The Keys to Jericho

by Ren Alexander

  I laugh, which feels good. “Jesus, Duquesne. I hate you.” I then whisper, “Thanks.”

  “You and me. Dinner tomorrow. I’ll text you after work.”

  I roll my eyes, but relent. “Okay.”

  He slaps my shoulder and steps away as Dash throws his arms around me. “You don’t have to say it, but I know you love me more than Rio.”

  “Right. I’m still trying to figure out how to trade you in.”

  “You wouldn’t know what to do without me.”

  “Celebrate.”

  “Ass.”

  “Dick.”

  He squeezes me harder and rolling my eyes again, I pry him off.

  Dad says, “I’ll meet you boys in the truck. Give me a minute.”

  As they walk to the kitchen, I say, “And someone better put my damn car back.”

  Dad smirks. “It didn’t go anywhere.”

  “So you fed me lies?”

  “No. Grandma really would’ve called the cops if I had told her to.”

  “How nice of her.”

  Suddenly, Dad grabs me into a hug, his fingers digging into the back of my shirt. “I’m so proud of you, no matter what you do, or even don’t do. I love you, Jared. Don’t you ever forget that. I’m always here for you.”

  I nod over his shoulder. “I know that. You’ve been the best.”

  He shakes and I want to roll my eyes again, but I end up wiping them instead.

  Goddamn it. I’ve turned into such a pussy.

  Leaning against the wall of the building, I wait for Rio at our favorite restaurant, even though he’s been a dick the last two times we’ve been here. And late, as usual.

  Last night, I went up to my room and collapsed on the bed, sleeping straight through until this morning. No thinking. No obsessing. No drinking. Just sleep, I was so drained.

  I didn’t go to the construction today. Dash said Kat didn’t, either. Not surprised. I don’t know if I can go back there. I’m afraid she’ll see right through me.

  Crossing my arms, I sigh and close my eyes, ignoring the chattering of people walking past me on the porch. I wish Rio could be on time for once. Another strike against the good pussy doc.

  It doesn’t help that I’m still reeling from everything said last night, but I refuse to dwell on any of it. Much. I stayed home, swept out the garage, washed the Nissan, since I’m obviously done with it, and then traded it for my car, washing that, too. I then took off my dirty, wet shirt to shoot some hoops by myself. Anything to keep my mind busy, and my attention away from my phone. I’m rather proud that I didn’t drive over to her apartment. Dash had asked if I wanted him to come over, but the last thing I wanted to do was talk, recapping last night’s clusterfuck.

  I just want to forget.

  But the pain won’t let me.

  “Jared?” My eyes fly open.

  Holy fuck. That voice.

  Lifting my head from the wall, I see a certain blonde bitch, her obnoxious black shirt and pants even highlighting that.

  I don’t bother hiding a scowl. “Oh, Jesus.”

  She scans the porch and parking lot. “River told me to meet him here. He didn’t say you’d be here, too.”

  “Well, River is going to get his ass kicked.” I wrench my phone out of my pocket and call him, but not surprisingly, he doesn’t answer. Self-righteous asshole.

  “Fucking voicemail.”

  Liberty punches at her phone screen. “He’s not answering my text, either.”

  As she says that, I get a text from Diet Doctor Pussy himself.

  -----------------------------------------

  Don’t be too mad.

  No, you won’t be kicking my ass.

  No, Lib did not know about this.

  No, I haven’t told anything, but

  she can help. Just ask for it.

  Make peace with Lib. Talk to her.

  Pay for her dinner like the

  gentleman that I know you are.

  Be nice, Jared.

  -----------------------------------------

  Her phone also buzzes with a message, and as I shove mine back into my jeans, she warily looks up at me and sighs.

  I state, “Your boyfriend is officially on my shit list.”

  She grumbles, “Yeah. Mine, too.”

  “Well, I’m out of here.”

  As I turn to leave, she says, “Jared, wait.” Sighing, I glower at her. “He clearly went to some trouble getting us here. Maybe we should at least have dinner.”

  I frown. “Are you serious?”

  Liberty nods, and not waiting for a further comment from me, she tucks her arm into mine, leading me into the restaurant. I want to push her off, but at this point, I don’t have the energy.

  We’re led to a corner booth, and that irks me, but the bitch happily slides into it. Rolling my eyes, I take the seat across from her, needing this to be over as soon as possible. Nothing is said to each other until after our drinks are brought to the table.

  She finally says, “We need to call a truce.”

  I look up from my beer. “Why?”

  The wench dubiously frowns. “You’re really asking that? River is your best friend and my boyfriend. He’s the common denominator between us. I’m not going anywhere, and I know that neither are you—not geographically speaking. You’ll always be a part of his life. I know this. I accept this, yet you don’t.”

  I pull at my hat, while watching the door, beyond ready to leave. “I’m here to eat. Do we have to talk, too?”

  “It’s probably a good idea.”

  “And I’ll disagree with you.”

  She sighs and I aversely look back to her, in time to see her pout. “I’m making an effort here. Why can’t you?”

  I sit back, crossing my arms. “I am. I’m going to order something and eat it. Effort made.”

  “Why do you hate me so much?”

  “Hate is a strong word. Detest is better.”

  She plays with her red fingernails. “What did I do to you?”

  “Oh, you enjoy keeping Rio all to yourself. He can’t even have a life anymore, let alone friends.”

  She raises her eyebrows. “That’s far from the truth! I encourage him to spend time with you and Dash! We see each other at work, so I do understand if he wants to get together with you two. I’m all for it if we don’t have plans.”

  I contemplate that, but don’t say more, not in the mood to argue here again.

  She sighs. “Can we please, please get along? We both love River. It’s important to him that we are more than just civil. He’d like us to be friends.”

  I cringe. “I’m pretty sure he still believes in Santa Claus, too.”

  “Jared, come on. Effort.”

  “Will it get you to talk less?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Fine. Congratulations. We’re friends.”

  She frowns. “I doubt it’s that easy getting the membership card.”

  I shrug. “I just revoked Dash’s.”

  “Jesus. I hope that’s a joke.”

  I mockingly widen my eyes at her. “Call it whatever you want.” Grabbing ahold of my beer, I take a drink to avoid further comment.

  Sipping at her Sprite, she shifts in her seat. “Okay. Let’s talk. I like cats. Do you?” I narrow my eyes at her over my bottle and she says, “I definitely take you for a cat person.”

  Setting down my beer, I flippantly retort, “Nope. Allergic.”

  She puts her elbows on the table, interlacing her fingers. “I need to know your thoughts about Kat.”

  “The meowing kind?”

  She sighs in exasperation. “No. The kind that you’ve been teaching how to drive.”

  “Like Toonses?” I ask with a straight face. I’d laugh if her snooping weren’t pissing me off.

  “Oh, my God!” She does laugh. “No! You and Kat! What’s going on? Are you still friends?”

  I look to the swordfish on the wall because I’d rather look at a dead fish than her. �
�Why?”

  “You’re both my friends. Right?”

  I roll my eyes. “You’re really abusing that membership.”

  “I know she told you how she really feels about you, and that you had a big fight.”

  I lean forward, reaching for my wallet in my ass pocket. “Not surprised she’d blab to you. Well, I’m not talking about this. I’m done here.”

  “Oh, no. You’re not leaving.”

  I glare at her as I toss my wallet onto the table. “Fucking watch me.” The bitch snatches it and my eyes fly to her face. “What the hell?”

  She slips my wallet into her purse and says, “Jared, I’m not judging you. Actually, I want to help you.”

  In disbelief of her tenacity, I shake my head. “You just stole my damn wallet. What is it with people stealing my shit?”

  She chooses to ignore me. “Yeah. Let’s be honest here. I know you have feelings for Kat. You can’t fool anyone, except maybe Kat. The funny thing is that you two are a perfect match. You’re both private to different degrees, cynical, and oblivious to each other’s feelings. You complement one another so well. Two peas in a pod. Yin and Yang. Where you leave off, she begins. That sort of thing.”

  “Am I going to throw up my dinner before I even eat it?”

  Again, I’m disregarded. “What about when you start living in Philadelphia? Are you going to see her every weekend?”

  I sigh, trapped into this situation, but I truthfully say, “I’d like to.”

  “What would you like to see happening from the result of that?”

  Picking up my beer, taking a drink as an answer, she then asks, “Just being together, right?”

  Putting down the bottle, I answer her with a blank stare, but she keeps pushing. “Would you consider her to be your girlfriend?”

  To get her to hopefully shut up, I finally concede, “Yes.”

  “At the beach house, you wanted nothing to do with her being your girlfriend. That’s a change from the way you used to feel about that, isn’t it?”

  Through my teeth, I reply, “Yeah.”

  “That’s a huge step in the right direction.” She weirdly grins. “I think you’re doing great. We just have to get you two together, for good this time.”

  “I’m done talking about this.”

  “You should talk to me, though. River did tell me you could use some guidance. A female prospective.”

  I scowl. “What the fuck? That boyfriend of yours is—”

  She cheerfully finishes, “Is pretty special, don’t you think?”

  “Shit. If being a meddlesome know-it-all who spends his day digging around in indiscriminate pussy, while spouting his psychobabble bullshit is special, then yeah, he wins that award.”

  “You can be a real dick, Jerry.”

  “I’ve heard that, Libby.”

  She heavily sighs. “Look. Do you want my help or not?”

  “Your help? I’m just trying to make it through this dinner without stabbing you in the throat with my fork.”

  “I know what you’re all about. Trust me, and no, River hasn’t told me anything. I know what I see.”

  “Uh-huh.” I pick up my bottle and take a swig, plotting Rio’s painful and slow death.

  She leans forward and says, “You have no idea what the hell you’re doing with Kat. You want her. So much that it’s ripping you to shreds bit by bit, yet you won’t do a damn thing about it. You were suffering in silence, but now it’s spilling over to everyone else. You won’t stop her from leaving because you’re apprehensive of baring your soul to her, and not being worthy of her love. You want to love her, but you don’t know how. You’re scared she won’t love you back.” She grins at my horror. “Did I get that right?”

  In an astonished daze, I lower my beer and mutter, “Goddamn it.”

  “That’s what I thought. Now, do you want my fucking help or not?”

  I idly scratch my ragged beard. “Christ. Why do I feel like I’m making a deal with Satan?”

  Her blue eyes sweep over me. “Because from the way you look, you’re already in Hell.”

  Sighing, I numbly admit, “I am.”

  “Good. You’ve finally hit rock bottom. Welcome, Jared. I’m your angel of mercy. Where would you like to start?”

  Biting my lip, I nod. “I know exactly where.”

  Reaching over, she grabs my hand. “Perfect. Let’s do this.”

  CHAPTER 29

  KAT

  “You have to go to class, Kat. You can’t keep blowing it off.”

  “Why did I answer the door?” I complain, returning to my pillow and throw blanket on the couch. Ever since Jared and I fought on my bed, I can’t sleep there anymore. He should’ve just set it on fire before he left my apartment.

  Dash snaps his fingers. “Come on. Up. Now.”

  “I’m not feeling well,” I muffle into my pale blue blanket.

  “Why is this place so cold? Jesus.” The heat forces more memories, reminding me of the beach, or how hot we’d get in each other’s arms. Fuck. Dash is getting on my nerves already.

  I argue, “I like air conditioning.”

  “You’ve missed Monday and Tuesday nights’ classes. You have to make the rest of the week’s or they could kick you out.” I don’t even care.

  “I told you. I’m sick.”

  “You can still drive when you’re sick. As a matter of fact, most people have to at some point during their day when sick. So, suck it up and go get changed.”

  Still hiding beneath my blanket, I say, “I don’t want to get my license anymore.”

  “Kat, you’ve come so far. You cannot give up now.”

  “I’m not giving up. I just don’t want it.”

  I hear him moving closer and I hold the blanket tighter. “But you need it. How are you going to move to Virginia without a driver’s license?”

  “As long as I can get down there, I can then take a bus to work.” That was one of the reasons for not wanting to move to Philadelphia. God.

  “Wait a minute. You’re going to throw away all this time you’ve spent driving, so you can take a bus? How’s that make sense?”

  “I don’t know. Just leave me alone, Dash.”

  “Nope. After your class, I need your help at my mom’s shop. She has three funerals and a wedding this week. Seriously. Don’t make me do it alone. Please, save me from her best friend, who owns the shop with her. I’m going to slit a throat. I’m just not sure whose yet.”

  I push the blanket down from over my head. “You can handle it.”

  He shrugs. “I guess it’s going to take drastic measures then.” Suddenly, Dash lifts his shirt over his head, tossing it onto the floor, revealing surprisingly nice abs. When he goes for his fly, unbuttoning them and pulling down the zipper, I sit straight up.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  “Stripping. What? You’re not into it?”

  “No!”

  Grinning, Dash says, “Well, I’m not shy, Merrick.” He pushes at his waistband, and I catch a glimpse of blond hair peeking from it. “You’d better hurry and get dressed if you don’t want to see the whole show.”

  I bolt into my room as I hear him laughing. Damn kid of a stripper. What a troll.

  When I’m dressed, I return to the living room, unable to look him in the eye, although he’s dressed. Unfortunately, he finds my uneasiness amusing.

  Walking to his car, I hear the humor in his voice when he asks, “What’s wrong, Merrick?”

  I don’t answer him and as I open the passenger door, he says, “Watch the glitter and tassels. I had a crazy night.”

  Seeing my eyes pop from the other side of the car’s roof, Dash laughs as he disappears into the driver’s seat. Now, I know why I wanted to stay home.

  Climbing into his car, the smell of his cologne is strong, but it’s not the one that causes my heart to race, makes me giddily smile, and brings tears to my eyes all at once.

  However, Dash’s cologne does make me think
of all those things that I miss, and my eyes do water. When he shifts gears, it’s not even sexy like I used to think it was.

  Blinking away my tears, I put on my seatbelt and stare out the window.

  Eventually, Dash asks, “You okay?”

  Not trusting my voice, I lie with a nod, but don’t look away from the passing scenery.

  After several more minutes of silence, I swallow and ask, “How bad was your fight with him at the house?”

  Dash hesitates, prompting me to look at him. He grabs a red sucker from his cup holder and says, “It wasn’t bad.”

  “Why are you lying, Dash?”

  He shrugs as he balances the wheel with his arms to remove the wrapper. “I’m not. We worked it out.”

  “What did he say?”

  “Not much. He left.”

  “Oh. I thought he’d take out his anger on you.”

  Unexpectedly, he grins. “Me? No.”

  “So, you’re still friends?”

  He laughs. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t we be?”

  When he puts the candy into his mouth, I say, “I was hoping you still were. I don’t want to cause a rift in your friendship.”

  Giving me a quick look, Dash smiles around his sucker, and jumbles, “You’re not, Merrick. Don’t worry about it.”

  When I turn back to the window, he more clearly asks, “Did you hear about the job yet?”

  “A voicemail after I left the house yesterday. I got the job.”

  “That’s great! Congratulations!”

  “I haven’t called them back.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t know if I want it anymore.”

  “What are you going to do then? Stay here?”

  Looking at him, I sigh. “If I tell you something, it can’t leave this car.”

  His eyes show his fretfulness, but he says, “It won’t. I promise.”

  “I applied for a Pennsylvania teaching license.”

  He nearly drops his sucker as he quickly looks from the road to me several times. “What? When?”

  “The Sunday I came back from Philadelphia. I filled it out and mailed the application the next morning.”

  “You spent money on two licenses? Why would you do that?” Dash pulls into a parking space at the school, waiting for my answer, but I get out of the car, going inside the building without looking back.