by Ali Vali
“I wasn’t totally up-front about some stuff. Are you free?”
“I will be in about thirty minutes. The nurse is reviewing some stuff the doctor wanted.” The way Monique was now clipping words meant she was pissed. “I’ll meet you at the Mediterranean place down the block from you.”
“Thanks.” What she’d said was wrong, but being played was in no way a forgivable offense either. I need to learn to be pissed in silence.
She sat and ordered a Lebanese tea while she waited and rehearsed exactly what she was going to say. Her main problem was the look on Tucker’s face as those elevator doors were sliding shut. If there was a way to cut her to the core, it seemed like Willow had found it with a big cherry on top. The sprinkle on this fuckup sundae was going to be the lecture she knew was coming from Monique.
“Hey,” she said when Monique walked in. “I know you’re mad, but there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for what happened.”
“I’m not staying, so I hope you didn’t order anything for me,” Monique said, holding her purse like a protective shield in front of her. “You can’t keep attacking my choices without it eventually damaging our relationship. I get it. You hate Jim Bob, you hate that we have Grady together, and you hate that I’m some idiot who’s nothing more than a notch in Jim Bob’s bedpost.”
“That’s not it at all.”
“Let me finish, please.” Monique held her hand up, and the way she was talking and acting was new. They’d had arguments before, but always about stupid shit. “What you did today doesn’t in any way resemble the woman I know and love, and it’s up to you to fix it. Forget about me and Jim Bob, forget about how much you hate and disapprove about the whole situation, and start thinking about your future.”
She leaned in and tried to touch Monique but she moved away from her. “What are you talking about? Don’t you want to hear why I said it?”
“I’m talking about your job, Willow. Jim Bob and Tucker Delacroix are more than simply my future family, they’re joint owners of Delacroix Oil. If you’ve forgotten, that’s the company you’re getting ready to partner with in the massive project I’ve heard everything about for the last year.” Monique spoke to her like she was trying to get a dimwitted dog to give her its paw. “One call to Jonathan Mann and you’ll be standing in the unemployment line wondering what the hell happened. Will losing everything you’ve worked for be worth the satisfaction of telling Tucker to drop dead?”
“No, but—”
“I don’t want to hear it. Fix it, and I’m staying out of it. The good thing here is that I haven’t heard from Jim Bob, which means Tucker might be slightly more mature than you.”
“But—” she started but Monique stood and walked out without a backward glance. “Fuck me and my big mouth.” She disagreed with Monique but she was partly right. What she’d said had crossed the line of polite human behavior, but she knew that Tucker had played her, and that was hard to overlook without the use of the word fuck, liberally and with plenty of emphasis. Sighing and pushing away the feeling of righteous anger, she picked up her phone.
“Tucker Delacroix’s office,” a woman said, sounding like her nose was pinched shut.
“I’d like to speak to Tucker, please. This is Willow Vernon with Suntrust.”
“Ms. Delacroix is out at lunch, but I’ll take a message for her.”
“Can you tell me where?” She crossed her fingers, hoping she could fix this before heading back to her office where she could worry herself into a killer-bees-attacking-the-city kind of frenzy.
“I could, but I’d also like to keep my job, so it’s the message or nothing.”
Would it be too soon to start with that fuck thing? “Thank you, and can you tell her it’s rather urgent,” she said and left her cell number. All she could do was wait.
* * *
“What’s wrong?” Syd asked as they walked to the Petroleum Club across the street from their building.
“One of the Suntrust people cursed me with a death wish.” Tucker smiled a little when Syd placed her hand in the bend of her elbow.
“Wow, I’ve heard of tough contract negotiations, but that’s harsh. Did they bring a doll and stick pins in it?” Syd combed her hair back, trying to keep it out of her face in the stiff wind.
“She probably had one in her purse since I think my brain went numb at some point trying to understand what the hell was going on.”
Syd laughed and moved her hand to slap her on the ass. “She? Now we’re getting somewhere. Who was this sorceress who wants you dead?”
“She’s the engineer Mann put in charge of the project.”
“Spill. I know there’s more to it.” Syd tugged her along when the light changed and moved closer to her. “Just because I won’t sleep with you doesn’t mean I don’t realize how devastatingly good-looking you are, so either you slept with her or you didn’t.”
“Maybe I should find a priest to confess to instead of you. It might be less humiliating, and it’ll lower my chances of being blackmailed when you need a new car or something.” She opened the door for Syd and was glad they were the only ones in the elevator to the thirtieth floor. “I slept with her.” It didn’t take long to arrive at the private restaurant, but the story of her and Willow wasn’t that long either.
“If you ask me, you dodged a bullet. The woman sounds nuts.”
“I don’t know, Syd, she was pretty adamant as she said that. There has to be something to it, don’t you think? And why include Jim Bob?” They looked at each other when they were seated by one of the windows on the river side of the place, and Tucker suspected her face reflected Syd’s wide-eyed dawning recognition. “You don’t think…? I mean, I didn’t ask if she dated men too…”
“You guys share everything, but let’s not go there. I’d rather not get sick to my stomach before we eat.”
“Can I get you anything to drink?” the waiter asked.
“You want to splurge a little?” Tucker asked Syd.
“A bottle of pinot, your best, since my sexy beast of a boss is paying,” Syd said and both Tucker and the waiter laughed.
“You’re going to get in trouble one day calling me that,” Tucker said, answering her cell. The office. “Hey,” she said.
“Sorry to bother you, Tucker, but a Willow Vernon called and said it was rather urgent she talk to you. I didn’t want to wait on the off chance it really is someone you’d like to talk to.”
“I’d rather have my fingers ripped off by a rabid monkey.”
“That’s rather descriptive.”
“Do me a favor and call her back. Tell her I did her a favor and dropped dead. To her at least, so she doesn’t need to call back.” Why she cared to respond at all was beyond her, but Willow had cut deep enough for her to want to hurt her back. That alone was enough to confuse her. Why the hell did she care? But Willow had seemed so special…until she wasn’t.
* * *
“Can you meet me at the house tonight? I want to get the rest of my clothes, and the guy the attorney hired is coming.” Jim Bob had left for Houston that morning and was on his way to the private airstrip to hop on their plane back. “I’m giving Ivy a year to move out, but we need an inventory of the pieces that belong to the house. If any of them walk, she’ll forfeit the alimony payments.”
“Why the hell would I subject myself to your divorce drama?” Tucker asked.
“Because you love me, and you’re in the mood for a good steak with your old brother. We have plenty to talk about, and I miss you.”
“Yeah, it’s been a whole day since I’ve seen you,” she teased. Their living arrangement was going well, but they’d been so busy they actually hadn’t seen each other all that much.
He dropped his briefcase on the seat next to him and nodded when the copilot held up the liquor bottle. “I had coffee with you this morning, so don’t exaggerate.”
“I was kidding. I miss you too, and only seeing you for a few minutes at a time lately has
n’t been enough. We really do have plenty to talk about.”
“Thanks for covering for me at work, and I want you to know how proud of you I am.” He smiled at the guy who handed him the drink. “I also love you, and I’m so thankful you’re my best friend. The day Mom told me you were coming, I had mixed feelings, but I fell in love with you the first time I saw you.”
“Thanks, buddy. I feel the same way about you. You’ve made my life fun, and you’ve been a great big brother.”
“I cherish every memory.” His eyes watered, so he put his drink down to rub the emotions way.
“Are you feeling okay? Not that I mind, but you seldom sound like a Hallmark greeting card.”
“It’s all this crap I’ve got to go through to get to where I’m going and want to be.” He took a deep breath and shook his head. “I also don’t want to miss an opportunity to tell you how I feel. You deserve it for always having been there for me. Maybe that’s the mistake I made with my family.”
“Eventually, you’re going to have to accept that not everything is your fault. You’re a perfect big brother and I’m lucky to have you.”
“I’m the lucky one, Tuck. Promise me you’ll try to live life to be happy. Don’t settle,” he said, wishing someone had told him that years before. “That’s what you deserve. Hey, I also want to talk to you about something important.”
“That’s what we all deserve, old man. Now come home, so we can get your stuff and go to dinner. We’ll talk about whatever, and I’ll tell you what happened to me today.”
“I’ll call you when I get there.” He drained his glass and smiled. “Love you, Tuck.”
“Love you too, and thanks for everything you said. It means a lot.”
“I meant every word, and I’m going to remind you what you mean to me often. Think of it as the new me.”
Tucker laughed. “I happened to think the old you is pretty awesome, so don’t get nuts on me.”
“You really think so?” The memory of a twelve-year-old Tucker catching her first swordfish popped into his head. He thought she was the only person in his life who loved him, warts and all, and he really did cherish every single memory they’d made together.
“You might be older, Jimbo, but you’ve made my life fun. When it came to families, I lucked out, especially in the sibling department.”
“I’m glad you think so, and let’s stop before we get any sappier.”
“Fly safe.”
The flight took an hour, and having a company plane meant it was a twenty-foot walk to his car. He did want to get the rest of his stuff, but he wanted to stop and see Monique before he had to face Ivy. Monique hadn’t been feeling well, and he wanted to check on her before the delightful Willow got home. For not knowing much about him, the woman hated his guts, but he could see her side of things. Monique hadn’t talked about her sister much, but their few meetings had left a definite impression.
“Thanks, guys,” he said when they landed. The drive to Monique’s felt like the beginning of a whole new life. Whatever time he’d wasted on forced obligations was over, and he’d strive to live up to the ones of his choosing. Life was way too short to be burning in hell all the time.
“Welcome home, baby,” Monique said when she met him at the door, holding Grady.
“It’s good to be back, and I have good news.” He took the baby and kissed his cheeks. “Hey, little man.” Grady kicked his legs, and he wanted to weep from how cute this kid was.
“Come into the kitchen,” Monique said after he kissed her. “I was starting dinner.”
“None for me, darlin’. I’m meeting Tucker later. She’s agreed to meet me at the house to help me finish moving my stuff out.” He sat and held Grady against his shoulder. “My attorney said I can fast-track my divorce. Six months instead of a year means Grady won’t grow up thinking I’m a total bastard.”
“Grady is never going to think that, so don’t ever say it again.” Monique sounded so adamant it brightened his mood.
“I don’t want him growing up thinking I wasn’t a stand-up guy.”
“I want you to listen to me, okay?” Monique took the pot off the burner so she could frame his face with her hands. “You don’t like talking about it, but Ivy’s drinking has a lot to do with your family’s dynamic. It’s not your fault, and it won’t be like that with Grady.”
“I love you, and I can’t wait to marry you. Thank you again for saying yes.”
“I feel the same way.” Monique took the baby, placed him on his activity blanket on the floor, and stepped between Jim Bob’s legs. “I love you, and I can’t wait for the day you’re staying permanently.”
“It won’t be long now, but let me get going before Tucker ends up over there alone.” Jim Bob kissed Monique slowly, enjoying the feel of her. If he had the power to advance time, he would pay to do it, but now they had an end date to all this, and that was something. “You make it hard to go in more ways than one.”
Monique laughed when she pressed harder into his groin. “Remember not to fall for any bait anyone throws out, and call me later,” Monique said, easing up.
“Are you feeling better? I can put this off until tomorrow.” He was an idiot for forgetting to ask before now. Monique had called him and shared what the doctor had said, and he was starting to worry about her erratic numbers.
“I’m fine. Get this over with, but don’t forget to call or I’ll worry.”
“There’s no way I’ll ever forget.” He closed his eyes when she hugged him as if they wouldn’t see each other for a while. “Do you think Tucker will be really pissed that I didn’t tell her about you and Grady? I know you didn’t want me to, but I think I should have.”
“I want to meet your family when I don’t have to hide what you mean to me, and I may have never met her, but from your stories, she loves you. When you love someone, forgiveness is part of the package.”
“I hope you’re right, but let’s plan on dinner this weekend, and she can meet you and Grady.”
“I can’t wait.”
Chapter Six
Tucker’s console flashed with a call from Jim Bob’s house phone, and she answered hands-free. “Hey, old man. I’m almost at the house.”
“Tucker!” Ivy’s voice came over the line, her tone unusually panicked.
One word was all it took for Tucker to realize Ivy was smashed. “What’s wrong?” She pulled over to let the fire department vehicle and ambulance go by.
“It’s Jim Bob. Oh my God, Tucker, it’s Jim Bob.”
The emergency vehicles heading in the same direction she was going suddenly made her nauseous. There was no way they could be for her brother unless Ivy had done something to him. “What about Jim Bob?” Her voice barely got over a whisper.
“I found him in the bathroom,” Ivy said, sobbing. “I thought he was packing. I swear. He’s completely blue so I called 9-1-1.”
“I’m here.” She hung up and parked on the street so as not to block the ambulance. The run up the stairs felt like it took an eternity, and everything she knew seem to crash around her when she saw Jim Bob’s lifeless body on the floor.
The medics had ripped his shirt off and were pumping his chest as another guy prepared the defibrillator. She gripped the door frame when his body arched when they applied the paddles. Why the fuck was this happening now? Now that he was trying to reclaim his life and find something or someone to be happy about.
“We have a pulse,” the guy closest to Jim Bob’s head said. “Load him up and call ahead.”
“Don’t you dare give up,” Tucker yelled at him from the doorway. She moved as they rolled the stretcher in and lifted Jim Bob on to it. “You’re going to be fine, Jim Bob, so you fight like hell.”
“Do you want to ride with him?” the only woman on the crew asked. “We’re headed to Tulane if you want to tell the rest of the family.”
“Yes, I do. Ivy, call Bubba and Tara, and have them come pick you up. They’re bringing him to Tulane. Are yo
u going to remember all that?”
Ivy sat rocking on the bed, still in her nightgown, with an insulated cup her hand. “It’s not my fault,” she said loudly. “Not my fault.”
“Let’s go,” the medic said.
Tucker didn’t have time to deal with Ivy, so she followed the medics down to the ambulance and climbed in to sit where the woman told her. For now Jim Bob’s heart seemed to be pumping and he was breathing, but he wasn’t responsive. What the hell had happened between the time she talked to him on the phone and now? The only thing she was grateful for was the actual conversation they’d had earlier.
“What do you think?” Tucker asked the female medic.
“Miracles happen every day, so you need to pray.”
The answer filled her with the kind of dread she’d never experienced, and she couldn’t begin to figure out how she was going to tell her parents. “You don’t know him. He’s a fighter, and he’s been blessed by the angels, as my mother likes to say.”
“He sounds like a character. That’s what I say about my son, but only because he’s a handful.”
She smiled even though her vision had dimmed because of the tears about to fall. “Remember, brother,” she said, taking Jim Bob’s hand, “I need you, and there’s so many more fishing trips to take.”
They arrived at the emergency room sooner than she expected, and they pointed her to the waiting room. It was crowded but she didn’t recognize anyone. The rest of the family should be on their way, but she couldn’t be sure Ivy had relayed the message. She sat and tried her best to get her emotions under control as she made the call to her parents.
“Hey, kiddo,” her father said cheerfully. If anyone in the world had enjoyed retirement more than Barton Delacroix, Tucker hadn’t met them yet.
“Dad, is Mom with you?” The screaming kids around her made her want to peel her skin off, so she tried her best to tune them out.
“She’s out at a garden club meeting, which means I’m stuffing myself with as much bacon and bourbon as I can manage before she gets home.” The rattle of paper made it easy to picture him with his newspaper and his afternoon cocktail. “Can I do something for you?”