by Nella Tyler
When he left, Tim narrowed his eyes, and I stuck out my tongue. His jaw dropped again in shock.
“Uh…why did you go with a California burrito for me?”
“It seemed like something you would like. Was I right?”
“Yes, but that’s not the point.”
“It wouldn’t be the point if I was wrong – but I wasn’t, so it is exactly the point.”
He rolled his eyes and I could tell in that gesture alone that he was being as genuine as he could be. I was happy to see there was no pretense and hoped I was correct in thinking that I had finally broken through the barrier.
I had gotten Tim Meck to be himself.
“So, while I still have some semblance of masculinity left, maybe we could call a truce? At least until after dinner?”
I snickered. “Not a chance.” He laughed and I was certain that I had stripped him of any mask. It felt good.
A few minutes later, the waiter returned with the bottle of wine. He placed a glass in front of both of us and paused. “Does the lady want to sample the wine?” he asked finally, almost as though he was afraid I would yell at him if he tried to present it in the traditional fashion. I felt my top teeth clench down, hard on my bottom teeth as I tried to remain serious as I realized what was going on.
“No, Sir,” I replied, trying to sound sophisticated. “I do believe that is the man’s responsibility.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the waiter replied and poured a small amount into the glass.
“After all,” I added as Tim swirled the glass around and put it up to his lips, “A woman in this age can overcome many things, but her size is purely a natural gamble.”
Tim tipped the swallow of wine into his mouth before staring at me, wondering what I was doing. I returned the shocked expression, as if he should know exactly what I was referring to.
“The wine, dear. You know that if it were tainted, it would take a lot more to poison you than it would me…and after all of those threats, you never can be too careful.”
Tim swallowed hard, half choking and half snorting a chuckle while the waiter backed away from the table slowly. When he was gone, Tim laughed again as his eyes followed.
“Damn, girl. You are crazy. I don’t want to get arrested, if it’s all the same to you.”
“Arrested for what?”
“I don’t know, suspicion of…whatever it is he thinks you’re getting death threats for…”
“You know, that’s why they do it, right?”
“So the man keels over? I don’t think so. That tradition is to ensure the wine is good, not lethal. If we had a servant, a Cup-Bearer, I think they were called, they would drink it.”
“How does he know you’re not my Cup-Bearer?
“Umm, because this is the civilized world, and generally people don’t need to worry about that stuff. And besides, I don’t think you trust me enough for that.” He grinned in a teasing fashion. Now, it was my turn to roll my eyes.
When the meal came, the waiter practically threw the plates on the table and left. Tim watched him and laughed. “I think you scared that poor boy.”
“He’ll get over it.”
“I was right. You are ruthless. Remind me never to get on your bad side.”
“Maybe you already are.”
“You haven’t made me cry yet, so I can’t be in too deep.”
“Maybe I’m just drawing you closer so that when I do strike, you won’t have a chance of surviving.”
His eyes grew wide, and his expression was truly surprised. “Holy Hell, what is wrong with you?”
At his reaction, I stopped to think about what I had said. “I don’t know. Maybe that was a little overboard.”
“Ya think?”
We stopped to eat for a little while and when we took a break, I cleared my throat, causing him to look up. “How's your father? I spoke to Dr. Pierce, and he said you were in the hospital the other day inquiring about your father’s condition.”
“Yes,” he replied, straightening slightly and pushing away from the table, giving me the feeling that he didn’t enjoy personal questions that made him human. “He’s good now. Dr. Pierce told me that he was only having a bad day, and it turned out, he was right. Dad is much better now. I can see improvement every day.”
“That’s great! I know it can be difficult, taking care of family, especially fathers.” I shook my head. “If yours is anything like mine, he’s always perfect and you never know what you’re talking about.”
“Even with your medical degree?”
“Especially with my medical degree.”
“Yup, that sounds like my father. Except, he doesn’t even speak to me. It’s a rare occasion when he gives me the time of day, much less tells me the truth about how he is feeling.”
“Parents are weird like that. I think it’s hard for them to give up the reins. I see it a lot, not only with my parents, but with patients.”
“Same thing in business, but it’s weird. People work their entire life so that they have a legacy to give their children, but then when it comes time to retire, they don’t want to let go.” There was something about the way he said it that made me feel as though he wasn’t only talking about his colleagues.
After dinner, we walked back to his car, plowing through the entrance and practically fighting one another to open my door. It was fun, having someone who was as stubborn as I was. I had to admit, I could see how it would become challenging at times, but for now, it was simply entertaining.
“So, what do you want to do about dessert?” he asked when I had finally gotten into my seat after one of us was able to pry the door open. I was fairly certain that neither one of us knew who the true winner of that round was.
“Oh, you’re giving me a choice this time?”
“No. Not really. I’m going to go where I want, but I was hoping you would share in my sweet tooth.”
“Which is?”
“Ice cream. I love the stuff. It’s awful.” I thought about giving him a hard time, but since I could go for an ice cream, too, I figured it would only prolong the inevitable, so I simply agreed.
“Excellent!” He pulled the car out of the parking lot, back onto Main Street. “Now, we can have a chance to talk about my proposition.”
“Proposition?” I repeated, slightly alarmed until I remembered that was the whole reason for us going out in the first place. “Oh, right. Your idea that you needed to talk to me about before we spoke to my sister.”
“Yes,” he replied, staring at me seriously for a moment before his eyes flashed back to the road. “I told you, I really wasn’t kidding. I think that talking to you about it before I say anything to your sister is the right thing to do. Did you tell her what I said?”
“Yeah, kind of. But to be honest, she was more concerned with getting me to go on a date.” I felt my shoulders rise up and fall with sincerity. “I mean, she’s thankful, but being that she has always taken care of everyone and had control over everything, she was happy to see I was getting out of the house. I think she feels bad, having everyone helping her.”
“Everyone needs a little help, now and then,” he answered. “No one can do everything.”
“Tell that to my sister.”
“I’m hoping I will have that opportunity.” He paused to pass another meaningful stare across the car in my direction. “With your help, of course.”
Chapter 25
Tim
By the time we arrived at the ice-cream parlor, a staple in this sleepy little town, my nerves were reeling. I felt sick to my stomach and my nervousness was nearly palpable.
I hoped Jenna couldn’t tell, but my sweaty palms slicked against the steering wheel and every once and a while, I could feel myself shift uneasily in my seat. I gritted my teeth, practically snarling at myself and my own stupidity. I shook my head, trying to focus, but having the inability to build up the walls that were usually instinctual.
I glanced across the car at Jenna as I put
the car in park. In my mind, I wanted to stall, but I’d be damned if I let her know that.
Though, I couldn’t help wondering how the fuck this girl had completely cleared all of my defenses, swooped in, and stripped me of every façade that usually came natural to me. I blinked, hoping she wouldn’t catch me staring at her. She was gazing up at the ice-cream parlor with an almost childlike excitement.
It was strange, seeing such an undeniably breathtaking woman taking on such a persona, but the thought nonetheless caused my lips to curl into a grin. I realized that I wanted to make her happy. I wanted to please her, help her, and reduce the stress in her life as much as I possibly could.
What a rotten, self-deprecating feeling this is, I thought as the terror of true exposure singed deep into the crevasse of my otherwise shallow soul.
Wonderment consumed me. What is it about this woman that has left me so naked? I had to ask myself, even though the answer eluded me completely. Of course, she was gorgeous and intelligent, which was admittedly not a combination I usually enjoyed in females, considering their attention to detail and reason was often too much of an aggravation. After all, dangling something shiny in front of them in order to gain passage between their legs was far easier than trying to keep up with the trials and tribulations surrounding an actual relationship.
However, while bribery was technically a factor here, a good fuck wasn’t my motivation. As much as it sucked, I actually wanted to help her. I wanted to see her happy, and I wanted to solve her problems. I hated to admit it, but even if my gesture didn’t result in the two of us sleeping together, I wasn’t completely uncomfortable with that. In fact, I could live with it quite nicely, so long as Jenna was taken care of.
Dude, what the hell is wrong with you? I thought, but shoved the notion out of my mind as we ordered our treats and walked outside to the abandoned patio to enjoy our spoils.
“Okay,” Jenna said when we sat down, chipping off a hunk of ice-cream from her chocolate chip glacier. I watched her with interest as she paused to insert the spoon between her lips and draw it back out, with a satisfaction that made my groin swell with fantasy. “So, what is this big proposition that you have?”
“Well, like I said before, I would like to help your sister, and I think I have a much simpler option than your current reliance on altruism,” I replied, hoping that I didn’t sound too much like a dick.
Jenna’s eyes narrowed, her spoon stopping at the midpoint between her luscious lips and the cup of frozen dessert. “Um…okay. What’s the catch?”
“There isn’t one,” I replied simply. “I genuinely want to help. And besides, I haven’t even told you what I want to do yet.”
“So, what do you want to do?” she asked, shifting with a slight sense of discomfort.
I hated to make her feel awkward. That wasn’t at all my intention, but I was trying to walk the fine line between generous and creepy. Unfortunately, from the look she was trying not to give me, I had a strong feeling I was failing in my endeavor.
Therefore, I took the plunge, without testing the water any further. “I want to pay for the house.”
Her eyes narrowed farther. “You want to buy my sister a new house?” Jenna’s expression was one of disbelief, but it was her distrusting tone that was the most discouraging.
“Hear me out. I can pay a crew who has experience to come build the house, the right way, with all the right permits and safety precautions—”
“So, you’re saying that we’re idiots? You know, her house was built the traditional way. We didn’t get together and do a good-old-fashioned barn raisin’. The only reason we are doing it this way now is to help her get back into her house as soon as possible, but I have no doubt that the house is goin’ to be safe and structurally sound!” Jenna insisted, sounding insulted.
However, while I was busy eating my words and trying to figure out how to explain this without insulting her further, I couldn’t help but notice her accent getting stronger.
I thought it was cute how her Southern drawl grew when she was angry. I had never understood what it meant when someone found a female cute when they were angry. In my experience, it was usually scary.
Now, I finally understood.
The way her cheeks flared red and her eyes glistened with intensity, gave me the strange urge to kiss her. Again, I felt a throbbing pressure in my groin and resisted the urge to move closer.
“No! Jenna, that isn’t at all what I mean. I was only saying that…you wouldn’t have to rely on anyone. It would be done and over quickly, and no one would be put out.”
Reining in her anger, Jenna sat back, placing her ice-cream on the weathered, wrought-iron table. She stared at me in silence for a moment, and I watched the flame of fury douse from her eyes as her completion eased back to normal.
“I’d have to rely on you,” she retorted.
“Don’t you trust me?” I shot back, knowing it was a loaded question, but still wanting to know the answer to it.
Surprised, Jenna sat back further. She wet her lips and furrowed her brow before responding. “Yes…” she answered, almost as though she didn’t want to. “I do trust you, but I also trust a lot of the people in this town. I’m not asking for a handout. I’m asking for a favor. I would do the same for anyone else in this town, and they know it.”
“I’m not giving you a handout. I’m simply providing…more stability and assurance. You only have to go through me.”
“Yes, but you’re missing the point,” she responded almost instantly, as though her answer was lying in wait, ready to spring at any given moment.
I stopped speaking instantly, trying my best not to say anything I would later regret. “Okay…” I tried to be reasonable and approachable. “Maybe I am. Would you care to enlighten me?”
“It isn’t just about getting the house rebuilt. This is exactly why I love this town. It is their willingness to help one another; it is the closeness they share and the understanding of tragedy. It is their compassion…
“Sure, they may know way too much about one another’s lives and they may have some weird traditions, but at the end of the day, if someone in the town needs something, they are going to be there. I knew this and I was still overwhelmed with the amount of generosity that was extended to help Michelle.
“We don’t want the house to just be rebuilt. We want the people who want to help us, who mean so much to us and to our family, to rebuild it with us.”
Although I couldn’t exactly relate, having bypassed that extension of emotion and interconnectedness, I did see her point. Yet, I wasn’t about to tell her that.
“Sure, the idea is all raindrops and roses, but the reality is it’s impractical,” I jabbed, crossing my arms with discontent.
“No. It’s not,” she insisted, furrowing her brow again in a manner that recreated the flame in her eyes. “Do you know how many people have agreed to help us?”
“Yes, but it doesn’t matter how many people give a good face and say they’re gonna be there; what matters is how many able-bodied people show up on the day you plan to build.”
“I have faith that every person who said they were going to be there, will. Hayden already told me that he is going to take care of the building materials.”
“That’s nice of him, and he is one person who I know will stand by his word, but everyone else…” I shook my head. “The South is full of sugar and arsenic. They can talk sweetly to your face while they are plotting to poison you.”
“And your beloved California is full of snakes and two-faced liars. They may not actually kill you, but they’ll swindle you out of every dime you have, sometimes making you wish they’d have just finished you off.”
“And that’s worse?”
“At least at the end, you will know the truth.”
I shook my head. “So, basically, what you’re saying is you don’t trust me?”
“No. What I’m saying is that my trust isn’t exclusively yours.” She crossed her ar
ms over her chest, causing her breasts to protrude out further. I tried not to notice, but my failure was obvious.
“You're extremely jaded,” she finally hissed.
“And for a smart woman, you’re dangerously naive.”
The second I said it, I wanted to take it back. I wasn’t that I didn’t mean it – I thought she was too trusting, but she didn’t live the life I did. She could afford to have faith in people. As a doctor and having to cope with everything that I was sure she had to come to terms with on a daily basis, I had little doubt that her trusting nature was a salvation.
“I didn’t mean that the way it sounded,” I added quickly, my tone dropping contritely.
Jenna didn’t respond initially. Instead, she let me sweat it out a little. However, when she did answer me, I was confused by her response.
“Come on. I want to show you my sister’s house.”
“The one that was destroyed by the fire.”
“Um…unlike you, it is customary for people ‘round here to only have one house at a time.” Even though her response was snide, she wasn’t angry.
“Ha! Ha! You’re hilarious,” I quipped back. “And, I’ll have you know that I only have one house.” I lowered my voice as I added, “It’s a big fucking house, but it is only one house.” I grinned as she shook her head. “I was just surprised that you want to walk around your sister’s burnt-down house. Isn’t that illegal?”
“No. They’re finished with the investigation, and I am cleared to be there.” She finished the rest of her ice-cream and tossing the Styrofoam cup in the trash.
“Okay. I guess I’m up for an adventure.” We drove to the house and when we got there, I immediately noticed a looming sadness in the air.
The portion of the house that wasn’t destroyed completely, still smoldering slightly in a pile of ash, was threatened by streaks of black – ghosts of the threat that had nearly destroyed the entire structure.