Hot SEAL, Cold Feet

by Becca Jameson

  Jodi glanced down at the computer screen, chewing on her bottom lip. Tuck was standing at the door of his apartment. She didn’t need sound to know Katia, who stood a few feet away with her hands on her hips, was whining about something. She usually was.

  Tuck looked like he was barely holding it together. Honestly, Jodi couldn’t figure out how he kept from throttling her most days. He was so damn calm. At least on the outside. She could tell by his grip on the door handle and the way his lips were tight and the stiffness of his spine that Katia was way under his skin.

  He never looked like that when he was at the bar. Even unruly patrons didn’t get him as upset as his wife did. That alone should give Jodi the confidence to know he preferred being around her. Or was it just that he preferred not being around Katia?

  “You’re right.” Jodi set her hand on the top of the computer, fully intending to shut it as Tuck walked out the door of his apartment. She didn’t need to watch what Katia did after he left anyway. That would be boring.

  Before Jodi slammed the laptop closed, however, she glanced down again to see Katia scurrying around the living room. The only reason that was remotely interesting was because Katia didn’t scurry anywhere. The only part of her that moved with speed was her fingers when she was typing on Instagram or Twitter.

  Today, she was in a hurry, her pace only picking up after Tuck left. Where ya goin’, you sneaky little thing? Katia entered the bedroom.

  When Jodi’s dad sighed and stood from the table, Jodi lifted her gaze. “I heard you, Dad. I get it. You’re right.”

  “But you’re still watching,” he pointed out as he sauntered from the kitchen.

  Jodi shifted her gaze back to the screen.

  A few minutes passed and then Katia returned wearing a tiny little white sundress and white sandals. Her hair was in a high ponytail, and she had on lipstick. She grabbed her purse and left the apartment.

  Jodi so wished she lived in the same building as the little liar so she could follow her to wherever she went while Tuck went wherever the hell he went on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

  The fact that Jodi’s life had reduced to this level was maddening. She should get off this site, stop watching Tuck’s life, and go for a run. Maybe get coffee someplace. Read a book. Watch paint dry. Anything to keep her mind off Tuck’s private life.

  She hated being so obsessed with a married man who starred on a stupid reality TV show. She didn’t even recognize herself anymore. All her thoughts centered around Tuck. His rock-hard body. His smile—the one he only used with her. His easy mannerisms. His serious side—the one that spent hours every night keeping a close eye on both the patrons inside the bar and Jodi herself. The look in his eyes when she caught him staring at her.

  Jodi shook thoughts of Tuck from her mind. He wasn’t hers to want anyway. She closed the screen, pushed from the table, and headed for her bedroom. Starting today she would run in the mornings like she used to.

  Before Tuck.

  Five hours later, she was standing behind the bar, taking inventory with Liz, who had come in early to help.

  “Have you been watching Tuck’s livestream?” Liz asked softly, as if the thought of doing so was a federal crime.

  “Yeah.” No sense lying. “It’s a train wreck. Not sure why I do. I can’t help myself.”

  Liz giggled. “Maybe because he’s hot and obviously into you?”

  Jodi jerked her gaze to fully face Liz. “What makes you say that?” She immediately wished she hadn’t asked.

  Liz rolled her eyes. “Girl. Come on. Everyone knows it. He should have whiplash from all the glancing back and forth between you and the door and the patrons. Stan smirks at you from behind the bar. I’m pretty sure Roxie is jealous. She gets more pissy than usual when she can’t get his attention. Even Jacob stares at Tuck.” She giggled. “But that’s not surprising. He broke up with his boyfriend a few weeks ago.”

  “He did?” Jodi felt like a jerk. She hadn’t known that. Usually she was better in tune with her employees. Jacob was a catch. With his stylish, short brown hair, bright personality, and excellent wardrobe, he never went more than a few days between boyfriends.

  “Yep. Don’t worry. He didn’t tell anyone. I pried it out of him.” Liz grinned. “The point is, you don’t have to worry. Tuck likes you. We can all see that.”

  Jodi sincerely hoped everyone did not so readily notice it, and more specifically that the majority of the people who came to the bar didn’t recognize him. So far, only a few people from the younger crowd occasionally glanced at him in curiosity, but they seemed to decide against their speculation because no one ever said anything or approached him.

  After all, why would the star of their favorite reality TV show be working as a bouncer in the local bar?

  “Anyway,” Liz continued. “Did you hear what happened today?”

  Jodi flinched. “No.” Shit.

  Liz leaned closer, setting the paper she was holding on the counter and glancing around as if whatever she was going to say was a state secret. Ridiculous since no one was even in the building except Jodi’s dad who was upstairs. “My friend Carol, who thinks Tuck is a total snack and watches him every hour of the day, said that some fans figured out where their apartment is and waited outside this morning.”

  Jodi sucked in a breath.

  Liz nodded. “Yeah, several people followed the two of them when they left separately.”

  “Jesus. That’s crazy.”

  Liz shrugged. “That’s fans for you. So, get this, Tuck went to a nursing home. Did you know that’s where he goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays?”

  Jodi shook her head. Of course she didn’t know that. No one knew it. He didn’t want people to know his private business. She felt a little dirty just being told in such a clandestine manner.

  “Yep. I think it’s kind of sweet. He must have a parent or someone living there.”

  “Yeah, and he doesn’t want the public to know about it, so he’s going to be pissed. He’s entitled to some privacy.” She felt badly for him. Now she understood better. Maybe his mom or dad or both were in that nursing home. It was possible he didn’t want them to know he was on a reality TV show.

  Liz smiled slowly. “Ah, you’ve been paying attention.”

  Jodi shot her a glare. “Fine. Yes. Go on.”

  “Anyway, the juicier part is where Katia went.”

  Shit. Jodi stiffened. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear this either.

  “She drove to another apartment complex, put on huge sunglasses and a wide sunhat and hurried into the building. She was in there for two hours before she hurried back out, disheveled, and rushed back home.”

  “Disheveled? Come on. How could anyone see that?” Not that Jodi was surprised.

  Liz pulled out her phone, opened it up, scrolled through several things, and then held it up for Jodi to see.

  Shit. Zoomed in pics of Katia rushing down a sidewalk. Several of them. Her hair was a hot mess, the ponytail gone. Her dress was askew. But what Jodi also noticed was that she had on different shoes. Flip-flops. Not the white sandals she’d left the apartment wearing when Jodi forced herself to stop watching.

  “Yikes, right? Did you know?” Liz waved a hand through the air. “But of course you know. If either of them is caught cheating, they lose the money, and the other person gets all of it. Who in the world can’t keep their panties on for three months? No way would I blow that money. I don’t care how hot the guy is.” She shook her head and then lifted a finger. “But, get this.”

  Jodi sighed dramatically. “I’m not sure I want to.”

  Liz giggled again. “Yeah, you do. By the time Katia left that apartment, a good-sized group of fans had congregated outside. Some of them followed Katia. Some of them stayed behind to snoop around and try to figure out where she’d been.”

  “And?” Jodi asked, unable to stop herself.

  “And… Guess who came outside five minutes after Katia?”

  Jodi lifted
her brows. Her palms were sweating. This was insane. She was acting like one of the superfans, and she didn’t like this side of herself.

  “Dawson.” Liz laughed. “Can you believe it?”

  “Who’s Dawson?”

  “One of the groomsmen from Cold Feet,” she reminded her.

  “Right.” Jesus. Was Katia cheating on Tuck with one of the groomsmen? It wasn’t that far-fetched. Jodi had suspected all along that she was cheating with someone.

  Liz got even more excited. “But that’s not all,” she exclaimed.

  Jodi felt a bit sick to her stomach. She didn’t give a shit what Katia did while Tuck wasn’t home. She also doubted Tuck cared either. His life would be easier if she was caught cheating. What worried her was how he would handle the world finding out where he went on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Had he heard about this yet?

  “Are you listening?” Liz asked, anxiously.

  “Yes. Go on.” Jodi gripped the edge of the counter behind the bar with her fingers.

  “Some of the people who gathered outside that apartment building lived there. After Dawson left, they moved their excited gossiping to the pool and huddled around their phones, posting what they’d seen and heard and all the pics they took.”

  Jodi winced. This was bad. She glanced at her watch. Tuck would be there in a few minutes.

  Liz grabbed Jodi’s arm. “Guess who came stomping outside half an hour later to confront them at the pool?”

  Jodi groaned. “Do I even want to know?”

  “Brittany. Brittany B, that is. The one with the big boobs.”

  Liz’s gaze widened. There were three Brittanys in the bridal party on that show. That fact alone had caused more than one instance of confusion. It had also been the source of many jokes. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying, it looks like Katia isn’t just having an affair with Dawson. I’d bet she’s also sleeping with Brittany B. After all, Brittany is the one who lived there. The other two left quickly in their own cars.”

  “So, Brittany realized they were posting about her from her own apartment pool and confronted them?” The entire story was incredulous. And not surprising. The ratings would be through the roof if this scandal was all true.

  Liz nodded. “Yep. They filmed her. She was livid. She went after them, grabbing for their phones. She was screaming at them about her violation of privacy and that she was going to sue them and how they had no right to interfere in people’s personal lives. They fought like cats and dogs just like on the show. Three of them fell in the pool. So many cameras were running that the footage is all over social media with the rest of the story.”

  “My God.” Jodi swallowed hard. She wondered what would happen next. How would the show add this twist into their plot?

  Just then the front door opened and Roxie, the other waitress, walked in. She looked frazzled as she crossed the room. That wasn’t unusual. Roxie was hard to read.

  “I see she’s in a mood again,” Liz muttered under her breath.

  She was more disheveled than usual too. She normally wore her bleach blond shoulder length hair with fuchsia tips up in a high ponytail. Tonight, it was still down around her shoulders. Jodi didn’t think she’d combed it today.

  Seconds later, the front door opened again. This time Tuck walked inside. He held a thick folder against his side under his arm. His movements were jerky. His face was red. His fists were balled. He took several stomping steps across the floor before noticing Jodi and Liz behind the counter and halting.

  For several moments he stared at them, and then he groaned and ran a hand over his face. “Fuck,” he muttered before continuing through the bar and disappearing into the hallway where the restrooms and main office were located.

  “Maybe you should go talk to him,” Liz suggested softly.

  “Yeah.” Begrudgingly.

  Chapter 7

  Jodi found him in the office. He was sitting on the brown leather loveseat, elbows on his knees, face in his palms, gaze toward the floor. The folder was on the coffee table. That part wasn’t odd. He often carried a folder of papers with him. He looked over them when he was on break. She figured they contained information about the next day’s plans from the producer. She never asked. She never looked.

  Jodi shut the door behind her and inched closer. “I didn’t see what happened firsthand, but Liz told me the gist. Are you okay?”

  He groaned and leaned back against the cushion, meeting Jodi’s gaze. “I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking getting myself into this mess. That bitch. I’m so stupid. All I heard was dollar signs. I let myself get roped into the craziest shitshow in the world for eighty thousand dollars. Who does that?”

  Jodi perched on the edge of the loveseat next to him but not touching him. “That’s a lot of money.”

  “Yeah. I’m definitely not permitted to talk about it either. The initial amount was five thousand to be on the show and then twenty-five thousand to marry her. They added fifty if I would stay ninety days.” He winced. “Not sure it was worth it.”

  She recognized that he was furious and needed to vent. He also had no one to vent to. She could do this for him. Be the someone he needed. And keep it all to herself.

  She wanted to touch him, but she was afraid he might not appreciate that gesture at the moment, so she set her palms on her thighs and waited for him to continue, knowing he would. So far, she wasn’t positive what part of today’s insanity he was most pissed about.

  “I asked for one lousy thing.” He held up a finger. “One. Not to involve my mom. And now her location is all over the fucking internet. By the end of the night the entire world is going to have figured out her room number, her diagnosis, her prognosis, and even the daily cost of keeping her there.” He slapped his thighs.

  Jesus. Jodi’s heart raced. She felt awful for him. His mom. All this had been to protect his mom. No wonder he didn’t quit.

  “The only consolation I have is that whatever anyone tells her, she won’t remember. Thank God. If she was cognitively aware the son she was so proud of had married someone who only cared about fame and money, she would lose her mind. If she still had a mind.”

  “Does she have Alzheimer’s?” Jodi asked softly.

  Tuck nodded, hanging his head again. “She’s in the final stages. That’s why I left the SEALs. To come home and help her die with dignity. She doesn’t even know who I am anymore, but I know who she is, and that’s all that matters.”

  Jodi lifted one hand and grabbed his, squeezing it. “That is all that matters. And like you said, she won’t know what she’s hearing if anyone tells her.” She hurt for him. His pain was palpable.

  “Yeah. I keep telling myself that. And the staff assures me they will not let anyone in the building who doesn’t belong there. I didn’t want to cause extra stress on them either. If they end up having to increase security or something, I’ll be forced to move her. That’s the last thing I want to do. Crestmont is the best facility in the area. They take amazing care of her. I never have to worry. All I have to do is pay the bills.” He cringed, as if he hadn’t meant to divulge that last part out loud.

  The bills… Right. That’s why he needed the money. “I’m so sorry,” Jodi said, squeezing his hand again.

  He closed his eyes and then suddenly tugged his hand free, wrapped his arm around her, and hauled her into his side. He held her tight, setting his chin on her head. “Thank you. Seriously. I can’t imagine how much worse this day would be if I didn’t have you. All I kept thinking on my way over here was that I was damn lucky. You would listen to me. You wouldn’t judge me. You wouldn’t tell anyone. And I would feel better after I spewed this all out.”

  “Do you?” she asked, tipping her head back to meet his gaze.

  He gave her a small smile. “Yes.”

  She returned the smile, loving that she had this moment with him. She would need to threaten Liz’s life if she ever disclosed that Tuck was working here or that he and Jodi spent this
time shut in the office. The last thing Tuck needed was more publicity.

  “Tell me. How bad is it?”

  Jodi frowned. “How bad is what?”

  “Whatever else happened today. I was driving when the producer called me, and I hung up on her after she told me people had followed me to my mom’s facility. I assume there was more.”

  Jodi swallowed. “Jesus, Tuck. Yeah. There’s more.”

  He winced, easing up on his grip. “Give me the CliffsNotes. We don’t have much time before the bar opens.”

  “Maybe we should discuss this after we close,” she suggested.

  He shook his head. “Nope. Just tell me. The worst thing that could have happened in this fiasco was someone finding my mom. That happened. Nothing else will shock me.”

  She moaned. “Tuck, I think you might be underestimating the number of fans you have and the level of influence they carry.”

  He took a deep breath. “Do it.”

  “Your wife is presumably having an affair with both Dawson and Brittany B.”

  His eyes widened. “Both of them? How the hell does she manage to carry on two separate affairs?”

  Jodi shook her head. “Nope. Just one affair. It’s a threesome.”

  Chapter 8

  “Where’s Jodi?” Tuck asked her father ten hours later after the last of the customers had left the bar and the front door had been locked. Usually Jodi remained behind the bar for a while cleaning up and getting everything in perfect order for the next day.

  “She said she needed to do something. She’s in the office, I think. I told her I would finish the last load of dishes and put the glasses away.”

  Tuck nodded and headed toward the office.