Sugar Rush

by McIntyre, Anna J.

“Then you can just tell my granddaughter I intend to wait here. I didn’t come all this way to play games. I need to be back in California by Monday, and I expect her to come home with me.”

  “Why do you think she’ll do that?”

  “It really is none of your business. This is a family affair. Tell her I’m getting impatient.”

  Ethan said something under his breath to the other man, then went and sat down on one of the patio chairs. The other man nodded, then followed Ethan’s lead and sat in the second chair.

  Angie shut the window and locked it. She returned to Lexi’s bedroom.

  “He isn’t leaving. He’s just sitting there on the porch. Want me to call the police?”

  “No. I have a better idea. Did you park your car in the garage?”

  “No. I parked it on the other side of the garage. Why?”

  “Good. That will be better. If we had to open the garage door, he might hear us when we started the car, and get there before we opened the door.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Let’s get dressed and sneak out the side door of the garage. If you can start the car and get it out of the driveway before he knows what’s going on, we can get outa here.”

  “Leave Havasu?”

  “No. I said I don’t want to leave Havasu. But just leave for the day. Let him sit here all day, for all I care. I don’t want to talk to him, and I resent the fact he assumes he can just demand I let him in our house.”

  “Fine with me.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Angie peeked out the front window. The two men remained seated in the patio chairs, talking to each other. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but they didn’t seem to be aware of the fact Lexi might slip away.

  Off the kitchen was a small hallway leading to the laundry room and garage. Before leaving the house, Angie set the alarm. The two girls slipped quietly into the garage and then out the side door. Hastily, they got into the Volkswagen, and Angie started the engine. Not waiting for it to warm up, she put the car in reverse and backed out the driveway at an accelerated speed.

  Just as Angie backed onto the street and turned the vehicle, Lexi glanced up at the front porch and saw her grandfather stand up abruptly, obviously surprised at the sudden appearance of the Volkswagen. Without looking back, Angie put the car in drive and sped down the street, away from Ethan Beaumont. Both girls started to laugh.

  “Damn, that felt good!” Lexi said. “I’m glad you set the alarm. I wouldn’t put it past my grandfather to try and get in the house. I’d like to see him explain things to the police if he tried to break in and set off the alarm.”

  “Where do you want to go?”

  “Let’s leave the car at the Safeway parking lot. From there we can walk to Rotary beach and pick up the bug later.”

  “How about breakfast at Makai’s?” Angie suggested.

  “Sure. That’s not far.”

  Lexi and Angie spent Friday avoiding Ethan Beaumont. Lexi knew she couldn’t hide from him forever, but felt some sense of victory avoiding the confrontation for as long as possible. After breakfast, they walked along the boardwalk leading from the English Village to Rotary Park.

  “Have you reconsidered whether you are going to call Jeff?”

  “When I first heard what he did, I felt so betrayed. After reading his letter, and thinking about it all last night, I can understand how he got tangled up in all this. But I don’t know if I can get beyond the lies.”

  “Well, he’s out of a job now. What do you think he’ll do?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe he’ll move back to Portland to be near his family while he looks for something.”

  “Why do you think your grandfather is here?”

  “To take me home. I can’t think of any other reason. One thing about my grandfather—when he gets something in his head, he becomes obsessed.”

  “I imagine it was difficult for Jeff, being put in that position or risk losing his job.”

  “Angie, I thought you wanted to kick his ass last night?”

  “Well, I did. Now I just sort of feel sorry for him.”

  “I don’t want to think about all that now. I just want my grandfather to go home and leave me alone so I can focus on my hot fudge business and lead my own life.”

  When Angie and Lexi finally returned to the house late that afternoon, they spied Ethan’s car sitting in the front driveway of Jeff’s rental.

  “It looks like your grandfather is staying at the house. I wonder how long he’s planning to stick around,” Angie asked as they drove by. Pulling into their driveway, Angie used the automatic garage door opener to open the garage door. She pulled the car inside and closed the door behind them.

  “Didn’t he tell you he needed to be back by Monday?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I hope he meant that.”

  Ethan Beaumont didn’t try to contact Lexi again on Friday, but they were fairly certain he was staying in the house two doors down, because his car was parked in the driveway. Lexi woke up on Saturday morning to the sound of her grandfather knocking on the front door.

  “This is ridiculous,” she muttered as she pulled herself from the bed. Throwing on her robe she went to the living room. Glancing out the front window, she noticed her grandfather’s car was parked in their driveway, blocking the garage. She assumed Angie was still sleeping. Combing her fingers through her hair, she took a deep breath before opening the front door.

  “No longer hiding?” Ethan smirked, sounding somewhat surprised that Lexi was at the door instead of her friend.

  “What do you want?” she asked, ignoring his remark.

  “We need to talk. This has gone on long enough.” He started to walk in the house, but Lexi blocked his way, refusing to move out of the doorway.

  “I didn’t invite you in.”

  “Stop acting like a child.”

  “I am not a child. I’m a twenty-one year old woman, and I don’t appreciate how you’re trying to manipulate my life.”

  “I don’t appreciate your lack of appreciation. After everything I’ve done for you, this is how you behave?”

  Lexi stepped outside and closed the door behind her. Standing on the front porch, her arms wrapped protectively around her robe-clad body, she glanced at the car in the driveway. The man Angie described was sitting in the driver’s seat.

  “Who is that?” Lexi nodded toward the car.

  “My new personal assistant. Do you intend to discuss this on the front porch?”

  “If you have something to say, you can say it here. You’re not welcome in my house.”

  “It’s not your house. You’re freeloading off your friend. But then, that’s what you do.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Lexi snapped.

  “When your parents were killed, I took you in and gave you a home. I paid for your education. But instead of living up to your family obligations, you ran off like a spoiled child.”

  “You didn’t have to take me in.”

  “You would have preferred to be raised in foster care? But since you don’t seem to be making an effort to use that education I paid for, I suppose not having the opportunity to go to college would not have been an issue for you. Perhaps I should have let you be raised by the state.”

  “Or you could have let Joe and Carolyn Manning take me, like my parents wanted.”

  Ethan looked momentarily surprised at her comment. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I know my parents wanted them to raise me, and they were willing. But you went to court and fought for custody.”

  “So, now you’re faulting me for wanting to take in my own granddaughter? Are you saying I should have let strangers raise you?”

  “You were a stranger to me. You still are. I appreciate the education you gave me. Honestly, I do. But I’ll never marry Jerome Peters. So stop all this. I’m not coming back to California with you. Maybe someday we can have a relationship, but at the moment, I�
�m still angry over the spying and lies.”

  Lexi turned to the door and started to open it, but paused and faced her grandfather again. “Please go, and leave me alone. Or I will file a restraining order against you, just like you did to the Mannings. I promise.”

  Without another word, she went into the house and closed the door.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Jeff stayed two nights at the hotel, hoping Lexi would read his letter and call. When that didn’t happen, he began to wonder if she found it. Instead of trying to contact Lexi, he sent a text message to Angie.

  Did Lexi find the letter I left in the box? If so did she read it?

  Angie responded immediately, texting back with a two word message: yes, yes.

  Sickened with bitter regret, Jeff called the rental company and arranged for a car. So preoccupied with recounting all the mistakes he had made in regards to Lexi, he barely noticed the exorbitant price of the rental vehicle, since he would only be taking it one way.

  It was almost 9 p.m. Saturday night when Jeff pulled into the driveway of his apartment complex. He parked the rented car in guest parking, as his designated space was already occupied with his own vehicle. After turning off the engine, he sat for a few moments in the semi-darkness, his hands gripping the steering wheel.

  He no longer had a job. He no longer had Lexi. Losing his job was inevitable, but losing Lexi wasn’t. For the thousandth time, he cursed himself for not telling her the truth before her grandfather showed up. Of course, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t have still kicked him out, he reminded himself.

  Emotionally exhausted, he got out of the vehicle and removed his suitcases from the trunk and headed toward his apartment. On his way there, he stopped at the mailboxes at the side of the building. Setting his suitcases on the sidewalk, he unzipped the side pocket to the smaller bag and retrieved the key ring he’d put there before leaving for Havasu. Keys to his apartment, mailbox, and vehicle were on the ring.

  He unlocked his mailbox. It was stuffed with envelopes and magazines. Still holding the key ring, he tucked the mail under his left armpit and grabbed the handles of the suitcases and started toward his apartment.

  Dropping the bags by his front door, he fumbled with the key ring until he found the key he was looking for. After unlocking and opening the door, he reached in, turned on the light, and picked up his bags. He was home.

  * * *

  Lexi couldn’t help but feel a little guilty dragging Angie from bed so early on a Sunday morning. To Angie’s credit, she didn’t once moan over the fact it was still dark outside. They’d packed the Volkswagen the night before, barely fitting everything they needed into the small vehicle. As they drove away, they noticed Ethan Beaumont’s car still parked at the house where Jeff had stayed.

  Although grateful to have Angie’s help, Lexi still missed Jeff. They’d had so much fun the previous Sunday. Had it all been a lie? she asked herself.

  The two young women managed to assemble the EZ-UP in a relatively short time, and Lexi found the overall set up easier than the previous week, since she now knew how she wanted to arrange everything. When they were finished, Angie moved the car to the parking area. When she returned, she didn’t bring coffee or breakfast burritos, as Jeff had done the previous week.

  A food concession was located five spaces down, and when it opened for business, Angie went to get them coffee and something to eat. By the time she returned, Lexi already had customers gathering around.

  “I had this at my sister’s house Friday night. I have to get some; my husband loved it,” one woman said as she picked up a mason jar from the table. A man was tasting a fudge sample, and a couple was waiting their turn to ask a question. It wasn’t even eight in the morning, and already Lexi had sold ten jars. She couldn’t believe so many people were trying fudge so early in the morning, considering the slower start the previous week.

  The day went quickly, and when Lexi sold her last jar, she couldn’t decide which was more unbelievable—that it was already noon or that she had sold all 48 jars by that time.

  “Angie, do you know how much we made today?” She was barely able to contain her excitement. They were alone at the booth for the first time since Angie had gone to get breakfast.

  “You mean how much you made. I’m just here to help. This is your business.”

  “Seven hundred and twenty dollars!” Lexi squealed. “Of course, that doesn’t take into account the cost of the samples, but that wasn’t much.”

  “Wow.” Angie was impressed. “You buy dinner.”

  “Gladly!” Lexi hugged her friend. Angie laughed and hugged her back.

  “Did you hear what that lady in the green hat said to me?” Lexi asked.

  “I don’t recall the lady; so many people were here today.”

  “She was here about an hour ago. She has a gift shop in town, and she wants to carry my mix! She gave me her business card and asked me to contact her!”

  “That’s so exciting!”

  Preoccupied with their discussion, they failed to notice the elderly man walking their way.

  “So this is how you intend to support yourself?” Ethan Beaumont asked. He stood before the almost empty folding table under the EZ-UP. Scattered atop the table were a few of Lexi’s business cards. He picked one up and looked at it briefly, before tossing it back on the table.

  “Grandfather,” Lexi greeted tonelessly. Whatever joy and excitement she had expressed a moment ago dissolved.

  “She is doing very well!” Angie said angrily, feeling protective.

  Lexi reached over and touched her friend’s hand; silently signaling she wanted to handle this herself. “Angie, this might be a good time for you to check out the other vendors, like you wanted to do. I’d like to talk to my grandfather alone.”

  Glaring at Ethan Beaumont, Angie gave her friend a little nod and then walked away, leaving Lexi alone with her grandfather.

  “Lexi, perhaps I was hasty in taking away your car and computer.”

  “What about my clothes and personal items?”

  “I’ll buy you new clothes,” he told her.

  “What are you saying, Grandfather?”

  “I want you to come home with me. I plan to leave before nightfall tonight and head back to California. I want you to come with me.”

  “Why would I do that?”

  “I’ll buy you a new car. Whatever you want,” Ethan said calmly, betraying no emotion.

  “I’m not marrying Jerome.”

  He did his best to conceal his irritation and continued, keeping his tone steady and calm. “We don’t have to discuss that now.”

  “Exactly why do you want me to come back with you?”

  “What kind of a question is that? You’re my granddaughter.”

  “But you kicked me out of your house and then did everything you could to make it difficult for me to make it on my own. You hired someone to follow me.”

  “I agree; hiring Barnett was a mistake.”

  “Kicking me out wasn’t?”

  “Lexi,” he no longer was able to conceal his irritation. “I was trying to teach you a lesson, for your own good. You’ve always been such a foolish girl, a dreamer just like your father. Just look at what you’re doing now! You move to some little town in the middle of the desert and plan to support yourself by selling some silly little hot fudge mix.

  “From what my private investigator tells me, you hopped into Barnett’s bed after knowing him for just a couple of days. Something that I hope to hell your little friend Angie can keep quiet about, if I ever hope to get you securely married to someone who can take care of you. Fortunately for you, Barnett is bound by a confidentiality agreement, and I doubt he will be foolish enough to make your little affair public. If necessary, I can pay him off to keep him quiet. I imagine he will appreciate the money now that he doesn’t have a job.

  “You should appreciate all that I’m willing to do for you!”

  “Grandfather, you reall
y don’t think much of me, do you?” Lexi asked in a faint whisper.

  “What do you mean? You are my granddaughter. I cared enough about you to make sure you were raised properly and received an education. And I am willing to give you a second chance now. I don’t understand what you’re asking.”

  “For one thing, you don’t think I’m very smart, do you?

  “Smart? Lexi, you’re a girl. You really don’t need to be smart to get by in this world. Fortunately for you, you are extremely attractive. But looks don’t last forever, so don’t expect to rely on them indefinitely.”

  “Wow,” Lexi said, somewhat dazed. “I guess I am a bit stupid. I never truly appreciated the extent of your disregard.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I won’t be going back with you. I don’t need you to buy me a car, or to find me a suitable husband. I don’t need anything from you.”

  “Lexi, this is getting tedious,” Ethan snapped. “I’m losing my patience with you. And I am not going to continue discussing this in the middle of a ridiculous swap meet. I’m going back to the rental house, and I plan to leave before nightfall. If you aren’t there before I leave, then I’m finished with you for good. I’ll visit my attorney in the morning and change my will. You won’t get a dime of my money.”

  Without waiting for an answer, Ethan turned abruptly and walked away. Speechless, Lexi watched the old man disappear into the crowd.

  “So, what happened?” Angie asked thirty minutes later when she returned to the booth. She found Lexi sitting in one of the camp chairs behind the folding table.

  “I gave out my last business card. You want to pack it up?”

  “Sure. But, what about your grandfather? What did he say?”

  “Well, I learned something interesting.”

  “What’s that?’

  “Apparently, I was in his will. I assumed he’d disinherited me when he threw me out of his house.”

  “What do you mean, was in his will?”

  “He tells me if I don’t go back to California tonight, then he’ll see his attorney in the morning and disinherit me. Like I said, I thought he’d already done that. He plans to leave by dark.”