by Shauna Allen
Now, I listened as Rachel’s phone rang, impatient for her to pick up. She’d texted two hours ago that she was home and hadn’t called yet.
“Hello?”
I paused at the lack of life in my friend’s usually bright voice. “Hey. How are you?”
Something rustled in the background like she was still unpacking. “I’m okay. I guess.”
“Aw, Rach. I missed you and I’ve been worried sick. Come over so I can hug you and ply you with chocolate. And wine. Definitely chocolate and wine.”
That got a small laugh from her. “You can’t drink with me.”
“So?”
“What fun would that be? Drinking by myself?”
“Well . . . you’ve got a point there. Just chocolate then?”
“Where’s your hubby?”
I glanced at the clock. “He’s working. The shop had some kind of big restoration job come in this week so he’s been busy.” I stuffed back my automatic reservations about him working too much and circling us right back to where we’d been. He had been getting home at a decent time most nights and had called me during the day a couple times just to see how work was going and how I was feeling. It was tenuous, but it was progress.
“Working on New Year’s Eve?” I heard the accusation in her voice and fought the defensiveness. She was simply being protective.
“Yes.” I took a breath and filled her in on how he’d been trying to be better. I filled her in on every detail I’d been holding back.
“Wow,” she said. “Sounds . . . positive. I’m happy for you.”
I fingered the little mother’s pendant around my neck. “I’m trying to be happy, too.”
“Trying?”
“Yeah. It still feels a little like waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know? Like too good to be true. I’d like nothing more than to think we can overcome this bump and shred those divorce papers, but—”
“Wait! You still have those papers?”
I blinked in surprise. “Well, yeah . . .”
“It’s just, I figured you would’ve tossed them once you guys started working this stuff out. That’s gotta be a big cloud hanging over both your heads.”
“I don’t think . . . no. It’s not something we really talk about.”
“You don’t talk about it? Delilah, you filed for divorce!”
“I know. I mean, we have talked about it, but it seems overkill to keep bringing it up when he’s trying so hard. When we are. I just haven’t gotten to the point where I feel ready to forget it altogether.”
“And when will that be?” she asked, exasperation in her voice.
I shrugged even though she couldn’t see me. “I don’t know. I figured I’d just know when the time was right.”
“Huh.”
“So, tell me about your trip. Was it awful? How’s West taking everything?”
“West is . . . West. He’s doing fine,” she replied, referring to her stoic brother. “It was really nice to see him though, even if it was under these circumstances.”
“Did your mom show up?” I asked, hardly remembering her mother since her parents divorced when we were young and she was pretty scarce after that.
“No.” The hurt was clear in her voice. Even if the split was rough, why would she not be there for her kids when they needed her?
I didn’t know what else to say about that, so I quickly changed the subject. “Jewel got to town a couple days ago.”
“Really? How is she?”
I thought of the haunted, empty version of the cousin I loved so much who stared back at me that day. “Uh, she’s okay, I guess. I think she needs to talk to you about some legal stuff with that asshole she left. She’s not saying much, but I get the feeling she’s afraid of him.”
“Oh. That’s terrible. Tell her I’ll be happy to help however I can . . .” Her voice got soft and nostalgic. “Man, we had some good times when we were kids, huh? Do you remember that time we got together at your house and baked Ex-Lax brownies then tried to pawn them off on your sister when she pissed you off?”
I laughed. “Yeah. I guess it’s a good thing she didn’t eat them. I would’ve been grounded ‘til I was forty.”
“Too bad Rex wasn’t as smart,” she said with a giggle. “Poor dog.”
“Yeah, well, served him right for jumping up on the counter. He never did it again though.”
We laughed together over the memory.
When the silence returned, a thought occurred to me. “You know, you could talk to Jewel yourself tonight if you want.”
“What do you mean?”
I glanced up as Blake let himself in the house, his hands and shirt covered in grease, but still as sexy as ever as he slid me a warm, lopsided grin, making my insides clutch. “A bunch of us are going to the Funky Monkey tonight for New Year’s . . . the guys, Jewel, even Danielle and her new boyfriend. Why don’t you come?”
Blake brushed a kiss to my cheek and I inhaled the distinct scent of motor oil. He pointed toward the bathroom and mouthed ‘shower.’ I nodded and refocused on Rachel, feeling her hesitation over the line. “Come on. Just for a little while?”
“Well . . .”
“Awesome! See you there. Eight ‘o clock.” I blew her a noisy kiss and hung up before she could say no, a big smile on my face.
I jumped up and headed down the hall just as the shower hissed to life. I hunkered in the doorway and watched my sexy husband yank his clothes off and toss them on the bathroom floor—typical man, not bothering with the hamper—and step into the tub, the view of his firm ass and taut back making up for his mess.
On a whim, I yanked my clothes off and bundled my hair up on my head, sliding in behind him. I ran my hands up his waist and kissed between his shoulder blades.
“Hi,” I murmured.
“Hi, yourself,” he said, turning and wrapping me in his slick embrace.
I pressed my lips to his chest. “I missed you today.”
“You did?”
“Mmmhmm.”
His fingertips traced up each of my ribs in a sensuous caress. “Did you miss me, or . . .”
I glanced down to his hard, ready body and smirked. “Both.” Pregnancy hormones were turning out to be a bonus, making me insatiable. At least where he was concerned.
He bent and took a nipple into his hot mouth and suckled. I groaned and gripped his shoulders. He laved me with his lips and tongue, driving me mad, then drew back and bent to press one more kiss to my belly before standing. “As much as I’d love to make love in this shower, I’m starving and we have to get ready to go.”
I feigned a pout and ran a hand over his stubbly cheek. “You sure?”
“Don’t tempt me, Princess.” He shifted and finished washing then moved out of the way to let me have the warm spray.
Obviously I wasn’t going to be getting taken advantage of. Darn. I soaped up my loofah and washed my body, hoping he was regretting his decision. I peeked over my shoulder and found him watching me. Yeah, he was regretting it.
We stepped out and dried off. While I slathered on moisturizer, he yanked on some jeans, droplets of water still clinging to his cropped hair, making me want to smooth them away. “Want me to throw us together something to eat or would you rather go out?”
I let my gaze slide down to his unbuttoned jeans and the V of his abdomen. “Let’s eat here. It’ll probably be a zoo at all the restaurants.” That would also give me more time with him all to myself.
“All right. My world famous chili?”
World famous. Whatever. But I loved it. “Sure, sounds good.” I winked at him in the mirror and he offered me a grin that showcased his dimples in his still shadowed cheeks. Just like I liked him.
He pivoted and strode away, and I took the opportunity to work some magic with my makeup and hair. I was just perusing the closet when he hollered dinner was ready. I tightened the belt of my robe and padded to the kitchen where the heavenly spicy scent of his chili had my mouth watering.
>
I sat where he already had bowls dished up. “Thank you. Looks delicious.”
He smiled and sat across from me, pouring us both a Sprite. “So, who was that on the phone that you invited tonight?”
“Rachel.” I spooned up a bite and blew to cool it off before eating it.
“Oh. Is she gonna make it?”
“I think so. I kinda didn’t give her a chance to say no.” I scooped up another bite with a cracker. “I’ve really missed her. I hope she comes.”
He nodded, his face noticeably blank. I could only imagine he was remembering what it felt like to lose his mother.
“And all the guys are coming?” I asked to change the subject.
He nodded then his gaze shot up, dark and glittering with something. “Hey, guess what I forgot to tell you.”
“What?”
“I got a call from the police department. They’ve found the Spyder.”
I saw the relief in his eyes and the new freedom I saw in him tonight all made sense. “Really? Where?”
His face fell just a tad. “It was bought by undercover cops in a sting operation. They had to wait a bit to contact me until they’d sorted out all the arrests and everything.”
“Are you serious?” I asked, incredulous. Did that kind of thing really happen?
“Yes. But that’s not the worst part.”
“What worst part? Isn’t this good news?”
His eyes dipped to his bowl then met mine again. “It was good news . . . it is . . . at least until they told me who they arrested for the theft.”
I stared, knowing it had to be someone he knew for that to be bad.
“It was Trey.”
It took a moment for that to click. “Trey? The kid you hired to help out at the shop? Why on earth . . . how did he think he’d get away with stealing a car like that? He’s just a kid!” I conjured up a mental image of the guy and his baby face and the strange feeling he gave me sometimes. Guess that explained it.
“Yeah, well, he has balls, I’ll give him that. Guess that explains why he hasn’t been at work the last few days. Trace is kicking himself for suggesting I hire him in the first place. But there’s no way he could’ve known. He was just trying to help the kid out.”
“Wow.” I twisted the spoon in my hand. Did this mean Blake would be back to work as usual? “Well, I’m glad they got it back. It’s not trashed or anything, is it?”
“Nah. He’d stolen the keys from my desk so he didn’t have to break in, and he was trying to sell it off, so he’d kept it clean. I just can’t believe he didn’t think a multi-million dollar car wouldn’t get him some unwanted attention. Even on the black market. Kinda dumb, really.”
“I guess.” Though I had no idea about cars, what they went for, or what was kosher on the black market.
“At least now things at the garage can get back on track. I’m not supposed to have the car to the buyer until the middle of the month, so I’ve got time. Man, I’ve been sweating it, though.”
I paused and studied his face as he waxed poetic about cars and cash flow and the shop’s visibility like he’d been given a new lease on life. He wasn’t even looking at me, but I could practically see the wheels turning in his brain. I could imagine how he’d get sucked back into work, into the next, newer, better project. Get sucked away from me. I wanted to believe that things would be different. Believe that he wanted us to work this time, but what assurances did I have? A little extra time together since his prized car had been gone?
Suddenly, that didn’t seem like enough.
Once we finished eating, I cleaned up our dishes then moved back to the bedroom to finish dressing. Blake was already slipping on a forest green button-up that I loved because it set off his natural coloring and dark chocolate eyes so well. As I brushed by him, I noticed he smelled delicious, too. Just a hint of aftershave and all clean man. He pecked a quick kiss to my nose then spun me to the closet with a little smack on my ass. “Get dressed.”
I thoughtfully selected a form-fitting creamy wool dress and knee-high leather boots. The way his eyes flared when I walked out of the closet told me I’d chosen well. I forcefully shoved my reservations aside. Things were different now. We were going to ring in the New Year together, hopefully with the perfect kiss, and it was going to be a night to remember. I just knew it.
Blake
My wife looked fucking gorgeous. Like good enough to eat, perfect. I nearly tossed her down on the bed and ripped that white dress from her, but figured she wouldn’t appreciate me going all caveman, especially after I’d put her off a couple times tonight. Sometimes, the anticipation made it all the sweeter, and I wanted my lady dripping sugar when we made love again.
I grinned and sauntered over as she slipped in some pearl earrings. I slid my hands around her waist to cup her stomach and brushed her hair aside to press a kiss to her neck.
She inhaled and leaned into me. That secret smile she gave me in the mirror spoke a thousand shades of hope to me. We were slowly getting back to the old us and making something new as well. And now that I’d be getting the Spyder back, life was just about damn perfect.
She dropped her hands and covered mine. “Happy?”
“Fucking ecstatic, baby. You?”
She nodded, but I noticed the slight hesitation.
My brows furrowed and I caught her eyes in the mirror. “You sure?”
“Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?” She spun out of my grasp before I could gauge her expression and grabbed her little sweater jacket thing. “Ready to go?”
“Sure.”
We walked to the front door in silence and I led her to the car, wondering if I’d done something wrong.
We made it to the Funky Monkey and the parking lot was already packed. I found a spot to the left of the bar and quickly got her inside as a spitting frozen rain was just starting. We searched for a place to sit and Dee’s face split into a smile when she spotted Rachel already sitting with Danielle and some preppy guy in a pink polo.
“They’re here!” She dashed over and collected her friend into a hug then her sister. At the next table, Micah, Jesse and Trace huddled over beers, Trace’s gaze locked on the little waitress sauntering away, her hips swaying that sweet way women had when they had sex appeal and just didn’t know it.
I pounded the table with my fist, making him startle. “Happy New Year, punks.”
Trace grinned. “Hey, dude. Didn’t see you guys come in.”
I indicated the waitress with a tip of my head. “No. I guess not.”
He ignored me and I greeted Jesse and Micah with quick nods and I yanked a stool from Rachel’s table as she, Dee, and Danielle had their heads together discussing mysterious girly stuff, the poor dude just sipping his beer uncomfortably. I thought about inviting him over to our table, but the pink polo was just too much. He could suffer with the chicks.
“That’s some crazy shit with the Spyder, huh?” Jesse said before tipping his drink to his lips for a long pull.
Hell, yeah, it was. We talked cars and plans for the Porsche and shop for a few minutes before a familiar face caught my attention. The blonde was cowering by the bar, her eyes wide as she obviously felt out of place.
I stretched around and caressed Dee’s back. “Hey. I think Jewel’s here.”
Her head spun toward me. “Where?”
“At the bar. She looks a little lost, too, babe.”
She popped up and made her way over as Danielle turned back to her guy and puckered a kiss to his cheek. Rachel offered me a tentative smile before her gaze drifted to Jesse then quickly away.
Delilah came back with her cousin in tow. “Guys, this is my cousin, Jewel. Cuz, these are the guys.” She pasted on a broad grin despite her cousin’s obvious shyness and introduced everyone individually. Jewel smiled politely from her spot at Dee’s side and made the appropriate replies, but said little else. From what Dee had told me about why she was back in town, I guess I could see why. She gave Micah a second look l
ike maybe she recognized him, but then glanced away quickly as Rachel called her over and they hugged like old friends.
I turned back as the girls began to chatter away and ordered my own beer from the cute waitress Trace had been ogling and a virgin Piña Colada for Delilah. Glancing askance at Jewel, she ordered water with lemon.
“You sure you don’t want some wine or a mixed drink?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No. Thanks.”
Music cranked around us, the bass thumping through my chest. Partiers sparkled in shiny dresses or rhinestoned jeans and big belt buckles. Chatter was endless, as was the clinking of glasses and bottles and the mixture of perfume, liquor and puffs of cigarette smoke drifting in from outside.
At the corner pool table, just a few feet from us, Joel Mackie slammed the balls with his cue as if angry once he spied Jesse. Why couldn’t that shithead just leave town? I glanced at my friend, but Jesse seemed oblivious. Then I overheard Joel murmur something about ‘pussy ass felons’ and I saw Jesse flinch. Maybe not oblivious, but playing it smart. That punk was not worth a parole violation.
I shot him a warning glare and that seemed to pipe him down as he turned his attention back to the game.
A gaggle of women showing lots of cleavage passed us, openly eyeing our table like we were slabs of meat on display. This was definitely not turning out to be the night I wanted with my lady. I finished off my last swig of beer and spun to face the girls. They were still chatting, but Delilah glanced over at me.
I tipped my head toward the dance floor. “Dance with me, baby?”
She shot a quick look to the other women then nodded and stood. Her hand was warm in mine as I led her to the dance floor and a new, slower song came on. I collected her into my arms, thankful this wasn’t like the last time we’d seen each other here. She swayed against me and relaxed into my chest, her arms wound around my neck. I bent my head to inhale at her neck and shifted slightly to kiss her jaw.