16. Going Back For More
GOING BACK FOR MORE
“How are things going, Baker?” his sister asked him four days later.
Good question.
On one hand, some might say they were great. It sure the hell felt it after his day with Tasha on Friday.
The other hand was ready to slap him across the face and ask him what the fuck he was getting himself into.
“Not bad.” It was the closest he could get to the truth. “What’s going on with Mom now?”
Brittany laughed.
He loved his sister, he really did. Without her, he might not be as sane as he was. She’d often said the same thing.
But they weren’t known to talk often. More like a text.
The text asking him to call said something had to be going on that he didn’t want to hear.
“She’s depressed again.”
“Same old, same old?”
“Yep. Dad confessed he was involved with someone else. Someone at work, but he promised to end things. That Mom was ignoring him and he was lonely.”
Baker ground his teeth, his fists clenched, a tick in his cheek was damn well noticeable for anyone who walked in.
And if they walked in and saw him, they’d scoot back out as if he’d shot flames up their ass rather than ask him what was going on.
“Did she buy it?”
“She always does. She said she’s trying and asked my advice on what she could do better. It started out with asking if I remembered what Dad’s favorite dessert was. She was drawing a blank.”
Baker pushed back in his chair, it tipping dangerously close to the wall. “What was your response?”
“I told her she’d be better off looking for a place to live than a recipe to make a man happy who would only cheat on her again.”
“And she cried after you said that?”
Brittany’s sigh was loud enough it might have pushed his hair back through the phone. “Right on the first try. What are we going to do about this?”
“Nothing. It’s their life. I gave up a long time ago. I consider myself a saint for not lifting him up by the shirt front when I’m forced to see him.”
“When was the last time you talked to Dad?”
“When was the last time I was home?”
“That’s what I thought.”
He hadn’t been home since he had moved here three years ago. Since he saw the ad and knew it was time to head out and push the memories behind him.
“I’m not sure why you’re chasing something here. Do you really think they are going to ever change their behavior?” There was silence on the other end. “Brittany?”
“Mom said that Dad is sick.”
“Sick like how? In the head? We’ve known that for years.”
“No, that he’s been grouchier than normal. That he’s peeing all the time and then bitches nothing comes out.”
“Sounds like he needs to go to the doctor. Maybe he’s put his dick in one too many women and needs an antibiotic.”
“Baker!” Brittany was roaring with laughter. “That’s disgusting.”
“So is his lifestyle. And Mom’s for putting up with it. Am I wrong?”
“No. I told Mom the same thing. And I told her to stay away from him.”
“She’s not going to listen. Do you think we should just try one last ditch effort and find her a place and get it set up?”
“She won’t do it,” Brittany said. “I’ve offered enough times.”
“So you only called to remind me how dysfunctional our childhood was?”
“I need someone to talk to who understands. Emme doesn’t get it. I’ve tried to explain it. She thinks I don’t want her to meet Mom and Dad because Mom doesn’t agree with my lifestyle. At least mine is stable and real.”
“Not in their eyes.”
“That’s right. If it’s not a dick attached to a man inside of me, I’m going through a phase.”
He rolled his eyes over his sister’s words. She could be cruder than the men he worked with on the floor when no women were around.
“I don’t need that much knowledge of your sex life.”
“Only because you’re jealous I’ve got one.”
“Who says I don’t?” he said before he could glue his lips together.
“Oh, now we are getting somewhere. Unless this is one of those hooking up things.”
He snorted. “Have I ever done that?”
“I don’t know. We don’t really talk about that stuff.”
“Because I don’t.” Which didn’t explain why what he and Tasha had was supposed to be simple. Dipping their toes in.
He was soaking wet and going back for more.
Maybe.
It wasn’t as if he talked to her much since Friday.
A few texts here and there. He saw her yesterday because he did what he’d been doing for weeks. He walked down to the break room twice when he thought she might be there.
He caught her leaving for the stand to start her shift in the morning and they had less than a minute to talk.
Not that he wanted anyone to see them chatting because it was getting significantly harder to hide what was going on with them.
“Then tell me what is going on with you. I shared about Emme.”
Maybe it wouldn’t hurt. It wasn’t as if his sister wasn’t privy to what he’d gone through in the past. Or how fucked up his parents were and why he’d done what he had with Alexa.
“Her name is Tasha.”
“That’s a pretty name.”
“She’s a single mother. A teacher. She’s working here for the summer at the front checking people in for tours.”
“Hmmm.”
“What does that mean?”
“Is this one of those things that happen there?” Brittany asked, lots of humor in her voice.
“What things?”
“With the owners. Or Mason’s parents. Is someone setting you up?”
Maybe he shouldn’t have shared that one day, but he found humor in it. Then knew his sister would laugh when it was being turned on him and how he felt about it.
Yet here he was, falling for it... maybe.
“Sort of. I noticed her first. Didn’t know much about her. It’s not as if I could ask and draw more attention to it.”
“But someone noticed?”
“Jolene knows her. Guess Tasha is best friends with her nephew’s wife. That’s how she got the summer job. She knew what Jolene did also but didn’t think she’d be part of it.”
“But she is part of it?”
“Yes.” He filled his sister in on what was happening or how that came about. Even that Gavin admitted Tasha was picked out.
“I can’t believe you fell for it.”
“It wasn’t like I was trying to, but I’m not going to be rude to her either just because I don’t want to be part of their game.”
“Is it a game? That’s not like you,” Brittany said.
“No. It’s not. But things are complicated.”
“Because she has a child? What is that situation? Like drama with the baby daddy or something?”
“No drama because he’s not in her life. She hasn’t said a word about it and isn’t. Which is odd, but it’s not like I volunteered about Alexa either. She made a comment early on about having trust issues.”
“The same as you but maybe not for the same reasons.”
“It’s not. Hers was cheating, but I didn’t elaborate. I made a comment about Mom and Dad and a few days ago I told her about it. I guess I wanted to give her something to see if she’d do the same. We are getting closer but keeping it quiet.”
“Did she tell you more?”
“No.”
“So that is where you’re struggling. You were blindsided before and if you don’t have information you’re going to fear it again, right?”
He knew his sister would understand. “I don’t want to tell her that though. You know me. I’m not into putting pressure on anyone or anything. Not anymore.”
“Have you met her child? Boy, girl, age?”
“Micah and he’s fourteen months. I met him the day I found out she lived close by as she was walking him. I go over when he’s in bed.”
“Sounds like sneaking to me. Are you sure there isn’t more going on with her?”
His lips flapped as he exhaled. “There isn’t. It has to do with her son. I’m honoring that. People I work with know her. She’s single and has been since after Micah was born.”
Maybe even before. He just didn’t know those facts.
“Then let me ask you this. What is it you’re looking for?”
“Beats the shit out of me.”
“If you don’t know, then you can’t expect her to know or give it to you. Sorry. You need to figure that out first.”
He didn’t need his sister to tell him what he already knew.