Chapter 26 Dagnabit
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
DAGNABIT
Lennon
“At least he’s in the slammer where he can’t threaten you.
” Felicity always has a way of finding the bright side of every situation, even if it is about the man who held me hostage for years and my father who arranged for it to happen.
We’re having lunch in her office today for a change of scenery.
She swallows another bite of mashed potatoes before wiping her lips.
“And I’m sure your father has gone back to wherever he came from.
There’s no way any human with common sense will let that Andrei guy out on bail.
After they officially charge him, you’ll be as safe as a mouse. ”
I scoop up my last bite of salad and wonder when a mouse is ever really safe. They seem pretty far down the food chain. I don’t love that analogy.
“Andrei refuses to be questioned without his attorney, but an attorney has yet to show up. He refuses a court appointed defense attorney and to answer anyone’s questions.
It’s been two days. I feel like we’re living in flux, and I’m existing between my office and Jett’s hotel room, which is getting old. ”
Felicity tsks me. “You poor girl. Maybe you should come and stay with Harold and me this weekend for a change of scenery?”
I’m not sure how to tell her that being cooped up in my office is the only thing getting old. I could be locked up with Jett for the rest of time and not complain. Sex is frequent and out of this universe. He continues to rock my world and give me something new every time we’re together.
“It’s okay. I don’t want to put you out. That’s your whole weekend.”
She waves me off. “It’s no bother. We can craft for two whole days!”
I love Felicity. I really do. But the idea of being hunched over a needlepoint project when I have the option of being wrapped up in Jett Cross sounds horrid.
I decide to be a the-glass-is-half-full kind of person. “Let’s hope everything will be worked out by Saturday, and I can move back to the library.”
“Welp, if you say so. I’m sure Jett is busy-busy-busy keeping you safe and getting ready for that big-wig meeting with the board. That sounds more stressful than when Ms. Madison canceled her wedding to her horrible ex-fiancé at the last minute. That was a doozy.”
“That’s what I heard. I had hoped to be able to relax after Andrei was in custody, but my father being back in the mix changes everything. He could be anywhere.”
Felicity starts to pack up her dirty dishes.
There is so much to love about her, but her dedication to routines ranks right up there.
I’ve never had consistency in anything. I love meatloaf night, Wheel of Fortune, and turning off the T.V.
at the same time. Who knew a grown woman could crave stability like a child.
Felicity continues to clean as she speaks.
“I bet you he’ll run a stop sign or speed past a police officer.
And since he’s got a warrant out for his arrest, that will be that. ”
“I can only be so lucky.” I hand Felicity my dirty containers. “Someday when I have a kitchen, I’m going to make you lunch every single day. If working on the boat did anything for me, I learned how to cook. I had no choice.”
Felicity takes the dirty containers and grabs my hand in a firm grip with her other. Her expression is anything but glass-is-half-full. In fact, I’ve never seen my friend so serious.
“You will never make me lunch. Do you understand?”
I’m taken aback by the intensity of her words. “But it’s okay. I want to do that for—”
“No. You’ll never cook for me.” The word is as firm as her grip on my hand.
Her eyes glass over. I’ve seen Felicity nervous, anxious, and flustered, but this is a sight I’ve never seen.
She’s emotional and struggling to express herself.
“You grew up without a mother. Your father betrayed you in the worst possible way. You were kidnapped, forced to live on that boat, and worked yourself to the bone.”
My throat thickens. I’m not overcome by what she’s saying, but by how she’s reacting to it. I reach out to embrace her hand in both of mine and whisper, “It’s okay. I’m here now, and I’m never going back.”
She shakes her head as a single tear falls down her sweet face. “If I do nothing else for the rest of my life, I’ll cook you Sunday dinner whenever you can make time for us and bring you leftovers for lunch.”
It’s my turn to fight back my emotions. I force myself to swallow over the boulder that has formed in my throat.
When I don’t say anything, she swipes at her cheek. “Don’t make me put my foot down.”
“I would never. And it’s going to take a lot for me to miss Sunday dinner. Thank you.”
She gives me one more squeeze before letting me go and wipes her hands down the front of her floral dress.
Today it’s the color of the forest right before the leaves fall.
She grips her hands at her waist and announces, “Okay. Back to work. I’ve got a stew in the Crock-Pot. Plan on that for lunch tomorrow.”
Even though she just dismissed me, I can’t help myself. I move around her desk, break through all her personal boundaries, and pull her into my arms. She reluctantly returns my embrace.
It doesn’t matter how awkward it is, I don’t let her go.
She pats my back and clears her throat again. “I’m pleased you like Sunday dinner.”
I let her go and hold her at arm’s length. “I love Sunday dinner.”
She nods. “Now I’m even more pleased.”
I let her reclaim her space. “Now we can get back to work. I can’t wait for tomorrow. I’ve never had stew.”
“You’ve never had stew?” she exclaims. “Well, now. That’s a lot of pressure. I hope the meat doesn’t turn out tough. Good gracious, Lennon Shaw. I won’t be able to focus on anything for the rest of the day.”
I tell her the truth. “I’ll love it.”
She waves me off. “Don’t hold your breath. If the meat isn’t fall-apart-in-your-mouth, then you might get a reheated frozen pizza.”
“Well, I haven’t had frozen pizza in over six years, so I’ll look forward to that too.”
“Now you’re just breaking my heart. Dagnabit. Back to your office with you. Go dream about Jett Cross, lament over lavender soap for the rooms, and reorder the stationery. You have things to do.”
“Thank you for lunch. You fill my stomach and my heart.”
I’m so happy, I almost skip around the corner back to my office. Felicity is right. I have a long list of things to do and worrying about my father is not on that list.