8. Jax
EIGHT
jax
I looked around but didn’t see Gian or his cousin. He’d asked if I wanted to check out his fiancée’s bar, saying “the singer this Saturday is one of the best she books.” Sure enough, he was damn good. The bar, Boots and Brews, reminded me of an old-time honky-tonk.
Great vibe. Crowded place. Seemed like Gian’s fiancée had carved out quite a niche for herself in Kitchi Falls.
“Jax,” a voice called from near the bar. As I got a bit closer, Gian and Neo came into view. I’d never met his “Finger Lakes” side of the family before but had certainly heard a lot about them. Antonio Grado, according to his cousin, was both vice president of his family vineyard and one of the nicest guys going. You could definitely tell the two were related.
I shook Gian’s hand as he introduced him.
“Neo, this is my buddy Jax.”
“So you’re related to this loose cannon?” I said, referring to Gian.
“That’s the word on the street,” Neo said, his handshake firm. “In our family, Gian is actually considered one of the sane ones.”
Gian handed me a beer. There wasn’t an open barstool so I stood to the side.
“Tells me a lot about your family,” I said.
“Sorry we couldn’t grab another seat. The place is packed,” Gian said. “I almost feel like jumping behind the bar.”
Apparently, he helped out from time to time, but the bartender stopped, obviously having overheard him. “Don’t even think about it,” she said. “I have a system.” She looked at me, appreciatively, as if noticing me for the first time. “Gian is a control freak.”
“Is that so?” I asked.
“It is.” She looked as if she wanted to say more, and by the look in her eyes, I had an idea of which direction her thoughts were headed. And though she wasn’t bad looking, about the right age, she also wasn’t my type.
Not that I had a type, really. Except suddenly, spunky, smart-mouthed tree huggers seemed to be on the top of the list. I’d woken up that morning with the biggest boner in history, and it only took me a minute to remember the dream I’d been having. One where Natalie had stayed the night after she’d changed inside my house.
“There’s my girl.”
Taking the reason to end my conversation with the bartender, I said hello to Mazzie as she rubbed Gian’s neck from behind. “I should be giving you the back rub,” he said, turning around.
“Later. Too busy now. Hope you guys are enjoying the music.”
“This guy’s great,” I said. “And the place too. Reminds me of a honky-tonk we used to frequent near the base in Texas.”
“My dad owned one in Arizona,” she said. “Old Town Scottsdale. This is sort of an ode, or memorial or whatever, to him and the old place.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said about her dad.
“Thank you. And I’m sorry we have that in common. Gian said your father was a great guy.”
The lump in my throat that formed every time I thought about him, which was every day for years, kept me silent for a second until I found my voice. “The best. A real jokester. Loved to laugh.”
“Well, I hope you honor his legacy by doing the same.” She smiled. “Gotta go,” she said to Gian. “Will be back.”
And just like that, Mazzie was gone back into the crowd.
I thought about what she’d said. Honor his legacy by laughing. An intriguing thought.
“She’s something else, isn’t she?” Gian asked, watching me.
“You did good,” I said. “I can see why you’re locking this one down.”
“Speaking of.” Gian turned completely toward me. “You should come to the wedding.”
“Isn’t it in like three weeks? In Sicily?”
“Sort of,” he said. “But I won’t take no for an answer. I know you have the funds. And who doesn’t love Sicily in the spring?”
“Have you been?” I asked Neo, already knowing Gian had been there. It’s where he met Mazzie.
“First time,” Neo said. “But you should absolutely come. It’s gonna be a great time.”
Sicily. In three weeks.
I’d probably still be here, based on the timeline Dave and I had discussed. “If the environmental impact assessment clears, there’ll probably be a public hearing soon.” I thought about the timing out loud. “But aside from that, most of the process could be done remotely, though it’s good for me to be here as needed.”
“And you are. Except for a few days. Most people are coming for a week, but you could come for a long weekend if you wanted. It might be a long way to travel for just a few days, but...”
“Do it,” Neo prompted.
Carpe diem.
Since Dad died—and I never got to say goodbye, being halfway around the world when he had a heart attack—coupled with an acceptance of death from my many brushes with it, the mantra had become more than a string of Latin words etched into a guard tower I’d been manning when the news came.
I lived it.
Not giving a baker’s fuck about inconsequential shit that a lot of other people worried about was freeing in a way that made my mother worry sometimes. But despite what she said, I neither had a death wish nor was dismissive of other peoples’ feelings. I simply refused to do anything but live my life on my own terms.
Sicily.
“He’s thinking about it.”
“Oh man,” I said out loud before I could stop myself. A vision of one wet-haired, cross-legged vixen sitting on my deck pretending to be nice popped into my head. It had been funny to me that Natalie thought I had no idea what she was up to. For someone who’d looked at me solely with anger in her eyes since we met to suddenly turn sweet just because I gave her some dry clothes?
Nah.
Though I applauded her change in tactics, and welcomed the respite, it wasn’t all that surprising to me that we’d parted ways with Natalie angrily jumping into her kayak and rowing away without her clothes.
Despite the fact that she hated me, one thing was crystal clear.
I wanted her.
I wanted Natalie in a way I hadn’t wanted a woman in recent history. Visions of me peeling off those sweats I’d given her had me almost seeking her out, using the clothes as an excuse to see her again. So far, I’d resisted.
Sicily. And she’d be there.
“Sounds like fun,” I said. “But I thought you were keeping it small, mostly family?”
“Small and my family don’t exactly go together,” Gian said. “But it is mostly immediate family and a few close friends. About forty-five, fifty people. Certainly room for an old friend, and a guest, of course. I’ll get you the details.”
“So you’re in?” Neo asked.
Close friends. That must include Natalie, but how to ask without revealing my interest? “You sure my presence won’t irritate Mazzie’s friend Natalie? She doesn’t seem to care for me very much.”
Gian laughed. “I hate to say you’re right. But nah, Natalie will be fine. She’s a big girl. Super sweet, but there’s a streak to her too. I’m not worried.”
There was a lot of information packed in there. So Natalie would be at the wedding. And also, “A streak?”
Gian shrugged. “You know what they say about nice girls.”
My eyes widened.
“Oh no, nothing like that. I’m just saying she can be a bit wild. They went to New Orleans a few months ago and apparently Natalie was the one dragging everyone to a dance club at two in the morning. That kind of thing.”
So my girl had a wild streak, did she? Very interesting.
Also, that sealed the deal.
“Count me in,” I said. “No guest.”
Would Natalie take one? Didn’t matter. Unless she was married or engaged, the woman was fair game. And though I’d started the week thinking it was a good idea to avoid her, while that was still a good idea...carpe diem. Even she couldn’t deny that there was chemistry between us.
“Speak of the devil.” Neo looked over my shoulder.
Sure enough, the very woman in question was walking in with a woman I had never met before. Every nerve ending in my body told me what I already knew. There was something between us, despite the fact she despised me.
“Natalie. Charlee,” Gian called. “Over here.”
When I looked at Gian, the glint in his eye told me I hadn’t been quite as slick as I thought. “You’re not the only one who can read people. I might not be an ex-Army Ranger, but I’m not a total dummy either. This should be fun.”
Gian saw right through me. “Fun might not be the right word,” I warned him. “In fact, it could get ugly. She really dislikes me.”
Before he could answer, I inhaled deeply, her scent becoming familiar. Winking to Gian, knowing exactly what I was about to do, I turned.
“Natalie,” I said, as if just realizing she was there. “I’m glad you’re here. I have your bag of clothes in my car.”
Natalie’s mouth dropped.
Her friend Charlee started laughing.
Gian muttered, “What the hell?” behind me.
And for my part? I stood there, as if I hadn’t a care in the world, taking a sip of beer and waiting for her reaction.
I didn’t have to wait long.