30. Grow A Pair
30
GROW A PAIR
“I had the best time,” Jordan said on Friday. “I wish I was staying longer, but I need to get back. You didn’t need to rearrange your schedule to bring me here.”
“It’s fine,” she said.
Justine had to work tomorrow night to switch shifts to get Wednesday off, so working tonight too just got her into a schedule a bit easier. It allowed her to bring her sister to the airstrip and see her off.
“I’d love to do this again,” Jordan said. “Just not sure when.”
“I’ll come see you next time,” she said. “When I can get things set here. So much is in the air.”
“We’ll always be there for each other,” Jordan said. “Even if we don’t talk much. Let me know if you need anything with the security company.”
“Not much we can do right now,” she said. “I sent them everything I had.”
She had to show the death certificate and her document as power of attorney. It was easy enough to show a copy of the will, but she was positive the company was going to look into whether the will was legit and had been executed and if they found out it was being contested, then she might not get what they need.
“Do you think the DA will reach out?” Jordan asked.
“You know as much as I do,” she said. “I left a message. Not sure when they will call me back. They are busy.”
“I want to know when they do. Okay?”
“Of course,” she said. “Give me one more hug and then get ready for your flight to Logan. Sorry you are sitting at the airport for so long.”
“Not a big deal,” Jordan said. “I would have missed my flight if I had to take the ferry or I would have sat there longer to get a ferry. Them flying me to Logan is faster than going from the docks via car. I feel a bit like a celebrity being dropped off that way.”
She laughed. “You’ve got a point. Try to play it up and maybe people will leave you alone.”
“That’s the plan,” Jordan said, laughing and giving her one more hug.
Justine climbed back in her car and, rather than go home, decided to surprise her boyfriend who gave her some much-needed time with her sister.
She looked at the clock on the dash and had six hours before she had to be at work. Plenty enough time to visit and then take a nap before she went in. The first night was always the worst.
She pulled into Garrett’s driveway and was walking to the front door but heard music playing in the back and knew that he often sat on this deck and relaxed that way.
When she walked around she heard a woman’s laugh. “Garrett, you’re the best. So funny.”
She lifted an eyebrow. What the heck was this about?
She turned the corner and there was Garrett on the far side of the deck away from the gate and a woman in a crop top, her hair in a ponytail, and what looked to be very tiny shorts that almost had a little skirt over them. For show because they sure the hell weren’t covering anything, even with her sitting down.
“Hi,” Justine said, walking up the stairs.
Garrett jumped as if he was caught with his hand in the candy bowl on Halloween eating it rather than handing it out. Her heart sank.
How the heck could she have been so stupid?
What did her sister say? There was nothing negative about Garrett?
When you can’t find something negative, there has to be a reason and she’d been too blind to see it.
“Justine,” he said, standing. “I’m sooooo glad to see you.”
He moved toward her and put his arm around her waist, pulled her close, and kissed her on the lips. All of it exaggerated and she stiffened waiting for the ax to fall and chop her head off.
“Who is this?” the woman asked.
“This is my girlfriend, Justine Keller. Justine, Vanessa....” Did he not know her last name?
“Vanessa Winters,” Vanessa said, standing up, her very toned body on display like she was on the prowl. Older than her, most likely older than Garrett too. Prowl might be the right word. “I’m Garrett’s neighbor. I had no idea he had a girlfriend. He’s never said a word and we visit often.”
“Not often,” Garrett said, squeezing her side. “I haven’t seen Vanessa in over a month. I’m not around much.”
“Oh,” Vanessa said, waving her hand. “I never keep track. We’ve been neighbors and friendly for years.”
Years and he couldn’t think of the woman’s last name?
She didn’t like the smirk on Vanessa’s face either. One that said the woman thought she had the upper hand or at least planned on causing some issues.
But Justine didn’t know what to make of the pleading look on Garrett’s either.
She was trying not to slam the gavel down on a guilty verdict, but it was damn hard.
No way in hell she was letting this woman know she was affected by this.
“Nice to meet you,” she said. “I thought I’d surprise Garrett today.”
“Do you not live on the island?” Vanessa asked.
“I do,” she said, smiling. “I’ve been here quite a few times. I’m surprised being his neighbor you haven’t seen me?”
Maybe this was why Garrett always pulled into his garage or didn’t bring her over in the beginning. Could it be he was trying to hide something?
No, she wasn’t going to let her mind do that.
“I’ve been out of town for a few weeks,” Vanessa said. “I tend to travel for work. Guess I missed it.”
Vanessa’s smile was more forced now and she’d hit a nerve for sure. “Could be,” she said cheerfully.
“I’ll just get out of your way,” Vanessa said. “I’ll take a rain check on that drink.”
“Sure,” Garrett said.
When he turned to look at her, her eyes were all but bugging out of her head.
“Care to explain that?” she whispered when it was just the two of them.
“Let’s go inside. I’ll explain. I promise.”
“I expect you will,” she said.
When was the last time she was this jealous?
She knew exactly what she was feeling, but it was also being twisted up with betrayal that she hoped wasn’t true.
He moved to the window and then looked toward what she assumed was Vanessa’s house. “She’s bat shit crazy.”
“Huh?” she asked.
“She’s been hinting toward us dating for years. Years! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve turned her down or said I was busy.”
“And she still shows up here dressed like that? Guess you aren’t very firm or clear,” she said, angling her head.
He sighed. “No,” he said. “I’m not. Gabriela gives me shit about it too. I don’t have it in me to be a dick.”
“So your girlfriend should come over and witness what I did?” she asked, crossing her arms. “And you’ve never once said a word to me about this.”
Which might be worse.
“What was I supposed to say? That my neighbor who is older than me is always hitting on me? It’s embarrassing and I didn’t want to sound like a conceited asshole either.”
“I wouldn’t have thought that,” she said. “I wish you’d said something though. Because I’m not sure what to think.”
He seemed shocked. “You think I’m interested in her? Or have had something going on with her? You saw her. Do you think that is the type of woman I want to spend any time with?”
She had to admit it seemed odd to her. Garrett always came off as low key and that woman was far from that.
“I didn’t expect you to not be able to be firm,” she said. “Or say at any point you had a girlfriend.”
His shoulders dropped. “I’m a wuss,” he said. “There you go. You want a negative or a character flaw? It’s smack dab in your face right there. I should have done it and haven’t. She’s been out of town. Maybe I was hoping she’d see you here and she obviously hasn’t.”
“So you haven’t purposely parked in the garage with me so she wouldn’t see me?”
“God no,” he said, running his hands through his hair. He’d never looked agitated like that before. “She’s trying to get a rise out of you.”
“Yep,” she said. “It’s working. I’m trying to figure out why you could have said something and never did. Not once.”
“I’m a coward,” he said sheepishly. “I run and avoid. How is that?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Is that a shot at me?”
“No! It’s a shot at me. It’s the truth. I’m serious,” he said. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I need to find a text that I sent to Gabriela before you and I started to date. I asked her to call me right away as an emergency when Vanessa showed up on my deck. Then when Gabriela did, I pretended it was work. I’m serious. She busted my ass too.”
He was scrolling through his phone and then handed it over.
She read the message asking his sister to call and then the next day Gabriela was riding his ass to tell his neighbor to keep her slutty eyes away from him and for him to grow a pair.
“Ouch,” she said. “I might have a better appreciation for your sister.”
“I know. I suck. I suck even more for not telling you, but if I can’t tell Vanessa, what makes you think I’d tell you? It’s embarrassing. Men don’t have it that easy when someone won’t take the hint.”
She frowned. “Not sure I agree with that.”
“It’s the only thing I’ve got. I’m not a cheater. Ever. I’m trying hard not to get annoyed you might think that.”
He looked hurt and she didn’t want that either. But she wasn’t going to back down at how stunning this situation was.
“I didn’t want to think it. I didn’t want to find you guilty, but it knocked me off balance to walk up and see that too.”
“I know,” he said, reaching for her. “Big negative to my personality. I get it. Now you know. But she will leave me alone going forward. Can we go on the deck and hug and kiss? It will be the nail in the coffin.”
She slapped his arm. “That’s bad, Garrett.”
“I know,” he said, wincing. “See. I need to grow a pair. I admit it.”
She laughed at him. “I just find this so hard to believe. You’ve had no problem speaking your mind.”
“No,” he said. “I don’t speak my mind. You should know that by now. Not all the time. Or not when I know it might hurt someone.”
She processed what he said and realized he was right.
It’s probably why he was struggling with his job so much.
That he took everyone’s problems on and tried to solve them. But his problems, he just let slide.
Or he built walls around them until there were cracks.
“It’s not healthy for you to do those things,” she said.
“You think I don’t know that?” he asked. “Put yourself in my shoes. I’m a doctor. I’ve got patients that need a gentle hand. I don’t need someone spewing crap about me because I’m not interested in them. I don’t need any attention on me at all.”
She remembered her father saying that once too.
She wondered if that was why her father remarried. So that women would stop coming on to him and he wouldn’t have to tell them no.
He always worried he’d be caught unaware or in a compromising position. That it was hard in his profession and he never wanted to be alone with a woman if he could avoid it.
“My father was the same way. Which has me wondering more about these cameras. I was coming over to tell you what was going on and visit before I got a few hours of sleep and then went to work.”
“I’m sorry, Justine. I should have told you and have no excuse. I wish you didn’t find out the way you did. It makes me look horrible.”
“Not horrible, but not as strong as I thought you were.”
He winced. “I had that coming.”
“You did,” she said. “It makes you human too and that is a good thing.”
“I’m glad of that at least,” he said. “Can we kiss on the deck before you tell me about the cameras?”
“You’re serious?”
“No,” he said while nodding his head yes.
“Oh good lord, Garrett.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the deck, right in the center, gave him a hug, a deep kiss, and grabbed his ass, and pushed his crotch into hers. “Better?” she asked against his lips. “Or do you need some more?”
“Wow,” he said. “Okay. I like this side of you.”
“That’s embarrassing, but I have to admit it was kind of fun. No more, okay?”
“Heard,” he said. “I’ll grow a pair. It’s kind of growing now.”
“Too bad,” she said. “You lost that opportunity being a wuss just now.”
She was laughing when she said it. “I deserved that.”
“To get you up to speed… I sent everything to the security company. I did think of what you said and I’m hoping there is something on these cameras. The most I can see is that he’s been paying for the service for a few years. I’m not sure how far back the recordings go. I don’t know if they will talk to me or release anything. I left a message with the DA. It’s a waiting game now.”
“Would you consider hiring your own attorney to push this?” he asked.
“If I have to, I will. But I need to let the process do its job. The DA and the police have to take care of it first. If I don’t like the answers I get, then I’ll find an attorney there.”
“Not to get in your business, but you want a strong attorney. You’re here, not there. My cousin Hailey Bond owns a big law firm. She has a lot of staff who can practice in multiple states. It might be easier with you here, but it’s your choice.”
“I’ll think about it,” she said. “I appreciate it. I just want to see what the DA says. I’ve learned one thing: nothing moves fast in the judicial system.”
“I don’t think so,” he said. “Are we good?”
“We are,” she said. “Why ask?”
“I just want to make sure. You’re tired. You need to go to work. You’ve had a good few days with your sister and I’m going to assume they were emotional. Then this. I don’t want to add to your worries.”
“And there you go, putting other people’s problems on your shoulder, Garrett. Don’t add to your worries.”
“You do that when you love someone.”
“Do you?” she asked. “Do you take it all on yourself or do you share things?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “If you’re not sharing then I’m thinking you’re taking it all on and I don’t want you to do that. I’m scared of your sister. She might hurt me if I hurt you.”
She laughed. “I’m kind of scared of her too. Can we just be more open with each other? I know there are things I don’t always open up about and share, but I’m trying. I want you to do the same. Even if you’re embarrassed.”
He seemed to hesitate and she wasn’t sure what that was about. “I’ll try,” he said.
She was going to give him the benefit of the doubt that it was a male ego thing and that he wasn’t hiding anything from her.