by Lauren Marie
“Is that you?”
“Yep. Every time I call, you’ll know it’s me. When the regular ring goes off it will be somebody else. The other great thing is the GPS in it. No matter where you are, I’ll be able to find you, but please, leave the phone on. If it’s turned off, I won’t be able to locate where you’re hiding.”
“Jay, this is incredible. Thank you. It’s my first cell phone ever. You’ll need to teach me how to use it. I don’t know what to say.”
“This thing,” he said and pointed into the box. “It’s the charger. We’ll have to find a place to plug it in. In the meantime, come back to bed and keep me warm.”
She set the phone back in the box and they crawled into bed. He wrapped her in his arms and she rested her head on his chest.
“Kate, I really wish you’d take Frank’s offer and not work for a couple of weeks. He can explain it to Harry and you won’t lose the job.” Jay felt concerned for her safety now. The way that jerk held her arm and tried to drag her to the Bronco this evening made him think they wanted to kidnap her.
“There will be other people around the diner and I’ll give Harry a heads up if anything bad starts to happen. It’s just another situation where if I hide, my mother wins.”
“I know. I’d feel better if you came to the rink with me and hung out there.”
She put her chin on his chest and looked up at him. “Jay, if I did that, once the skating classes finished, I’d be bored out of my mind and in your way. You wouldn’t get any work done, because I wouldn’t want to keep my hands off you.” She propped up on her elbow and kissed his chest. “You will drop me off and pick me up. In between that time, I’ll wait tables, refill salt and pepper shakers, bus tables if needed and all the usual waitress activities. I promise not to leave the restaurant without you.”
“I suppose I could hang out there,” he said.
“You’d be bored.”
“Then just promise me one thing.” She nodded. “If something doesn’t feel right and you think you’re going to panic, call me immediately. I’ll be across the street in two seconds. Okay?”
Kate scooted up and kissed his lips. “You know, you’ve made it very hard for me not to fall in love with you?”
“That’s my plan, babe. I’m going to keep you with me and we’ll grow old together.” He felt her lips lightly touch his and her teeth grazed his chin. “Sweetheart, if you keep this up, I can’t be responsible for my actions.” He rolled her onto her back and nuzzled her neck.
“That’s my plan, babe,” she whispered.
Chapter Thirteen
Jay dropped Kate at the diner. He leaned over, kissed her and then whispered that he’d rather go back home. She still felt very scared about her present situation, but wanted to work. She needed the tips to add to the stash of money she saved for occasions like these. She didn’t know if she would be able to not run with her mother lurking around Canon City.
Her new cell-phone sat in her pocket and was turned on. She went in, and after she put her purse into her locker, she found Harry and explained to him about the situation. He acted very supportive and said if he could help in any way, to just let him know. He patted her hand and said not to worry, he’d watch her back.
The customers were pleasant for a Sunday night and, although it wasn’t busy, a steady stream came through the front door. Kate got into the flow and kept a smile on her face. After a couple of hours, the pace slowed down. Harry let Shar leave early after Kate said she could handle the rest of the night.
Jay showed her how to use the cell phone, but she still felt sketchy on taking pictures and writing notes. All she really wanted it for was to make calls and at this point he was the only one she wanted to call.
An older couple came in and she seated them. They’d been to some movie over in Pueblo and were starved since they didn’t have popcorn. She gave them a menu, but they told her they didn’t need to look at it. They knew exactly what they wanted. She started to take their order, when she heard a male voice say “You’re mine, babe.” She looked at the man and woman and started to laugh.
“Excuse me a moment,” she said and moved to the back hallway.
“Why are you laughing, sweetheart?” she heard Jay ask.
“Can you tell me how to turn the ringtone down or make the phone vibrate? I just waited on an elderly couple when it went off and I got a very strange look from them.”
Jay laughed on the other end. “I’m not sure. I’ll have to look at it later. Call me back when you’re alone.”
“Okay.” She went into the restaurant and back to the table she waited on. “Sorry about that, folks. Where were we?”
She got the order and put the ticket on the wheel. She heard the bell over the door ring and turned, ready to walk to the end of the counter and seat another customer. When she saw her mother come into the diner, she spun around and went to the kitchen. She pulled the cell phone out of her pocket.
“Hey babe, that was quick. Are you alone?” Jay answered.
“I need you to come over here now,” she whispered.
“I’m on my way.”
It surprised her that he didn’t ask any questions. He didn’t want to know what happened. It made her feel warm and for just a second, she smiled.
Harry looked at her from the grill. “Are you all right, Kate? You’re a little pale.”
She looked at him. “Remember the situation I told you about earlier? My mother just walked in the front door. Jay’s on his way over from the rink. It will be all right when he gets here.”
“Is that brassy blond out there your mom?”
“Yes. I should call Frank, too.” She hit another button on the phone. After three rings, Frank picked up and she explained what new problem had developed.
Frank asked Kate to make sure Jay didn’t kill anybody and said he would be on his way to the diner in a few minutes. Harry pointed at the door and said Jay arrived.
Kate walked out of the kitchen and stood at the end of the counter with her cell phone held tightly to her chest. She saw Jay stroll up to the table and heard her mother ask who the hell he was and what did he want.
He grinned a little maniacally and leaned over to give her a half hug. “I’m going to be your son-in-law, Mom. It’s really good to meet you.” He let her go and walked over to the man who sat across from the blond woman. “And you,” he said and pointed at the guy. “I don’t have a clue who you are, but it would be a good idea for you to stay seated. Unless your plan is to leave, then you can get up.”
Kate put her hand over her mouth and tried not to laugh. The look on her mother’s face was a priceless combination of surprise and disgust. She admired Jay. He was fearless and very brave and she wished she felt that way, too. She found him so attractive at that exact moment and wanted to take him into the locker room and show him how much he meant to her.
She looked at the couple that sat at the other table. They watched Jay’s performance and then the man scooted his chair back and stood up. He took the woman he was with by the hand and led her out of the diner. Lost business, damn, Kate thought. She looked over her shoulder and saw Harry at the pass through window.
“That order’s toast,” he said and took the ticket off the wheel. “No worries.”
****
“Now.” Jay turned a chair around and sat down with his arms over the back. “If you’re planning on dinner, Harry makes a great Mushroom-Swiss burger, but I think you should know that I’ve called the sheriff and he’s on his way. Oh, and I’m a retired hockey player, so I love a good fight.” He looked at the other man and smiled, again. “I’m sure you saw what I did to your little friend and, really, he is pretty scrawny, but he put his hand on my fiancée, which I can’t deal with. It makes me very jealous if anyone, other than me, touches her.” He looked back at her moth
er. “Do you understand where I’m coming from?”
Kate’s mom frowned and looked at him with pinched lips. “I believe I do. I suppose the attorney is on his way, too?”
“I didn’t call Frank,” Jay said and looked at Kate. “Sweetheart, did you call Frank?” She nodded. “It looks like he’s coming for the party, too.”
“Mr...?” Kate’s mom asked.
“Jason Hager, Mom, but everyone calls me Jay.” He reached his hand over to shake, but when she rejected it, he just laughed.
“Mr. Hager, all I want is to speak to my daughter. This over-blown baboon act you’re putting on is really unnecessary.”
“Ah, now, Mrs. Douglas, we’re getting started on the wrong foot.”
“My name is Hardy, not Douglas.”
He heard the bell on the door and felt a hand on his shoulder. When he looked up, he saw Frank and the Canon City sheriff. “Well, Mom, we’ll have to get better acquainted on another day. You talk to the attorney.” He stood up and walked over to Kate. He followed her through the swinging doors into the kitchen.
She turned and fell into his arms. He held her tight and could feel her shake, but realized she laughed.
Harry smiled at him from the grill. “Jay, you should take that performance on the road. You’d make a mint,” he said and flipped a burger.
Jay felt Kate pull back and realized her hands were moving up his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips and face.
“My hero, you are too wonderful.” She pulled up on her tip-toes to his ear and whispered, “I’ll have to show you my appreciation later and it will be extra-special.” She kissed him again and lowered back down. “I don’t think I’m just falling in love anymore.” She looked up at him and he put a hand on the back of her neck. He loved her beautiful blue eyes.
“What?” He realized he wasn’t sure what she’d said.
“I am definitely in love with you.” She hugged him and then pulled back again. “Hey, since when are we engaged?” she whispered.
“Sorry about that, I got a little ahead of myself. We haven’t reached that part yet, but I’m pretty sure we will.” He leaned in and took full control of her lips.
“Okay, you guys...Give the smooching for a rest a minute.”
Jay pulled back from her and saw Frank and Sheriff Bennett walk into the kitchen. He saw Frank shake his head.
“That woman is a piece of work. She says she came here with no malice about the situation and only wants to talk to you, Kate. I said that you weren’t going to speak with her alone. Tomorrow we’re going to file the restraining order. It’s up to you, Kate. If you say no, the sheriff will see her out of the diner and back to her car.”
Jay felt her eyes on him as she looked up. “She scares the crap out of me, but I am a little curious about what she wants to say.”
“You’re sure you want to do this?” he asked and tightened his hold on her waist.
“You guys will all be there, right?”
Frank nodded. “Harry, maybe you should close up. I wouldn’t want anyone to walk in on this conversation.”
Harry started toward the swinging doors and Kate grabbed his arm. “Thank you, boss.”
He patted her and went out to close the front. Fortunately, it had turned into a quiet night.
Kate looked up at Jay, again. “From the fat into the fire, right?”
“I’m right here with you.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
“Okay then, let’s get this over with.” She walked out of the kitchen.
****
Kate moved around the counter and approached her mother’s table. Jay followed right behind her and she could feel his presence which gave her a bit of calmness.
“There you are with your trained guard dogs,” her mom said with a sarcastic grin.
“If that’s the way you want to start this off, Edna, then we’re dead in the water. You can criticize me all you want, but if you start on Jay and Frank, then we’re done.”
Her mom held up her hand. “Enough. I’m not here to argue. I just want one question answered. When are you going to give up this long road trip you’ve been on and come home?”
“Why are you going by Hardy?” Kate crossed her arms and stared at her mother. She ignored the question. Right now, Canon City sort of felt like home and Kate hoped she could make it stay that way for a very long time.
“Stacy...”
“I don’t go by Stacy anymore, Edna.”
“That’s right, you’re Kate now. Your father passed away about three years ago. He suffered a massive heart attack. I think his heart was broken when you ran off.”
“Oh please, if he’d cared at all about me, he would have stopped you, when you took me from Portland to Colorado Springs.”
“I’ve since re-married and you have a step-father.”
“Tell me it was the asshole Jay popped in the nose yesterday.”
“No, Max didn’t come on this trip. He’s still in Los Angeles. When he saw pictures of you and your long legs, he thought you’d be great in one of his films.”
Kate heard the man who sat at the same table with her mother snort and laugh. Her mother gave the guy a look of disapproval.
“Max is a producer and is very certain he could get you some parts.”
“I’m not an actress, Edna, and never will be. Is that all?”
“Sta...Kate, I haven’t seen you for eight years and think we should get caught up,” her mother said and leaned forward in her seat.
Kate again thought her mother looked like a snake, ready to pounce. “I don’t see any need to get caught up and have nothing further to say to you. Stay away from me, Edna. Leave Canon City and forget about me. I don’t know you and I’m not going to waste another minute trying to figure you out.” She shrugged and turned to walk away. Jay held out his hand and she grasped it and followed him to the end of the counter.
He kissed her ear and whispered, “That was very well said, babe.”
“She pisses me off,” Kate whispered back.
Edna stood up from the table and looked angry. “Stacy, I am your mother and I deserve your respect and full attention. You can at least give me that.”
Kate looked at the woman who thought she’d given so much and didn’t seem to have a clue what she’d done to her child. It made Kate sick at her stomach. “Did I ever deserve your respect, Mother?” She voiced a heavy amount of sarcasm. “Did you ever once care what happened to me? Did you ever once care what David Farnsworth did to me? Or Jack Collins, my terrific coach, who beat me if I didn’t skate his way? Didn’t you ever wonder about the black eyes? Did you once believe it wasn’t my fault that I broke three ribs and had to withdraw from Nationals?” She stepped in front of Jay and her hands were fisted at her sides. Somewhere in her gut, anger began to boil. Her voice got louder than she remembered it ever being with anyone and she felt rather proud of herself.
“Of course, it wasn’t your fault. What Jack did screwed up your Olympic chances...”
“No, Edna. The Olympics weren’t for another year. You came to my hospital room and said I needed to pay attention to what Jack told me to do and stop showing off. The creep almost killed me and you kept him as my coach. Was he a good fuck, Edna?”
“I never...” Her mother looked at her shocked and her face turned red.
“Yeah, you did. I saw you in Jack’s car at the regional’s in Phoenix. Your head in his lap and it moved up and down. Hmm...I wonder what you were doing? Did you do that for David, too? He sure liked it when I sucked him off.” Kate looked at Jay, Frank and the sheriff and saw they all wore uncomfortable expressions on their faces. “Sorry, guys.”
“I can see all your time alone on the road has turned your mouth into a trash heap. You need to clean
that up, Stacy!” her mother snapped.
“I think this has gone far enough,” Frank said and stepped between the two women. “Mrs. Hardy, there’s nothing here to be gained. Go back to the rock you slithered out from under. If you contact my client again, you’ll get a boat load of problems, particularly here in Canon City. Harry.” Frank turned to the owner of the diner. “Kate is off the rest of the night. I hope that won’t be a problem.”
“No problem. I’m closed now anyway.” Harry smiled.
“Sheriff Bennett, would you please see Mrs. Hardy and her friend to their car?”
The sheriff walked toward Kate’s mother.
“You can’t do that,” Edna said.
“No, he can’t, but I can.” The sheriff pointed to the door. He put his hand on her elbow and started to pull her away from the table.
Kate watched her mother tug her arm away from the sheriff and move to the front door. She turned and looked Kate in the eye. “This isn’t over, my daughter.”
“I think it is,” Frank said. After they left the room, Frank turned to Kate and took her hand. “Are you okay?”
“I will be.” She’d gone back to feeling numb. She took her hand from Frank and clasped it in front of her. Even with Jay’s hand on her shoulder, she felt very shaky. She knew he’d be able to tell, but at the moment it didn’t matter. Even though she felt scared to death, she did feel good that she’d told her mother off. “I can’t believe what just came out of my mouth,” she said.
“Okay. Jay, please take Miss Beck home and treat her good or I’ll kick your butt.” Frank’s attempt to lighten the mood fell flat. He looked at them. “Kate, everything is going to be all right. I promise that.”
“You said the other day you didn’t want to make promises you weren’t sure you could keep.” She looked up at him.
“Yeah, I did say that, but I feel we’ve got a pretty good harassment suit now and I have two witnesses, Harry and Sheriff Bennett. I’m sure they’d be willing to testify on your behalf.”