Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Josie’s Howl List—May
Josie glanced at the clock and tried not to curse. Tony was late. She was dying to head over to Laura’s house for her standing Thursday wine night with the girls. Tony was cutting into her time and she didn’t appreciate it.
Tommy fiddled with his Legos, oblivious to the time. She envied her son’s ability to take everything in stride. Wherever Tommy was, he managed to have fun. In the meantime, she was one big ball of tension.
The only person who’d been able to take away her constant stress—apart from the wine girls on Thursdays—was Jake.
True to his word, he’d called her almost daily since the last full moon.
Unfortunately, timing and circumstances were not on their side.
She’d been wicked busy with work—spending two weeks training her replacement at the department store, then the next two weeks trying to learn her new job at the elementary school.
On top of that, Sam, the other bartender at Blue Moon, had fallen and broken his ankle, leaving Jake to work nearly every night for a month. They’d sworn that this Saturday, come hell or high water, they would see each other again.
She glanced at the clock and blew out an annoyed sigh. Then, at last, there was a knock at the door.
She muttered, “Finally,” and Tommy glanced up, but he kept working on his model. She’d have to grab a plastic grocery bag for the pieces so he could finish it at his dad’s house. Once Tommy got started on a new “masterpiece”, it was like pulling teeth to drag him away.
Josie opened the front door, taken aback by the sight of Tony standing on her porch with a suitcase. “Going on a trip?”
Tony shook his head. “Janice kicked me out.”
Josie worked hard not to laugh in her ex-husband’s face. Instead, she raised her eyebrows. “Wow. I think I’m finally starting to like that woman.”
Tony narrowed his eyes. “I don’t have anywhere to stay.”
Josie shrugged. “There are at least a dozen hotels in town. Take your pick. Tommy will love it. The two of you can pretend you’re on vacation.”
Her ex didn’t appear to appreciate her suggestion. “Josie. Are you going to make me beg?”
She tilted her head, Tony’s intentions suddenly becoming clear. “You must be kidding.”
Tony frowned, confused, and Josie realized he was actually surprised she was turning him away. “I’ll only be here for a few days. A month tops. Just until I find a place of my own.”
“Hell no.”
“Please, Josie. I can’t afford a hotel that long. Why can’t I just stay here?”
“I need to make a list? Fine.” Unfortunately, before she could state her reasons for denying him, her words were drowned out by Tommy’s squeal of delight.
“Daddy! Are you sleeping over?”
“Oh Tommy. Wait.” Josie tried to figure out how she could get out of this without looking like a heartless bitch to her son. “I don’t think—”
“Daddy can stay in my room. My bed’s big enough for both of us.” Tommy had already started reaching for Tony’s suitcase. “Come on. This will be fun.”
Tony glanced at Josie, not moving. She was trapped and she knew it. “One night,” she said softly.
He nodded appreciatively, but there was something in his face that told her he expected to change her mind on the time limit. “Thanks, Josie.”
She regretted giving in the second he walked over the threshold. This was bad. Really bad.
Meanwhile, Tommy was so excited she expected him to start bouncing off the walls. “You can see all my models. Mommy made me a shelf for them.”
Tony followed Tommy up the steps, disappearing around the corner at the top of the stairs.
“Fuck,” she muttered. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
She paced around her living room trying to figure out where she’d gone wrong. She needed to get Tony out of here. Tommy’s happy chatter drifted downstairs to her.
He was too young to understand why she didn’t want Tony here. How could she explain it without painting his dad in a bad light?
“Fuck.”
Footsteps sounded and she watched Tony and Tommy descend. “What’s for dinner?” her son asked.
Josie shrugged. “I guess that’s for you and your daddy to figure out. It’s his night, remember? I’m going out.”
“Out?” Tony’s eyes narrowed, but she was in no mood for his jealousy games. He was already pushing her patience to the limit tonight.
“Out.” She refused to give him any more details, happy to let him think whatever twisted thoughts he could conjure. Unfortunately, Tommy spoiled the game.
“Oh yeah. You’re going to Aunt Laura’s for your girl night. I forgot.”
Tony’s face cleared and he grinned. “Girl night?”
Josie picked up her bottle of wine and the bag of chips she’d grabbed from the grocery store on the way home from work. “Don’t wait up.”
She left by the back door, slamming it harder than she intended. So much for keeping her cool. She practically stomped all the way across the commons until she reached Laura’s.
“Damn. Who peed in your cornflakes?” Georgie asked as Josie walked in. Thanks to Tony, she was later than usual. Although, glancing around the room, she noticed Kristen and Zoey still weren’t there either.
“Small crowd tonight?” she asked, handing Laura the bottle of wine she brought.
“Kristen is working late and Zoey may be a no-show. I saw her earlier and she’s having a rotten day. Feeling pretty sick.”
Josie felt guilty for her bad mood when she considered how rough things had been for Zoey lately.
Chemo was kicking her friend’s ass. When she put it in perspective, the little problem of an unwelcome houseguest seemed small in comparison.
“Oh. Shit. I’ll stop by tomorrow and check on her.
Maybe we could all chip in and make her and Rob dinner one night this weekend to give them a break. ”
“Sounds like a plan.” Laura handed her a glass. “So why did you look like the hounds of hell were chasing you when you walked in here?”
Josie snickered. “Because I felt like they were. Tony’s at my house right now.”
“Doing what?” Shelly asked.
“Unpacking probably.”
Georgie put her wine glass down. “Whoa. Hold the phone. What?”
“Janice kicked him out.” As far as explanations went, hers sucked. Josie wasn’t sure what else to say. That she was a pushover, an idiot, a weak-willed woman who let her ex-husband walk all over her.
Shelly leaned closer. “So?”
Josie shrugged. “So, he didn’t have anywhere to stay.”
“And naturally your place seemed like the perfect answer.” Laura didn’t look pleased. It proved to Josie just how stupid she’d been to let Tony in.
“I said no, but then Tommy overheard him asking and he got excited, started pulling his daddy’s suitcase in and—”
“Oh, shit.” Shelly grasped her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I see. It’s kind of hard to say no to that little munchkin. He’s so sweet.”
Josie nodded, grateful that Shelly understood her dilemma. “I couldn’t think of a reason to kick the jackass out that Tommy would understand.”
Georgie scowled. “Fucker knew that too. Used your own son against you. I’d like to go over there and kick the shit out of him.”
Josie laughed. “God, I love you girls. Somehow you always know how to make me feel better. I told Tony one night. Tomorrow, I’ll just have to find a way to get him out while Tommy’s at school.”
Laura didn’t seem overly convinced her plan would work. Hell, Josie wasn’t sure she could move Tony now he’d weaseled his way in. The man was tenacious and conniving and very good at twisting things around to suit him. She’d have to be ready for anything.
Taking the seat next to her, Laura toyed with the stem of her wine glass. “Just be sure you lock your bedroom door tonight, Josie. I really don’t trust that man.”
Josie didn’t need that warning. “Don’t worry. The door will be locked. And you don’t have to trust him. Just me. You can believe me when I say that asshole will never be in my bed again.”
Laura lifted her glass, clinking it to Josie’s. “Good for you.”
Josie stood outside the door to Jake’s apartment. She started to knock, then hesitated. She was still upset by the episode she’d just endured. She’d gotten dressed for her date, then come downstairs. Tony was sitting on the couch with Tommy, watching a movie on TV.
He’d given her no fewer than twenty-three excuses in the last two days about why he wasn’t moving into a hotel.
None of them had been good ones, but Tony was very careful never to be alone with Josie.
Wherever Tommy was in the townhouse, Tony was.
Her ex knew she wouldn’t make a scene in front of their son, so he used Tommy as a shield to protect him from her wrath.
Finally, at her wits’ end this afternoon, she’d retreated upstairs to take a long bath and pamper herself.
She’d shaved her legs, straightened her hair, polished the nails on her fingers and toes and dug out a little black dress from her closet.
The weather was warmer and she wanted to show off some skin.
Screw Tony. She’d been determined her ex wasn’t going to destroy her happiness at seeing Jake again.
At least she had been until he’d spotted her grabbing her shawl to leave. When he’d asked her where she was going in a voice that couldn’t be described as anything less than jealous, the composure she’d spent hours trying to find had vanished.
“This is your Saturday night with Tommy. I’m going out.”
“You coming home?”
The belligerence in his attitude caused something inside her to snap. “No. I’m not.”
Her answer caught Tommy’s attention. “You’re not sleeping here tonight?”
Dammit. It took all the strength in her body not to cross the room and slap her ex-husband silly for putting her in this position. “I’m not sure, Tommy. I might have a sleepover with a friend.”
“Who?” Tommy asked. “Aunt Shelly?”
She shrugged noncommittally. “Maybe. This is your night with Daddy, remember? I wanted to give you two plenty of time for guys’ night.”