13
Jules
“David, why are you sitting in my lobby?”
“Why are you with him?”
“That’s not your business.” I square my shoulders staring him down as I watch him stand from the chair. Part of me finds it funny that Anna wouldn’t let him enter my office without me being present. In the past, the few times that he’d shown up when I was out, Anna would just put him in my office and shut the door. Now, he doesn’t get past the front desk. I wouldn’t put it past her to call the police if he tried.
“It is my business,” he seethes.
“Nope. Remember we have separation papers? If you’d hurry up and sign the fucking divorce papers, I could write you off totally.”
“Are you sleeping with him?”
Right as David finishes his sentence, Lenny pushes me out of the way. “Like Jules said, that’s none of your business.”
“Screw you, Lenny, why don’t you tell Jules the real reason you’re being sweet to her?”
“What?” I ask as I look between them.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lenny responds.
“Let’s let her be the judge of that, shall we?”
“Lenny, what’s he talking about?”
“One—he’s full of shit, and our past has nothing to do with what’s happening between us.”
“Just spill it, I don’t have time for this crap,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest. I’m getting worked up, and one of them needs to spill it before this redhead gets pissy.
“Fine, want to know how I know your soon to be ex-husband and why I can’t stand him? Just like you, I walked in on him screwing my fiancée, Rachel, in our dining room. They thought I was away on a business trip, but I came home early to surprise her for her birthday.”
“So, what? Is this revenge? Get cozy to the one he screwed over and screw me to get back at the guy with no morals or feelings?”
“No, this isn’t that. He thinks it is. I didn’t even put two and two together until the morning of the interview that Rose set up. The attraction I have toward you is real and has nothing to do with him,” Lenny finishes his sentence, and as much as I swore that I would never cry over another man, I can’t help the tears that leak from the sides of my eyes. Who knew that I could have feelings for someone else this quickly? Even if they aren’t strong, they are prominent. I was so close to agreeing to dinner and maybe even sex with this man. Why? Just so he could rub it in David’s face?
“I think you both need to leave. I need to pull it together and go pick up my daughter from school,” I say and just as I finish that sentence I hear, “Mom, you okay?” come from behind me.
I turn so fast that I lose my footing. Instead of falling to the ground, Lenny catches me in mid-flight. Yes, this is awkward. One arm is around my waist, and the other is now cupping my one breast in front of not just my soon to be ex-husband but my daughter too. Quickly Lenny stands me up, and I adjust my blouse as I speak, “What are you doing here? School isn’t out for another forty-five minutes.”
“Half day, Aunt Lacy came and got me when you didn’t show up. I figured you got caught up, and I knew she’d take me to that café we love.”
“Shoot, that’s right. I’m sorry, Sophia, I totally forgot about today being a half day.” I raise my palm to my forehead. Right now, I feel that everything is spiraling out of control. Clearing my throat before speaking, I say, “Can you meet me in my office, Sophia? I need to finish up out here then I’ll be right there.” I give her a pleading look to not argue with me right now. Sophia gives her father the death glare before turning on her heels and escaping the mess that’s currently happening like a freaking soap opera in my life.
“Now if you two will excuse me, I have damage control to do with my daughter,” I seethe.
“Let me help, she’s my daughter too you know.”
“No, you need to think about your actions, David. You had her last night, but what did you do—you left to go out with your buddies instead of spending time with your daughter.”
“She wanted to hang out with friends, what was I supposed to do?”
“You say no, it’s easy. Oh, that’s right, that word only works from your mouth to me. How stupid of me.”
“Jules, come on,” David says, again stepping toward me until Lenny puts his hand out to stop him.
“David, she said to leave. If I were you, I’d listen.”
“Oh, what are you going to do? Huh, you think you can come in here and put your moves on my family?”
“No, but I sure as hell can do this because I’ve been waiting a long ass time for it.” I watch in slow motion as Lenny's fist connects with the side of David’s face. All it takes is one hit before David goes down like a sack of potatoes. Standing here with my mouth hanging opening, I glance between the two men. I’m not sure if it’s amusement or shock that is coursing through me until Lacy comes out.
“Well, I’ve been dying to do that for months.” She claps from behind us.
“Not now, Lacy.”
“Yes, now. That was the best thing we’ve seen in months, and he deserves more. Now, get your ass up and out of this office before I call the police to remove you. Jules might be nice, but you know I’m not.”
I stand here with my mouth agape at everyone in this place. All my mind does is race with thoughts of what David will try to do next. We still haven’t had our custody hearing, and what if he uses this as a plea for him to gain full custody?
My hands go up in defeat as I slink down to the cold tile. Here I am, almost forty-years-old and I just watched a train wreck and couldn’t stop it. Lenny leans down in front of me, but before he can speak, I cut him off. “Just go, I can’t deal with you too right now. This is a mess!” I try to hold it together as I know my daughter is somewhere in this building and possibly just saw him attack her father.
“I’ll call you later, and you will answer. We need to talk about this,” is the last thing I hear from his lips before he retreats.
“Jules, come on, babe. Let’s get you together before Sophia sees you like this,” Lacy and Anna say as they help me up from the tile.
“Where is she?”
“Your office, pretty sure she missed the whole thing. Oh, did you know she has a HUGE crush,” Lacy says, and this catches me off guard. How is it that I’m losing control over everything? I should know this.
“Who and what did she say?”
“It’s that kid, Devon. Sophia has good taste,” Anna says, and all I can do is roll my eyes as I follow her into her office. Taking a seat, I try to slow my breaths and pull it together.
“You mean Devon the quarterback, the one who was dating what’s her name?”
“Yep, that’s the one, and your child is head over heels for him. I guess it runs in the family. She’s crushing and so is her mother,” Lacy says, and I give her a glare that could cause her to combust.
“I’m not crushing, and you heard them out there. Pretty sure Lenny is using me to get back at David, but what do I know.” I shrug as I try to pull myself together.
“Girl, if he wanted to do that, he’d have done it a long time ago. He was trying to explain that to you until you kicked them all out.” Anna takes her turn now to give her input.
“I don’t know. I like him, yes, and Lord you both know how my body reacts near him, but what if I don’t pay attention to it and I end up getting hurt even more?”
“You’re making excuses. You were already worried about that and now that you found out about what David did to him, you’re trying to use that as an excuse to back away even more. Take out the way you feel for now. Focus on the work relationship, build your trust up, and then see where it goes.”
“I can do that.” I stand and hug both Anna and Lacy. If it weren’t for them the last six months, I’m not sure where I’d be. No, I know exactly where I’d be—a hot mess with no goal in life. I’d have let David ruin me mentally and physically if I didn’t have the
m as my backbone.
“I’m going to go get Sophia and head home. If y’all need me, just call.” They both agree that I need to escape the rest of the day. I still haven’t figured out what house I liked the most from today’s adventure. Part of me is shocked that Lenny was a complete gentleman the whole day. Well, up until the punch that he threw which took me back to high school. Then again, David deserved it and from what I’ve been able to tell thus far with Lenny—I’m shocked that hadn’t happened already. I now understand why Lenny’s face would contort in weird directions at the mere mention of David’s name. Maybe it’s also why he gives me a look of compassion and sympathy from time to time. He’s been there. He’s witnessed the betrayal of a human being ripping your heart out. Maybe Rachel is the reason he doesn’t date anymore. Maybe she’s the reason for this new version of Lenny. The one who works all the time. The one who plays hard. Underneath it all, I think Lenny would love even harder if he ever allowed himself to open up to anyone else. When I enter my office, my mind is all over the place.
“Grab your stuff, Sophia, let’s go home,” I say, leaning against the side of the door as I don’t have the energy to walk in any further.
“That was pretty awesome, Mom,” she says as she walks past me.
“You saw?”
“Oh, I saw it, and I wish he would’ve hit him again—once for him and then once for you.”
“Sophia, fighting is not the answer to your problems.”
“No, but I bet if you ask Mr. Ward, he feels better. I know I do,” she says with a smile on her face. This smile of hers worries me. Maybe there’s been more damage to my child than I realized.
Once we get in the car, I look over at Sophia who has her nose in her phone typing away.
“Who are you texting?”
“Devon,” she says with a grin.
“Devon seems like a nice kid. Just be safe and smart, Sophia.”
“Oh, Mom, I’m not having sex with him. It’s just talking right now.”
“Okay, wasn’t going there yet but glad to know.” I give out a nervous laugh as it sinks in that my daughter could be having sex. She’s dating, and I might start dating soon again too.
“Sophia, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.” She shrugs.
“Would it bother you if I dated someone? I mean not right now, but in the future?”
“Are you talking about Mr. Ward? He’s totally hot, Mom, and y’all are cute together.”
“No, I’m not referring to him. Just dating in general.”
“Mom, I want you happy, and Daddy didn’t make you happy. I’ve not seen you smile like you have over the last week in a long time. I’m not stupid, I see it. You have a crush,” she says as she bumps my shoulder with hand.
“Great, my daughter and I are both crushing. I think this calls for ice cream, don’t you?”
“Leopold’s?”
“Yes, the one and only,” I respond as I flip my blinker on to take a side street. As we drive, I take in the way the oak trees fold over the street, casting a canopy illusion shielding you from the intense sun. It’s one of the things that I love about Savannah. The old trees. The parks. The way the history isn’t just in the Historic District. It’s spread out over the entire city, you just have to open your eyes and notice it. Finding off-street parking is always fun when downtown, but today must be our lucky day because I find one just a block away from Leopold’s Ice Cream. It’s mid-afternoon so there shouldn’t be a line, but even if there is we will wait for butter pecan ice cream in a waffle cup. In the summer when the town is full of tourists, it’s hard to get in as the line has been known to wrap around the block. Good thing I’m friends with the owner and call ahead for a pint of ice cream to be ready and waiting for us. We take our frozen treat out to the sidewalk where we find a seat and people watch. Sophia and I do this from time to time. We never talk ugly about people because that’s not the Southern way. Oh hell, yes, we do… We just do it so you can’t hear us. We take in the variety of people who come and go throughout our city.
With a mouthful of ice cream, Sophia talks around it. “Mom, you should ask Mr. Ward out to dinner, and not to the club where everyone knows you.”
“Honey, everyone knows me no matter where I go.”
“So.” She shrugs, and what I wouldn’t give to be almost sixteen again with no worries in the world.
“Come on, you have homework, and I need to get some designs done.”
“Are you going back to work tonight?”
“If you don’t mind. I left all my stuff at the office. I won’t be there late,” I say as we stand and push the wrought iron chairs back under the table.
“No, can I go with Stacie to meet some friends at the movies?”
“Will Devon be there?”
“Yes, but it’s not a date. It’ll be six of us,” she says with pleading eyes.
“Okay, but if you need me just call and I’ll come pick you up. You know your curfew, just make sure you’re home before then. I don’t need your grandmother harping on me.”
“I promise,” she says, and I know she means it.
After dropping Sophia off, I don’t even bother to go inside as I know my parents will kidnap me. I don’t want to go to dinner. I don’t want to play Bridge. All I want to do is spread my designs out over the conference room table and focus on them. It’s where I’m happy and content with my days. Creating something new is like breathing air for me. This week has been a whirlwind, and I need structure. A place where I can forget about David, forget about Lenny and his hands, forget that I live with my parents, forget all my problems.
“Lock up before you leave, I’ll be in the conference room,” I say as I pass Anna who’s looking at me like I’ve grown two heads. There’s no reason for me to explain my actions. She’s been here long enough that she understands my need to be alone. If I get hungry, I’ll have something delivered. Until then, it’s me and the design concept for Ward Properties.
14
Lenny
I lost control this afternoon in front of Jules. I might have even scared her a little. But fuck that felt good to connect my fist to that prick’s face. I’ve not punched anyone since high school in the locker room when the school’s most eligible jackass called a girl a slut. This afternoon, though, I couldn’t stand there and let David speak to Jules that way. I couldn’t let him put those things in her mind about the reason I hired her. Yes, I find her attractive and would like to see where this could go. But with work, it’s just that. She’s the best person for the job, no matter her history. After I left her office today, I drove around to clear my head. I even pulled over and called my father. That was a conversation I wasn’t sure I even needed, but I did.
“Lenny, you’ve been fighting love for a long time now. I’m not saying you love Jules, but I saw that spark in your eyes the other night. Something is there. If you feel it, take a chance. Don’t let her past or yours get in the way. Yes, she has a child, but you’re a good person, Lenny.”
My father’s words keep replaying over and over in my head. That’s how I end up in her parents’ driveway. I need to talk to Jules, to explain my actions and get everything out in the open.
As I approach the front door, I’m greeted by Sophia before I even get the chance to knock. I laugh at how similar they look.
“You here for my mom?”
“I am.”
“She’s not here.”
“Okay, do you know where she is?”
“Of course I do, but why do I need to tell you?” She crosses her arms over her chest in a protective stance. Okay, I get it. Her daughter is protecting her mother.
“Because I need to speak with her. I want to explain today.” I wonder if that’s enough to get her to tell me where her mother is.
“I need a few questions answered before I tell you.”
“Okay, ask, and I’ll do my best to answer them.”
“All right, what are your intentions with my mother
?” Sophia’s tone is strong and steady, and she doesn’t flutter an eyelash as she deadpans me with an inquisitive glare. I’m impressed.
“To get to know her. Your mother is pretty interesting.”
“Interesting how?”
“Jules sees the whole picture. She’s not a half-empty glass type of person. Her vision and designs are one of a kind, just like her. Plus, she gives it right back when I dish it out.”
“Are you trying to use her to get back at my father and his affairs?”
“No…no, Sophia, I would never use her like that. That’s what I need her to understand.”
“Does it bother you that she has a child? That she’s almost forty?”
“I’m almost forty too, Sophia, and you’re an extra perk.”
“I guess your intentions are good. But if you hurt my mother, I will come after you,” she says, and I’m glad Jules has someone who cares this much about her. Most kids wouldn’t care about their parents’ life. Not Sophia, she worries about her mother and because of that I respect this kid.
“So, you going to tell me where she is?” I ask right before a car pulls in the driveway. She looks over my shoulder for a moment and then back at me.
“Do I need to worry about you and that car full of people, Sophia?”
“Nope, I can handle myself,” she says before looking back to the driveway. “Fine, she’s at her office working. That’s what Mom does, she designs when she’s upset. Some of her best work has been after arguments with my father.”
I slide out my wallet, opening it up to take out a business card that I have tucked inside. Handing it over to Sophia, I explain, “Here, save my cell number in your phone. If you ever need something or need me to come get you—just call. It’ll be between the two of us.”
“Thanks,” she says as she stares down at the card. Before I can turn to walk away, she reminds me, “Mr. Ward, don’t hurt her.”
“I’ll do my best, and call me Lenny. Mr. Ward is my father.”
Forty Candles: A Standalone Romantic Comedy Page 9