Dress 2 Impress: A Jennifer Cloud Novel (Jennifer Cloud Series)

by Janet Leigh

  Gertie stood, looking rejected. Ace cleared his throat, and Brodie did an about-face, marched up to Gertie, and said, “How would you like to accompany me to grab a bite on Friday night?”

  Gertie’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. A silent Gertie—there’s a first time for everything.

  “She would love to,” I answered for her. “Well, got to go.”

  We said good-bye to Ace and Brodie. I stole a glance at Caiyan. He looked mad, and I felt mad. The dishonesty was left in the past, but the present still held a lot of resentment.

  Brodie and Ace left the hangar, patting each other on their backs as they went.

  Gertie did a little happy dance, and we headed toward my vessel.

  As I was about to climb aboard, Caiyan caught up with me. “After Campy’s week is done, I’m taking him back to my sister.” I nodded. “I’m going to stay with them awhile and help her get him settled in a new school. Aye? Make sure he adjusts and teach him aboot traveling.”

  “I think that would be the best thing for Campy.”

  “Aye, but what aboot us?” he asked, raking his hand through his thick hair, leaving it disheveled.

  “I don’t know,” I said, and my inner voice pulled out a tissue. “I still have training, and General Potts doesn’t want me to travel again until Jake thinks I’m officially ready. It may take months.”

  “Jennifer Cloud, ye are an amazing woman. Don’t underestimate yer power.”

  “Aye,” I said, and he laughed.

  He reached over and tucked a stray hair behind my ear. “Until next time.” He bent down and brushed a kiss across my lips.

  “Later, Gert,” he said to Gertie, who had already climbed aboard and was holding on for dear life.

  “See ya, Romeo,” she said, blowing him a kiss. He rolled his eyes and took a step back. I entered my vessel and returned home.

  Chapter 21

  By the time Gertie and I returned home, it was almost 5:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. The travel makes me so tired I have to sleep at least a day to recover. I knew Eli thought I was out doing massage research, so I planned to return to the clinic on Wednesday.

  I woke Wednesday morning before my alarm went off to the smell of coffee and bacon frying. Thank the Lord, Gertie was throwing her shake diet to the wind and cooking breakfast. I pulled on a robe and opened my bedroom door to follow the smell downstairs. Gertie stepped out of her room at the same time, yawning.

  “Are you making breakfast, Jen?” she asked, stretching her arms above her head and yawning again.

  “No, I thought you were.”

  We both looked at each other. “Wait here,” I told her. I went back into my room and pulled the 9 mm handgun that Jake had given me during my training sessions out of my travel case. I had practiced at the gun range and with Jake, but so far it had spent the rest of its life hidden under my maxipads for safekeeping.

  I met Gertie back in the hallway, and her eyes grew wide at the sight of my gun. “Do you think the bad guy is going to poison us with a home-cooked breakfast?” she asked.

  True, I agreed. But a girl can’t be too careful. I pressed a finger to my lips, and we crept down the stairs.

  My foot had just hit the bottom step when a familiar voice sang out, “If you’re going to be sneaking about, dear, try not to step on that creaky stair.”

  Aunt Itty. I sighed and pocketed the gun. Aunt Itty was at the stove, scooting the bacon around in my cast-iron skillet. She was wearing blue polyester pants and a flowing flowered tunic. Chunky jewelry was adorning her neck, camouflaging her key. A plate of freshly scrambled eggs steamed from a bowl on the kitchen table, and fluffy biscuits looked promising through the window on the oven.

  “Aunt Itty, what are you doing?” I asked.

  “I’m cooking breakfast. What does it look like?” she scoffed at me.

  “No, I mean, what are you doing here?” I waved a hand out in front of me, indicating my kitchen.

  “I don’t care what she’s doing. I’m eating,” Gertie said, grabbing a plate and giving Aunt Itty a peck on the cheek.

  “Why thank you, sweetness, and help yourself.” Aunt Itty turned and removed the biscuits from the oven. My stomach grumbled loudly. She looked at me over the top of her cheaters. I grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. Aunt Itty placed a heaping plate of food in front of me. “Eat. Travel makes you hungry.”

  “Thank you,” I said, taking a bite of the eggs. It was the truth. I was starving.

  Gertie was spreading jelly on her biscuits, and Aunt Itty sat down with a cup of tea. “Are these magic eggs?” Gertie asked Aunt Itty. “Because they taste delicious.”

  “It’s the travel, dear, makes you want to eat a buffalo.” She sipped her tea, and I waited patiently for her to tell me the reason for her visit.

  “These are really good, but I have to get ready for work,” I said, hoping to get a response from her.

  “Oh, of course, dear. You go right ahead. Gertie and I can clean up.” Multiple bracelets that ringed up her arms clanged together as she raised the teacup to drink.

  I sighed, finished my plate, and stood to go upstairs and get ready for work.

  “Your gun’s going to rip a hole in that skimpy robe.” Aunt Itty pointed to my pocket, which was weighted down by the 9 mm. “You should really get a holster. I prefer the leg holster myself—back holsters are so bulky.” She pulled up her pant leg to reveal a small handgun tucked neatly into a holster on her inner calf.

  “Wow, that’s pretty cool,” said Gertie. Jeez, at least one of us was brave enough to carry concealed.

  “I’ll be ready when you are, dear,” Aunt Itty said to my back as I was leaving the kitchen.

  I spun around. “Wait, are you going to work with me?”

  She nodded. I folded my arms across my chest. “Spill it, or I’m calling Jake.”

  “No need; he’s the one who sent me.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “That Mitchell character fled 1985, and Agent Yummy seems to think you might be in some danger.” Aunt Itty took a biscuit and lathered it with butter.

  Good grief, Jake sent Aunt Itty to babysit me. That was a slap in the face. How was this little old lady going to protect me from Mitchell? I huffed in irritation as I headed upstairs to get ready. I liked Aunt Itty, but I couldn’t take her to work with me.

  I grabbed my cell from the charger and pressed my speed dial for Jake. He answered on the first ring. “I was expecting your call.”

  “What’s up with you putting Aunt Itty on security detail?” I paced around the room, my huffy disposition increasing.

  “Now, don’t get huffy,” he said.

  “I’m not huffy,” I said, making a trail from my bed to my closet.

  “I know you, Jen. You are huffy, and you’re pacing.”

  “Fine, explain and I’ll curtail my huff.” I sat down on the side of the bed, waiting for an answer.

  “Al tracked Mitchell’s return, and he didn’t go back home to New York. The embarrassment of letting Campy’s key get away from him was probably too much for him.”

  “Where did he go?” I asked.

  “Texas.”

  “But he’s not supposed to do anything in the present. We have an agreement with the Mafusos.”

  “That pretty much went south when we invaded them to save Gertie last October.”

  “So you sent Aunt Itty?” I asked.

  “All you need is someone to watch your back. She’s pretty safe. Every time I send one of the guys, I get more trouble than I bargained for.” I heard the tension in his voice. I knew all the other travelers had just returned from the last moon cycle. They would be tired. Some had jobs to return to like myself, and Aunt Itty was the best choice. She was semiretired, available, and enough of a busybody that she probably wouldn’t let a brigand
sneak up on me.

  “Does Caiyan know about Mitchell’s travel plans?”

  “No, I wanted him to stay with Campy. We’re training him with Liam’s vessel, and there’s a special bond that must be created. Caiyan is helping with that.”

  I remembered the first time I sat in my vessel. Gertie and I were nine and hiding from her twin brothers. The outhouse regurgitated both of us out on our asses. I guess it wasn’t love at first sight, but after a few travels, I felt the connection.

  “Fine, but what am I supposed to do with her while I’m at work?” I asked.

  “You’ll think of something, and don’t worry. I have Ace working on finding Mitchell.”

  “Great,” I said and disconnected. I put my gun in my handbag. I had a license to carry concealed, even though it wouldn’t do any good against Mitchell. I couldn’t kill him, or I would die as well.

  “Stupid rules!” I shouted as I washed my hair in the shower. Was I really willing to kill the little shit? I wouldn’t mind cutting off a testicle or two. Now where did that come from? I asked myself. My inner voice pulled out a biker jacket, indicating I was joining the club. I cursed the ancient god who put all these rules in place. In retaliation, the hot water turned cold, and my teeth chattered as I exited the shower. That would be the last time I questioned a higher power.

  I dressed in my Wednesday scrubs, which had little pink whales floating in a blue background. I added some Kendra Scott earrings and a pink scarf. Sprayed on Luck and Love, just for good measure, and I was ready to start the day. Gertie and Aunt Itty were still sitting at the table. Their heads were bent together, looking at Gertie’s cell phone.

  “What are y’all doing?” I asked them.

  “Gertie has a Sweetie Swipe,” Aunt Itty said. “And he’s real bonnie, too.”

  Gertie turned the cell so I could get a look at her latest conquest. He was very cute. He looked a little like the movie star Charlie Hunnam. All long blond locks and a small goatee-type beard. He had on board shorts and nothing else. His torso was definitely worth a second look.

  “I thought you were happy to go out with Brodie on Friday night,” I said.

  “A girl’s got to keep her options open,” she said, nibbling at the corner of her fingernail.

  “She swiped right, so now he has to send a message to set up the date,” Aunt Itty said, as if she were a Sweetie Swipe pro.

  Gertie’s phone pinged, and she giggled with glee. “All done. We’re meeting tonight at the Muddled Duck.”

  The Muddled Duck was a bar in the not-so-good part of town. The only time I had been there was with Jake when he was on an assignment. The place was loaded with thugs.

  “Why can’t you meet at Starbucks like all the normal people do?” I asked.

  “He wants to buy me his special drink, the Strangler.” She put her phone away and looked all dreamy eyed. “Doesn’t he sound like fun?”

  “Do you think you should go so soon after a travel?” I asked Gertie.

  “Sure, I’m fine. The medical staff at WTF told me I was healthy as a horse.”

  “OK. But be careful. Jake said Mitchell might be running loose in Texas.”

  “I think they figured out I’m not the one with all the special effects.” Gertie waved her fingers in the air.

  “Be careful anyway, and leave Mr. Board Shorts’s info on the fridge. I have to get to work.” I looked over at Aunt Itty, who was tying a scarf over her hair.

  “Are we taking the vessel?” Aunt Itty asked.

  “No, we’re taking the Mustang,” I said as we walked to my car.

  “Oh, good. Can we put the top down?” She smiled.

  “Itty, its December.” My inner self zipped up her parka.

  “You have to live a little.” Aunt Itty elbowed me. I sighed, put the top down, and turned up the heater. It was a mild December day, and if we kept the windows up, we might make it to Coffee Creek without frostbite.

  Aunt Itty cranked Nicki Minaj on the radio, and we drove down the highway rapping to “Super Bass.”

  She knew every word. Go figure.

  We pulled into the parking lot at my job. I cut the engine and looked over at Aunt Itty. “Don’t worry, dear. I brought my crossword puzzle book to keep my occupied. Give me the keys to your car, and I can just sit here and do a stakeout.”

  I handed over my keys. “I need to work about three hours, and then I can go to lunch. There’s a great barbecue place on the square I can take you to if you’re interested.”

  “Oh my, yes. I love barbeque. It has been ages since I’ve had any. Did I tell you about the time I ate barbeque with John Wayne?”

  My mouth dropped open, and then I realized the many stories my fellow travelers must have tucked away. Maybe I should take Aunt Itty to the Muddled Duck tonight. She could tell me about her travels, and I could keep an eye on Gertie. My inner voice pocketed her mace and nodded.

  “No, but I would love to hear about it after work,” I said, tipping my head toward the office.

  “Oh, horsefeathers! I forgot the time. You scoot along, or you’ll be late.”

  I instructed Aunt Itty on how to put the top up if she got cold and gave her a wave as I climbed out of the car.

  The staff greeted me as I entered the clinic. I stopped and talked with Eli about Helga, the massage therapist who had given me a massage before I left for Gitmo. He agreed to give her a shot at the position. I spent the morning reminding myself it was only Wednesday. I agreed with Gertie; time travel was complicated. I wasn’t sure how long I could go without my family figuring out something in my life was different.

  Elvira, our insurance CA, was running late. Her son was getting his ankle bracelet removed, and she wanted to be there for the special occasion. I guess being free from house arrest was a big deal. She came barreling through the back door around noon. I was in the front office doing follow-up on some insurance for her.

  “Hi, Jennifer,” she said, hanging up her leather coat. “Thanks for helping me out this morning.”

  “No problem,” I said, scooting from her chair and trading places with her. “How did it go?”

  “Great,” she said, smiling. “Mikey is now free to get a job and start acting like a human instead of the like the animal that gang he joined created.”

  “That’s good. I heard the Ice Cream Factory was looking for someone to clean the machines at night.”

  “I’ll tell him. That would keep him busy in the hours when troublemaking seems to prosper.” She pulled her hair back into a banana clip. “By the way, who is that old lady sitting in your car?”

  I had been so focused on work, I had forgotten about Aunt Itty. “That’s Aunt Itty. She was bored, so I let her ride to work with me today.”

  “That’s so kind of you,” Elvira said.

  The voice behind me made me cringe. “Jen, did we uncover an old aunt I don’t know about?”

  Eli was standing behind me, arms crossed over his chest, eyebrow raised in question.

  “Uhm, she’s actually the aunt of a guy I’m dating,” I stammered out. I was still sort of dating Caiyan. Right?

  “You’re twisting your hair.” He pointed to my fingers, which were somehow wrapped through a strand of my hair. Damn, I was going to have to get a new nervous habit. When everyone knows your tell, what’s the point in lying?

  Eli pressed his lips together. His starched blue scrubs made his eyes look three shades darker than a finely cut sapphire. “Why don’t you go get this aunt and bring her in. She can wait in the reception area until your lunch break.”

  Jeez. Eli was going to want details about Caiyan. Why are big brothers always so overprotective? I barely had a date in high school, thanks to his interrogating ways.

  I went outside to get Aunt Itty. The top on the Mustang was still down, and she had the motor running. I could hear the blast o
f Janis Joplin coming from the car stereo from the back door of the clinic. Aunt Itty needed to go home. After lunch for sure. When I reached the car, I saw Aunt Itty was fast asleep. Her spectacles were balancing on the end of her nose, and her head was dropped to one side. This was my lookout? I opened the car door and sat down in the driver’s seat, turning off the radio. Aunt Itty jumped alive, almost whacking me in the head with her crossword puzzle book.

  “Sorry, dear, I must have grabbed a quick catnap.” She put the book into her coat pocket.

  “Why don’t you come in until lunch?” I asked turning the car off. “ I’m easier to protect inside anyway.”

  “That’s true, dear, and these seats are giving me a chafe.” She started to gather her things, and I put a hand on her arm.

  “Aunt Itty, I told my brother I was dating your nephew. He might ask you a few questions.”

  “I see. How long have you and my Caiyan been, uhm, dating?”

  The way she said it made my heart sink. Even Aunt Itty knew about Caiyan’s playboy lifestyle. Had Caiyan and I ever been on a real date? He had picked me up, whisked me a way to a few romantic locations, and then we went at it like horny monkeys. We never actually got all dressed up and went out on a real date.

  Aunt Itty patted my hand. “I feel there is a change in the air where that boy is concerned. He’s Scottish, you know, and a true Scot does everything with passion. When the time is right, he will change his wily ways.”

  I smiled and decided to put that on the back burner. “OK, let’s keep the information about Caiyan on the down low.”

  “Sure thing, dear. I like the candlesticks you have on the floorboard there.” She pointed to the candlesticks I had purchased for my mother. Aunt Itty had unwrapped one from the bubble wrap. It was heavy silver and would look good on my mother’s breakfront.

  “Thanks, I bought them for my mom, a housewarming gift, but I keep forgetting to give them to her.”

  “Good quality. Where did you get them?”

  “A small store on the square here. I can take you there after lunch if you like.”

  We entered the clinic through the back door. Eli was standing in the hallway, giving Aunt Itty the once-over.