Chapter 12 Jade
The next couple of days pass, for the most part, uneventfully. Zander seems more than happy to spend time with me, even though Spencer and Roderick are MIA more often than not. Not that I care; they don’t owe me anything.
Zander shows me around the house and grounds. Both are enormous and breathtaking, but my favorite part is the large pond and trees scattered throughout the backyard. I’ve never seen so much wildlife and nature, and every new thing we see here is fantastic; we spend hours outside.
He told me about the college they all attend and helped me learn to make a few other essential foods. He loves to cook because he loves to eat, but he insists Roderick is the best of the three of them. I'm just happy to learn, so I don’t really care who teaches me.
He shows me some of his favorite movies and how to use the TV and stereo. But, of all the things I didn’t know, music seemed to shock Zander the most. Well, besides the fact that I can’t shoot a gun, that seemed to shock him pretty good, too.
He was teaching me to cook grilled cheese when he turned a song on his phone, explaining that silence makes him stir crazy. As we worked on the food, he would sing along at certain parts, and the happiness on his face was damn near contagious.
After two or three songs, I found that I could nod my head to the beat of a few of them. The words were good, and the feeling that it brought was almost calming, even if the sounds were anything but.
When we were done cooking and sat down to eat, I asked him who sang the songs. He told me it was a cover band called Our Last Night.
Something about my face must have told him I had no idea what that meant because he continued to explain that cover bands sing other people's music. But this particular band makes popular songs in a more punk style.
As we cleaned up, he showed me the originals of a few that we had heard covered while we cooked. I like the covers better, but Zander was shocked that I didn’t know any of the originals, even though they were what he claimed to be some top-rated songs by very well-known artists.
I explained that I never got to listen to music unless it was on while I was with a client.
He looked at me as if I’d grown another head.
When we finished cleaning up, he pulled me down the hall to his room for ‘educational purposes.’ We spent the rest of the night in his room as he showed me all things music.
He showed me different genres—music he loved and music he hated—claiming that while he didn't like it, I might, and he wanted to let me form my own opinion on it.
Nobody had ever really cared what I thought about anything, let alone something so simple, and the fact that he did made my stomach knot and my cheeks heat.
I woke up the next day in my bed. At first, I was confused, but it didn't take long before I put two and two together. He must have put me in bed when I passed out on his floor at some point the night before.
He could have easily left me or put me in his bed. Honestly, I would have been fine with either, but the fact that he brought me back to my room and tucked me in had my brain short-circuiting.
Years of giving my body to people made boundaries nonexistent, and I didn’t realize I would ever find someone who respected them as such a turn-on.
But I'd be damned if it wasn’t.
As I stand in the shower, washing my hair, I let my head fall back so that the water runs over my face. Just remembering the last few days has heat rising to my cheeks, and I feel like a child.
This wasn’t part of the plan at all.
I need to get my shit together.
I finish rinsing off and step out, grabbing a towel as I go. I melt into it as I dry my face. It’s so soft I would swear it was a blanket. I didn't even know towels could be this soft.
I throw on my underwear and one of the sundresses that I grabbed with the guys the other day.
It’s dark blue and fades into purple as it goes down, with prints of stars and moons all over in a silver that catches the light beautifully.
It falls to just past mid-thigh and swishes when I move around.
The neckline is a deep but tasteful plunge that shows off my cleavage just enough to make me feel good, but not sleazy.
I feel like a goddess, and it makes me feel even better that I picked this dress for myself instead of having someone make me wear it.
I slip on my new combat boots, and while they throw off the overly girly look of the outfit, they help me feel more comfortable, so I couldn't care less.
I leave my hair down to dry, even though it falls to about my waist and will probably leave a wet spot on my back.
Unfortunately, I don’t have much choice.
It's either that or in a ponytail since I don’t know how to do anything else with it.
Unfortunately, being up too long in a ponytail gives me a headache, especially when it’s wet.
Maybe I’ll get it cut?
I throw my towel in the basket and shut the light off as I head out to meet Clair.
Over the last few days, I haven’t seen much of her or her husband. They’ve spent a lot of time and long hours at the station. Clair has been doing follow-ups on my girls, and when I do see her, it’s usually only for long enough to get an update on them before she’s headed out the door or to bed.
A lot is being done to track down families or people looking for them. And I appreciate that Clair was so quick to jump on it, but it makes me feel useless that she keeps declining my help.
“You need time to adjust, Jade. If I need your help, I promise to let you know.” She keeps telling me, and while I trust that she’s telling me the truth, I can’t help but feel like I’m not doing enough for them.
Today is Sunday, though, and while Clair did go into the office for a while today, she said not much can be done on Sundays, as most other businesses are closed. She's been reaching out to many places in hopes of connecting the dots with the girls.
So, because of that, she suggested we go out together. She wants to get lunch and go shopping, and while I just went shopping with the guys and feel like I have more than enough stuff, I get the feeling this is more for her than me, so I agree.
Zander told me Clair always wanted more kids, and that's why she’s always been so happy to have him and Spencer around. He also told me that he thinks she’s excited to have another girl in the house, someone who can be like the daughter she never had.
I just hope I don't let her down.
I push the thought away as I head down the hall and into the dining room, where I hear voices.
I hear Clair before I see her as she excitedly talks about her plans for the day. “I’m sure she’s never had a girls' day, so I have to make sure I do it right. A girl needs standards, after all, and with a girl as beautiful and gentle as her, she needs to set them high.”
I come around the corner and stop short as I realize she’s talking to all three of the guys. I’m not sure why, but I didn’t picture them sitting around listening to her talk about her plans for the day. Okay, well, maybe Zander because he’s such a flirt, but I didn’t expect it from the other two.
As I take in each of them, I see I’m way off the mark, though. None of them looks anything but interested in what she's saying.
Spencer and Roderick’s gaze zero in on me the moment I round the corner, but it’s Zander who pulls attention to my entrance.
His gaze flicks to mine, and his smile goes from his typical easy smile to one that reaches all the way to his eyes.
Clair must see the change in his face, too, because she turns to look at me.
A small smile lighting up her face as well.
“Oh, Jade dear, you look so adorable,” she says as she comes over to hug me.
Every time she sees me, she hugs me. Each time, it feels less weird, but it still takes me a moment to make my body respond.
Affection, for affection's sake, is taking some getting used to, but I can’t say I hate it.
My cheeks heat with her compliment. Yet another thing that I have yet to get used to.
I’m hoping to get used to them soon because she and Zander love to throw them at me all day long, and I feel like I’m constantly blushing when they're around.
“Um, thank you,” I manage to squeak out as I’m pressed against her chest. She steps back from me but puts her hands on my shoulders as she looks down to meet my eyes.
“Are you ready to go?”
I nod, and she smiles back at me before turning back to the guys and I take a moment to get a fucking grip.
“Okay, we’re headed to the salon first, then lunch and shopping, so we will probably see you, boys, sometime after dinner.” She claps her hands together excitedly as she moves to the table and grabs her purse.
“Elizabeth is scheduled to come for dinner around four today, so if you have any requests, let her know before she comes so she can get anything she needs.” The guys all nod along with everything she says.
Elizabeth is the family cook. Zander told me they often let Elizabeth stay home and just eat what they want.
But Clair doesn’t know that, and they want to keep it that way, so she’ll still get paid, so I don’t say anything.
Clair kisses each boy on the cheek as she heads to the back door. “Let's go, dear,” she calls back to me, and I realize I’m still stuck in the same spot I’ve been in.
I head to her but don’t make it past Zander before he grabs hold of my arm, stopping me as I look at him in question. His grip on my arm is firm but not painful, and while I know I could break it, something about him touching me never makes me feel like I need to.
“What are you doing at the salon?” His question brings me up short, and I turn to look at Clair for the answer. When she doesn’t give me one, I realize I’m supposed to decide.