CHAPTER 17 - Between a rock and a hard place
When the following Sunday morning rolled around Kit mentally calculated that in the last week she had dodged four calls from Barnaby and two more from Jeremy.
Gladys informed her, in no uncertain terms, that she was through refusing to answer the phone or give out excuses as to why she was indisposed any longer; apparently being deceitful was upsetting her cosmic aura. Being on the receiving end of Gladys’ dirty looks for trying to give two nice boys “the slip” was not pleasant. So Kit decided to take her chances and venture out for a walk downtown. The probability of bumping into one or the other was more likely than not to happen, but the fact was, she was going stir crazy at home. Truth be told, although Jasmine had come by a couple of times, she was desperately in need of some human contact.
As Kit walked down the winding road to Brandon Bay from her mother’s home, she was glad to have chosen a pair of jeans instead of the Summery skirt she had initially picked. The weather wasn’t particularly good; the wind had picked up and rain was undeniably on its ways. Breathing in the fresh ocean air and watching the clouds being deftly blown inland towards the town, Kit viewed the panorama in front of her, and couldn’t help thinking that it held the makings of another TPG masterpiece. She’d file it mentally away for another time.
Arriving on Main Street, she passed Fred’s diner, and looked in the window to see if Jasmine was having an early breakfast before opening the shop. Nope. Jasmine wasn’t anywhere in sight, but lo and behold; she couldn’t believe her eyes just who was sitting there having a cup of Joe.
Tapping on the window, Kit got his attention, and after some mouthing of words and some mime that would make Marcel Marceau turn over in his grave, she joined him at his table.
“Hi there” Kit said amiably.
“Hey Kit Kat” J.J. replied with a grin. He pointed to the seat across from him and she sat. “Want some coffee?” he asked.
“Do pigs like mud?”
J.J. laughed and called the waitress over to put in the order.
“What brings you to Brandon Bay Mr. Jones?”
“We could play twenty questions and you could guess?” he tried to joke.
Kit raised her brows. “I don’t think so. You don’t play fair.”
J.J. squinted at her “Hmm. In that case, why don’t I just tell you”
“That may be for the best”
“I’m here with Uncle Charles. He loves this place so much; he’s decided to buy a vacation home here. I’m the second opinion and moral support.”
“That’s fantastic. Where is he?” Kit asked glancing from side to side in case Charles was somewhere around.
“He’s back at the Inn. He doesn’t usually get up till noon.”
“Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to stay in bed most of the day?” she said with a sigh, thinking her mom would never allow that to happen.
Jeff gave her a measured look. “Was that an invitation?”
Kit blithely ignored his comment, and the slightly awkward moment was shattered by some rather energetic finger tapping on the window. Looking up, Kit came face to face with Jeremy Atwell’s sea-green eyes.
After he mouthed the word “Hi” at her, Kit responded with a small wave and a nervous smile.
Jeremy looked suspiciously from her to J.J. and back to her in quick succession. He did not look happy. He then stuck out his thumb as if to say “Who he?” and Kit replied by mouthing “just a friend”. She then picked up an imaginary phone and mimed that she’d call him later.
Watching while he walked off down the street, Kit couldn’t help thinking that, 1. Jeremy still had the best ass she’d ever seen and now, felt; and 2. Marcel would have been much more pleased by her second attempt at mime than the first.
Turning back to J.J., she realized Marcel would have been the only one pleased by her mime. If she thought Jeremy had looked a little angry, then J.J. looked positively livid. Her coffee arrived and she gratefully focused her full attention on it, waiting for some of the sudden uneasiness to leave.
Jeff continued drinking his coffee, as if she weren’t even there. Was she invisible again? Well, she wouldn’t stand for it. She was through being transparent. “Would you rather I go?” she asked with a frown.
He peered at her over his coffee cup. “I thought you said you weren’t seeing anyone” he uttered calmly.
“Who him?” Kit pointed out the window, down the street.
J.J. regarded her expectantly.
“That’s just Jeremy” she shrugged.
“You mean the guy …”
“Yeah him …, from high school; the one I was insane about” she finished with a roll of her eyes.
Jeff scrutinised her intently. “Any lingering mental health issues with regard to him then?”
Kit smiled and shook her head with certainty. “I can safely say I’m cured Doctor.”
“Good to know” J.J. replied, his former warmness returning just a little.
Kit giggled. “Well apart from a slight case of temporary insanity the other night.”
“Oh, what do you mean?” he asked warily.
“Well I kind of made out with Jeremy last week and now he’s sort of got it in his head that we’re an item”
“Well that would do it, I guess” J.J. coldly retorted.
Kit giggled and tried to explain. Why was she so nervous telling him this? “But you see I figure, well, you know how some vaccines work by actually giving you the virus. Well, I got a dose of Jeremy and now I’m immune.”
J.J. seemingly relaxed a smidgen at the news. “Immune, huh?”
“Completely, utterly, totally. Now I just have to convince him of it. Not an easy task when Jeremy Atwell has been irresistible to women since his voice changed. I just hope he can comprehend a woman not wanting to be with him.”
This information seemed to placate J.J., although Kit had no idea why she needed to. He was a compulsive tease, no doubt ingrained in him from his considerable experience as one of San Francisco’s most accomplished players; but she’d have to be out of her mind to think he could seriously be interested in her in a lustful way.
“So … , just what exactly did “kind of” making out with him comprise of?” J.J. asked with a slight scowl.
“You want details?” she queried him with raised brows. “Like first base, home run? That sort of thing”
“Forget it” he said quickly.
Kit crossed her arms in front of her chest and surveyed him with narrowed eyes. “Why are you so upset about this?”
Jeff ran his hand through his dark brown hair and let out a calming breath. “I guess I’m just disappointed in you Kit. It seems it was pretty easy for you to fall into the arms of some guy who was, for all intents and purposes, a stranger to you in high school; and even more of a stranger now.”
Jutting her chin in the air, Kit assumed an offended stance. “And you’ve never made a mistake like that? You mean to tell me that Jeffrey Jones has never made out with a woman he didn’t really know?”
Blushing profusely J.J. conceded, looking down into his empty coffee cup. “You’re right. I have no right to judge you. I’m not exactly a monk myself”
Kit smiled playfully. “I’m well aware of your checkered reputation. The water-cooler, remember?”
Jeff chuckled. “I seem to recall being told I brightened many a lonely fact checker’s day. Did I brighten your day too Kit?”
Kit shook her head from side to side. “I plead the fifth. Anyway, I didn’t know you back then”
“And now that you do?”
“Well I guess you do brighten my day at that. I kind of like having you for a friend”
“Are we friends?” he asked seriously.
“I hope so” she replied a little uncertainly. “I mean I’d like to be. As long you don’t go getting all superior on me about things like, … like kissing guys that I’m well aware I shouldn’t. I know it was a mistake, but believe me J.J. I learned a valuable lesson from
it”
“And just what did you learn?” he enquired with a grave face.
Kit made the sign of a cross over her heart and cleared her throat with dramatic flair, “I solemnly promise to never venture behind the Iron Curtain again with any man from my past or stranger of unknown repute”
“Iron Curtain? What the hell does that mean?” J.J. asked in bewilderment.
Kit explained. “Well my little foray with Jeremy was preceded by an encounter with some Black Russians.” When her comment didn’t seem to make it any clearer to J.J. she continued, “you know; the drink?”
The light came on and Jeff smirked. “Oh. I see. Just how many Russians were there?”
Kit swallowed in embarrassment. “Maybe five or six? And they were all doing the Russian squat dance in my head the morning after”
Jeff bit back a laugh. “I guess you have paid for your error in judgement then”
“You have no idea” she sighed.
J.J. chuckled and Kit smiled back. What was it about Jeffrey Jones that made it so easy for her to talk to him? Anything that came into her head just seemed to come straight out of her mouth on autopilot. Was it because she knew she didn’t have to play the temptress, as there was no way he’d ever cast her in that role?
“So how is it, being back here after so long in the big city?” he asked with genuine interest.
“Not as bad as I’d originally imagined. And I usually imagine the worst. My paintings are coming along nicely, and I’m even finding myself getting along with my mother, which is a miracle of biblical proportions in itself. I guess coming back I’ve managed to put a lot of things into perspective.”
“Such as?”
“Well, I’ve confronted a few ghosts since arriving; Jeremy being the most haunting. It’s strange to discover that the one thing you wanted most in the world, you don’t want any more. Kind of feels like you wasted a lot of time” she said in seriousness.
“They do say youth is wasted on the young” When Kit nodded in agreement, he added, “So …, Jeremy Atwell was not the man of your dreams after all?”
“No even close. He’s a nice guy, but not for me”
“Still feel like an “insignificant spec”? he asked warmly.
Kit grew thoughtful. “A bit. It’s not a feeling that goes away completely –like getting over a cold. I just want to find the happy medium between embarrassingly conspicuous and invisible nonentity. I certainly don’t want to stand out in a crowd, if I can help it.”
“I don’t think it’s possible for you to not stand out in a crowd. As far as I’m concerned, you’ll never be inconspicuous”
Kit’s eyebrows hit the ceiling. “I’m not sure? Is that a compliment or not?”
“Compliment, definitely a compliment” he stated soberly.
She tapped her chin in thought, “I must say, you’re a lot different than what I imagined you to be Jeffrey Jones”
“You said you always imagine the worst. Did you imagine the worst about me too?”
She bit her lip in embarrassment, “I guess I did, but that was before I knew you”
“And now you know me? Hopefully I’ve changed your opinion” he said quietly.
“You’d be surprised how quickly my opinion changed of you. To tell the truth, it changed the second that elevator stopped. I remember thinking what a nice guy you were, regardless of your scandalous reputation”
J.J. groaned, “Nice guy –if that isn’t the kiss of death, I don’t know what is”
She chuckled. “Well you are a nice guy; and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I happen to like nice guys”
Licking his lips and leaning across the table towards her, J.J. asked softly “You do?”
Kit broke the moment by holding out her hand to shake, “So, can we be friends J.J.? I’d really like to be”
Taking her small, warm hand in his, Jeff fixed her with a thoughtful gaze. “I’d really like that too Kit Kat.”
“Hey Kit,” a voice cut in from beside them.
Glancing up, Kit smiled nervously. “Oh, hi”
J.J.’s mouth opened in astonished surprise, and Kit wondered if he was thinking the same thing she was; for a girl who claimed to be a bit of an insignificant spec; she was mighty popular this morning.
“Um, Jeffrey Jones, meet Barnaby Calder” Kit introduced with a cautious expression.
Jeff took all six foot two of Barnaby in. “I thought he was a geek?” was all he could say.
“I grew out of it” Barnaby said bitterly.
“So it would seem” J.J. replied, equally bitter, throwing Kit a disgruntled look.
Barnaby frowned at Kit. “Who is this guy?”
Kit was nonplussed and said nothing; this was getting weird, even for her.
“This guy is leaving” J.J. stated with annoyance and got up without another word to Kit, threw a twenty on the table, and left through the front door of the diner. Kit’s mouth dropped open in shock.
“Kit, can we talk now?” Barnaby asked, completely oblivious to the emotions swirling around them.
Holding up her hand to silence him, she responded with a terse, “Not now Barn.”
Bounding from her chair, she ran down the street after J.J. “Hey Jones” she called from behind, her feet moving as quickly as possible in her cork wedge sandals.
He turned and walked back towards her. “Yeah?” he replied offhandedly.
Kit stood in front of him with a puzzled look on her face. She wasn’t sure what to do. If Jeffrey Jones wanted a full on, knock-down, drag out fight, she’d love to get down and dirty with him. He was acting like a complete jerk for no reason. “Jeffrey Jones, what the hell was that all about?” she asked with a stern face. “Why did you walk out on me like that?”
“Why not? One things for sure, you’re never lonely long Kit” he said in exasperation.
“You know what J.J., I don’t get you. You’re soft on one side and sand paper on the other. I’m not sure what side is going to rub up against me. So tell me –I’m curious. Are we friends or what? Because if we are, cut the crap and be a friend, for god’s sake. You’re acting like some sort of jealous lover” she stated matter-of-factly.
Jeff stared at her for a moment, then shook his head and chuckled resignedly at the ridiculousness of the situation. “You’re right. I don’t know what’s got into me; maybe too much sea air or something. I’m sorry.”
“That’s better” Kit said with a frown.
“So that was Barnaby, huh?”
“Yep”
“Nice guy” he said mockingly.
“Well you were hardly Mr. Charm yourself” she shot back at him.
“Sorry about that. Like I said; I don’t know what’s gotten into me”
“I do. It’s this town. There’s definitely something around here that makes people act crazy. Turns out my mother isn’t the only one who’s “elevator doesn’t go to the top floor”. In fact,” she whispered secretively “I’m finding out I’m a little cracked myself.”
J.J. smiled crookedly at her. “Well, you are an odd girl”
“Seems I remember someone telling me that once before” she beamed back, remembering the elevator.
They both looked at each for an inordinately long time. Finally, J.J. cleared his throat. “I’ll be heading back to San Francisco after lunch” he said with regret, “But I’ll be back to help Charles look at properties again soon. I don’t think he found anything interesting on this trip.”
“Even if he did, you’d be back to visit him” Kit replied happily.
“Yeah; I’ll be back” J.J. bit his lip. “Would it be okay for friends to give each other a goodbye hug?” he asked uneasily.
“Sure” Kit responded. J.J. opened his arms and she entered them willingly. Oh my. J.J. smelled as good as she remembered. She inhaled deeply, and she thought she felt him shudder. Best not to give off the wrong vibe, Kit thought, reluctantly releasing her arms from around his waist. It would be horrible if J.J. got the idea th
at she would very much enjoy snuggling with him at length; even if it was the honest to God’s truth.
At that moment, the heavens decided to open up and they stood in the middle of a spontaneous downpour. Within seconds they were soaked. They both started laughing uncontrollably.
“I think somebody up there’s trying to tell us something” Kit yelled over the noise of the rain.
“You could be right” he replied grinning like an idiot.
“I guess I’ll see you when I see you, J.J.” Kit said with a smile.
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