Chapter 49
A brisk breeze whipped Jessi’s hair as she walked along the beach. The day was cool and overcast, so the beach was virtually deserted. She stopped to capture her red locks into a ponytail and pulled her jacket more tightly around herself. Buddy, tail wagging high, scuttled along the shoreline sniffing at various things the surf washed in.
It had been three months since she’d broken things off with Judd. For three months, she’d tried to convince herself that she’d done the right thing. The age difference between them was too great, he lived a different kind of life than she did, she was comfortable with her own life. But she recognized a lie when she told it to herself.
Still, she just couldn’t see parting with the house. For all those reasons she’d outlined to him, and more. She’d lived there all her adult life. It was her home, her children’s home. Not that they spent any time there anymore. Cara and Adam rarely visited anymore. And now with Cara in Dallas? But surely Graham hadn’t intended for her to sell the house. Where would she live?
These days, the place seemed more empty than ever. She could tell herself it was the absence of Graham, and of the kids. But she knew she missed Judd. She’d loved him. Still did, if she could bring herself to admit the truth.
And she knew that it was probably not as much of an accident as she’d liked to have believed when her walk took her past the back of Judd’s townhouse. Recognizing a familiar place, Buddy paused his inspection of the wet sand and raised his head, looking toward the familiar patio, the fire pit with its flanking white Adirondack chairs.
Just then, the back door slid open and Judd stepped outside carrying a platter toward the gas grill at the end of the patio. Unaware of her presence, he lifted the grill’s lid.
Buddy bayed loudly and took off running up the beach. Jessi felt her heart pound in her chest as Judd recognized the beagle and looked up to see her. Sheepishly, she followed Buddy up to the back yard of the townhouse.
Judd’s expression was surprised. “Hi, Jessi.”
“Hey, there, Judd.” She shoved her hands in her pockets. “Sorry about that, he kind of got away from me.”
He shook his head slightly. “No worries.” He stooped to pet Buddy. “How are you, Jessi?”
She sighed. “Oh, you know...”
The door slid open and a slender young blonde stepped out. “Babe, don’t forget the shrimp.”
Judd’s eyes went to the blonde then back to Jessi. “Stacy, this is Jessi. Jessi, Stacy.”
The young woman’s eyes assessed Jessi briefly. “Nice to meet you.” She turned back to Judd. “The shrimp?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I’ll get it.”
Stacy paused to look at Jessi once again before returning into the townhouse.
Jessi worked her mouth opened and closed again for a moment. “You’ve moved on,” she said softly. “Of course you have, why wouldn’t you?”
Judd regarded her sadly. “Jessi, I...”
“No, seriously,” she blinked rapidly, “good for you. I wish you every happiness. I truly mean that.”
She pulled a leash from her pocket. “Come here, Buddy, we’ve got to go.” She squatted to clip the leash onto his collar.
Standing, she met his eyes. “Well, again, sorry to intrude.” She shook her head. “The dog has a mind of his own.” Pulling the leash, she began to back away. Buddy, reluctant to follow her, whimpered. “Come on, now! We have to go.”
Turning, she made her way back to the soft sand and turned north to head back to her car. Buddy was finally cooperating, his interest suddenly shifting to a pair of sand pipers in search of a meal.
Unable to resist, Jessi cast a glance over her shoulder. Judd was still standing where she’d left him, watching her walk away. She forced herself to hold it together until she and Buddy were back in the car, finally collapsing against the steering wheel where she wept until she had no tears left.
THE GRILLED MAHI HAD tasted like sand to Judd. He’d choked it down, washing it back with more beer than had been absolutely necessary.
Hours later, Judd interlaced his fingers behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. Beside him, Stacy breathed deeply. Why did Jessi just show up? Why now? I thought I’d finally put her behind me.
He wondered if she missed him. He missed her more than he could have ever imagined.
He glanced at Stacy, asleep beside him. After they’d cleaned up from dinner, they’d watched a movie on television, then they’d made love. But his heart hadn’t really been in it.
He thought about the first time they’d gone out. He’d known Stacy for a few years. She’d always joked and flirted with him, batting her blue eyes, hinting that she’d like to go out with him. And she was attractive.
He’d just never felt a chemistry with her. For one thing, she was a good bit younger than he was, and had a younger circle of friends. But then, he’d never connected with anyone the way he did with Jessi.
Stacy had merely been there when his world came crashing down. Judd knew he wasn’t in love, but he craved the physical contact. And while she wasn’t at all interested in BDSM, Stacy was pretty good in bed. He’d even begun to think that maybe he should consider settling for what she could offer him.
Feeling restless, he slid out of bed, slipped on a pair of shorts, and tiptoed downstairs. He grabbed his laptop from the desk and let himself out onto the patio, sinking onto a cushioned chair. Resting his feet on the teak coffee table, he fired up the computer and headed to his photo file.
Unconsciously, he smiled as images of Jessi scrolled across the screen. There was the one of Jessi bathing Buddy. She had suds in her hair and a ridiculous grin on her face. There were photos of the two of them, selfies he’s taken at the fair, and at Sunfest, and so many others.
He clicked on a video. Jessi giggled as she unsteadily stood on a paddle board, smiling and waving as she took her first ride. God, he’d been proud of her that day.
“You’re still in love with her.”
Startled, Judd looked up to see Stacy standing in the doorway. From her vantage point, she could see his screen.
“I thought maybe you were looking at porn.” She smiled ruefully. “Maybe I hoped you were looking at porn.”
Stepping out of the house, she sat down across from him. “I knew it when I saw the two of you together today. I just didn’t want it to be true.”
“I’m so sorry, Stacy. I never meant to hurt you.” His face was contrite.
She laughed softly. “I know. I think a part of me always knew I wasn’t what you wanted.” Stacy gazed out at the waves washing softly against the sand. “She loves you, too. I can’t get in the way of that.” She stood. “I’m heading back to my house. It’s been great, really. I hope we can stay friends.”
Judd followed her inside, his hands in his pockets. “Sure. Of course. I’m really sorry.”
She flashed him a sad smile. “We just...weren’t meant to be.”
After Stacy left, Judd returned to bed, but sleep remained elusive for the rest of the night.
I CAN’T BELIEVE IT. I can’t believe he’s already with someone else. I meant nothing to him, just an obligation to Graham.
With shaky hands, Jessi let herself into the house and poured herself a huge glass of wine. Her face burned with humiliation.
Such a pretty young blonde. I knew he was better off without me. She stalked around the kitchen, glass in hand. The walls seemed to close in on her, and she burst out onto the pool deck, gasping for air.
I hate this house.
The realization shook her. Since Graham had had it redone after the kids moved out, she’d always felt like a visitor in someone else’s home. All the cold, impersonal furnishings, things that came from designer showrooms and had no stories, no soul. She’d complained to Graham about that very thing, and he’d just chuckled.
I hate this house.
It was the thing that had driven a wedge between her and Judd, and like an idiot, she’d chosen the house. She cou
ldn’t stand it any longer.
“Where is that card?” she muttered to herself, rummaging through a stack of mail. The clock on the microwave blinked 7:36.
Probably someone’s dinner time. Jessi wavered for a moment.
Fuck it! She stabbed the number into her phone.
A VERY DIFFERENT-LOOKING man stared back at Gary from the men’s room mirror. When he’d left the bar in Tampa, he’d headed straight for the bus station, not bothering to retrieve either his belongings or the car from the motel. He had what he needed anyway.
They know my name.
He supposed he’d known all along that eventually they’d be onto him. But that didn’t lessen his shock at finally being on the radar. He’d swiped a box of hair dye from a CVS across from the bus station. The next outbound bus, heading to West Palm Beach, didn’t leave for another 40 minutes, plenty of time to give himself a fresh look.
WHEN HER PHONE RANG, Jessi was hip-deep in finalizing arrangements for the huge Palm Beach wedding, now merely a week and a half away. Glancing at the screen, she saw that it was the realtor she’d contacted the night before. By this morning, the woman had arranged to show the house to a prospective buyer.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Jessi, it’s Janice here. We have an offer.”
Jessi blinked. “Excuse me?”
“We have an offer. On your house. And, it’s for $100,000 over your asking price.”
Jessi walked to her office door and closed it. “We what?”
The other woman laughed. “I know. It’s really fast. But like I said, I have buyers who really want to be in this neighborhood. This buyer loves your house. The whole thing. The furniture, the decorations, everything. They’re making a cash offer for $100,000 over your asking price, to include everything as is.”
“As is,” Jessi repeated, feeling like a fool.
“Obviously, you’d retain your personal items, but they want everything the way it is.” The agent waited a beat. “So, what do I tell them?”
THAT NIGHT, JESSI SLOWLY strolled around the pool, shimmering aqua in the artificial light. She sipped her wine and considered the contract she’d signed. It would take a couple weeks more to close, but for all intents and purposes, this house belonged to someone else. Sarah had offered for Jessi to move in with her while she decided what to do, and reluctantly, Jessi had agreed.
She hadn’t yet been able to work up the nerve to tell the kids she’d sold the house. No telling what their reaction might be. She sat on the edge of the pool and dangled her feet in the water, setting her glass beside her.
No time like the present.
Sighing deeply, she fished her phone out of her pocket and pulled up her Contacts. Buddy chose that moment to scramble after a chameleon that had been resting just behind Jessi. The beagle barreled into her, knocking the phone from her hands. It made a sickening plop as it hit the water and sank to the bottom.
“Motherfucker!” Jessi swore. Buddy just wagged his tail and flopped down beside her. “You are a pain in my ass, you know that?”
Chapter 50
West Palm Beach was pretty nice, Gary decided. From Tampa, he’d had in mind to head to Miami, but needs must; West Palm was the next bus, so the die was cast. When he’d gotten off the bus downtown, with his new dark brown hair, he almost believed he was a different person.
Maybe I should just stay here. I could get a job, find an apartment, start a new life.
He’d found a cheap room in a seedy hotel, the kind where they don’t ask questions because they effing don’t care. As long as you pay cash, they’re happy to not see you.
It was mid-afternoon by the time he rolled out of bed. Hungry, he decided to take himself for a walk, maybe find some grub in the process. The downtown waterfront was prettier than anything Gary had ever seen. Turning away from the Intracoastal, he headed west up Clematis Street, pausing to watch a couple of kids playing in the triangle of fountains at Flagler Park. Bars, restaurants, and shops lined the street, and at this time of day, business people hurried on their way.
There was a tranquility to the afternoon bustle. Then the squeal of tires, followed by twisting metal and smashing glass, shattered the peacefulness.
JUDD WAS GRINDING THROUGH another shift, as he’d been doing for the last few months. To his credit, Alex no longer grilled him about Jessi. He hadn’t bothered to tell Alex that Stacy was gone, too. Lately, Judd had begun to consider moving to a new state, starting over in a place that didn’t harbor so many ghosts.
They were just back from a run when a call came in about a car accident at Clematis and N. Olive. Shrugging to one another, they got back in the rig and headed to the scene.
A CROWD WAS ALREADY beginning to gather when Gary walked up. It appeared that one car had failed to stop at the intersection, and had been t-boned by the other, with the entire mangled mess ending in the front window of the pizza joint on the corner.
Above the hushed voices and the ticking of cooling engines, Gary heard the wail of a siren. He smiled to himself. There was no point in denying who he was. Living a normal life, holding down a regular nine-to-five was just a pipe dream. The cosmos had his number, and fortune had just smiled on him.
He looked up as a pair of paramedics pulled their truck to a stop. Moving efficiently, they took out their equipment and headed toward the wreck. As they came his way, Gary went to step back, but found himself wedged against a post.
The taller medic addressed him. “Hey, back it up, pal, we need to get through.” He then proceeded to put his hand on Gary’s shoulder, moving him out of the way.
White, hot rage boiled up in his soul. This was what he’d dealt with his entire life. Smug, entitled pretty boys who thought he didn’t matter. Gary faded back behind the crowd.
Challenge accepted, mother-effer.
BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED on the scene, Judd had shifted into trauma mode. He relished the chance to focus solely on the task at hand, the better to quiet the demons that plagued him during his down time.
As he and Alex carried their equipment toward the accident, a pudgy, balding man blocked the sidewalk. Judd tried to be as nice as he could be, but sometimes he was irritated by the ghoulishness of people. The way bystanders gathered to gawk at accident victims repulsed him. There was something, though, about the look in the guy’s eyes. Judd shook his head and tried to focus on the task at hand.
PAL. I’M NOT YOUR pal, Gary fumed.
Another emergency vehicle arrived, along with several police officers. The place was, as they say, target rich. But he had his eye on one paramedic in particular. He’d just have to bide his time.
ALEX CRAWLED BETWEEN the cars to assess the driver of the sedan. Judd did what he could to stabilize the passenger, who appeared to have a nasty head laceration. A second paramedic team arrived and began working on the people in the minivan.
It was decided that they’d need to extract Judd’s patient in the passenger seat in order to access the driver, so the door was pried open and Alex and Judd worked together to lower the patient onto a backboard, which they loaded onto their gurney.
As Judd checked the patient’s vitals once again, he glanced out over the scene. In slow motion, the crowd seemed to part, and Judd saw the pudgy guy from earlier. A creepy smile slashed across the man’s face, and at the same time his arm came up.
Gun, Judd realized belatedly. He has a gun.
AN ANONYMOUS BYSTANDER at the back of the crowd, Gary kept his eyes on his target as he raised his gun. The guy’s eyes widened, almost like he saw it coming, and the idea delighted Gary. He breathed out and squeezed the trigger, and as he did, the paramedic moved as though to block the patient from the bullet. As a result, the bullet struck him in the left shoulder, spinning him around.
You dumb shit. The bullet’s for you. Gary squeezed off another round, hitting his target in the right thigh. He watched the paramedic go down, then he turned and calmly walked away.
He’d seen a place called Roxy’s dow
n the street. It sounded like a good place to get a beer.
JUDD STARED UP AT BLUE sky, which became blocked by concerned faces looking down at him. Their words were garbled, unintelligible as he floated in a weird half-twilight.
He knew he’d been shot. He’d seen the shooter, that tubby little man with the creepy smile. What surprised him was that he didn’t feel pain. What he did feel was tired.
He closed his eyes and succumbed to the darkness.
Chapter 51
Roxy’s was, quite possibly, the coolest bar Gary had ever been to. It looked for all the world like a castle, or like some fancy English manor or something. He’d found a booth way in the back corner and sat for an hour or longer, waiting for the hubbub to die down. He’d even decided to try a Guinness, but found it too bitter, so for his second round, he’d opted for his old standby, Bud.
As he sat, he overheard a couple of servers talking about the roof bar. Now that was something he needed to see. He paid his tab and ambled up the staircase that led to the roof.
Unbeknownst to Gary, Federal agents had picked up his trail in Tampa. They had store surveillance showing him shoplifting a box of hair dye. A clerk in the bus station recalled selling him a ticket to West Palm. When they notified the West Palm PD, they heard about the shooting and knew it was their guy. It would simply be a matter of checking security camera footage to see where he’d disappeared to.
Shortly after Gary headed upstairs, a pair of agents entered Roxy’s and showed his photo to a bar tender. “Yeah, I’ve seen him,” the man nodded. “He just went upstairs. His hair’s black, though.”
THIS IS THE LIFE.
Up on the roof, a gentle tropical breeze stirring his thin hair, hope sprang eternal once again. Gary opted for a rum runner for his third round. He’d never ordered anything besides a beer, or maybe a bourbon once in a while. But hell, when in Rome, right? Or south Florida.
For Sparrow (The Dream Dominant Collection Book 3) Page 29