by Nina Bruhns
After he came to grips with the fact that Jesse and Emilio had left early, he paid his respects to Mayor Simpson and his wife. He blamed a houseful of pre-teen girls for his early departure. He tried to shut out the images of Jesse and Emilio together refusing to imagine anything but a professional relationship. But damn, where the hell was she? And why hadn’t she bothered to say good-bye? By the time he got home he was frankly pissed. At Nita, at himself and especially, at Jesse.
Slipping away from the crowd of exuberant nine year old girls, Dameon went to his library to call Jesse. He didn’t want to be interrupted. Listening to the dial tone, he realized he hadn’t considered what he would do if she didn’t answer. Drive around town looking for her? Hunt her down like a lost cat or puppy dog? When she answered, his relief turned to anger.
“Jesse?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
Her scornful words contorted with sarcasm. “Gosh, I don’t know. In a car accident? Down the side of a cliff? Fucking my client? Where the hell do you think I am?”
A dead silence followed her flippant retort.
Dameon took a deep breath shuttering his anger.
“Jesse. What. Is. Wrong?”
He heard the catch in her voice that sounded suspiciously like a sob.
“Dameon… please. I don’t want to talk. Please, leave me alone… I can’t….”
Hearing the resignation in her voice, he broke in. He had to keep her on the line.
“Uh uh, Jesse! Don’t hang up! You hung up on me once today and that was one time too many.”
Silence met his command. Shoving his anger aside, he aimed to be conciliatory.
“Listen, Jesse, I’ve got four pre-teen girls here. I don’t know how much you remember about slumber parties at this age--”
“I don’t remember anything. I never had slumber parties at any age. Or friends when I was 14 or 13 or ten.”
He shook his head, not knowing how to respond to the image of her bleak childhood.
“Okay. Well, I will tell you. They are... well... extremely high-maintenance. One thing I can’t do is to leave. But I want to talk to you. I need to talk to you. Will you at least talk to me on the telephone?”
“I told you, Dameon. I can’t. I… I’m tired. I want to go to bed.”
He drew in a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh.
“Okay. My housekeeper will be back at six in the morning. She’ll be with the girls. She’s promised them her special pancakes. She makes faces with blueberries and bananas.”
“I’m sorry. I’m running in the morning, early.”
“Good. Where are you running?”
“At the park.”
“Which park?”
“Dameon, please--”
“No. No, Jesse. Which. Park.”
Her voice was resigned. “Where you practice with Trey.”
“Good. I’ll see you at 6:30 tomorrow morning.”
The buzz of the phone was his answer.
* * *
The next morning Dameon got to the park at 6:30. Jesse’s car was in the lot, but she was nowhere in sight. He stared at the empty running trail in disbelief. After the sleepless night he’d had worrying about her, he acknowledged the anger swirling over him was closer to fury. He considered driving around looking for her but knowing how far she ran, the chances of finding her was nil. He decided his best bet was to wait at her car. In his time honored practice of dealing with stress, he hit the ground in a fierce 45 minute plyometric drill worthy of the master CQC trainer he’d been at Fort Benning. When every muscle was burning, he grabbed a basketball out of his trunk and began shooting around. When he spotted Jesse coming down the trail he finished his circular drill then sauntered back to the bench at the side of the field next to the parking lot.
As usual Jesse wore no makeup and her hair was pulled up in a ponytail. The purple circles under her eyes confirmed that her night was as devoid of sleep as his had been.
Sinking down on the bench, he draped his arms over the top of the bench and gave her a thoughtful once over.
“I thought we were going to meet at 6:30.”
She lifted her chin and her lips tightened.
“I didn’t agree to that. You ordered me to be here at 6:30. I’d planned to begin at 5:30. You never bothered to ask me. Chief.”
Dameon struggled to keep his voice calm. He held her gaze for a long moment then pointed to the empty place next to him.
“Jesse, sit down. Right here. Beside me. Please. Because we’re not going anywhere until we figure out what the hell is going on.”
She hesitated, then sat down. Seconds later her fierce expression crumbled into anguish. Dameon reached out and took her hand, stricken by the pain on her face.
“Honey, what’s wrong? What happened last night?”
She hesitated then floodgates that had been nailed shut for far too long opened and her words poured out.
“Dameon, you don’t understand. I can’t do this. I can’t be with you. I can’t care about you.”
Lurching to her feet she began pacing in front of him. Her voice was thick with suppressed tears. Misery clouded her expression.
“I don’t know if I can do any of this. I don’t know if I can run this business. I don’t know if I can continue like I have for the last ten years. Dressing up like a whore-when I’m not. It gets under the skin. I don’t know if I can do it.” Her voice broke and she covered her face with her hands. She choked on a sob. “I really don’t know if I can….”
Dameon reached for her and pulled her down beside him. He started to protest, but her pained torrent was unstoppable.
“And I don’t know what is going to happen with Trey. You don’t understand, Dameon. You have no idea. Garrett is intent on getting full custody of Trey. He has a whole raft of D.C. lawyers working on the case. They’ve set up shop at his father’s company. You won’t believe the things they are saying about me. Most of them are not true. Unfortunately, there are enough things that can be misconstrued. I… I don’t know how to answer them.”
Dameon tightened his grip.
“Okay, let’s start with that point. You’ve got one of the best lawyers in town. Hell, in the fucking state. Eric thinks you walk on water, Jesse. No one is going to get that kid away from you. That’s not going to happen.”
She shook her head. “You don’t understand. You don’t know everything they have--what I’ve done….It’s not good.” She came to an abrupt stop.
Dameon waited for her to continue, but she shook her head and refused to meet his eyes.
“No, I don’t know. I hope that someday you’ll trust me enough to tell me. I can help you, Jesse. Please know that. But in the meantime, know that Chambers will not succeed. He’s a crazy bastard and he is flat out wrong if he thinks he can take Trey away from you. I promise you. That will not happen.”
He clasped her chin and held her face, forcing her to look at him.
“Second, I’m not surprised you are struggling with your role in your company. Honey, I know what you did in the military. I worked special ops as long as you did and I worked with a lot of women. I know what a beautiful woman like you does when you are undercover. I know the situations you are put in. I know the way that men look at you and the way that men treat you. But, baby, you don’t have to do that anymore.”
Jesse shoved at his hands and pushed him away. Agitated, she rose to her feet and whirled on him.
“Yes I do. It’s what I know. And do you know what? I’m good at it. Do you understand that? Do you, Dameon? I’m good at it. I get to dress up and wear beautiful clothes. I get to play act. Play like I know what I’m doing. Like I’m beautiful. Like the beautiful clothes are mine. That I’m witty, clever. That I can talk with anyone.” Her voice broke again and she said with a sob, “Like I’m not who I am.”
Dameon was shocked. The pain in her eyes and the depth of her despair was breaking his heart. He pulled her down on his lap and cradled h
er against his chest. He rubbed her hair back from her face and murmured to her.
“Oh honey, honey, honey. There’s no sense in my telling you all the ways that I disagree with that last statement.” He held her tight in his arms. When he felt her relax against him, he went for the money ball. “I am not going to argue with you, but I am going to ask you to do something for me.”
She tried to pull away, the tears swimming in her eyes threatened to spill over at any second. When he refused to let her go, she appealed to him, her voice shaking.
“As… as long as it doesn’t mean talking anymore.”
Dameon shook his head with a grim smile.
“No, it doesn’t mean talking any more. I have an idea. I don’t know if you’ll think it is a good one, but please--at least consider it. Today is my daughter Zoey’s birthday. The big zero-nine. We’re going to the Explora Science Center for her party. She and I have everything planned. I would I love to have you come with us.”
Horror crossed Jesse’s pale face.
“No… no, I can’t. I don’t know anything about children.” She flashed a bitter smile. “Ask my former husband.”
“No, I won’t do that. But I have seen you with your son. Jesse, no one could have a better mother than Trey does.”
Seeing her softening, Dameon pressed.
“Will you help me out, Jesse? This is the first time I’ve done a birthday party alone. I’m not sure how to do it. I think I’ve ordered everything right. You can check the lists. Zoey made five of them.” He grinned. “She’s a tad bossy.”
A frown marred Jesse’s face.
“Won’t Zoey mind if I just show up?”
Dameon guffawed. “Are you kidding? A tall, beautiful, red-haired woman who looks like a fashion model comes to the party to help her dad? These are pre-teen girls, Jesse. When they’re not pouring over Girl’s Life or Twist, they’re playing Vector on their iPads. Zoey will be thrilled and her friends will be green with envy!”
Jesse looked down, her cheeks tinged with pink.
“Is her mother going to be there?”
Dameon gave a harsh snort. “God, no! Her mother is most definitely not going to be there.”
He could see that she was beginning to consider it. “C’mon Jesse. Come with us. It’s better than running another ten miles and exhausting yourself. Instead, come and eat cake and ice cream and candy. I ordered a marble cake with Princess frosting. I have to warn you. Most of the girls will be wearing princess dresses. Not Zoey. She’s on a cowboy kick. She wants to look like me. Her heroine of the moment is Annie Oakley. Seriously.”
Dameon saw the smile behind Jesse’s tears and reached out to wipe off the one hovering in her lashes.
“What do you say? Can Jesse come out to play? Will you come be a kid with me today?”
She gave a tentative nod. “If you really think it will be okay with Zoey. Yes, I’ll come.”
Dameon heaved a sigh of relief. He thanked whatever gods were looking out for him. He’d been torn. There was no way that he could have abandoned Jesse today. But miss Zoey’s party? Hell, he’d become attached to his balls. Didn’t want to live without them. He rose to his feet and tugged on Jesse’s hand pulling her up close to him.
“I promise you, she will love having you there. Now, I’m going to follow you home so you can change. Not because I don’t trust you--but because I don’t trust you. I’m afraid if I let you out of my sight, you’ll run again and I won’t be able to find you.”
The rosy pink on her cheeks deepened. “No, Dameon. I promise I’ll come. I do keep promises.”
Dameon put his thumb under her chin and tipped her face up close to his.
“I know you try to, but I can understand why you might want to run from this.”
At her pained smile, he pulled a pen from his gear bag and wrote on her hand.
“Here’s the address. We’ll meet you there at 11. The girls are scheduled to do some kind of participatory performance with the actors on the museum stage. It’ll be great... especially now that you’ll be with us.”
Red Rock Rises: Chapter Nineteen
Hearing Zoey’s excited laughter, Dameon looked up from the jigsaw puzzle he was working with Samantha, currently Zoey’s best friend. Around the corner he saw Jesse surrounded by four bubbly girls all trying to be the one closest to her. He saw that Zoey had carved out her spot on Jesse’s left side and didn’t plan to relinquish it.
Jesse looked beautiful. She was wearing a gauzy, brightly colored halter dress that stopped at mid-calf. The cut of the dress and flowing material accentuated her show girl figure while somewhat masking it. It was enticing as hell. Strappy platform sandals completed the look but in no way hampered her movements. He’d watched her throughout the day move among the girls, laughing as they dragged her from one exhibit to another. After riding the Museum’s famous elevator stocked with sofas and chairs at least a dozen times, they’d run back to pick up the home movie they’d made earlier.
Zoey insisted Dameon stop what he was doing to watch their masterpiece. She said she wanted him to see how gorgeous they all were, especially Jesse. Dameon had taken the videographer instructor aside and told him he wanted several copies. Seeing the girls clowning around with Zoey and Jesse, the stars of the impromptu show, it was a video he planned to watch again and again.
Jesse watched the video with the group laughing at their antics. She almost didn’t recognize herself. Knowing the long night she had, she’d expected four-inch bags under her eyes. Instead, she saw a beautiful woman surrounded by an admiring circle of chattering girls. Dameon was standing in the background smiling at her and Zoey.
Zoey was a darling child. Even at now-nine years old, she was stunningly beautiful--worthy of her two gorgeous parents. Best of all, she was funny, smart and voluble. A truly delightful young girl. The bond between Dameon and his daughter brought tears to Jesse’s eyes. She knew what it was like to be an adored daughter. And, in return, to love a father fiercely and without qualification.
After five rousing hours of eating, playing and racing from exhibit to exhibit; Jesse helped Dameon shepherd the girls out to the entrance where their parents were lined up waiting for them. As they said their goodbyes to the girls, Jesse saw the interested looks the parents gave her and Dameon. As if he didn’t notice, Dameon kept his arm around her and included her in his thanks on behalf of the three of them.
While Dameon was packing the gifts and party paraphernalia in the back of his truck, Zoey sidled up next to Jesse on the bench in the entryway.
“Are you my dad’s girlfriend?”
Jesse hesitated. She saw Dameon pause, obviously watching and listening. She didn’t want to diminish him by minimizing what was between them but wanted to be careful not to set expectations with Zoey.
“Your dad and I are friends. We like being together. I especially liked being with both you and your dad today.”
Zoey’s expression lightened. “Good, my dad needs friends. He hasn’t been very happy.”
Jesse hid her surprise.
“Why? Because of the divorce?”
“No, he’s happy about that. So am I. My dad and I like being together without my mom. My mom is….” she gave an expressive shrug worthy of an adult or the precocious child she was. She moved closer to Jesse.
“I’m glad my dad has a good friend now. And that it’s you.”
Jesse gave her a quick hug. “Your dad is a lucky man. He has a wonderful daughter. I think you’re terrific, Zoey.”
Zoey’s smile widened.
“I think you’re terrific too, Jesse.” She added with a wistful sigh. “Can we do some things together? You and me? And my dad can come too?”
Jesse heard the loneliness in her voice. It was an emotion she was familiar with. A cautionary flag went up in her mind. She didn’t want to presume. “We’ll see.”
If Zoey heard her qualification, she ignored it, bouncing on to her next question.
“My dad says you know h
ow to do Taekwondo. I’m learning to. Are you good? I am. My sensei says I have promise.”
Jesse laughed. “I’m sure that you do. You seem strong and you have a lot of energy. And yes, I am a Martial Artist. I don’t know how many Martial Arts you know but I have black belts in four of them.”
Zoey’s eyes widened again. “Wow!”
Dameon came around the corner confirming that he’d been listening to their conversation.
“Damn, I didn’t know that, Jesse. Which ones?”
She ticked them off. “Karate, Kung Fu, Taekwondo, and Hapkido.”
Zoey danced in excitement. “Oh goody! Will you come to my class and show us what you do?”
“I’m not into showing off--but if your instructors are interested I could demonstrate how the arts differ from one another. And I would like to watch you practice.”
* * *
Dameon insisted on following her home. He pulled in behind her and waited while she parked her Jeep.
He got out of his truck and pointed to the front seat, his finger on his lips. Jesse peeked in and saw Zoey curled up on the seat, sound asleep.
Dameon whispered, “I didn’t think anything could wear out my little force of nature, but this day did. Of course, it helped that none of the girls slept more than an hour last night, at the most.”
Putting his arm around her, Dameon walked her up to the front porch. He gave a wicked nod at the infamous wall and winked at her. Her face heated acknowledging the reference.
He laughed softly. “Now your kid is gone and mine is here.”
Knowing the roller coaster of emotions she’d ridden over the last twenty-four hours, Dameon thought with a grimace it was just as well.
“Thank you, Jesse. Thank you for coming. You made a wonderful day unforgettable.”
Jesse laughed. “I’m embarrassed to say this, but I can’t remember when I’ve had more fun.”
Dameon nodded and returned her smile. He didn’t want to belabor the point, but he’d never seen her the way she was today—relaxed, at ease, carefree. It pleased him and made him ache for the pain that kept this unguarded side of her captive. He tipped up her chin forcing her to look in his eyes.