by Hadley Quinn
“Oh my God Jay, look at him,” she said. Her last few words choked up as she stared at the poor animal whimpering at his abuser’s feet.
Jay felt a cold chill go through him when he noticed how beat up the dog really was. He was not only lying on the ground submissively, but he looked battered with cuts and missing fur. His hindquarters on one side looked as if he’d been dragged along the cement until he bled, and one of his eyes was half shut.
“Get away from the dog,” he told the guy.
“Get the fuck off my property,” he spat back.
“I’m on a public sidewalk, asshole. And what you’re doing to that dog makes you a fucking coward. You’re not gonna touch him again, so it’s best you just walk away.”
The guy grabbed the dog by the neck. The animal let out a sharp yelp as he was brought to his feet, and that’s when Jay realized the dog was just an overgrown pup.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jay asked with disbelief. This asshole was seriously going to challenge him like this?
“Jay, I called the police,” Melanie said from behind him. “Please don’t do anything stu—”
“Get your fucking hands off the dog,” Jay said, coming across the yard. The guy let go of the dog to defend himself, but Jay didn’t go after him right away. He was more concerned with getting the poor dog out of harm’s way.
“I told you, you son-of-a-bitch!” some lady screamed from the front door. Jay hadn’t even realized she was there, but she barely had anything on and it was obvious she was drunk. “Take that fucking dog with you!” she yelled, flailing her arm. She dropped her cigarette on the porch and staggered to pick it up. “I don’t want it shitting all over the place anymore!”
“The goddamn dog is staying outside!” the guy yelled back at her. “So shut the fuck up and go inside!”
“You take that dog away,” she pointed at Jay, her eyes wide and crazy. “I mean it. Take it away!”
“Get yer ass inside, woman!” the guy shouted back.
While the two of them were bickering back and forth, Jay made a move to pick up the dog. The poor thing cowered from him, but he scooped him up and walked across the yard back to Melanie.
“Oh my God,” she whispered, dropping to her knees when Jay set the animal in the grass next to her.
At first she didn’t touch him. It was obvious she didn’t know where she could touch him. But she eventually placed a shaky hand on his head and lightly stroked a small area. He laid his head down like he was too tired and weak to keep it up.
“Hey, what the fuck!” the guy yelled, finally realizing that the dog was not under him anymore.
He started to come across the yard but Jay took two steps forward and said, “No way. You no longer have any rights to this dog, you motherfucker. You touch him, I will hurt you so fucking bad you’ll be coughing up your insides for days.”
“That’s my damn dog!” he yelled, even though he did stop coming toward them.
“Not anymore. He belongs to the state of California now, and you’ll have a nice time dealing with the authorities on that one.”
“Fuck you,” the guy laughed, just as an animal control truck pulled up to the curb. A police car was right behind it and pulled ahead, parking in front of it.
“Who the fuck called the cops?” the lady from the porch screamed. “Goddamn it, Bruce! I want you out of my fucking house along with that damn dog, you stupid asshole!”
“What’s the problem?” the police officer approached, stepping in between the two parties.
“They’re stealing my fucking dog!” the guy yelled, pointing at Jay.
The two animal control officers approached at the same time and spotted the dog on the ground next to Melanie. One of them asked her to move away from him and Jay heard the other one say, “Holy shit,” when she realized how awful the dog looked.
A second police officer approached Jay and asked, “What’s been going on?”
“We were on our way home when we noticed he was kicking the shit out of that dog,” Melanie answered instead. “I jumped out of the car and told him to stop and he wouldn’t. Do you see that poor thing? It can barely move!”
She was fully crying by then, so Jay slid his arm around her shoulder and held her close.
“Do you know these people?” the officer asked, motioning to the couple still arguing with each other and now the other cop.
“No, I live in Thousand Oaks,” Jay answered. “We were just heading home.”
“Can I see your ID please,” the officer stated.
Jay went through the motions of answering questions and dealing with the legal end of things. Animal control carefully put the dog in the back of the truck and tended to some of his wounds. They conferred with the police for a few minutes and then drove away.
“He’s going to be arrested, right?” Melanie asked the officer that told them they could now leave.
“He says the dog jumped out of a moving vehicle earlier today,” the officer shrugged. “We can’t know for sure if that’s true or not, but we can definitely take down your statement and file an official complaint. If you saw him abusing the animal, you can testify of it in court.”
“I’ll do it,” Melanie nodded.
“We’ll investigate further, talk to neighbors and such, but for now you two can leave.”
“What about the dog?” Melanie asked.
“The dog will be taken to the shelter and a vet will take care of him until he’s better.”
“They aren’t getting him back, right?” she asked firmly. “Because I’m not going to sleep, ever, if I know that poor thing might end up with that man again.”
“It’s not for me to say right now,” he shrugged. “Like I said, we’ll look into it further and let you know. But if it makes you feel better…no, I don’t think he’ll be getting the dog back.”
Jay could hear Melanie let out a sigh of relief. But what a long ass day it had been. He just wanted to go home and go to bed.
“And congratulations on the baby,” the officer added with a smile, nodding to Melanie’s stomach. “Another McCallan to add to the clan.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Melanie woke slowly, and stretched her sore body. It was her back, and she knew why. After the drama from the night before, she was so exhausted and crashed on Jay’s bed without an invitation. It wasn’t long before he was right there with her though, and he was cuddled up against her in various positions throughout the night.
But right now she could tell he wasn’t next to her, and when she rolled toward his side of the bed, the empty space confirmed it. The clock read 5:09, but Melanie got out of bed, used the bathroom, and then went to search for him. She couldn’t find him in the house, and finally went out back to his shop. The music was on, but not as loud as it usually was—probably because of the early morning hour. He was sitting on a stool next to the Boss, and it looked like he was just staring at the wheel.
“Hey,” she finally spoke softly.
He glanced up at her and paused for a few seconds, and then stood. “Hey. Did I wake you?” he looked at the clock on the shop wall.
“Mm, not sure. Unless your absence is what woke me,” she smiled.
He didn’t seem to catch the warmth in her comment because his expression was still cool. He picked up the stool and placed it against the wall but didn’t respond.
“What’s going on?” she finally asked. “I think you slept like shit last night, and now you’re out in your shop at dawn when you have to work in a couple of hours, if I’m not mistaken.” She came across the garage and stood in front of him. He was now leaning against the workbench, but looked totally and utterly lost. “Jay?”
He finally looked at her and shook his head. “Too much on my mind.” Moving for the stereo, he shut it off and made his way to the door. “Come on, it’s too cold in here for you.”
“I’m fine,” she protested, staying put. “Can’t you talk to me?”
“Uh, you look a lit
tle cold,” he motioned to her chest.
She glanced down at her t-shirt and rolled her eyes. “Quit changing the subject. Can you please tell me why you seem so agitated? I’m not gonna make you get all in-depth about it, but seriously just five words?”
“I’m not in a very comfortable place in my life, okay? I hate my new job. I just want things to be back to the way they were. And go ahead. Give me your thoughts.”
Melanie raised her eyebrows but wasn’t going to pass on the opportunity to discuss anything with Jay. “Well…can you just talk to Beck? Maybe he just feels like a total asshole for what he said and he’s feeling too worried about talking to you about it. Maybe he’ll hear you out. You never know unless you try.”
Jay shook his head and let out a breath of air. “You know, I think about it all the time. It’s like…this feeling I have…like I need to talk to him. But honestly, I don’t know what to say. I just need more time—or maybe I’m just waiting for him to get fucked over by her, I don’t know, just to prove I’m right—but I don’t even know what to say. I’m not going to ask for my job back and I’m not going to apologize for something I didn’t do. So what else is there to say?”
Melanie took a moment to let her thoughts develop as she walked across the shop to him. “Well…maybe just say that you’re sorry you guys had a falling out? You don’t have to ask for your job back or apologize over what his bitch girlfriend did, but just say you wish you could move past it.”
Jay rubbed his face with his hands and shook his head. “It’s not that easy.”
“Why? Because of your pride? Jay, some things are more important than your damn pride. Sometimes we have to look at our life and try to figure out what exactly is making us so miserable. If you say it’s your job, then do something about it. You can’t just sit around and wish someone would change on their own. Trust me, I know what it feels like to keep wishing and wishing that someone would just see things my way and…”
She couldn’t finish the sentence, even though Jay was watching her intently. Here she was lecturing him about his relationship with Beck and she should be following her own advice with him.
“I think you should just stop by and talk to Beck,” she said instead. “You never know, he just might be ready to listen. And if he’s not, then that’s his loss and you at least tried. You can’t make people change.”
The last sentence was almost a whisper, but even though she felt on the verge of totally breaking down in front of him, she held back. She wanted him to be happy first and foremost, and if it meant regaining his friendship with Beck and getting his job back, that’s what she needed to focus on first.
“Yeah, it’s kind of cold out here,” she forced a smile, rubbing her arms vigorously to change the subject. She stepped by Jay to head for the house and said, “I didn’t mean to bother you if you need to stay out here. I just wanted to check on you.”
He shut the door behind them and shook his head. “Nah, I was just thinking and there’s nothing more to think about right now. It hasn’t done me any good. But thanks for the advice, pretty girl,” he leaned over and kissed her forehead. “You sure you didn’t go to college?”
She laughed and shook her head as they walked to the house. “It’s called life experience, yo. I’ve got it. Well…some, at least,” she chuckled.
“Hey, you’re young. Plenty of time to experience a lot of shit in your life.”
“Yeah, I’m sure,” she replied dryly. “Um, can I make some eggs or something? I’m starving.”
Jay stopped dead in his tracks and stared at her. “Already?”
“Shut up!” she laughed, shoving him. “I was too irritated to eat much on the way home last night. All I could think about was that poor dog, and even now it just makes me sick.”
“Yeah, I know,” he agreed, heading for the kitchen. He opened the fridge in search of food but failed to find any eggs. “You’ve got yogurt in here. Want that?”
“Sure,” she answered, just as Tyse came around the corner.
He glanced at them both and it looked as if he’d literally just crawled out of bed. “Why the hell are you guys up so early? It’s Saturday.”
“I’m up this early a lot, just out in the shop,” Jay replied. He came across the kitchen and stood right in front of Melanie, almost chest to chest. “Why don’t you finish getting dressed and I’ll find something for us to eat.”
When he glanced down at her chest again, she had to refrain from laughing. She felt quite pleased that he didn’t want Tyse seeing her girls nipping out.
“Okay,” she answered, and she kissed him on the cheek for good measure. His smile was adorable and totally heart stopping. How a person could be affected by that just wasn’t fair.
By the time she came out of the bedroom, Tyse was the one in the kitchen making bacon. It smelled so good her mouth watered and she asked, “Do you keep a secret stash?”
He smiled and answered, “Of food? Nah. Jay just doesn’t look very hard. Take your pick of cereal, and there are a few pieces of bread left if you want toast.”
She helped herself and sat at the counter. “Where’s Jay?”
“Went back out to his shop.”
She contemplated that silently. She would definitely give him space, but wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do until she had to go to work at two. Already she was exhausted, so the idea of going back to bed was appealing, but she mainly didn’t feel like returning to Teague’s to face a firing squad.
But she helped Tyse clean up the kitchen after they ate, and even though she knew Jay hadn’t eaten yet, she didn’t take anything to him. She’d probably interrupted his time earlier and didn’t want to do it again.
Melanie curled up on the couch with a blanket and turned the TV on. Tyse hung out with her for a little bit, but then headed for the gym at six-thirty. She must have dozed off because the next thing she knew, Jay was hovering over her, squeezing her ass with his hand.
“What are you doing?” she mumbled with a laugh, blindly swatting him away.
“Fondling while you’re unaware of it. It’s what I do all the time. And I take pictures too.”
“Liar,” she chuckled again.
“I’ll show you sometime. But I’m gonna hit the gym with Tyse before work, okay? Did you want to come or…?”
“No, I heave my own extra weight around and that’s my workout.”
“Pssh, right. You’re tiny.”
“Because I’m barely six months. Just wait another couple months and I’ll be huge.”
“More to love,” he winked, and then he gave her a kiss on the head and added, “I’ll call you later.”
***
“Wanna leave early and take this out to Nate Jameson?” Roy asked, holding up a box that contained a newly rebuilt alternator. “He’s a damn good customer and friend of the family, but he’s pretty fond of you, if you don’t mind.”
Jay agreed impassively with a nod and took the box from his boss. He wasn’t a fucking delivery boy, but he surely felt like leaving early that day. He grabbed the address from Roy and left the shop at four-thirty.
It was a thirty-minute drive out to the Jameson residence just outside of Glendale. The guy was a former NASCAR mechanic but was now a quirky old man whose arthritis didn’t allow him to work on anything too intricate. Jay had rebuilt the alternator himself in half the time it would have taken anyone else.
Nate was outside his barn when Jay pulled up, sitting on the ground next to a ’78 Chevy pickup that was parked in front of it. He looked pretty worn out and frustrated, so Jay approached him before unloading his delivery.
“You okay?” he asked, looking him over. Nate was flushed and sweating, but also looked pissed as hell.
“Hell no, I’m not okay. Getting old is a bunch o’ shit.”
Jay smiled and helped the man to his feet. “Yeah, I’m sure. Is there something I could help you with?”
“Oh, nah, I couldn’t ask. I’m just being a damn baby.”
“I thought I’d make use of a short burst of energy and change the oil myself. I’m a goddamn idiot.”
“Nah, I understand the determination to do things yourself. Let me do it for you, okay? It won’t take long.”
Nate argued and protested for the next fifteen minutes, and Jay only smiled and kept working. It wasn’t a big deal, but Jay was familiar with the stubborn pride that kept Nate riled up.
When he was done, Jay grabbed the alternator out of his car. He would have put that in for the old man too, but he didn’t want to push his luck and make Nate feel like the worthless piece of shit he kept rambling on about.
They said parting words, but before Jay climbed into his car, something next to the barn caught his attention. It was a John Deere tractor, and he suddenly thought back to a conversation he had with Melanie on the way to Oregon. Why he was even entertaining the damn idea was beyond his comprehension, but just knowing how totally thrilled Mel would be if he did it was completely satisfying. He pictured her smile and laughter, and her genuine amusement by it, and there was something about that that really made him content.
“What’s got your attention, son?” Nate called out to him.
Jay realized he’d probably been standing there like a dipshit for the past minute. He shook his head and said, “Oh, uh…”
He couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud, even though it made him smile. Nate was making his way over and followed his gaze to the tractor.
“You work on tractors much?” Nate asked.
Jay shook his head. “No, I don’t believe I ever have.”
“Oh. Thought maybe you were doing a onceover, like car guys do when they see a car they like. You know; make, model, engine, horsepower…all that shit.”
With a nod, Jay had to agree. He did that to cars and trucks all the time. “Nah, just…made me think of someone, I guess.”
Nate tilted his head and peered at him. “You’re not one to share much, so I won’t ask. But if there’s something I can help with, let me know.”