by Jw Grodt
“I don’t know what to do. You betrayed me, but Jared is my love. If he finds out it will tear this family apart. But not telling him makes me feel like a willing accomplice—as if I cheated on him.”
“NO! No, you haven’t done anything wrong.” He rushed over to her and sat down beside her. “It was all me, bad mistake, under the influence of too much alcohol. I know that doesn’t excuse what I did, but it will never happen again. Just give me one more chance and please don’t tell my son.”
He started to cry and whimper like a helpless child. He sensed the pity that washed over her as she hugged him and uttered words of consolation. Her touch, her smell, the warmth coming from inside her robe were far from palliative, however. It was as if he had been hit by shock-paddles and the fear inverted itself to brazen lust ….
In no time he had grabbed her and shoved the robe back from her shoulders. In agitation he began fondling her exposed breasts. He was too blind with animal urge to notice she put up no resistance whatsoever.
He pushed her down on the bed. Her eyes looked upward, but she was not looking at him. Her arms were spread at her sides and her body went limp. His left hand pulled at her panties while his right fumbled with his belt. Her eyes closed and she tilted her head back. Had she fainted like that night? The thought sent a surge of blood to his groin. He spread her legs with his knees and once again felt that wave of warm flesh take him in. He was floating, riding a tide of unearthly pleasure ….
“Brad! What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Wha—?” He blinked and snapped to attention. She was sitting there on the side of the bed, glaring at him.
“You’ve got a damn hard on! What in God’s name are you doing?”
He ran from the room in humiliation and didn’t stop until he was in his car and driving to work. About a mile from the house he looked down at the speedometer: he was speeding well over the speed limit. He removed his foot from the gas pedal and let out a deep sigh as he coasted back to the correct speed. He should just jump on the interstate and not look back. He would just drive until he could drive no more. It was almost automatic though, when he took the off-ramp that led to his office.
Her words continued to echo through his brain: “tear this family apart.” He thought of Jared, and the betrayal he would feel. His son would never speak to him, let alone look at him, again. As he neared the office he became angry. Nicole! It was all her fault. What decent woman walks out on her deck naked? And a virgin no less? Wonder if that whole virgin story was true, anyway? Then there was Crystal and her mocking laughter; if she only knew. What about Julie? If she hadn’t died and left him he wouldn’t be in this fucking mess. Women, it was always the damned women!
He pulled into the parking lot and sat there for a while, his hands gripping the wheel while he rested his head on top of them. He squeezed the wheel in spasms until his anger waned and he could focus on his workday. He finally emerged from the vehicle, taking a deep breath before he walked inside.
“Good morning, Maggie. What’s up for today?” He hoped he had sounded nonchalant.
“Good morning, Bradley. Your mail is on your desk along with five messages and Stan wants you to stop by his job first if you can possibly do it. Seems they have a major problem that needs your attention, although they are working around it. He said he called your cell a couple of times but you didn’t answer.”
“Yeah, forgot to charge my battery last night,” he lied. Brad quickly went to his office and checked his mail, returned one of his messages and gave Maggie some instructions before he headed out to Stan’s job.
“I’ll see you later, Maggie. Oh, call Stan and tell him I’m on my way, thanks.”
“Will do. Have a great day.”
After meeting with Stan and resolving issues on site, Brad forged on through his day with fear and apprehension roiling in his gut. What awaited him at home was anyone’s guess. Would Jared be there, waiting to punch him in the face? Would he be cold-cocked as soon as he walked in the door?
He returned to the office late in the day to put some finishing touches on a quote. He swiveled in his chair to put the papers in the file cabinet and the framed photo of Julie on the credenza behind his desk caught his eye.
“Julie, you left me in a world of shit. Why did you abandon me? I need your help more than ever.”
He turned off the desk lamp and for the first time he didn’t kiss his finger and touch it to her face.
He got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach as he locked the office and headed for his car. A hard rain began to fall just as he walked out and he dashed to the car. Just as he reached for the door handle, a bolt of lightning shot through the sky, quickly followed by a deafening clap of thunder. The sudden flash and boom jolted his frame and he dropped his keys. Once he was inside his car, he realized he was soaked.
He drove through the torrent with his windshield wipers on high; their violent slapping took on an ominous rhythm, a dual metronome timing the seconds until he confronted whatever awaited him at home.
The rain had not let up by the time he pulled into the drive alongside Jared’s car. He killed the engine and sat in the car for a minute or two, listening to the thrum of rain on the roof, wishing he could just stay there in that metal cocoon. The storm began to subside somewhat so he made a break for it and ran to the porch. He opened the front door slowly, his eyes darting from side to side, anticipating a punch coming from any direction. Instead, Jared and Nicole were seated at the kitchen table. He heard them talking in low voices; nothing seemed awry. Nicole’s back was to him, and Jared was the first to notice him as he stepped into the foyer. He got up from the table and approached him. “Dad, let me help you out of those wet clothes.”
Brad caught his breath for a moment until Jared’s words registered. Nicole turned around and gave him “the finger” before she escaped down the hall. Jared pulled at his wet coat sleeve and a moment later Nicole was there with a bath towel. She threw the towel over his head and began to dry his hair. She was pressed up against him, and when she backed away, the front of her t-shirt was soaked and her hard nipples were visible under the cotton fabric.
“Oh my, I’m wet now!” she said and crossed her arms over her chest. She ran downstairs to get a dry shirt.
Brad kicked off his shoes and went to his room to change. When he returned to the dining room, Nicole was wearing a fresh silk blouse and she and Jared were setting the table.
“Come and sit down, Dad,” Jared said as he placed a bowl of mashed potatoes on the table. The smell of cooked steak massaged Brad’s nostrils.
“Gee, I’m hungry! It smells fantastic!”
“You should be hungry,” Nicole said, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. “You forgot your lunch this morning.”
“Yeah, Dad. I can’t remember a time when you forgot your lunch. Even after Mom wasn’t there to remind you anymore. Are you getting old and senile or something?” Jared punched his bicep lightly.
They sat down to eat while Jared continued the theme and told stories of things his mother had to do to keep his father on track.
“I seem to remember,” Brad said as he chewed a rare piece of meat, “your mother having to remind you to do a few things as well, like homework or chores.”
“Oh, not much has changed,” Nicole interjected. “I have to remind him of details all the time.” She playfully nudged Jared and he laughed—his mother’s laugh. Brad felt a jolt in his gut. He suddenly had lost his appetite but pulled himself together.
“So, Jared, how was your trip?”
“It was great, Dad. I was able to convince the boss and other members of the team that my idea for boosting productivity would work if we were to expand our current facility and close the ancillary office.”
Jared rambled on but Brad only half-listened. He interspersed “Uh-huhs” between glances at Nicole, who never took he
r eyes off her husband. Her look was one of total admiration—and a pang of jealousy shot through him.
She obviously had not told Jared anything about his indiscretion of the night before, or about this morning’s little incident. Brad’s sense of humor returned all at once: Well, maybe not that little. Her eyes locked on his for an instant and he became apprehensive of an encore. He shifted in his chair and pulled at his trousers. His face felt warm.
Brad had planned on telling them his concocted story about the townhouse; for a reason he deliberately chose to ignore, he was no longer in a rush to make that revelation. It could wait until the following week. All at once, his appetite was back and he attacked his ribeye with renewed vigor.
CHAPTER NINE
The next ten days were relatively uneventful, with no mention from Nicole of Brad’s terrible screw-up, either to him or Jared. With his son home, there was limited interaction between Nicole and him, so Brad relaxed a bit.
It was a Tuesday, the day of the closing on the townhouse. Brad had checked with April earlier to confirm that the midday time was still good. He took the day off, unbeknownst to Jared or Nicole, and drove to a local diner to wait for the bank to open. Since he had quite a bit of time to kill, he was able to have a long, leisurely breakfast alone: an uncommon luxury. A carafe of coffee, two large blueberry pancakes, a pair of sunny side up eggs in which to dip his rye toast, a side of ham and a large tomato juice. He savored every bite as he thought about how soon he would be free from the curse of Miss Sweet Cheeks. He would miss the occasional glimpse of her hardened nipples protruding through her top, her to-die-for lovely legs, and all the rest of her, but in the grand scheme of things, he would be much better off.
He had time to pore over the morning newspaper and he leisurely perused the latest current events and sports news while he finished his coffee. When it came time to leave, he left a twenty with the waitress, took a toothpick from the holder near the register, popped it in his mouth and headed for his car. He drove to the bank to pick up the cashier’s check for the closing. It was ten o’clock and he was supposed to meet April at the townhouse at eleven to do a final walk-through before sealing the deal. He found himself feeling less apprehensive and in a much more relaxed mood. Soon, Nicole would be out of his house and he could live in peace. A smile formed on his lips as he drove.
April was just opening the lockbox to get the front door key when he arrived.
“Good morning!” he called out to her as he stepped from his car.
“You ready to do this thing, Mr. Bradley Jared Wallace? You bought this so quickly I was rather afraid you’d try to back out,” April replied as she pushed open the door.
“Oh, no. I’m looking forward to surprising my son and daughter-in-law.”
“You’re a really great guy to do this for them. I hope they appreciate it,” she said as he followed her inside.
“Me too. I want to see them enjoy it while I’m still around.”
April led him through the townhouse, checking to see that everything worked and that all was as it should be. Brad told her about his plan for the surprise.
“I decided that I would have a large red ribbon put horizontally across the front door, with a big white bow in the center. I’ve arranged to have the refrigerator and cabinets stocked with the basic essentials of food, drink, plates and silverware.
“My! You have certainly planned it down to the last detail.”
“Well, I enjoy pleasantly surprising people I like,” Brad said, feeling a little guilty over his self-congratulatory tone. He added, “I think I need to surprise you one day.”
“I think I’ll have to keep an eye on you!” She laughed as if she didn’t know whether to take him seriously or not.
They continued to flirt with one another as she helped Brad conduct the walk-through; everything was in order and he signed off on her approval form.
“Just follow me to the title company and we’ll get you finished up as quickly as possible.”
“Okay. Lead on, lovely lady.”
April drove away and Brad followed in his car.
“I think I’m going to pursue her,” he said aloud to himself as if he were a committee of one confirming the decision.
When they reached the title company, the sellers had already concluded their side of the closing. After Brad provided his ID and signed a plethora of papers, it was over.
April hugged him and kissed his cheek. “Congratulations! I thank you for your business.”
“You don’t know how welcome you are.”
“Say, do you have to go back to work or might you have time to have lunch with me—to show my appreciation?” The wry smile on her face was far from coy.
Brad tried not to sound too anxious. “No. I’m off for the entire day and would love to have lunch with you.”
“Great! Ride with me and I’ll bring you back afterwards, okay?”
“Sure. I love being driven by a beautiful woman.” They jumped into April’s car. “I know a nice little bistro not far from here with excellent food—unless you have another place you’d rather go?” She gunned the North Star engine out of the title company lot.
Yeah. Let’s go to your place for a roll in the hay. “No, that sounds wonderful.”
When they reached The Bistro, the owner, a clean-shaven, blue-eyed effeminate man by the name of Rudolph, greeted April by name. “You must come here often,” Brad said after they were seated at a corner table with a view of a nearby park.
“Yes, whenever I’m in the area at lunch time I come here. The food is good and the atmosphere is relaxing, something a businesswoman needs from time to time,” she replied with a wink.
“In that case, why don’t you order for me?”
“My pleasure. Beef or chicken?”
“Fish.”
“Perfect! I know exactly what you’ll like, and I’ll have the same.”
Brad smiled at her and reached across the table to touch her hand. “April, you’re good company. I wonder why we didn’t stay in touch more?”
She glanced down as he removed his hand and then looked across the table at him. “I think it’s called life. The last time we saw each other was a time of great grief for both you and myself. I wanted to reach out, but you seemed to withdraw and I didn’t want to push.”
“Sounds like something Julie would say. But now a happier thing has brought us together again.”
April lifted her martini glass. “To happier times.”
Brad touched his glass to hers and they held each other’s gaze as they sipped.
After an enjoyable meal and animated conversation, they ordered coffee. When the check came, polite argument ensued.
“Look, buster! I just made a lot of money, thanks to you. Allow me to show my gratitude!” April admonished him.
He put up his hands in surrender. “Ok, but only if you’ll allow me the chance to get even … soon!”
“This could end up being an endless competition, in that case!” April laughed and pulled her credit card out of her Louis Vuitton wallet.
“That’s exactly my plan!” Brad replied as he dabbed his mouth with his cloth napkin.”
April paid the check and drove him back to his car. He embraced her and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek. As he drove along he felt quite satisfied with himself and the way his plans were going. His growing attraction for April also excited him. They were contemporaries, with similar lives and experiences. He could relate to her. He needed to be with a woman he could actually have a conversation with. He reassured himself of these considerations between stoplights. Anytime a comparison of April and Nicole flashed into his head—like April’s papery, creased décolletage versus Nicole’s flawless, firm cleavage—he shook it off.
It was too early to go home. He would arrive home before Jared, and that was not a good idea. He phoned the offi
ce and checked in with Maggie to make sure all was well and then headed for Kelsey’s.
After a couple of cold beers he called Jared’s cell. “What time will you get home, son?”
“Actually, I’m on my way now. I’ll be home in about ten. I had to stop by the store and pick up some things for Nikki.”
“Okay, I won’t be far behind you. See you shortly.”
When Brad walked in the house, Jared was sitting at the dining room table.
“Hi, son. How was your day?”
“Good, you?”
“Outstanding.”
“Hi, Dad.” Nicole walked into the kitchen and kissed him.
“What was so outstanding?” Jared asked.
“Let me wash up and change and I’ll tell you both over dinner.”
When he returned a few minutes later Nicole was just putting dinner on the table. Once they were all seated, Jared inquired again about what had been so outstanding.
“Well, to start off with, I landed a five hundred thousand dollar contract to do all the HVAC work in the new hotel being built across town.” That was true, except he landed it the day before. “And, secondly, I got a call from Bill and Jean Fredericks, some very dear old friends of your mother’s and mine. They recently moved back to the area and they invited us over Saturday for brunch. They haven’t seen you since you were a little boy, and when I told them you were now a married man they were excited to see you and meet your new bride. It’s been so many years, I couldn’t say no.”
Their expressions indicated that they weren’t exactly thrilled with the idea, but he convinced them it was very important to him, hoping they would acquiesce. After what seemed like a long hesitation, Nicole spoke.
“Oh, Dad. That’s fine. We’d love to go, wouldn’t we, honey?”
Jared looked at her and it was clear he still hadn’t warmed up to the idea, but he didn’t verbally object.
“Great! Then it’s all set—and thank you.” Brad gave them both a nod. Mission accomplished.
“When do you have to go out of town next, honey?” Nicole asked her husband.