Strangely Normal

by Tess Oliver

  I picked up an egg to crack on the side of the bowl.

  “Did Jude make a good impression?” she asked.

  The egg shell smashed and some pieces fell into the butter mixture.

  “No problem.” She fished the pieces out with a spoon.

  “How did you know he went with me?”

  She shrugged. “Just a hunch. He was gone for the day, and the two of you surfaced at about the same time.” We’d moved stealthily over a wall and across the yard unnoticed and then stupidly walked into the house together thinking no one would see. Obviously Finley had.

  “It’s all right, Eden. I don’t mind. To be honest, I’ve never seen Jude in such a good mood. He really likes you.”

  I knew she was fishing for my confession of how much I liked him, but I skirted around the topic. “My dad nearly fell on his face. He recognized your brother instantly. Everyone really liked him, even my sister, Sophie, and she’s not easily won over.”

  “Jude has that way about him. He can turn his charm on and off like a faucet, and people become enamored with him instantly.”

  I could usually read Finley’s thoughts, and it seemed as if she’d mentioned the on and off charm thing to warn me. I had the distinct and rotten feeling that she was cautioning me not to take my relationship with Jude too seriously.

  It was definitely time for a topic change. “How was your dad feeling when he left? Is he rested enough for the tour?”

  She tossed the bags of chips into the dough. “I guess. I tried to tell him to drink more water and eat better, but he’s not really the kind of person you can tell to do stuff. I brought up to him the possibility of slowing down on the tours, and Ray, his agent, nearly had a stroke. A lot of people look at my dad as a major commodity. They don’t seem to get that he’s someone’s father and that he’s getting too old for so many concerts.”

  I grabbed a spoon and helped her drop raw cookie dough onto the pan. “When will he be back?”

  “Who knows.” She loaded her spoon and shoved the raw dough into her mouth. “Oh my gosh,” she mumbled with a full mouth, “that is so good.” She dug her spoon in again and stuck it in front of my mouth.

  “What about the raw egg?” I asked, and wondered why I always had to be so damn practical. I pushed the dough into my mouth. It was delicious. “Salmonella be damned. It’s worth the risk.”

  “Excuse me,” Finley said, “but Beverly Hills chickens do not carry bacteria.”

  “That sounds plausible— if there were chickens in Beverly Hills, but I have my doubts about that.”

  She motioned over to the television. “We’ve got pigs.”

  “True. But most pigs wallow in mud, not on expensive, imported rugs.”

  She laughed and hugged me. “I missed you, Eden. Now, while these are baking, let’s go up to see what I’m going to wear tonight. I haven’t seen Max in days, so this is going to take some major decision making.”

  The cookies nearly burned while Finley laid out dress after dress and checked them against the volume of tan she had. “Certain dresses go with certain amounts of suntan. Unfortunately, I’m still in the semi-tourist mode, which means my skin and hair color are only a few shades apart.” She looked over at me. “Did you bring a dress?”

  “Nah, the two I have are out of date and don’t fit great anymore. I’m fine with my shorts.”

  “Nonsense.” She took my hand and led me across the stair landing to the other side of the house.

  Finley threw open a door to a bedroom that was decorated heavily in pink satin. The bed was round and covered with white furry pillows. “It’s a guest room for my dad’s lady friends.” She opened a door to a deep closet filled with women’s clothes and shoes. “Sometimes they stay longer than expected, so he likes to have a wardrobe for them. Don’t worry, everything has been dry cleaned.” She searched through a line of flirty looking dresses and produced a short, flouncy sleeveless dress with a halter style top. It was made of an incredibly soft blue cotton fabric. She held it up in front of me. “This should fit, and it will go perfect with your skin. Your skin always looks tanned even without sun, lucky bum.”

  “It’s been a while since I’ve worn a dress. It’s going to feel foreign.” The whole idea actually excited me, and I couldn’t wait to try it on.

  Finley and I had stuffed ourselves from cookie tasting, and we had no appetite for dinner. She texted her brothers to let them know they were on their own for finding food. Jude answered that he’d be late, and I tried hard not to show my disappointment.

  But on the bright side, the dress fit perfectly and I loved it. I stood in the mirror and spun around several times to make the perky skirt spin.

  Finley poked her head inside my room. “Wow, can I pick or what?”

  “It’s definitely the prettiest thing I’ve ever worn. I feel feminine for a change.”

  She laughed. “Please, with that body, you’d be feminine in a pair of farmer’s overalls. Max is on his way, and Cole’s in the shower. Not sure about Jude, but I’m sure he’ll saunter in sooner or later. He’s going to fall over dead when he sees you.”

  For the first half of the evening I was a fifth wheel in my awesome little party dress. I’d busied myself devouring the cookies, and eventually, the creamy, blue fabric was covered in crumbs. I hibernated into the couch cushions, listening to the conversation and trying not to dwell on the fact that Jude obviously had no particular interest in coming home to see me.

  Cole’s friend, Teresa, was one of those girls who liked to command the attention of everyone in the room and worked tirelessly at it. She was expensively dressed but in a tacky way, and aside from being pretty, it was hard to find what Cole might see in her. She’d flirted with Max all evening. Finley seemed to be regretting the whole night, but she kept her cool. I was close to giving up on Jude’s arrival, but I stayed around for Finley’s sake. She’d been so excited about the evening, but it was slowly disintegrating into a mild disaster— with the exception of the cookies, which were delicious.

  Teresa was boring us with a dull monologue about a trip to the mall when the dogs jumped up and trotted to the side door of the kitchen. Jude walked in. He looked tired and dusty from a long day of construction. And my heart surged instantly. His weary green eyes flashed my way immediately. I was not imagining his reaction to my dress.

  “Hey, Jude,” Teresa called enthusiastically. With the way she’d been acting, I wasn’t the least bit surprised when she hopped off the couch in her low cut tank top and short jean skirt to give Jude a hug.

  He put up his hands to stop her. “You don’t want to do that. I’m covered in sweat and dirt.”

  Her shoulders shrank some in disappointment.

  Jude combed his fingers through his hair as he headed to the stairs. “Eden, can I see you a minute?”

  I looked at Finley feeling as if I should get permission before abandoning her.

  She mouthed the words hurry back to me, and I walked out to the hallway. Jude had already disappeared around the corner, and as I turned, he reached out and pulled me into his arms.

  “What about the sweat and dirt?” I wiped my finger across his chin.

  “Serves you right for wearing that dress.” He kissed me long and hard, and instantly, I felt like melted butter beneath his touch. His gaze went beyond hunger, and his fingers grasped my arms in a way that seemed he had no intention of ever letting me go. “Lose your buddies. I’m not sharing you with anyone tonight. I’ve been going nuts all day thinking about you.” He lifted a swollen red finger where the nail had begun to turn black. “And it’s dangerous.”

  I took hold of his wrist and kissed the finger. “How’s that?”

  His dark lashes lowered, shadowing his ravenous gaze. “It’s a start.”

  “I can’t leave your sister. That girl Cole invited has been awful. She’s all over Max, and I thi
nk she’s doing it just to get a rise out of Finley.”

  “Sounds like Teresa hasn’t changed much.” His rough finger traced along the strap of my dress. “Finley will survive. I need you more.”

  And here it was, the major piece of complication I’d stuck into my life puzzle. I was here to be a companion for Finley, but I’d let Jude get into my head and my heart, and now I was being torn between responsibility and my own needs.

  I placed my palm against his chest and pulled my eyes away from his.

  “What’s the matter,” he asked quietly.

  “Please, Jude, don’t make me choose. If things had been going better out there, I’d find a way to be alone with you. But your sister told me to hurry back. I need to get back there— for her.”

  “And me?”

  No one had a right to look that tired, that dirty, that hurt— and that appealing.

  “Please, Jude, don’t do this.” My throat burned with the words.

  His arms dropped. His disappointment was palpable as I walked away from him. I fanned my face to keep from crying. Finley looked up over the back of the couch as she heard me return.

  “Is Jude coming down after he showers?” she asked.

  I shrugged certain that if I spoke I might cry.

  Finley knew something was wrong right away. She got up. “I need to go talk to Jude a second,” she said. “Cole, let’s move this into the theater. But no horror and no giant boob show either. Something decent.”

  I stopped her as she passed me. “Don’t, Finley. Please.” My eyes watered, and I could have kicked myself for allowing it. “It’s fine and he’s tired.”

  She peered up at me through her long bangs, and she seemed to be assessing if I was truly all right or if she still needed to have a chat with Jude.

  “Really, Finley. It’s no big deal.”

  “If you’re sure.”

  I was definitely sure. The last thing I wanted was for Finley to get involved. Jude would probably cave just because he didn’t want to upset her and then I would have to live with the bitter truth that he‘d been forced into sitting through a movie with me.

  Finley took my hand and we headed to the elevator. “We should have just eaten all those friggin’ cookies ourselves,” she sighed. “We would have had way more fun without everyone else.”

  I swiped away the few tears that had escaped. “Totally agree with you there.”

  Max and Cole argued about movies for awhile and then settled on one of the many Batman movies. Cole pulled Teresa into the third row, and she giggled wildly about it. Finley and I rolled our eyes for the hundredth time. She and Max sat up front in the corner, and I sat in the back by myself. I probably could have easily left to find Jude, but I wasn’t going to run to him. He’d put me in a really bad spot and I wanted him to know it.

  I sank down in my chair. The air conditioner seemed to be plowing through the vent right above my head, and I got up to move over when a hand brushed mine. I looked back. Jude’s face was apologetic, and even in the dark, I could see that he looked as down as I felt. He motioned to the furthest pair of seats in the darkest, deepest corner of the room. I sat and he pushed up the arm rest and pulled me against him.

  He reached up and tucked the hair back behind my ear. He lowered his mouth to my ear, and a pleasant shiver cascaded through me as he spoke. “I’m sorry, Eden. I don’t know what got into me. It’s just I’ve never wanted anyone as badly as I want you.”

  My eyes burned again. There was so much feeling behind his words, my heart ached for him, and I realized, that once again, I’d passed that point of no return. But this time it was emotional instead of physical, a much more frightening reality. This guy owned me, heart and soul, and there were only two ways out now— happily ever after or complete and utter heartbreak.

  Chapter 20

  When an evening goes badly the wisest choice is to end it as quickly as possible, but someone had the brilliant idea of doing tequila shots, and everyone had reluctantly agreed. Once the movie ended, we tromped back to the kitchen area and sat in front of the big television with small shot glasses. The cookies had been enough gluttony for me and I was sure a few shots would bring it all up like a volcano. Jude took a few shots, pulled me into his arms, and closed his eyes. He was tired and I knew he wanted the evening to end as much as I did. But I stuck it out for Finley.

  Finley threw back a shot and made the same contorted face I’d made when I’d tasted the expensive scotch in the pool house. Max and Cole were trying to outdo each other, but Teresa was putting them all to shame.

  Max relaxed back and dropped his arm around Finley. She looked pleased but slightly uncomfortable.

  “You know what we should all do next weekend?” Max said. “We should all take a road trip to Las Vegas.”

  Silence sucked the air from the room, and I could feel Jude’s muscles tense beneath me. I took a furtive peek toward Finley. Her face looked tight as she stared down at her wrist and twirled her bracelets. Cole said nothing. He always seemed to deal with the problem by distancing himself and pretending it wasn’t any big deal. It was the complete opposite of how Jude dealt with it.

  Teresa popped up though and with plenty to say. “That’s not very nice, Max.”

  Max wrinkled his brow. “Why is that mean?”

  Finley crossed her arms tightly around her, and Jude released me and sat forward. “Cole, Teresa’s had too much to drink. Call her a cab. We’ve got to get up early for work.” Jude’s brave attempt at thwarting a scene failed as Teresa blathered on unabated.

  “Because Finley wouldn’t be able to go along,” Teresa said cheerily, and my stomach twisted into a knot.

  Cole finally intervened. He stood abruptly. “Come on, Teresa, I’ll drive you home myself.”

  Max looked down at Finley who was slowly shrinking in on herself. “Why can’t you go, Finley?”

  “She hates Vegas. I mean, who can blame her? The place sucks,” I said hastily. But it was another failed attempt, and Teresa, who was either completely oblivious or horribly evil, continued.

  “No, that’s not it. Don’t you know, Max? Finley is afraid to leave the house.” Teresa flopped back, drunk and completely satisfied with herself.

  Finley flew off the couch and ran out of the room. Jude raced after her and I followed.

  By the time we’d reached her room, Finley had already crawled under her quilt. She was tucked into a tight ball making her look impossibly tiny in the giant bed. Her white-blonde crown of hair peeked out from the comforter.

  Jude stretched out on the bed next to her looking weary and as if this was the last thing he needed tonight. I sat on a chair in the room in case they needed me, but with Jude, she was in the most capable hands of all.

  “Come on, Doolittle,” he said, “who gives a shit about any of those people. And if Max can’t deal with it then fuck him.”

  Her thin arm and petite hand popped up out of the quilt, and she waved him silently away.

  A faint smile crossed his face, and I realized that I was falling harder for the guy every minute. “You want me to leave, Fin Fin?”

  She put her thumb up in the air and then pulled her arm back under the quilt. Even though she was mostly hidden, the humorous gestures of her hand seemed reassuring. The adrenaline drained from my body. It seemed that she was handling the rotten end to an otherwise crappy evening with poise, and I was relieved. Jude looked equally relieved.

  He lifted the end of her quilt and slid beneath the cover. “Are you still alive under here?”

  Finley giggled. “This is a definite invasion of space.”

  I tiptoed out of the door and was thrilled to get to my room. It had been such a long evening, and it’d nearly ended in disaster. I closed the door behind me and walked to the bathroom to wash my face and get ready for bed.

  The pretty blue dressed spar
kled back at me in the mirror. It was easily the nicest dress I’d ever worn, but it had been wasted on a less than successful evening. I swept my long hair up into a ponytail and started the faucet just as a light knock sounded on my door.

  “Valley, it’s me,” Jude said quietly.

  I walked to the door and opened it. The strain of the entire evening showed on his face. He stepped inside, shut the door, and walked over to the chair. He sat down hard, slumped back, and stretched his long legs out in front of him.

  “How is she?” I asked.

  “Not sure. She seems all right but that could change at any time. I know she didn’t want Max to know anything.”

  “Honestly, the guy looked more worried about Finley than freaked out by what Teresa told him.”

  “Yeah, maybe.”

  “You sound really tired,” I said.

  “I’m beat.” He lifted his dark lashes and stared at me.

  I was acutely aware of a slight tremble in my hands and knees. No guy had ever produced this type of reaction in me, and I was starting to feel wholly vulnerable in his presence.

  “I was just going to change out of this dress.”

  He stared at me. “Leave it on.”

  “I don’t want anything to happen to—”

  He was across the room before I could finish. “I said leave it on,” his voice was deep and hoarse. His arms went around my waist and he hauled me so hard against his chest, I let out a tiny chirp. He held me tightly against him with one arm while the other hand dropped to my thigh and then slowly his fingers lifted the hem of the short dress up. With one fluid movement, he had my panties around my ankles. I felt all but naked standing in front of him in only the soft summer dress. The cool air in the room swirled around my naked legs and beneath the skirt to my bare skin. He kissed me roughly and then peered down at me.

  “All in all, this has been a shitty day. In fact, the only good thing about this whole goddamn day has been you in that dress, Valley.” He kissed my shoulder and I relaxed against him. His rough fingers dragged a tantalizing path up my bare thigh. “I need this, Eden. I need you.”