Unchained Memories

by Dena Blake

  Amelia flipped the air-conditioning on and pointed the vents toward JJ. “Better?”

  “Hmm…thanks,” JJ said, giving her a soft smile.

  As they pulled up to the stoplight, Amelia pointed to the license plate on the small Hyundai next to them. The license plate read TURBO. “That’s just not right. A car like that has absolutely no power compared to this one.” She put the car in neutral, revved the V-8 455 horsepower engine, and it roared. The guy in the car next to them looked over, revved his engine, and it hummed. “See what I mean?” Amelia laughed and threw him a wave. “Good try, buddy.”

  “Are you always so competitive?”

  “I wouldn’t call myself competitive.”

  “Then what was that back there?”

  “Just a little fun. Making the boys jealous.” She looked over and smiled at JJ. “Showing them what I have versus what they have.” Her gaze returned to the road as her voice became softer. “Nice car, beautiful girl…you know.” Shut up, Amelia!

  “Beautiful girl?”

  “Well, you’re a little off this morning, but beautiful just the same.” That comment garnered her a slap to the shoulder, which Amelia gladly accepted. It had lightened the mood, and JJ seemed to enjoy the ride after that. She reached over and pushed the button for the radio, and the mixed station from the night before blared through the speakers, the bass rocking the car. People gave them looks at each stoplight, which would’ve usually made Amelia uncomfortable, but she didn’t care today. She was doing one of her favorite things, driving her car with someone special in the passenger seat.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Jillian had managed to dodge Darcy all morning but was taking a chance going into the faculty lounge to get a diet soda. She’d just slid her dollar into the machine and pushed the button when Darcy came in and headed straight for her.

  “What happened the other night? One minute you were at the bar, and the next you were going out the door with Amelia.”

  Jillian reached down and pulled the can from the machine. “I’m sorry about that. I was tired, and you seemed to be having a good time with Julie. I didn’t want to spoil your night and Amelia was leaving, so we walked out together.”

  “No worries. It was nice getting to know Julie a little better.”

  “How’d that go?” She popped open the can and took a sip.

  “We’re going out next weekend.”

  “Wow. That’s great.” She gave her a hug.

  “Actually, it is. We have a lot in common and I got a good-night kiss.”

  “Now that deserves an ice-cold Diet Coke.” Jillian fed another dollar into the soda machine, hit the button again, took the soda from the machine, and handed it to Darcy. “Here’s to new beginnings.” Jillian clanked her can with Darcy’s. “I hope it works out for you.”

  “How about you? Did you get one too?”

  “No. No good-night kiss for me.” Jillian clamped her lips together to suppress the smile that began to creep across her lips. She wasn’t about to tell the biggest faculty gossip that she and Amelia had exchanged more than one heated kiss that night.

  Darcy’s voice rose. “That’s surprising. Amelia is notorious for quick starts.”

  “You said you went out with her. Is that how it started?”

  Darcy raised her hand. “Guilty.”

  “I guess I’m just not her type.”

  “Go figure.” Darcy sank into her chair. “You guys were so intensely focused on each other all night. When you left together, I thought for sure she was taking you home.”

  “Discussing politics always gets me focused, and as for leaving together, we were just ready to go at the same time. That’s all.” It seemed apparent Darcy had been keeping an eye on them all night. Fortunately, she hadn’t seen Jillian’s car when she left. Either that or she was very good at playing dumb. Maybe she’d been too busy with Julie to notice.

  * * *

  Amelia slid into her car and fired the engine. When music blared through the speakers, she automatically reached for the knob and changed the station to the news. She listened for a minute to all of the terrible things going on in the world and flipped back to the music station. From today forward, she planned to focus on the good things in life. She was still humming the last song played when she wandered into the office.

  “You’re in a good mood this morning,” Fran said as she got up from the reception desk and followed Amelia down the hallway.

  Julie joined the parade and immediately assaulted her with a string of questions as she entered her office. “So, what happened with you and JJ the other night? Did you take her to your house? Did you kiss her again? Did you sleep with her?”

  Amelia dropped her briefcase and purse on her desk before turning around. “You know me better than that. I’m not going to take advantage of a woman when she’s drunk.”

  “Oh, wow, what’d I miss?” Fran said.

  “We went to Jojo’s the other night, and Amelia hit it off with someone.”

  Amelia looked at Fran, scrunched her eyebrows together, and shook her head. “Not really.”

  “She was definitely into you.”

  “I wouldn’t say that.”

  “Amelia.” Julie smiled widely. “I saw her kiss you in the parking lot.” She turned to Fran and widened her eyes. “I got hot just watching.”

  “Seriously?” Fran slapped her hand to her mouth.

  “Jeez, Jules. You watched?” The words came out in an unexpected squeal.

  “Calm down. I was just making sure you got to the car all right.”

  “If there was kissing, there must have been interest,” Fran said.

  “I got the feeling she’s interested, but she was drunk.” Remembering JJ’s attempt at modesty the next morning, Amelia opted to keep JJ’s alternate personality to herself for the time being. “Really drunk.”

  “You know they say people are at their most honest when they’ve had a few drinks,” Julie said.

  “If that’s the case, then she really doesn’t care for you at all.” Amelia shot her a grin.

  “What did I do?”

  Amelia winked. “You showed up with me.” She pulled her lips into a satisfied smile.

  “Not a girl who likes to share, I take it,” Fran said.

  “No, not at all. In the car, she kept saying, ‘I can’t believe I’m here, with you.’ Like I’ve got some kind of amazing reputation.”

  Julie’s forehead creased. “What do you think that’s about?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “Well, she’s in for a surprise. You’re not all that special.”

  Amelia lifted an eyebrow and shot Julie an evil look. “Gee, thanks.”

  “Just kidding.” Julie bumped her with her shoulder. “You’re very special. Right, Fran?” She winked. “In your own kind of way.”

  “I’m not even going to ask what you mean by that.”

  “Are you going to see her again?”

  “I don’t know. We picked up her niece from her sleepover and had breakfast. After we took Abby home, I dropped JJ off at her car, and that was that.”

  “I can’t believe you didn’t set something up to see her again. That’s so unlike you,” Fran said with a tilt of her head.

  “I think her head was still throbbing a bit. I was surprised she could eat breakfast. She had at least three martinis while we were at the bar, and who knows how many she had before we got there.”

  “I don’t think she had any before that.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Darcy.”

  “What did Darcy say?”

  “She said she got the feeling the two of you had something going on. They’d gone out before, and she hadn’t seen her drink like that.”

  “They went out before? Are they dating?” Amelia’s adrenaline spiked, and a nervous tingle ran through her. It was becoming apparent that JJ was pretty friendly with a number of people.

  “I don’t think so. It was just for a drink after
work. She said she’d hoped to go out with her again, but now that the amazing Amelia Mathews was interested, she didn’t think that was going to happen.”

  “Since when am I amazing?” She spun around to face her. “And who says I’m interested?”

  “Uh…everyone who saw you in that bar with her the other night.”

  “Was it that obvious?” Fran asked.

  “Oh, yeah. Sparks were flyin’.”

  “Okay, that’s enough of my life for today.” She shooed them with her hands, moving them toward the door. “Time to get to work.” Amelia couldn’t argue with Julie on the sparks. When she’d spotted JJ at the bar, she’d ignited like a red-hot flare. She’d felt the warning signs but couldn’t steer away from the danger she knew JJ encompassed. The night had been filled with hazard zones, and Amelia had barely managed to avoid the big one. Searing kisses flashed through her mind, and she smiled. JJ Davis was definitely becoming a necessary detour around a huge roadblock.

  * * *

  Jillian wasn’t a very good cook, and she never had the time at home, but making dinner with Coop had been fun, and it actually smelled wonderful. She’d left work early today, hoping to get in a little writing time on her story, but she’d been shanghaied in the kitchen and had only made it upstairs to change her clothes.

  “Is there a church close by?” Jillian asked Coop as she stirred the spaghetti sauce.

  “A few. It’s Oklahoma,” Coop responded. “Why? You have to confess?” Coop looked over her reading glasses at her.

  “I thought maybe it might be good for Blake and the kids to go once in a while.”

  “Blake doesn’t go to church anymore.” Coop’s answer wasn’t surprising. Jillian hadn’t spent time in church other than a wedding or two since her parents were killed. “He doesn’t make the boys go to church, and he doesn’t make them pray.”

  “Does he teach them anything at all about God?”

  “Nope.” Her attitude became rigid.

  “They need to be taught something, don’t you think? Then they can make up their own minds about it.”

  “Probably, but they won’t learn it from Blake or Amelia.” Coop filled a pot with water and set it on the stove before wiping her hands and leaning back on the counter. “These kids could spend every waking hour praying to God, and it won’t bring their parents back. Or make their mother put down the bottle. Or guarantee their father will just be in a good mood tonight, so he doesn’t slap them across the room. Most of these children are throwaways. Praying doesn’t help. Shit still happens every single day of their lives.”

  Jillian touched her arm softly. “Until God brings them here.” Did I actually say that? Coop’s gaze rose slowly to Jillian. “They need some sort of faith, something to believe in. Don’t you think?”

  Coop turned back to the stove. “What I think doesn’t matter. I’m not in charge here.”

  Amelia came through the kitchen door. “What doesn’t matter?” She took a spoon from the drawer and dipped it into the spaghetti sauce.

  Coop turned back around and looked at Jillian. “You’re on.”

  Jillian contemplated her words as Amelia blew on her spoon. “Is it all right if I say grace before dinner?” Jillian asked Amelia.

  Amelia stopped, spoon midstream into her mouth. “Do whatever you want. I don’t care. Just don’t expect us to chime in.” She ate the bite of sauce, then dropped the spoon into the sink. “The sauce is great, Coop. What can I do?”

  “The bread needs to be heated.” Coop gave Jillian a slight smile as Amelia turned on the oven, took the foiled loafs of bread from the counter, and put them in the oven.

  Everyone had been through the kitchen and filled their plates when Amelia took the last seat at the dinner table. It was nice to have a family meal where everyone was present. She glanced around the table, realizing what she’d just thought. This was her family now. It was comforting to see the kids happy and smiling, and it was good to see Blake that way as well. Her gaze fell on Jillian, and she took a deep breath. Is she family? Could she be? Hope was not something Amelia experienced often. She steeled herself and halted her thoughts. She couldn’t let them go any further.

  The Parmesan cheese and bread were making their way around the table when Jillian spoke up and said, “I thought if everyone’s willing, it might be nice if we said grace before eating tonight and then went around the table and said what we’re thankful for today.”

  Blake picked up his fork, spun a wad of pasta on it, and shoved it into his mouth. All eyes were on him.

  “What?”

  “You don’t have to join in, Blake, but do you think you could possibly wait until I’m finished?” Jillian made sure her voice was soft and nonconfrontational.

  Blake’s gaze darted from Jillian to the kids as they all stared at him. He swallowed the mouthful of spaghetti and dropped his fork onto his plate. “By all means.” He sank back into his chair and crossed his arms.

  Amelia knew it probably wasn’t the response Jillian had hoped for, but it was what it was. Jillian turned her attention back to the kids and said grace before she added, “I’m thankful to have a roof over my head and for being here with all of you tonight.” She turned and looked at Abby, who was seated next to her.

  “I’m thankful to have brothers.” Abby looked at the boys and smiled.

  “I’m thankful to have somebody who actually listens to me.” David grinned and everyone laughed.

  They went through each one of the kids, and Amelia realized they all had something to say. Maybe this was a good thing. She sat back in her chair and thought for a moment about what she might say. So much in her life had changed in the past few weeks. Did she dare to be thankful? Silence filled the room. She hadn’t realized it was now her turn to speak. She shifted in her seat and looked across the table at JJ. “I’m thankful to have hope in my life again.” Amelia’s gaze didn’t falter, and JJ’s sparkling amber eyes became glassy, almost luminous. JJ cleared her throat, and Amelia knew she had gotten her message.

  Blake’s voice rang through and the moment was broken. “I’m thankful we have Coop to cook us this wonderful food.”

  JJ broke eye contact with Amelia, and a subtle smile overtook her face. “It is wonderful, isn’t it?” She looked to Blake and then back to Amelia. “It seems we have much to be thankful for.”

  From then on, all Amelia heard were the clicks of forks on plates. None of the conversation registered. Only the deep-brown eyes of the beautiful woman sitting across from her caught her attention as she mindlessly forked spaghetti into her mouth. Her world was changing rapidly, and she didn’t know quite what to do about it.

  Making dinner with Coop had been fun, and it actually tasted good. Now Coop was gone, and Jillian and Amelia were alone in the kitchen. They’d finished up the dishes, and nothing was keeping them otherwise occupied. The small talk was getting noticeably ridiculous. She heard the doorbell ring and was thankful for the distraction. Jillian looked through the kitchen door to see who had arrived. “What the hell is she doing here?”

  “Who?” Amelia squeezed in next to her and looked through the opening. Jillian’s senses fired when Amelia’s body brushed against hers. She closed her eyes and took in the sensation. This was so not the way she wanted her night to go after the glances she and Amelia had exchanged during dinner. The tension was growing between the two of them, and Jillian was finding it hard not to want her, to kiss her, to touch every part of her just as she had in the past.

  Jillian pushed the thoughts from her mind and tried to focus on Blake and Suzie. She had DVDs in her hand, and it looked like Blake had invited her to stay and watch. All the kids had gone to Shane’s basketball game tonight, so all who were left to watch were Blake, Amelia, and Jillian. What fun.

  “I’m gonna go.” Amelia’s voice was soft and low as she backed up.

  “You don’t want to stay and watch movies?” It was a stretch, a lame attempt to keep Amelia from leaving, but that’s all Jillian
had right now.

  “No. I don’t want to be a third wheel…or a fourth.” Jillian could see the ambivalence in Amelia’s eyes.

  “You wouldn’t be.”

  “I’m afraid I would.” She took her keys out of her pocket and crossed the kitchen to the back door. She turned back momentarily, as though she’d had a second thought. “We could go for ice cream.” Amelia’s expression was sweet, hopeful even.

  Yes, yes! I would love to go for ice cream with you! Jillian’s heart screamed, but she’d promised to help Blake with Suzie. “Can I meet you later?”

  “Never mind.” Amelia rolled her lips together and shot Jillian a thin smile, then went out the door.

  Fuck. Why does everything you do have to be so complicated, Jillian? Jillian pushed the door open again slightly and watched as Suzie came out of the bathroom and flopped down onto the couch next to Blake. He kept his arm at his side. Jillian knew it was difficult for him to ignore the reflexive urge to move it up and around her shoulder. If he did that, Suzie would surely curl in under it, and all his work would be lost. Jillian hadn’t decided when to enter the picture, but she could see Suzie was giving Blake all the right signals, and he wanted to move forward, no matter what Jillian had told him to do.

  “What do we have to watch tonight? Something girlie, I suppose.” Jillian could hear the playfulness in his voice.

  “Actually, I picked up one of those action flicks you like.”

  “Really?” Blake jumped up and looked at the title. “This is awesome. I didn’t even know this was out.”

  His excitement seemed to make Suzie smile, and she genuinely seemed to be enjoying his company. Only she wasn’t really with him. They were still separated. Maybe it was time for Jillian to remove herself from this unfinished story.

  Blake slid the video into the player and then, in an effort to keep his distance, slid into the chair next to the couch.

  Suzie frowned, seeming to notice his deliberate change of seating. “You won’t be able to see from there.”