by Amber Burns
I wanted to toss back a Marine hardened glare at Wes, but he was lucky that I owed him a favor. Even if he didn’t know it, he had planted a genius idea in my head. Once outside, I pulled out my cell, did a quick search for a number, and made a call.
“Hello?” I crooned into the phone. “Yeah, I’d like to inquire about reservations for the night.”
5
It was done, a reservation for two at the Pearlwater Lodge on Lake Placid. We would spend the night at a five-star rustic hotel with purported breath-taking views of the lake, an all-inclusive spa treatment, complimentary breakfast and lunch packages, and a myriad of other activities… or so their site boasted.
“That place is stunning,” Iris said when I told her about my plan the next day. “We strongly considered it for our wedding venue.” I looked up and nodded to her as I packed my bag before she continued, “You’re leaving Mams and Pops then?”
“Not when I have it so good here,” I said. “It’s basically a five-star resort with Mams’ cooking and cleaning. Not to mention hanging out with Pops.”
Iris’ laugh was short. “Then what’s the hotel for?”
“Wooing my girl,” I said with a grin, waiting the shocked look that would soon cross my sister’s face.
“A girlfriend?” Iris twirled in place and forgot all about her trip to the kitchen. She was practically bubbling with excitement. “Spill, bro. Now.”
“What do you want to know?”
“What can you share? Or should I say, what information can I squeeze out of you?” She’s folded her arms and hunkered down to wheedle out all my secrets.
I thought for a moment, trying to decide what I wanted to share. “Most everything but her name, that’s the only thing I’m not ready to share.” When I said it, I knew I made the right decision. I might have roped Vanna into giving me the opportunity to grow to love me, but my efforts would go to naught if I sent Iris and her one-woman sniffing brigade out to find Vanna and pelt her with questions.
After I answered her questions, Iris’s posture slumped a bit. “So, if I got this right, she a thirty-nothing part-time worker, dark hair and eyes, a little curvy but with a ‘fit ass’, and you’re hopelessly in lust with her. Did I get that all?”
“That sums it up. Honestly, I’m still getting to know her,” I drifted off, wondering if I’d ever get Vanna to feel for me the way felt for her. She had erected so many barriers around herself, barriers she wasn’t even aware of, that I figured it was foolish of me to hope to dismantle each one.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were dating.” Iris brought me back to the room I was staying in at our grandparents with a punch. It was light enough to shock me into catching the tail-end of her complaint. “Five days or not,” she jabbed her finger in the space between us, taking my one and only excuse out of my mouth, “I should have been informed as soon as this happened.”
I shrugged and grabbed my bag, heading toward the door Iris was standing in.
“Where are you going now? To the hotel?” she continued prodding.
“No, I’m heading over to her work.”
Iris headed back towards stairs, and her room at the top, to switch her PJ camisole and roomy shorts for something presentable. I called back to her as I moved to the front door, “You can’t come with me.”
“Come on. Why not?” She hovered over the last step, pouting. That sad face got her many a thing she wanted. Not this time though. I wouldn’t be bowled over this time.
“You can meet her some other time. You know, when I warn her.” Boots on, and in the middle of drawing my coat over my shoulder, I turned to face my baby sister. Her arms were folded, and she was tapping one slipper impatiently, as if counting the seconds until I relent to her wish.
“Sorry, not this time sis,” I said with another shrug.
“You’re making me out to be some sort of rabid dog.”
From up in Iris’ room, Honey took that cue to bark. I chuckled. “I think that says it enough.”
Iris sighed. “I just want to see her.” And I knew she meant it, I could hear it in her uncharacteristic whining. One thing about Iris that all her friends and family understood and accepted, was that Iris didn’t beg for anything. You either went her way or headed off on your own. Iris didn’t cave to anyone else’s plans.
How her fiancé and my old Marine buddy, River, handled her is beyond any normal human comprehension. I seriously underestimated the guy’s stoicism, which apparently was the ultimate Iris-proof shield. I didn’t have this shield, so I figured I better split before she convinced me to take her along.
The drive from Cold Springs to Albany was an hour, and I had already made it once today. I tried to time it so I could catch Vanna for lunch at one. It was 1:03 when I pulled Pops’ Chevy in by Wes’ Bug two lots down from Sterling Outfits. I walked the distance whistling again. I wasn’t cut off by the tinkling greeting of the bell above the door, but by the raised voices floating from the back room. Violet and Wes were at it again. And, not surprisingly, Vanna was playing the referee. I slunk slowly to the back of the store, trying not to make too much noise. I must have succeeded, since the trio seemed to ignore me as Violet continued on a tirade.
“Going to dinner does not immediately mean that I want to have sex with the guy,” she yelled at Wes, and I could picture cartoon steam flying out of Violet’s nose and ears. She was standing on one side of Vanna’s raised hand, and Wes pushed away Vanna’s other hand as he tossed back to Violet, “You weren’t supposed to be having dinner with him at all.”
Since they hadn’t noticed me yet, I was left in the awkward position of either announcing my presence or waiting for them to recognize their audience of one. Vanna had her back to me, and Wes and Violet were too busy cutting each other down to notice I was eavesdropping nearby. I decided I might as well kick in my heels for the long run.
As predicted, the back-and-forth continued for another twelve minutes. I knew because I timed it.
Like most siblings, Iris and I used to fight more as kids. Older now, we hardly saw each other and, as a result, our fights were more banter-like. Light teasing if anything. It helped that we both shared the same laid-back approach to life, and we didn’t butt our noses in where we weren’t wanted.
Considering they worked together, and lived close enough to irritate each other, it made sense why Violet and Wes butted heads. Vanna was a rare specimen to endure it with her gentle touch.
It was just one more reason to want her, she’d be great wife and mother material.
“What are you doing here?” Wes was the first to take note of me. At my mention, Vanna’s hands dropped, and she whirled around.
In answer to Wes, I shrugged. “The door was open, and I let myself in.”
“And she forgot to lock up for lunch again.” He threw up his hands. “Forget it. Just one more thing I’ll add to my towering pile of duties.”
Violet made a noise akin to a snarl, and a laugh came from the back of her throat.
“Funny. A pile of duties, huh? And where exactly is this pile of duties?” She waved around. “Surely not in here. And your desk is looking pretty empty right now.”
Wes was mute. The only telling of his anger was his reddening ears and the splotches of blood surfacing over his throat and cheeks; the coloring reminded me of how Vanna could be around me. It must have been a family thing.
“Oh, and FYI,” Violet decided to continue piling on, “I hold my end of this business down as much as you do, so don’t even go there. You’re not mom or dad, Wes, so stop trying to control my life.” She stood a little straighter now, but there was a wobble to her lips. “I know the difference between right and wrong. I’m a big girl, have been for a long time now. It’s my mess, all right, and I’ll clean it up. But I won’t grovel to you with an apology.”
Having said her bit, Violet moved towards me, or rather towards the front of the store which I was blocking. I shifted out of her way, pressing myself against the w
all. She plucked her yellow coat up off the makeshift coat rack on a wooden stool and charged to the entrance.
“Vi, where are you going?” Vanna called after her sister.
“Where else? Lunch.” Violet’s response was followed by the bell chiming and the front door slamming with her departure.
Wes was following moments later. “Close up if you’re eating out,” was all he said to Vanna as he ignored me all together.
“His mood has not improved since yesterday,” I said to Vanna once Wes was out of earshot.
She offered a small shrug then went to move past me. I reached out and pulled Vanna towards me, intent to smother her to my chest. Or at least I was going to, before she carefully extricated herself from my hug.
“I have to dust and sweep,” she offered as an excuse and kept moving to the front of the store.
I was quickly on her heels, nearly a secondary shadow as I waited for her to throw me the first bone or doggy treat.
“Can I help?” I offered, wanting to cheer up my girl.
“It’s fine. I got it.”
I maneuver myself around the room whenever she brushed close with the broom. She kept her head down the entire time, but she had to feel my burrowing gaze.
“What’s up?” I said, breaking the silent tension first. The words finally got her to still that silly broom. Yet, she still didn’t answer. “You’ve been sweeping the same fucking area for five minutes.”
“Amos!” she said with exasperation.
“Fuck,” I intended to think but apparently said out loud.
“You don’t need to cuss.”
Baby, I do. It’s me, I managed to just think and not say that time.
I sighed, and my hands came around the back of my neck, supporting the taut muscles that were riding high from thinking about Vanna and making this - us - work. I never took marriage as being an easy thing, but that was the whole point, to get to a reasonable place where my proposal to her wouldn’t be shot to hell right from the start.
“Tell you what,” I started, “tell me what’s bothering you, and I’ll stop cussing.”
Her lips thinned. “It’s nothing.”
I crossed my arms and my legs drew apart just the right amount to look threatening. Both in the Marines and at home with Mams and Pap, I was taught to rely on the team or family, respectively. Nobody wanted to be saddled with a loner, let alone a liar, in the middle on Afghan tour. That’s why I needed her to tell me what was up; I couldn’t rest with the knowledge she was carrying a burden alone. We couldn’t start anything, especially the forever plan I had, with things being concealed between us.
My advance began a dance. She stepped back once for every two steps of mine. I had her backing up to the display window, broom clutched to her chest with both hands, while her mouth fell open soundlessly. In the last second, she turned from me.
I hugged her, broom and all, and gathered her soft body to my hard chest. I was aware she had gone tense; her back was rigid and her breathing shallow. The contrast had my cock stirring. Though sex, oddly, was not the first thing on my mind with her in my hold.
That was a first.
“Tell me what’s up,” I demanded more than asked. “I’m making no promises to fix it. I just want to hear any problems you might be having.”
When she didn’t answer, I kissed her temple. She leaned against me, and it was the sign that I wanted. She wasn’t freezing me out, and I took her leaning as an invitation to massage her sides as I pressed her further against me. That’s when I started to remember my hard dick.
“Vanna, let me in,” I breathed the plea.
My hand cupped her breasts, weighing the soft, warm flesh while an errant thumb roused her nipple. She moaned and tilted her head back. I was aware that we were standing in front of the display window for anyone to see. It called to mind the fantasy I had spun earlier. It was funny how the idea of allowing anyone else to see Vanna’s pleasure caused an unpleasant churning in my gut.
I stopped my ministrations, dropped my hand from her breast, and relieved the sweet pressure of my cock at the small of her back. I also had to tune out her mewling protest.
“Vanna,” my voice was steely, if not slightly strained, on purpose.
I needed to focus. Fucking her in the display window was not going to happen. Neither was taking her to the back, pulling her skirt up her thighs, freeing her of her panties, and sinking into her.
When I wasn’t touching her, Vanna stirred, and I loosened my hold to see what she was doing. Vanna pulled around and flattened her palms over my pecs.
“Amos…”
I love when she says my name. It sent a stir through my chest and down to my already hard member.
“Talk to me, babe,” I prodded.
Her lower lip quivered with all the sadness and worry and doubt she wasn’t putting into words. I kissed her because I wanted to, but then I realized I was about to be rejected.
“I have to go,” she murmured over my mouth.
“I know.”
“I have a second job.”
I paused at that. I had no idea my girl worked anywhere but here with her siblings. I was dumbfounded enough to nod and then wait for my body to follow my head’s rationalization. I had to let Vanna go and do Vanna, and when she was ready, she would come back and stop pushing me away.
“Okay?” she pressed. Her beautiful browns were watery with unshed tears.
“Yeah, okay,” I conceded.
Even at that, my arms took a little longer to catch up. But, I did finally release her. She set the broom aside and gathered her things. She moved around me like egg shells were strewn all over the damn floor she had just cleaned.
It killed me to watch her toss back glances all the way to the door on her way to that mysterious second job. It plain sucked when she held the door open and mumbled to the floor, “I can’t lock up with you in here. Sorry, but it’s the rules.”
“Oh, yeah… sure,” I managed and edged past her.
I was already pissed that I didn’t know my girl had a second job. Just how much did she have to bust her ass to pay her rent? Was she flipping burgers all night? I was getting grumpy just thinking about Vanna having to live an all work, no play life. That would change with me around.
“Fuck it,” I grumbled and chased off some pigeons that were pecking at something or other on the sidewalk a few feet from the door of Sterling Outfits. I had to know more, learn more about Vanna, if I was going to win her over. Her second job was costing her time that could be spent with me. We could have been on our way to Pearlwater Lodge already.
I smiled at the thought of me squeezing myself into one of the advertised suite Jacuzzi with my girl. My smile and fantasy were quickly dashed when I realized I had to cancel the reservations. This second job would have to go. I pulled my cell out and made the call. The cancellation was quick, and I angrily flicked my thumb over the end-call button once the deed was done.
I was making my way down the street, no destination in particular in mind, when I get an idea. I could go and Vanna’s place for myself, determine whether it was worth the two jobs. But there was a problem; I didn’t know where the hell she lived.
I turned and headed back to Sterling Outfits, hoping I could get some information out of either Violet or… well out of Violet. Luck seemed to be with me as I saw Violet at the door to the shop, unlocking it while she balanced a Styrofoam container holding the remnants of her lunch in one hand. I jogged a few steps to ensure I caught her before she disappeared inside; a thousand and one questions were ready to burst from my brain.
“Yeah, she works two jobs,” Violet answered my first one as she held the door for me. She locked it behind us once we were both standing in the now familiar lobby. “We used to live together, up until recently. You should have seen her when she got the key to her first place.”
Violet smiled, the faraway look that gleamed in her made me yearn for such a memory. Vanna must have been so happy. I tried to pictur
e it using the fleeting times she had smiled with me since our meeting. But it was difficult, almost near-impossible, to imagine her in such an excited state. I had far more experience with her timid side.
Rather than pulling us through to the back, Violet led us up the stairs and continued speaking over her shoulder, “It was for a price. As soon as we finished celebrating, and we all came down from the high, we realized Vanna’s rent would require her to get two jobs.”
“How much does she get paid here?” I inquired. Violet paused, her hand stilled on the knob of the door closest to the stairs. “No offense, but I thought family would have made things easier for her.”
Violet’s smile was palpable of her sadness. “Vanna won’t let us help.”