About that time, a man I didn’t recognize took a seat in my section. He had a northern accent, so I assumed he was visiting family in town.
As I was pouring his coffee, he said, “You remind me of someone.”
“Yeah, I get that a lot.” I smiled. “I just have one of those faces, ya know?”
“Is that right?”
“Yes, sir, what can I get for you?”
“An exclusive into your relationship with Jackson Jacobs would be great, but I’ll settle for a statement,” he said with a sly grin. I stood there completely caught off guard. “You do this for me, and the others will probably back off. If you don’t, well, you remember Vegas.” I recognized him then. It was the guy that Jake had attacked.
“I don’t have anything to say except that Jake is my best friend.”
“Friends don’t buy friends morning after pills.”
I was speechless. My hands were shaking to the point that the coffee in the coffeepot I was holding was sloshing. “Sir, I’m going have to ask you to leave.”
“It’s a free country. I can sit here as long as I like.”
“Joe, we’ve got a live one at table seven!” I yelled without breaking eye contact with the reporter. Joe may have been kind; he may have had his quirks, but weighing in at about three-hundred pounds, he was a scary looking man. He was also a force to be reckoned with when it came to looking after us. He thought of us as his daughters, whether he would admit it or not.
Without a word, Joe stomped over and pointed toward the door. “Option A: you walk out of here. Option B: I tote you out of here. Your choice.”
“You can’t touch me,” the man said. “I’m sure there are police officers even in a nowhere dump of a town like this. Besides, there are witnesses everywhere, so run along and fetch me something that wasn’t cooked in fatback.”
At that, Joe snatched the twiglet of a man up by the collar of his perfectly ironed oxford. Everyone in the diner was watching as the man shoved at Joe yelling for him to “unhand” him.
“You all see this man assaulting me! I’m calling the cops! You all see!”
Joe stopped for a moment, holding the man like a person would hold a mouse by the tail. “Y’all see anything?”
“Not a thing, Joe,” the patrons called out, turning their attention back to their newspapers.
Joe said, “Now, you take your sniveling ass out of here and don’t come back, you understand?” He kicked the man in the backside for good measure as he begrudgingly walked out the door, leaving his pride behind for us to laugh about later.
The incident was the talk of the day. Everyone was buzzing about it, but not me. I just kept hearing his words over and over in my mind, thinking maybe I had made the wrong choice.
I had such a good mood going, and that twit had to piss all over it. I took my break right before the lunch rush and took the time to check my fancy phone. It wasn’t as intimidating as I had thought. I saw that I had a message. I clicked on the icon, and it said, Can’t stop thinking about you. Five little words. A phrase from Jake and I was walking on sunshine again, the twit all but forgotten.
I found myself itching to get cashed out today more than ever. I had a handsome man waiting at home for me, and it was all I could do to contain my excitement. I didn’t even go to the ladies’ room to count my tips. I just grabbed my jacket and headed for the door.
Jo Ann caught me right as I was walking out. She was holding two pieces of pie. “Jo-Jo, don’t tempt me; I really want to get going today.”
“I can see that”—she smiled—“but I’ve got to hear about this weekend, and something tells me you’re having a fit to tell someone.”
She was absolutely right. I did want to tell someone, and I trusted Jo Ann more than anyone else, besides Jake, so I slid into the corner booth after making sure Lauren was already gone for the day.
“So, what’s going on?” she asked casually.
“What makes you think something’s going on?” I tried to sound coy even though I knew everyone had heard about the Vegas incident.
“Well, you’re glowing like a star, sugar. Only two things do that to a woman, and since I know you ain’t pregnant, then that means you must’ve had a man.”
I looked down at my pie, smiling. “More like a man had me.” She cackled, slapping the table. “Oh, Jo Ann! He’s so much more than just a man.”
“Yeah, he’s a movie star man,”
“Not even that. He’s my best friend, and he’s so attuned to what I need; I don’t even know how to describe it. He just makes me feel like a woman again, you know?”
“I do know. So, do you love him?”
“No! It’s nothing like that. It’s just sex, but oh, the sex is not ‘just sex.’ It’s an experience.”
“Well, why are you still here? Go on, get out of here before one of those bloodsucking reporters comes back. Go enjoy yourself.” I smiled at her and slid from the booth. “And Kate, open your heart a little bit, honey. I saw the way that boy looked at you when he walked in here the other day.”
“How’s that?”
“If you don’t see it, then I sure can’t explain it to you.”
On that note, I left.
Opening my heart up to Jake was easier said than done. He had my friendship. He’d had my body, but I didn’t know if I could let him in my heart, or if he even wanted me to. He was a huge star. He could have had any woman he wanted. I shook the thought from my head. Jo Ann read into everything. She’d been through four husbands and was still looking for true love.
I pulled into the driveway and walked inside. Jake was asleep in the recliner. I crept over to him and leapt on him, tickling him, but he screamed out in agony. I thought he was faking at first until he shoved me to the floor.
“My nuts!” he managed to squeak out. I tried to apologize through bursts of laughter. “You got me right in the change purse!” I was literally rolling in the floor with laughter.
“You gonna be okay?” I teased.
“Well, I was planning on using those today, but now I’m not so sure…”
“Want me to kiss it and make it better?” I crawled across the floor and slid my hands up his legs.
“A kiss couldn’t hurt.”
I took that as a yes.
After I’d thoroughly kissed his hurt, he pulled me into his lap.
“Are you a professional?” he joked as he relaxed back into the chair.
“Do you want another shot to the balls?”
“Well, you’re really good at that.”
“Oh stop, you probably say that to all the hoochies.”
He let out a hearty laugh. “Nope, just you.” I smacked him.
“Is this what you do all day in your mansion?”
“I don’t have a mansion.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it’s just a modest little place like mine.”
“Something like that.”
“Is this what you plan on doing all week?” I stood up, kicking an empty chip bag on the floor. “I’m not your maid. Clean this mess up.”
“Oh my gosh, you sounded exactly like my mom just then.” He visibly shuddered. “Don’t do that! It’s freaky! And yes, this is exactly what I plan on doing all week. If I can expect that treat every day when you get home, then I may never leave.”
“You never know what to expect with me, Mister.” I started toward my room, giving him a sidelong glance.
“Yeah?” he pursued me. “Well, you never know what to expect from me either,” He leapt for me, but I ran through the bedroom door laughing. “You’re trapped.” He closed the door behind him. “I’ve got you right where I want you.”
“Where’s that?”
“In my mouth in about ten seconds,” he said, reaching for me.
“Let me grab a shower. I smell like fried chicken.”
“Lucky for you, I love fried chicken.” He started to unzip my uniform, but I pulled away.
“Jake, shower,” I said. He frowned. “I’ll f
ry up some chicken for dinner.”
“Your mom’s recipe?” He wavered.
“Yep.”
“Double dipped?”
“You know it!”
“Fine, go shower, but I’ll be waiting.” I escaped into the bathroom with a smile and started the water.
I took a long shower. When I got out, I called Julie’s cell phone. I heard Ty squealing in the background and knew he was having a good time. Julie said he’d had two hours of speech therapy and tomorrow they had a full day of various therapies planned. She said the hotel was nice and very accommodating, which meant the rooms had plenty of space.
I was excited to go up on Thursday. I would have told Jake about Ty by then, and he would understand…Right?
Of course. He had to.
There was a knock on the door. Geez, can a girl get a shower around here? “Yeah?”
“Hey, that crazy girl is at the door.”
“Lauren? Shit! Hang on.” I wrapped a towel around me and swung the door open, letting all the warm steam out. “Did you let her in?”
“No!”
“Good, hide,” I told him, running to the door. “Coming!” I called out. I opened the door a smidge.
“What took you so long?” I motioned to the towel I was wearing. “What’s going on, Lauren?”
“I was over at the Sonic, and there were some reporters over there. Can I come in?”
“It’s not a good time.”
“Why?” she asked skeptically.
“I’m dripping wet!” She rolled her eyes dramatically and pushed by me. “Sure, come on in.” I slammed the door.
“Anyway”—she sat down on the edge of the love seat—“I overheard some reporters talking about you and Jackson.”
“So?”
“So they said y’all were over at the Winfrey Hotel together.”
“Clearly, we aren’t.”
“Yeah, well, he’s there with someone.”
“I told you not to listen to those people, Lauren.”
“No, he is. The reporter guys were heading over there like it was some hot tip. I even drove by his momma’s house, and all the reporters are gone. Someone saw him go in the hotel with a woman.” I tried to hold back my aggravation since I knew that Jake was, in fact, in the next room. “He really gets around, huh?” she asked.
“Why do you care who he’s with?”
“I almost had sex with him!”
“You almost had sex with him?” I questioned doubtfully.
“Yeah, and I would have to if my parents wouldn’t have been home.”
“Lauren,” I said, trying to stay calm. Her drama-loving ways were grating on my nerves and really could cause problems for Jake if she had told this to half the town, which I suspected she had. “Did Jake, ah, Jackson ask you to have sex with him?”
“Well, not exactly, but…”
“Did he kiss you? Put the moves on you?”
“No, but…”
“Then why are you so worked up about who he spends his time with?”
“Because I want him!” And there it is.
“Honey, I told you not to expect anything from him. He’s in town for the week, and the only reason he took you out is because I asked him to.”
“That’s a mean thing to say.”
“I’m not trying to be mean. I’m trying to pluck you from fantasy land.”
“Because you know all about fantasy land, don’t you, Kate? You spent the weekend holed up in a hotel with him. Now he’s moved on. How does it feel?”
“I couldn’t care in the slightest,” I said because I knew it wasn’t true, but when he did move on, how would I feel?
“Jake is my friend, Lauren. We are friends,” I reiterated, trying to convince myself more than her. “You need to drop this, forget about him, and go home. You went on a date with a handsome movie star. Can’t that be enough?”
“It was nice…”
“And when you go off to college, because you need to get yourself back in school, you can tell all your sorority sisters that you dated Jackson Jacobs.” A little smile danced on her lips, and I knew I was getting somewhere. I pulled her up from the couch, patted her shoulder and gently pushed her toward the door. “Go on home and tell your momma I said hey.” I closed the door behind her and went looking for Jake.
“You’re good,” he said with a nod.
“Yeah, I know.” I smiled smugly. He started toward me, but I changed the subject, suddenly frightened by the thoughts I’d had of him moving on when I was talking to Lauren. I didn’t know how to feel about that or how to process those emotions. “Hey, good news, the reporters are gone from your mom’s house.”
“Yeah, I hired a couple of look-alikes to get them off her lawn. Joan’s idea.”
“Smart lady. You know, we should get that fried chicken going and take it over to her house. I know she wants to spend time with you, and she loves my fried chicken.”
“That sounds nice,” he said, “but I think we have some unfinished business to attend to.”
“Later,” I redirected. “I’ve got to get that chicken in some buttermilk.”
“Are you trying to manipulate me with food?”
“Is it working?”
“Sort of…”
I smiled, walking back into the bathroom to get dressed. When I came out, Jake already had the chicken marinating. “Did you rinse it first?”
“This isn’t my first time, Katiebug.”
I shooed him out and had him peel potatoes in the living room so I could get my chicken battering stations set up while grease was heating in my fourth generation skillet. We southern women handed down skillets and mixing bowls like most families handed down jewelry.
After I got it all battered, I tossed it in the skillet. I threw in a few dough balls, too, because I knew Jake loved the batter.
“It’s smelling good in here, baby girl!”
“Those potatoes peeled?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Bring them in here. I’ve already got the water boiling.”
He walked in as I was flipping the chicken and stopped in his tracks. “You’ve never looked sexier than you do right now. I’m not even kidding.”
“Shut up!” I laughed, taking the potatoes from him. “Think we should take something green?” I asked.
“No, Mom said she’s had turnips on the stove all afternoon because she was planning to cook herself some pork chops.”
“Perfect.”
“She’s really excited that we’re coming over, Katie. It’s going to be really nice having dinner with my two best ladies.”
After I got everything ready, we headed toward my car. Jake paused. “Don’t say it,” I told him.
“What?”
“Whatever you’re about to say about my car. I know it’s not a Mercedes, or whatever it is that you drive, but it gets me from point A to point B.”
“Okay…” He pulled the handle to the passenger side while I was loading the food into the back.
“Hang on.” I went over and pulled up on the handle, simultaneously kicking the bottom of the door. “It just gets stuck sometimes.” I yanked it open. “Voilà.”
“We could just walk,” he suggested.
“And risk dropping the food? Just get in the dang car.” I cranked it, and the engine turned over with a sputter and a whine. “Purrs like a kitten.”
“What the fuck kind of kittens are you hanging out with?”
We pulled in the driveway of his childhood home, but I didn’t get out. I stared out the windshield.
“You okay?”
“Jake, I would be ashamed if your mom knew what we’ve been doing.”
He looked at me like I had bitch slapped him. “Ashamed?”
“Yeah, I don’t want her to think of me in that way.”
“What way?”
“You know, like a slut.”
“A slut? Why would she think you’re a slut, just because we’ve been together?”
“I just don’t want her to know, okay?”
“Okay.”
His eyebrows drew together tightly. He looked upset so I added, “There’s really no reason to carry on in front of your mom. It’s not like we’re a thing, you know? I wouldn’t want her to get the wrong idea.”
“I get it. It’s fine. But I don’t like lying to my mother.”
“We aren’t lying. We just aren’t telling her that we had sex. I mean I doubt you call your mom every time you have sex.”
“Okay, okay, I said I get it. No touchy feely in front of Mom.”
“It would be nice if you did call her so at least someone would know how many women you’ve slept with,” I mumbled, climbing out.
“What was that?”
“Nothing. Hey, Momma Lewis!” I said as she opened the front door.
“Katie, you get prettier every week, honey.” She hugged me, taking the chicken dish. “Come here, baby boy.” She pulled Jake into a big hug. “I miss you so much! Come in, I’m starving.”
Mrs. Lewis was a short, pudgy woman who knew her way around a kitchen. Her hugs were the kind that filled you up after a long, hard day had sucked you dry. Her husband had been a fool to leave her. Speaking of, I hadn’t heard Jake mention his dad at all. I made a mental note to ask him about Mr. Lewis later.
Momma Lewis had the table set with her finest china. “What’s the occasion?” I asked.
“I finally have both of my babies under the same roof again! That’s cause for celebration.”
“Momma,” Jake said as if he were embarrassed, which made me look at him sideways because he would’ve never been embarrassed by that before. His mother noticed too. He changed the subject as we sat down at the table. “Mom, sorry about the press on your lawn.”
“Oh stop, son, I don’t pay them no mind.”
I ran my fingers over the embroidery on the tablecloth. It was familiar. “Did my mom make this one?” I asked.
“No, this one was made by your Nanny Masters.” I nodded, knowing the pattern. My dad’s mom had taught my mom the craft. It was one of many things they loved to do together. “I love this one; the pink and light blue go together so nicely. Well, they go together like the two of you!” She let out a hearty laugh just like Jake.
“Let’s bow,” she said, and Jake said grace over the meal with all of our hands joined. I felt overwhelmed with love just being in this house with both of them. It felt like I was a part of a real family again. It made me wish Ty were here sitting with us. I briefly wondered if Momma Lewis would bring him up but decided it didn’t matter. I was ready to tell Jake anyway.
Love Reconnected (Hollywood Series Book 1) Page 11