Chapter 13
Thirteen
“So come on, Jane, spill. Tell me what’s going on with you and Chris.” Mindy stared her down from across the table, the house blessedly quiet, since all the children were in school and Sophia was taking a nap.
Jane shook her head, a little laugh escaping her at the sound of her sister’s voice. Mindy must be desperate for the details. “I can’t reveal all of my secrets.”
“That means you’re having sex with him.” Mindy sighed, the wistful expression on her face undeniable. “I’m so jealous.”
A warm sensation tugged at Jane’s heart at the thought of making her sister jealous.
And her skin flushed hot with thoughts of Chris.
Naked. In her bed. He’d been there last night, as a matter of fact, had stayed long after the children were in bed.
The past few weeks, they’d actually gotten somewhat used to him being around—even Lexi, though she’d asked in the loudest whisper when he was going home.
Jane just smiled through it all. It was all she could do.
The second she’d shut the door to Logan’s room after putting him to bed, Chris had pounced, dragged her into her bedroom, and stripped off all of her clothing. Piece by piece, his mouth searching, one bit of exposed flesh at a time.
He’d taken her hard and fast, right there against the wall, and then he’d carried her to the bed. Made love to her so gently, so sweetly, she’d nearly cried.
Okay, she had cried. Tears had leaked from the corners of her eyes, but there was no way she could tell him that. He might freak. And what they’d shared the past two weeks, she didn’t want to risk losing.
“He’s very sweet,” Jane finally mustered.
“Uh huh, that’s why you’re blushing. Even the tips of your ears are red! I don’t think it has anything to do with how sweet he is.” Mindy sighed again and took a sip from her coffee cup. “I can’t remember what it’s like to feel that way.”
Jane bit her lip. She felt bad for being so happy while her sister suffered. Marty had served her the divorce papers first, and by doing so had gone against their initial agreement of filing together at the courthouse. Her sister had been devastated.
In fact, sitting at Mindy’s kitchen table, Jane could see how badly all of this affected her. Her sister looked as if she hadn’t washed her hair in a few days. It was pulled into a sloppy ponytail, and she wore a baggy sweatshirt and even baggier sweatpants. Her face was pale, her eyes dull.
So far from the Mindy she knew and loved, it was scary.
“Have you finished Christmas shopping?” Jane had—she’d done most of it online so she could avoid the crowds. Now she just needed to wrap everything. Christmas was less than two weeks away, and it would be upon them too fast, as always.
Mindy snorted. “I haven’t even started.”
“We should go down to Sacramento together and power shop. What do you think? I still need to pick up a few things.” The last bit was a lie, but she didn’t want Mindy to feel bad that she hadn’t started shopping.
Mindy shrugged. “If you want to. Though I could just order everything online.”
“Mindy.” Jane reached out, resting her hand on top of her sister’s, startling her. “You’ve got to pick yourself up. For your kids.”
“I’m sure their father will out-gift me, so what does it matter, right?” Mindy drained the last of her coffee, setting the cup onto the table with a loud clatter. “He promised Kyle and Chandler new snowboards. How can I compete with that?”
“It’s not a competition, Mind—” Jane started, but Mindy cut her off with a look.
“It so is. You don’t even know. The second Marty moved out and into his little cottage with his new girlfriend, it turned into a total game for him. What can he do to top what I can offer? I feel like I’m on a reality TV show.” Mindy shook her head.
“Wait a minute. He’s living with another woman?” That was news to Jane. She knew Marty had stayed in town, moving into a tiny house very close to the lake, but she had no idea he’d moved someone in with him.
“He is. I’m surprised you didn’t hear, since word is all over town. His girlfriend’s name is Billi. With an i. The boys told me all about her, how she’s so pretty and fun.” Mindy’s face crumpled. “That’s because she’s twenty-three and ready to show all the men in my life a good time.”
Jane sighed and reached out to rub Mindy’s shoulder, silently cursing Marty up and down. “He’s a jerk, Mind. Be glad you’re not together anymore.”
“Trust me, most of the time I am. But it’s hard to watch him pick up the pieces so easily, as if nothing ever happened between us.
As if those years together never really mattered.
He’s already with another woman as if our marriage, our entire relationship never existed.
” Mindy sniffed. “But enough about me and all my tragedies. Tell me more about Chris.”
“There’s not much to tell.” Oh, there was, but she didn’t want to rub it in.
“Liar. Mom said she ran into you two with the kids at the grocery store last night. I’m assuming Lexi is feeling a little more accepting about the whole thing?”
“She is. Sort of.” Lexi mostly just treated Chris very politely. “What did Mom say?”
“Um, that you seemed happy and Chris had this look on his face like he was dumb in love.”
“She did not.” Oh, goodness. In her mother’s mind, she probably already had them married by now. “He’s not in love with me. We’re taking it slow.”
“Slow as in he’s hanging out with you and your kids night after night and sneaking out of the house at four in the morning?” Mindy arched a brow. “I think it’s sort of hot. How he sneaks out like a thief in the night.”
“I don’t want him there when the kids wake up. It might be a shock to them,” Jane defended. “You act like we’re doing this every night. He only stays over twice a week, tops.”
Okay, she lied. He’d stayed over three nights last week.
The more time he spent at her house, with her children, the more at ease they all seemed with each other.
It touched her heart, to see Chris play with Sophia, read a book to Logan, tease Lexi gently until she finally laughed.
Slowly earning her children’s trust had also earned her trust.
And eased Chris into her heart.
“That’s because he works long shifts. If he didn’t have to stay at the station, I have a feeling you two would be together constantly.” Mindy smiled, the first smile Jane had seen since she arrived. “I think it’s cute.”
“It makes me nervous,” Jane admitted.
“What, him sneaking around? Don’t want anyone to catch wind of your relationship? Trust me, they’re already talking.” Mindy smirked.
Jane knew they were, and that part didn’t bother her. Too much. “No, the so-called relationship between Chris and me. I don’t know what’s going on.”
“What do you mean?”
“I…I don’t know his intentions.” Jane waved a hand as if dismissing her feelings.
“It sounds ridiculous, but I don’t know what he wants from me and it’s scary.
He acts like this is serious, but what if it’s not?
What if he’s not? I know he could end up breaking my heart easily.
He doesn’t do relationships. He told me that himself. ”
“So you can’t just go along for the ride and have some fun? Personally, that sort of thing sounds wonderful.” Mindy made a face. “Damn his hide, I’m still not over Marty.”
“Of course you’re not. No one expects you to be, either.” Worry filled Jane and she shook her head. “I shouldn’t be over Stephen.”
Mindy frowned. “What are you talking about? Who says?”
“I say. Don’t you think it’s wrong, how fast I’ve gotten involved with someone else?” This is what ate her up at night, made her worry, made her feel guilty. She’d lived and he’d died. She’d moved on, and if he were still here, they’d be married.
“Stephen’s been gone for two years. No one doubts you loved him, but come on, Jane. Haven’t you suffered enough? Wouldn’t Stephen have wanted you happy? Life goes on. And trust me, Chris is a keeper.”
“You think so?” She didn’t know if he was a keeper.
Mac, out of brotherly love and protection, had warned her just last week that Chris was the type who didn’t do commitment.
Some sort of lone wolf with a crappy childhood and neglectful parents.
Chris had proclaimed more than once to Mac that he didn’t need anybody to make his life complete.
She’d known this, picked up on hints and similar stories from Chris, but hearing it from Mac frightened her. Everything did.
She was a big scaredy-cat mess.
“Well, I thought he was a keeper. You don’t think so?” Mindy looked concerned.
“I don’t know what to think.” If she kept talking like this, she’d confuse Mindy almost as much as she confused herself.
“Aren’t you overthinking this, Jane? You’ve only been seeing each other for a few weeks,” Mindy reminded her.
And Jane was already more than halfway in love with him.
She’d never been one to linger or worry over her feelings.
Once she knew, she knew. And the more time she spent with Christian, the more she fell for him.
He was dangerous to her heart and her mind and her well-being. In a good, free-fall sort of way.
“I know how I feel. I wish I knew how he feels,” Jane said firmly.
“Maybe he doesn’t know. Men usually don’t like to be pushed.” Mindy made a little tsking sound. “I found that out the hard way.”
Jane knew this. Of course she knew it, since she’d lived it with Stephen.
She’d pushed him into a corner more than once and he’d pushed right back, usually over the stupidest things.
“You’re right.” She shook her head. “I’m being ridiculous.
Melodramatic. I think it’s the holidays. They bring out the drama in people.”
“You can say that again. I’m so not looking forward to Christmas. I know Mom is going to make me nuts.” Mindy shook her head.
“You don’t even have a tree,” Jane pointed out.