“Oh hey, Jo. I’d like you to meet my friend, Diem. Diem this is Jo. See ya.”
I don’t know what came over me, but I was suddenly extremely nervous. It was weird, because I’d never been nervous around Diem before now. I shoved one hand in my pocket, and pushed my other back through my hair so I wouldn’t fidget too much. “How, ah…how ya been?”
“I’ve been okay.”
Man, that voice. “That’s good. Can I get you somethin’ to drink?”
“Sure.”
We started walkin’ over to the bar, and I accidentally put my hand on her lower back. I quickly pulled it back, and looked at her apologetically. “Sorry, old habits.”
“It’s quite alright, Jo.”
“You look good, D. You’re hair got longer.” Seriously, who says that?
“Yeah, I’m letting it grow back a bit. You look good too.”
I waved over the bartender, and ordered her drink without even askin’ if that was still what she drank. “Sorry, I guess I shouldn’t assume that’s still your poison.”
“It’s okay. It still is. Jo?”
Her hand fell to my arm, and I flinched a bit, “Yeah?”
“Just relax. I won’t bite, well unless you ask me to.” She started to laugh and I finally felt normal around her. There was somethin’ about that laugh.
“So…I see you know Kayla already. I’d love to introduce you to everyone else. They’re all here because of-“
“The draft?”
“Yeah, how did you…did you watch?” My stomach started to turn in anticipation of her answer.
“Of course I did, Jo. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
I was shocked. “I honestly thought you wouldn’t watch it. I looked into the camera, hoping you were watching.” I was suddenly embarrassed by my admission of my feelings. “Sorry, I’m probably makin’ you super uncomfortable.”
“Jo, stop worrying so much. Let’s go hang out with your family.”
She looped her arm through mine and grabbed her drink as we made our way over to the table of my cohorts. “Everybody, this is Diem. Diem, this is Kayla, Madison, Glenda, I’ll explain later, and this is Cami. I think that’s everyone.” I pulled out a chair for Diem to sit, and Kayla and Cami immediately came over to chat her up. I had to admit I was a bit jealous, but I decided to go hang with the guys instead of bein’ a girl about the whole thing.
“They don’t waste any time, do they?”
“Uh, no. Have you ever met those two?”
“Oh, Madison gots jokes. Does he?” I laughed.
“I do, Jo. And don’t you forget it.”
“Ah, whatever. I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with you two sissy’s anymore.” I pretended to wave them off as I finished my pint of beer. “So when do you guys go back overseas?”
“Got a show in two weeks in Ireland.”
“Man, what a life.” I propped my feet up on the chair next to Glenn, and he just started laughin’.
“You realize you just went pro, right? In the NFL. You just landed your dream job, and you think we have it made?”
“Well yeah, not only do y’all have your dream job, but you have your dream girls too.” I pointed at Cami and Kayla chattin’ up my dream girl.
“Jo, you know you can have her too. All you gotta do is finish this shit up with Tanya.”
“Don’t you think I know that, Glenn? But she won’t give up what the detective needs.” I could hear myself shoutin’, but my brain didn’t realize it until Madison threw his hand over my mouth.
“Dude, you gotta keep that shit under wraps. You’re gonna get your ass into trouble before it’s even saved.” Madison was right. I had to watch my tongue.
I shook my head that Madison was always right. Stupid asshole, man I wish I could actually hate him. I glanced over at the girls, smilin’ that they were all gettin’ along so well. I couldn’t help hopin’ that one day this was how it would be all the time. I was about to go over and talk to Diem, but she stood up and made her way back towards the bathrooms so I sat there and continued to bullshit with the guys. We were in the middle of a riveting conversation about absolutely nothin’ when Kayla came over, mad as hell.
“Y’all are not gonna believe this shit.” She threw a cell phone down on the table, and I was completely confused.
“KJ, why am I lookin’ at some old guy on a cell phone?”
“That’s my fucking dad.” She pointed at the phone angrily.
Madison was instantly out of his chair and at KJ’s side, and Glenn and I were still completely lost, starin’ at each other like idiots. “Kayla, sorry for bein’ so dumb, but why is a picture of your dad such a big deal?”
“BECAUSE IT IS ON DIEM’S PHONE!”
“Glenn and I looked at each other in horror. Shit was about to hit the fan. “KJ, just take a breather, hun. Let her explain at least.”
“Oh, she better explain alright, especially given the fact that it says DAD when his picture shows up.”
That was new info.
Just then Diem came walkin’ back from the bathroom, completely oblivious to what had been goin’ on. I ran up to her before KJ could get to her, but I was just a few seconds too late. Luckily Madison had a hold of Kayla.
“HOW DO YOU KNOW MY FATHER?”
“Kayla, babe, calm down and give her a second to think.” Madison always handled KJ with kid gloves.
“HOW?”
It was time for me to intervene. “KJ, settle your ass down, and sit down. We are all adults here, so let’s act like it.”
“Look at Jo bein’ all adult like and shit.”
“Shut up, Glenn.” I pointed right at him, and then turned my attention back onto Kayla. “SIT!” Her and Madison both took a seat as I reached for Diem to come sit by me. “Now KJ, try askin’ her calmly.”
“She doesn’t have to, Jo. I got it the first time. I’m not quite sure what’s going on, but that man on my phone is in fact my dad. Why is this such an issue?”
“That’s my dad.” Kayla sat there with tears streamin’ down her face, pointin’ at the phone that still sat on the table.
“Kayla, I honestly had no idea.” I knew Diem was tellin’ the truth, and I knew deep down, Kayla did too.
“Maybe the two of you should talk this out without all of us interfering.” I placed a chaste kiss to Diem’s full pouty lips, ad when I pulled back, I smiled my first genuinely happy smile in months. “I’ll be right here when y’all are done talkin’.”
Chapter 23
Diem
“Kayla, I want you to know that I never knew about you. If I did, I would’ve reached out to you, I swear it.” I felt so badly for her in this moment, and as much as I wanted to hug her, I stopped myself from doing so.
“I know it’s not your fault, Diem. That’s who my dad, our dad, is or was, I’m not sure how to put it. He left when I was five for good, but he was always out of town before that. Honestly, I never saw him. We used to have weekly chats, but those slowly stopped too. I’m gonna guess right around the time you were born. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that offensively towards you. It’s not your fault. I just have all this pent up anger because he left me with an asshole of a mother while he ran off and made a new family. I bet him and your mom are real proud of you?”
“My mom died quite a bit ago.”
“Oh god, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“No, no, I know. It’s fine. I have to say that I always wondered where he went for so long.”
“Well it wasn’t to my house, if that’s what you think.”
“Seriously? Maybe he really was on work trips. Crazy.”
“So I have to ask, and if you don’t want to answer, I’ll totally understand. How is your relationship with him?”
I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell her. Just looking at her I could tell that she was one happy story away from losing it, and I didn’t want to be responsible for that. That and everyone here would kill me. “It is what it is.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
I glanced over at Joey and gave him the look to come save me, and just like in the better days, he did just that. “Hey, KJ do you mind if I ask Diem to dance?”
“Yeah, I wanna get out of here anyway. Diem, is it okay if maybe we talk again?”
“Sure, Kayla. You have my number.” Joey took me by the hand and led me out onto the small dance floor in the middle of the bar. Luckily it was a slow song, or I would have had to change my mind. “Thanks for saving me, Jo.”
“Any time, love, any time.” Joey spun me around and then pulled me close, leaving his hand on my lower back, causing the butterflies that I haven’t felt in so long to return. “I’ve missed you so much, D.”
His head was next to mine, and his breath felt warm against my skin. “I missed you too, Jo.”
Our faces were slowly starting to turn towards one another’s when Glenn came rushing over to us, completely freaked out.
“Um, bro, I’m pretty sure you’re going to wanna back away from Diem right about…now.”
“JOEY FUCKING GREEN! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?”
Of course his wife had to show up. “Jo, I’m just going to go.”
“No, please don’t Diem. Just let me deal with her real quick.”
“Jo, I can’t deal with this right now. Not after what Kayla and I just went through, and you shouldn’t be dealing with this either. You have a career to think about now. I’ll talk to you soon, love.”
I didn’t want to leave the sad bloke, but I also couldn’t handle another dose of Tanya. I think I had about enough crazy for today. I made my way back over to the table just as Glenn did, and I quickly pulled him aside to have a quick word with him. “Glenn, please make sure she doesn’t ruin his career before it starts. He deserves better.”
“He deserves you, Diem. I promise I’ll make this right for the both of you.”
I smiled a gentle yet sad smile at the group and waved goodbye. I knew if I didn’t leave now, then I would never leave. As much as I wanted to be with Joey, it was going to have to be the right time. Regardless, I had quite the conversation that I needed to have with my father, and now was the perfect time.
“Stay away from my husband, tramp.” Her words cut through me like a knife, and the look she gave me as I left simply twisted the dagger in my back.
I shook my head as I left the bar and made my way out to my car. As much as I wanted to run away from all of this rubbish, I wasn’t about to leave Joey again…not this time. I was almost home when my phone began ringing again. This was the fourth time it had rang since I started headed home, and every time I looked at the screen, I saw my dad’s smug face. I thought I was ready to hash it all out with him, but I wasn’t. My heart just wasn’t in it right now.
When I pulled up to the house, I saw that all of the lights were off, and I really wasn’t in the mood to be home alone. Of course the only people I knew were at bars, or hanging out with their boyfriends, so it was starting to look like alone was my only option. Why Troy had to go out and get herself a boyfriend right now, I wasn’t sure, but it was quite an inconvenient time for me.
I was just about to walk inside when my phone started blaring the hideous ringtone I made for when Joey called. Even though we hadn’t spoken in forever, I still wanted to be prepared for when he did call. I quickly searched through my purse to find the damn ringing, and slide the flashing bar across the screen.
“Jo, are you sure you should be calling me right now?”
“Look Tanya, I’m not sure what you want me to do, it’s not like I can just cut her out of my life. She’s friends with my family now.”
“Joey? Joey are you there?” I wasn’t sure, but I was almost certain he had sat on his phone and accidentally called me.
“Jo, I swear if you push me any further, I will take her out just like I did that crazy ass Keets. You hear me?”
Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! Why was he calling me? What was I supposed to do with what he was saying? Oh crap! “Hold on Jo, I’ll figure something out.” I double tapped that stupid button at the bottom of the phone, and hit the recording button on the memo thing. Fingers crossed this worked.
Chapter 24
Joey
Man I really hope Diem figured out how to record this shit just in case the stupid detectives runnin’ this shit muck it all up. There was no way I was losin’ my NFL contract or my girl. Not this time. “Tanya, you told me that you shot him in self-defense. What the hell?”
“Jo, honestly it was none of your damn business. And who the hell cares if I shot him out of self-defense? He was a piece of shit, no good cocksucker who liked to slap women around. I did the world a favor.”
“That doesn’t mean you get to shoot him, Tanya. That’s not how it works. You can’t just go around shootin’ people you think are bad.” I still couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This girl was bat shit crazy, and I was married to her. “Tanya, you have to leave Diem alone, I’m serious. If anything happens to her or anyone else, I’ll make sure you pay for it.”
Tanya was pacin’ back and forth as I laid into her, and for whatever reason, she kept starin’ at her purse on the counter, and I was gettin’ worried that maybe she was recordin’ her own thing. For what, I have no idea. I kept watchin’ her, but what she did next, I never could’ve seen. She reached into her bag, and when her hand came back out, it was holdin’ somethin’ awfully shiny, and she was pointin’ it right at me.
“Shit, Tanya. What the hell are you doin’? I held my hands up nice and high so she didn’t even think of pullin’ the trigger.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doin’, Jo.”
“Tanya, I have no idea what you’re talkin’ about. Just put the gun down, and let’s figure this out.” She moved closer to me, and I was silently prayin’ that Diem was doin’ somethin’ to save my ass.
“Jo, I’m sorry. I really am.” Tears began streamin’ down her face, and I wasn’t quite sure where this was all going, but I had a feelin’ it wasn’t goin’ anywhere good.
“Tanya, just put the gun down. Please, baby.”
The next thing I remember is the gun goin’ off, and me, hittin’ the floor.
“Oh shit! Jo, Joey?”
I could hear Tanya’s voice waiving in and out, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open long enough to understand what she was tryin’ to say. All I know is that crazy bitch shot me. She fuckin’ shot me. I swear if I fuckin’ die, I will haunt her ass so bad, she will be wishin’ I was the one who shot her. My eyes fluttered open for a brief second as I heard a loud crashing sound.
“FREEZE! GET YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!”
Finally. I thought to myself. That only took way too long. I felt someone moving my head towards them, and I tried to open my eyes again.
“Joey. We’re gonna get you to a hospital, son. Hang in there.”
“Bout time.” I sputtered, and I could taste the copper taste of blood in my mouth. After that, nothin’.
Epilogue
Joey
I walked up to the glass partition that separated her crazy ass from mine, with a smile as wide as the Grand Canyon as I clutched onto Diem’s hand. I could tell by the look on her face that she was ready to rip through that partition and try and take both of us out this time.
“Hey jailbird.” I laughed. “How goes prison life?”
“How dare you bring her in here with you, flauntin’ your relationship in front of your wife.”
“Oh yeah, speakin’ of that.” I lifted up our divorce papers and pressed them firmly against the glass so she could see. “See that signature right there?” I pointed to hers. “That mean we’re divorced, and you’re entitled to exactly none of what I make playin’ ball. How does that taste goin’ down?”
“I never signed those.” She sat back with her arms folded across her chest.
“Sure ya did, right after you were arrested for shootin’ me.”
“Oh I barely
grazed ya.” She laughed.
“You shot my in my shoulder, and the bullet got lodged, you nutbag. Good news for me, you shot the wrong shoulder. I always knew you were a special kind of stupid.”
She leaned forward, pressin’ her hand against the glass. “Jo, I never meant to hurt you, promise. Please don’t leave me.”
“Sorry, Tanya, but I’m so beyond done with you. I was done about the minute after we got married. I hope you have a great life.” Diem and I stood to start walkin’ away when Tanya started hittin’ the glass.
“Remember that conversation you overheard a while back? Yeah, I know you know what I’m talkin’ about. Tell Cami I’ll be comin’ for her man. The plan’s already set in motion. She better watch her back.”
This Obsession of Mine (Raine Series #5) Page 14