by Tonya Clark
“Candice showed up at my house last night when we got home. She was waiting on my porch when we got there. She had showed up yesterday morning and I thought I made it clear I wasn’t interested. Then she either called or texted all day long. When the calls stopped, I thought she got the hint, until I pulled up and there she was.”
“So, what, Jayden thinks you guys are a thing or something?”
I shake my head no. “I think she knows there is nothing going on between the two of us.”
Which to be honest, I was surprised about. She is usually so hung up on what her father did to her mom, I figured she would have jumped right to that conclusion.
“I’m lost. Then why did she leave?”
“I think it has something to do with the way I handled everything last night. Long story short, I’m pretty sure it has to do with me getting frustrated and telling her to go inside and I’d deal with her after I dealt with Candice.”
After I finally got Candice to leave and I had been sitting down trying to figure out what I had said to piss her off so much, that comment came running back to memory. I don’t blame her for being upset, I am pretty mad at myself for saying something so stupid.
Steve whistles and shakes his head. “You made a few mistakes there, buddy.”
Throwing the clip onto the desk, I stand up and walk over to the window. “She did say before she left that we could talk when I get back to Washington.”
Steve chuckles behind me. I wish I still had the paperclip in hand, so I could throw something at him. “I’m happy to see you are finding the humor in this.”
Steve throws his hands up in a surrender. “Sorry. Every man who has been in a serious relationship has been where you are now, my friend. We men learn very early we will put our foot in our mouth a lot. I just wish I could have been there when you told her to go inside and you would deal with her after Candice. I’d put money on the fact that Jayden doesn’t give a crap about Candice, anyone can see that woman is just needy and desperate, telling her you would deal with her later I’m sure is what got her all riled up.”
Steve is laughing, and I am getting pissed. “Candice was driving me crazy, I wasn’t thinking,” I try to defend myself.
“Women don’t care what’s going on before you speak, they only hear what’s coming out of your mouth when you are talking to them. You’ll learn, trust me,” Steve continues laughing.
I’m glad he is finding this situation funny. I may have lost Jayden because I was trying not to be rude to Candice. I’m not finding any of this funny.
“Learn what? I’m not even sure if I want to try and work all of this out. I have a lot going on right now. I’m not sure what to do with all of this, maybe I should let it go. Let Jayden go.”
Even as I say it, I know I’m not leaving it alone. I hate to admit this, but I already miss having Jayden here. I don’t want to wait an extra night to get home. If I could leave now, I would.
“I don’t know who you are trying to convince, me or yourself. I see that look in your eyes, you are hooked. Can’t say that I blame you, Jayden seems great.”
“Does this relationship thing ever get easier?”
Laughing again, Steve shakes his head. “You learn, trust me.”
“Right! Well I’m learning to apologize well.”
“That’s a start, son.”
It doesn’t take long to clean up my side of the office here in the portable for the track housing. I make sure to clean out what I can so that Steve doesn’t have to take care of all of it. The trailer will be moved to the next site soon. I didn’t sleep last night, so I made sure everything was ready to go for the movers to come get all my stuff. I got on the road around six-thirty this morning. I’ve tried to call Jayden a couple of times but all I get is her voice mail. All of the texts I’ve sent have gone unanswered. She said we would talk when I got home but now I am wondering if she has changed her mind.
Once more I try to call, and like the last three of four times, her voicemail is what I get. “Jay, I’m sorry. I’m on my way home. Hopefully in the next couple of days you will decide to talk to me when I get home. I know I apologize a lot to you and I keep saying it won’t happen again, but I’m a work in progress and I’m sure I’ll mess up again if you decide to give this thing between us another shot. Call me back if you want, but if I don’t hear from you before, I’ll see you when I get home.”
Throwing my phone in the seat next to me, I take a deep breath. She will talk to me even if I have to sit outside of her house. Things are coming around to normal again. I want to work on this relationship with Jayden, I don’t want her giving up on us. I have a long drive home, lots of time to think, and by the time I reach Washington I should have a pretty good idea on how to fix all of this.
Chapter 24
Jayden
It’s been a long week. I haven’t heard back from Cameron since his voicemail he left the day he left Texas. He should be back in Washington by now, but I haven’t heard anything from him. I am expecting him to show up at my front door at any time now. I have to admit, I miss him. I missed him the moment I sat down in the cab to leave his house back in Texas. I haven’t answered any of his calls or the texts he has sent me. I know if I do, I will instantly forgive him and right now, I’m not real sure what to do with this thing between us. He will apologize, I will forgive him and then things will go good for a little while, then something will happen, and he will take it out on me again. I can’t sit here any longer, I need my best friend.
“Since when do you ring the doorbell and not just come in?” Charliee answers the door, surprise written all over her face.
“Since you decided to get a roommate. I’m trying to be considerate. Is he home today? I didn’t see his truck.”
Walking past Charliee when she moves aside to let me in the house, I head down the hallway. I am curious how much room my friend gave up for her man.
“No, Travis is at work today,” Charliee answers, following behind me down the hall. “May I ask what you are looking for?”
I open the door to her spare room and the office. Turning to her, I laugh. “I was checking out the new look to the house. Nothing has really changed except the large television in the living room. I figured you would have had to clean out a least one room maybe for a gym or something.”
Charliee laughs. “Bryan from the station has just moved into his own apartment and needed a lot of what we were going to get rid of, so Travis worked with him on everything.”
“So how are things going with having Travis here? I haven’t heard much from you the last few weeks.”
“It’s been good. I’m not the only one who’s been busy. The last couple times I’ve asked what you were up to, you had already made plans with Cameron. I’m thinking everything is going good with you two.”
Damn, I shouldn’t have brought this conversation up. I was just trying to give her a hard time, that completely backfired.
“Jayden, what’s going on? Are things not working out between the two of you?”
There is no reason to try and keep everything from Charliee, plus I don’t think I want to anymore. I don’t know what to do anymore, I mean I came here to keep from seeing Cameron just in case he showed up at my house.
“I don’t know. One minute we are great, the next we are fighting.” I need my friend. I need her advice on what to do, but I don’t want her mad at him either.
“Are you guys still fighting over Jacob?”
I wish, I think that was easier times, I think to myself. “Not really since school got out.”
“You love him, don’t you?”
No reason to hide it from her or try to deny it with Charliee, she will see right through me. “Is it that obvious?”
I watch as she shrugs her shoulders. “I can see it, but then again that’s part of my job description as the best friend.”
I hear a vibration coming from the kitchen. Saved by the phone. I point to
the kitchen. “I hear your phone going off somewhere that way.”
“Thanks,” she signs, as she quickly heads over toward the kitchen.
Charliee is happy, it is written all over her face. I pull my phone out of my pocket. No calls, no texts. Maybe I should just call him. Maybe he thinks that since I haven’t returned any of his calls or texts, I don’t want to talk to him.
Charliee walks back in holding her phone. “So, you have plans for today?”
I should call Cameron, but maybe he isn’t home yet. I’ll give it until tonight. If I don’t hear from him by then, maybe, just maybe I’ll call him. I just shake my head no to answer Charliee.
“You want to go with me down to the station? Bryce just asked me to come down.”
Perfect, maybe this will keep my mind off things for a while. “Sure, I will go with you.”
It kills me to see Charliee’s disappointment leaving the police station. Sure, they had a little more information on the person who is responsible for so much pain. After seeing him at the carnival, I’ve noticed a change in Charliee and Cameron.
Charliee is a type of person who always looks at the positive, but today you can see Charliee losing hope, getting frustrated. She is getting mad. I can’t say I blame her, but it is still a different side of Charliee, one I really hate seeing on her.
“You want to grab some lunch?” I ask as we jump back into the jeep
She checks her phone. “Sure, we can grab something. Where were you thinking?”
“How about that hamburger place down the street?”
She nods then pulls out of the parking space. Before pulling out onto the street, she pulls her phone out of her pocket and hands it to me.
“Can you see who texted me, please?”
“Travis,” I sign to her. “He is back at the station. Stop by and tell him what happened.”
She asks me to text him back that we will stop by the station after lunch. So, I do, of course it isn’t going to be that boring. If I was dating a hot firefighter, my messages wouldn’t be as boring as the ones on her phone. Best friend privileges in full swing working.
As she parks, I hand her back her phone, but I can’t control the huge smile on my face. I know I look guilty.
“Jayden!” Charliee yells behind me, stopping me as I walk toward the diner.
I turn around with a questioning look, hopefully looking innocent. Although I’d love to know how he responded to Charliee’s text.
“Really? That’s what popped in your head when I asked you to text him?”
I throw my hands up in surrender. “I was helping you with dessert. Plus, your text sounded boring. I just spiced it up a little.”
I leave it at that, turning and heading inside before she can yell at me some more.
Charliee follows in shortly after. I keep my eyes on my menu as she sits down. When she doesn’t say anything, I put the menu down.
“So, are you going to make good on your promise?” I smile innocently at her.
“Just remember, payback is a bitch.”
I blow her a kiss and wink. “I’ll bet he got a kick out of it.”
After lunch, we head straight to the station. Charliee basically shovels her food in and finishes in record time. I know she wants to see Travis and tell him what happened at the station. Travis calms her in a way none of us can when it comes to anything with the bombing.
Turning on to the street of Travis’s station, the engine comes out of the driveway, lights and sirens on. Charliee pulls over, giving them room on the road. We see Travis in the back-cab window and as he passes, he signs that he will text Charliee later and that he loves her. I have to admit, I am a little jealous over their relationship. It is always so comfortable between the two of them. That perfect match you hear about, or true love, the happily ever after, that’s what Charliee and Travis have. I don’t think they have ever had an argument. Travis worships Charliee. She deserves it, though, she deserves to be treated the way he treats her. Like she walks on water.
I look over and see her hands tightly gripping the steering wheel. I grab her arm to get her attention. “What’s wrong?”
She shrugs, but her eyes look worried. She looks back down the street, but the engine has already disappeared around the corner.
Charliee looks back over at me. “Do you ever get a feeling like something isn’t right?”
“Charliee, you are just freaking out. Between going to the station today and getting all worked up there and them rushing out of here, lights everywhere, your nerves are just going crazy.”
Charliee looks like at any moment she is going to drive after the engine, following them onto whatever call they are headed to.
“I have to admit, firefighters are already hot but watching them rush out of here, lights flashing and hearing the sirens, it makes those guys even hotter.”
There is the smile I was hoping for. She is calming down. The worry is still in her eyes, but she takes a deep breath and nods her head in agreement with me.
I am looking for a distraction to keep my mind off of Cameron and today doesn’t disappoint. We turn onto Charliee’s street to find a squad car sitting along the curb in front of her house. As we pass by to pull into her driveway, both of her brothers step out of the car. I am hoping this has to do with us being at the station earlier, maybe some good news from everything, but I am pretty sure they wouldn’t drive over here for any of that. Charliee parks the jeep and we both jump out. I come around as Charliee opens the back door to let Levi out. I look over at the boys, this isn’t good. I can see their faces from here and all I see is dread and seriousness. They have on their police faces.
“What are you guys doing here?” Charliee asks when neither brother makes the move to approach us.
Derrick looks over at Bryce and then starts toward us. You can tell he is even less happy to have to be the one to do whatever they are here to do.
“Derrick, what’s going on? Why are you guys here?” Charliee is losing her patience, I can hear it in her voice, plus she is talking and signing, never a good sign with her. That usually means she is pissed or upset, something. She always leans back onto signing when she is emotional. I think that is because she doesn’t have to think when it comes to signing. Plus, it always seems to get her point across a little better. You know that saying “Actions speak louder than words.”
I watch as Derrick looks up at the sky, like he is looking for the easy way to say something. I am about to yell at him myself when he finally speaks. “Charliee, there has been another bombing.”
A chill runs through my body. Charliee looks over at me. “That must have been where the guys were going when we pulled up.”
A puzzled look comes over her face. Charliee turns back to her brother. “There is more, isn’t there?”
“Maybe we should go inside, Charliee.” Derrick makes a move toward the house, but no one follows.
“Where was it guys?” Charliee asks, not moving from the side of the jeep. “What are you guys not telling me?”
“The explosion was at an abandoned building this time,” Bryce answers, finally speaking up.
Well that is good news I’d think. Why all the seriousness? I am about to ask but Charliee beats me to it.
“Damn it guys, what are you trying to tell me?”
Derrick walks up to Charliee and I come around to stand next to her. Something is very wrong, I can feel the tension. This isn’t going to be good news.
“Charliee, when the firefighters went in, a second bomb went off. Two guys from Travis’s department are missing. Travis is one of them.”
Charliee looks pale, like she is going to pass out or be sick.
“Take me there.” Charliee starts over to the squad car.
Derrick grabs her by the arm to stop her when she starts to walk past him. “You can’t go, we don’t even know if it’s safe or if there’s another bomb, Charliee.”
“I don’t car
e. You two drive us over there now, or I’ll drive myself. Either way, I’m going. Travis needs me.”
Charliee turns around and starts back to her jeep, Levi close on her heels.
I put my hands up to stop her after Derrick pleads with me to help. “Hon, what are you going to be able to do there? Your brothers are right, you are safer here.”
Derrick is right, there may be another bomb and she doesn’t need to be anywhere near there if another one goes off. There have already been two, why not a third?
“Jayden, you are telling me that if that was Cameron out there, you would stay at home and wait for a call?” Charliee challenges me.
Hell no, I wouldn’t sit around and wait for a call and she knew it.
“That’s what I thought,” she says after I don’t answer her, but I don’t need to, she reads my answer through my eyes.
Charliee turns back to her brothers. “Now, I’m going to ask one more time. Are you going to take me there, or am I going alone?”
I can see the moment when her brothers give up. Bryce opens the back door of the squad car. Charliee runs over, lets Levi in first and then follows him into the back seat. She looks over at me. I can’t stay back and worry, waiting to hear from someone on what is going on.
“All right, I’m coming. Someone has to keep you from doing something stupid and you don’t listen to your brothers.”
****
When we arrive, I can’t believe the amount of emergency vehicles and personnel that are there. The front part of the building is all rubble. You can still make out the front wall and what looks to be maybe where the door was, but you can see all the walls down inside.
After convincing Bryce, she would stay back and not do anything stupid, we are all let out of the back of the car. Someone is being carried out of the building, they have found one of the firefighters. We quickly learn it isn’t Travis. Charliee just stands there watching the building; Levi, however, won’t stop pacing.