5. Poker #2
“I wish I’d known that.”
“Why? Does it matter?”
“We don’t get along super well, remember?”
Isabel gave Jake the same look his own mother did when she was disappointed in him. He saw that look a lot when he was younger. “Oh, Jakey, you’re not still hung up on that encounter in Sandway, are you? I’m sure that was just a little misunderstanding. I told you, Robbie’s a nice boy.”
“Not to me.”
“Are you sure about that, dear? After what he did for you on Sunday?”
“I swear to God, Aunt Isabel, he hates me.”
“And do you hate him?”
“He’s insufferable, but hate is a strong word. I just can’t stand him, that’s all.”
“Mm.” Isabel gathered the stack of dishtowels Jake had draped over the back of the couch. “Well, if you can’t get along with Robbie, then for Mier’s sake, stay away from his parents.”
“What’s up with them? Robbie seems to not like them either.”
“Few people in this town do, but it’s none of my business. They’re just not the nicest people, and they try to snap up other local businesses whenever they get the chance. It’s not healthy for the town.”
“So’s Robbie’s not as beloved a figure as me makes himself out to be?” Jake stood up, setting his poorly folded laundry back in the basket to carry into his room.
“Some people aren’t fond of him, including you now.”
“I don’t like him because he’s a dick, not because he’s part of some small town drama. I have a reason to be annoyed by him.”
“And I’m sure he appreciates that.”
“Oh, come on.” Jake rolled his eyes. “I can’t help it if we don’t get along.”
“Just give him some time. I bet you would really like him if you only let him in.”
“Never. I’d rather chew glass than get fucked by that man.”
Isabel pushed his back as he walked by, causing him to stumble slightly. “Get out of here with your filthy mind, or I’ll ship you straight back to your mother and make her raise you all over again.”
“Please do,” Jake called from the hallway. “Anything to get away from Eaton.”
Jake tried to leave the house late Wednesday morning in the hopes that Robbie would already be at work, but Isabel had set up some painting for him to do while it was still cool out, and that took much longer than he’d anticipated.
By the time he was finished, it was too hot to go to the beach for a few hours, and when the evening rolled around, he took the route that led him past Eaton’s Book Nook to see exactly how unlucky he was today.
The bookstore was dark inside, without a single shred of evidence that there was anyone in there. That meant Robbie was gone for the day, and if Jake knew anything about Robbie at this point, it was that he was probably already at the beach for the evening.
His suspicions proved correct, and Robbie waved at him as he approached. “You really can’t get enough of me, can you?” He grinned one of those shit-eating grins that Jake was pretty sure he put on just to get on Jake’s nerves, but not sure enough to call it out.
“My aunt had me busy all morning,” he said simply.
“I’m surprised you didn’t brush her off like you do everyone else.”
“Fuck off.”
“I guess you have to make sure she keeps feeding you and folding your laundry, though, huh?”
Jake clenched his jaw. “You don’t know a single fucking thing about my relationship with my aunt. You don’t even know her.”
Robbie furrowed his brow, his sudden surprise not lost on Jake. “Of course I do,” he said. “Everyone in Eventide knows Isabel.”
“Then why didn’t you help her after Mark died?”
“We did, Jake. I did, at least. I helped her sort through all his things in the house, I helped her spread his ashes out here, I helped mow her lawn when the grass got too tall. I couldn’t be there as often as she needed, but don’t you dare accuse me of not helping.”
Jake blinked, the oppressive silence that filled the air eating away at him bit by bit. His aunt hadn’t told him about all that.
Robbie waved his hand dismissively. “Ah, forget it. You’re not going to believe me regardless of what I say. I can see it on your face.”
“I—”
“Just get to work so you can be done with these Mierforsaken community service hours and I can go back to the peace and quiet of the sea.”
Jake wished he had something better to say. He wished he had anything to say at all. But Robbie had left him speechless, difficult as that was for most people to do. He was a strange man, Robbie, and not really what Jake had pegged him to be when they first met.
As he worked, Jake wondered what would have happened if Robbie had agreed to hook up after their first meeting in Sandway. Would they ever have gotten to that point? Or would Robbie have pissed Jake off enough to make him leave without ever getting his pants off?
Jake shook his head vigorously to clear it.
He didn’t know why he was thinking about that now.
It had been a stupid idea at the time, and it only got stupider the longer he considered it.
If there was one thing Robbie had done right, it was to shut Jake down so quickly.
He could be grateful for that, if nothing else.
Robbie had seen the writing on the wall. And now Jake did too.