Chapter 32
Clay
Grant needs to stop. He continues to fuss over me like I’ve broken every bone in my body, not wanting to leave my side for a minute. I know how he feels, almost. It was close to holding Jolee in that warehouse. Except then I didn’t know I’d fall flat on my face in love with her.
Grant put on my favorite movie, and I’m trying to follow orders and rest. I’m still without a phone, and he won’t let me have his. He said that I overdid it with my messages last night. He’s not wrong, but still no word.
I’ve got it bad for her.
My heart empathized with her instantly. I couldn’t turn my back or leave her. Grant is right, I have a lot of love to give, and I want to share some of it with her.
I attempt to close my eyes, and fake sleeping sounds like rest to me. My body is sore, and my lungs still burn a little, but I’ll be fine. This has been one heck of a few months between Jolee getting hurt and this explosion.
I’m starting to rethink the calmness of Whispering Waters. The lake is peaceful. The trees, birds, and space are heavenly. The blood, guns, and chaos, not so much.
But we also have a sense of community that is growing through despite everything.
Derrick and Matthew found a way to share their love with Star.
Maybe I should talk to Derrick. See how they are making things work.
They all looked so happy at their wedding.
It reminded me of our wedding, and I know Jo fits into our picture of happiness, too.
I try to shut my mind off, knowing Grant will chain me to this couch if I even think about getting up. That sounds kinky, though. He does have a thing for rope, and there’s plenty of it around here. Or maybe if I lie here like a good husband, he will agree to cover me in cum later.
The click of a door, feet shuffling, and whispers hit my ears. Great. I’m not delusional and making up voices. How strong are my pain meds?
“Clay.” A sweet voice whispers. I must be dreaming because that’s her voice—Jo’s. I squeeze my eyes shut harder.
“Clay, love, you aren’t dreaming, and I know you aren’t sleeping.” Grant’s firm tone pulls my eyes open. What the heck is going on?
I blink a few more times, and it’s Jo. Like, really here. I try to sit up and take the sight of her in. I want to cry with relief that she’s here and in one piece.
“Hey, I saw what happened on the news, and I got all of your messages. I’m sorry.” Tears start down her face. “I’m so… so sorry. This should’ve never happened.”
“Shhh.” I reach for her hand and pull her as close to me as I can. “You didn’t do this. You’d never do this.”
She cries harder. Her head falls onto my chest.
“What’s wrong, Jo? What happened?” I know this isn’t her fault, but why does she think it is? I’m confused.
“It feels like my fault, even if indirectly. I got another letter at my apartment, and once I figured it out, I was too late. The explosion had already happened.”
“Wait, what? You’re going to need to back up. Another letter? And figured out what?” I have so many questions. What the hell happened since we dropped her off at the clinic?
“You know that you found out that Sherry was dead, the one I thought was sending me all these letters, well, I finally put it together with the last one.”
“Look at me, Jo. You mean you know who sent you all those letters?”
She raises her head. Her cheeks are puffy and wet with tears.
“It’s more complicated. I had no idea, but Andy had been cheating on me.
It was a girl named Michelle Jones, but she goes by Shelly.
Hence, the initials SJ on all the recent letters.
” She takes a deep breath before continuing.
“The night he died, he was leaving her place, and she was pissed that he was coming back to me. Something snapped in her that night. She’s been spiraling ever since his death. ”
“Fuck, Jo. That’s terrible. No one should have to find this out. Not this way and not after all this time.”
“Right? But it’s like I can’t even be mad at Andy because he’s dead. He’s been dead for eight years. Shelly and I were never friends. She never liked me, and now I know why. She thought Andy would leave me. And I think she had something to do with Sherry’s death.”
“Jesus, Jo. That’s a lot to go through. And you just learned this.”
“All of this hit me, then the explosion. When I saw the explosion on the television, I thought… I thought another person close to me had died. I didn’t know if one or both of you were hurt. I couldn’t handle it. It wasn’t pretty.”
Grant joins her on the floor, wrapping Jo up in his arms. “Shit. I’m sorry I didn’t call you from the hospital. I was too scared that I was losing my husband. I’m so sorry, Jo.”
“It’s okay. I didn’t get it at that moment, but I needed that time to let all my emotions and fears out, finally.
I’ve been holding onto a lot of things I should’ve worked through already.
But I had been young and scared, plus with Sherry’s verbal attacks, I couldn’t stay.
I learned to run and shove my feelings down.
I thought that’s how I was supposed to move on.
Little did I know how much that was holding me back… until both of you.”
“Oh, Jolee, honey. I’m sorry for everything you’ve gone through, but I’m not sorry it brought you to us.”
“I know you didn’t ask for a… friend with a lot of baggage, but I hope you’ll let me hang around.”
Friend? Oh, no. We are way beyond that, and I need to catch her up.
“Jo, look at me.” I tilt her chin towards me, “Please listen closely, I don’t want you to miss this. We are not acquaintances. We are not friends, but we are two men who are very interested in you; that’s beyond platonic. So far beyond.”
“What Clay is trying to say is that he wants you to be his woman.”
“Oh. And what about you?”
“I’m coming around to the idea. This is new for us. We’ve never wanted a woman in our lives and home the way we want you. Never even discussed it, until you.”
Grants feels more for her than he’s ready to admit, but I hear it in his voice. In his words. In his actions. I love them both so fucking much. My heart breaks for what Jo’s been through, and I don’t want her to feel like she’s alone.
“We don’t know where this could go, but we want to explore it. We can’t let you go. We don’t want to.”
“I don’t know what to say. I mean, this is very new to me, and I mean, you guys are married. I don’t see how I fit in except for sex.”
Jo blushes, and it's fucking adorable.
“We want you more than that, Jo. Like you said, to hang out. We want to get to know you more, go out for dinner, or stay in for a movie. Spoil you and take care of you when you’re sick. We want all of those things.”
Jo starts crying again. “I never thought I’d have a chance at that.”
“You’re in our hearts, Jolee. We care for you and want to be here for you. Please don’t cry.”
She sniffles into my shirt. “They’re good tears. So many happy ones.”
“Thank God. I’m not good with the other kind of tears.” That gets her to laugh a little.
“Now, what?” She says, wiping her eyes.
“Now, I get to lie here while you fuss over me. I know you’re dying to give me a taste of my own medicine, and poor Grant could use a break.”
“Oh, I like the sound of that.” Jo giggles, and I wonder what she’s thinking.