“Yeah, but I wasn’t here then. Now I am.”
“You’re more valuable than anything they damaged, so throw the bolt to if you’re alone. Don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Aww . . . that’s so sweet,” she began, “bu—”
“No buts. Just do it for me.” He walked over to the kitchen. “Holy crap,” he exclaimed, bending his head to give her a brief kiss. “What smells so good?”
“Roast chicken and stuffing.”
“Wow. I can’t wait.”
“I’m famous for it, you know,” she boasted.
“Need help peeling potatoes?”
“No. I’m cooking for you. Maybe you can cook for me next time. I picked up beer. You want some?”
“Thanks,” he said, making his way to the ‘fridge. “You want something?”
“No,” she nodded to a glass on the countertop. “I have soda.”
“How was work?”
“Quiet. So . . . what have you been up to today?”
“Errands mostly. Had the Charger’s oil changed and did some banking. River drove in last night for a couple of days and I had lunch with him.”
Jimi grinned. “I hope you saved room for dinner.”
He grinned back. “Of course.”
She asked, “How is River? I guess he wanted to be filled in about how your mom is settling in.”
“Filled him in about Mom. Filled him in about you . . . or us, I guess I should say.”
Her hands stopped in the middle of shaving a weirdly shaped potato. “Oookay,” she drawled. “That makes it official. How did he take it?” she asked somewhat fearfully.
Chance set his bottle down and approached her. “You make it sound like I gave him bad news,” he chided. “This is good news.”
“Well, yeah. For us it is. But your family might have other ideas.”
“River likes you. He especially likes that I’m sticking around and giving up the globe-trotting.”
“Maybe he’ll have some resentment that you’re doing that for me when you didn’t do it for him sooner,” she fretted.
“You know River’s a guy—right?”
“Of course, I know that,” she snapped.
“Guys don’t think that way. That’s a chick’s way of thinking.”
“He’s also a little brother. That adds a different dimension,” she explained. “And please don’t call me a chick.”
“I didn’t exactly call you a chick, but if you don’t like it I never will.”
“Thank you,” she said primly.
His lips quirked, but he fought back the smile that was threatening. He picked up his beer bottle again. “Look, River is happy for us. He’s ecstatic I’m taking the job here. He’s skeptical about Mom’s newfound familial tendencies. He’s enjoying the shows in KC. Those are all the feelings River shared at lunch.”
She pointedly ignored his making fun of her concerns over River’s emotions. “Do you want to invite him over for dinner tonight?”
“Hell no. You can make him your roasted chicken another time.”
“Alright.” Jimi began furiously shaving potatoes again in silence. She stayed quiet for a several long moments before asking, “What do you think your mom’s reaction will be? About me and your taking the job?”
“I think she saw us being serious right off the bat and she likes you, so . . .” he trailed off and took a sip from his bottle. “About the job? She’ll be thrilled at first, because she’s at a place where she wants her sons around and to build relationships with us. But when she eventually hooks up with a new man—who knows? My staying might not mean that much to her after awhile.”
“Well, it’s nice that you guys are helping her out while she needs it. I’m thinking your new relationship with her may stick. I see a lot of regret in her over the past. Maybe she finally sees what’s important in life.”
“Maybe. We’ll see.”
“You’re protecting yourself,” Jimi accused—not unkindly.
“I don—”
“That may have come out wrong. If you are protecting your heart where she’s concerned, no one in the world would blame you.” She rinsed her hands and the vegetable peeler under running water before filling the potato pot and placing it on the stove. “This new job . . . when are you going to officially accept it?”
“I meet with them again on Wednesday to iron out a few more wrinkles and I’ll let them know then. Hopefully they’ll have a contract within a week after that. During that interim I’ll contact Sparta Corp and settle things there.”
“Think they’ll make things difficult for you?” she asked.
Chance shrugged. “I’d be surprised if they did. They may try to entice me to stay, but they generally wouldn’t want contractors who don’t want to be there.” He grinned. “Don’t worry. Nothing they could offer me would be more enticing than being here with you.”
“There you go with the sweet talk again,” she blushed. “So the CPD is creating a new position for you. That’s something.”
“I’ll work regular patrols too, but yeah . . . I’m excited about setting up and training their new Special Response Team. Before, if there’s ever been a need for a SWAT-style unit, the Carrefour police have had to rely on the state police or the county sheriff’s department to come in and assist. This way, there will be a local unit. Once we’re up and running, we’ll be able to back up neighboring communities as well.”
Jimi began washing asparagus spears. “It sounds like a really dangerous job,” she commented.
“Not as dangerous as going to war,” he reminded her.
She sent him a side-eyed glance. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there’s a war on police happening right here in the good old USA.”
He sighed and moved closer. “It’s gonna be fine, peaches. You know I’ll be careful. Hey, I’ve made it this far.”
“I know you’re a badass tough guy international man of mystery, but I can’t help but be concerned. It’s not that I don’t believe in you.”
“I know that, baby.”
“I am happy you’re taking the job,” she assured him. “I am.”
“Me too,” he agreed. “I’ve been studying up on laws and rules of engagement and things like that and I’ve passed every test they’ve given me. I have more studying to do, though. That’s one thing I’ve always been good at. Getting myself prepared.”
“Good,” she smiled. “Now get out of my kitchen so I can get serious about feeding you. Surely there’s some kind of sporting event on TV for you to focus on.”
Chuckling, he and his beer headed toward the recliner. “I don’t know how focused I’ll be on the TV. You’re looking better than good in that sweater and those jeans.”
“Again with the sweet talk,” she muttered in mock irritation.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
“Which tattooed guy?” Jimi laughed. “They’re all tattooed guys.”
Dinner was consumed, dishes cleaned up, and they were curled up on the newly cleaned sofa.
“The young one with the tattoos crawling up his neck and covering both hands,” Chance clarified.
She thought for a moment. “You mean Maddox? He has the joker tattoo on his neck.”
“I guess. It was a creepy looking clown thing.”
“Yeah, Maddox. You think he has a problem with you?”
“He’s the only one that gave me real attitude at the party the other night. Most of the others were just yanking my chain, but I thought he was literally going to challenge me to feats of strength,” he laughed.
“Really? Huh. He’s kinda scary-looking, but he’s usually pretty cool.”
“Guess I rubbed him the wrong way,” he shrugged.
She kept a straight face, but it was obvious to Chance sh
e was fighting back a laugh. She said nonchalantly, “Maybe it’s because he was my first fiancé.”
He turned her abruptly to fully face him. “What?! You told me you’ve never been in a serious relationship,” he accused. “You were engaged?”
“Now, calm down. Maddox and I weren’t officially engaged, but we had an understanding.”
“A serious understanding,” he stated meaningfully.
“As serious as two six-year-olds can possibly be,” she chortled.
“Oh, you’re funny,” he said dryly. “Really funny. How old were you when you broke up?”
“Six. I ruined things between us when I told him I wanted us to wear fairy wings at our wedding. He was not down with that.”
“Yep. That would do it,” he agreed. “No six-year-old boy I ever knew would even consider that.”
“Yeah, that was my first hard lesson about men. There was also the fact that he was a six-year-old mini-biker boy tough guy. It’s best it didn’t work out. Our visions for our future didn’t really mesh.” She listened to him laugh for a moment. “I think he was only being protective of me the other night. He always has been.”
“When are you going to let the cat out of the bag that things are serious between us to your family?” Chance asked.
“I think both my blood family and the Vagabond one figured it out the other night.” At his questioning look she added, “I haven’t brought boyfriends around to club events before. Introducing them to Mama, Pops, Daisy, my cousins and Uncle Zip was usually all it took for those guys to have second thoughts. You made it past them and to an MC event. I think they all get it.”
Chance nodded. “Good.”
“So, you didn’t like Maddox’s tats?” She ran a hand over the ink on his arm. “I didn’t figure you had an issue with lots of ‘em.”
“I don’t really. It’s just when someone resembles Ray Bradbury’s The Illustrated Man I feel like they’ve crossed the line.”
“I get you. I don’t like too many myself.”
“Have I gone too far for you?” he asked.
Her eyes grazed his arms. “No. They look great,” she complimented the mostly gray and black ink. There were very few color accents and those looked like washes to accentuate certain images. “I haven’t had a chance to look at them closely,” she commented as she drew a finger over the frogman skeleton one.
“They’re mostly Navy-inspired.” He pointed out the various emblems, stylized anchor, the SEAL trident that covered one huge bicep, and a stars-and-stripes pattern that covered the other. There were waves that circled around and between each of them to pull it all together. “I have a clipper ship on rough seas on my chest and bald eagle and American flag on my back.”
“Nice,” she commented, wanting to see them but deciding it wouldn’t be wise to ask him to remove his shirt. Why risk certain temptation?
CHAPTER 14
Over the next couple of weeks Chance and Jimi settled into life as a couple. It turned out that Chance had to jump through more hoops and pass several more tests before he’d be cleared to sign on with the Carrefour Police Department. Both he and the department were moving toward the same goal.
Suzanne had the new couple and River over for dinner after her younger son had finished his shows in Kansas City. She was very touched when Jimi brought her housewarming gifts of a pottery soup tureen that had survived the vandalism along with a beautiful woven table runner. She had added Chance and River’s names to the card as well.
Suzanne had fashioned the dinner into a family celebration because she was so thrilled with Chance’s decision to resign his position with Sparta Corp and because she was pleased to be setting her relationship with her sons on track.
She was so pleased about these positives happening right in the middle of her upturned life that she invited her son’s father to make it a true family celebration as a surprise for them. The biggest shocker was that Dr. Clark Loughlin actually showed up.
When the doorbell rang, Suzanne shiftily asked Chance to answer it while she fussed over tossing the salad. Chance almost choked on a crab puff he’d grabbed off the hors d'oeuvres platter on his way to the door at the sight of his father standing nervously on the doorstep clutching two bottles of wine.
It would be the first time that the family of four sat down at the same table since Chance was eight years old. It may have been longer than that, though, because his parents’ marriage had gone rocky even earlier. Suzanne and Clark didn’t interact much with one another, but it was a huge step that she had thought to include him in the family celebration.
By the time they had finished their salads, Clark’s cell began an almost constant buzzing. He would check the display and set the phone aside, so everyone could only assume that the messages weren’t pertaining to medical emergencies. His sons correctly guessed it was his wife summoning him home. She had never been one to encourage him to spend time with his boys. They didn’t know that Clark hadn’t let her in on the fact he was going to be dining with them and his ex-wife.
This was the first time Jimi had ever met—let alone laid eyes on—Chance’s father. He seemed nice enough, but he didn’t interact with his sons the way she was used to seeing in relationships in her own family. He never asked about his son’s new job, bring up sports, or ask about how their cars were running. None of them ever brought up nostalgic stories either. In her family, there were always “remember when” stories rehashed and laughed and bickered over when recalled differently by the participants.
The Loughlin family dynamic was weird, and it made her sad that they all—except for the brothers—seemed like such strangers. Clark watched Suzanne relating with her sons and it appeared he was recognizing that the three of them were getting closer.
Before they got to dessert, he made his excuses and moved to leave. No one tried to stop him. In Jimi’s family, there would have been an attempt at the very least. There certainly would have been an offer for him to take his dessert along with him.
It was all very strange to her.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Jimi and Chance hadn’t had any sort of official dinner or family gathering with the Alexanders in those few weeks, but that didn’t mean her folks weren’t often in and out. They were the kind of family that spontaneously dropped in on one another.
One Monday her father stopped off between jobs. He knew she’d be home that afternoon and wanted to check her car mileage to see if it was time for him to come by and change her oil. This caused a mild altercation between him and Chance over whose responsibility that was. Eventually Jock gave in since Chance was “her man” now. Jimi offered to make BLTs before Jock went on his way and he and Chance sat down for a late lunch together.
Another day Nova came by to drop off a plastic container full of spicy corn chowder for Jimi. She stayed to gab with the two of them into the evening, not in any hurry to get home because Jock was at a Vagabonds meeting. Chance particularly enjoyed that visit because she shared some fun stories about Jimi growing up.
And of course Axel was in and out because he lived down the hall, the cousins were close, and he and Chance had become friends.
To strengthen the families’ woven ties, Nova and Suzanne were getting to know each other better since Suzanne started going into the store’s deli for lunch once or twice a week. Unless the deli was really busy, Nova would take her break and the two women would sit across a table over salads and chat.
Besides gearing up for the new job and spending time with their families, the new couple was able to go out on actual dates which they’d really only done twice before . . . counting that day by the river.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
At the end of October Jimi decided it was time to host their first couples party, so they set about planning an afternoon-into-evening marathon Halloween viewing get-together. She had access—either by streaming, borrowing or
renting—to five of the franchises’ films. Starting with Halloween I and Halloween II, they would skip the third since it had nothing to do with the others in the franchise, pick back up with Halloween 4 and 5, skip the next one (because the detour into the cult stuff was just weird), and then end with Halloween H20: 20 Years Later. Obviously not everyone would be able to stay for the entire afternoon and through the evening, but could come and go as they pleased.
She and Chance stocked up on chips with dips, a platter of deli sandwiches, veggie trays, various flavors of popcorn, plastic pumpkins full of Halloween candy, beer, hard ciders and non-alcoholic beverages like tea, mulled cider and sodas. They planned to order in Paisano’s pizza that evening to switch things up.
Chance’s furniture was more comfortable—especially for the guys—so they would hold the party at his place. Jimi helped him drag one of her club chairs and her recliner over, crowding them into his living room for more seating.
The guest list included River and whatever date he decided to bring, Axel and whatever date he decided to bring, Chance’s old high school football buddy—Clay Kennedy—and his wife Sara, and Isla and her new guy—Aaron Turner.
Shortly after one o’clock, everyone had arrived. River and his date—Miranda—had arrived first. He looked pretty rough after his band’s gig had gone until the wee hours of the morning and immediately collapsed on one end of the sectional with a groan while Jimi chatted up Miranda and made her feel welcome.
Soon after, Isla and Aaron showed up. Aaron contributed an amazing white wine and gruyere skillet dip to eat with pita chips and/or chunks of fresh hard-crusted bread. He even brought a professional-quality hot plate to set the cast iron skillet on so the cheesy dip stayed nice and hot and gooey. Aaron was the owner and executive chef of a hip local restaurant that had an interestingly quirky menu. Jimi and Chance had gone on one of their dates to his place—TwistFusion—and the food had been amazing and original. Jimi joked that his coming to the party was one of the reasons she had decided not to cook.
The Kennedys were next to arrive and seemed giddy about “dumping” (their word—certainly not their parents’) their three infant-through-preschool-aged kids on their grandparents and spending an entire Saturday among adults.