Chapter 36
Chapter
Thirty-Six
Jayne
When I get downstairs to make myself some coffee before heading to the library, I find Lourdes at the island in the kitchen, surrounded by what look like catalogs, paint samples, and floor plans. She has her head in her hands as she stares at everything and doesn’t even look at me when I walk in.
“What’s all this?” I ask as I make myself a cup of coffee.
“Barton Smythe’s wife hired me to decorate their dining room.”
“That’s great, isn’t it?” I ask politely.
“Yes, but it’s massive. My biggest job yet and I can’t screw it up.”
Duh.
I won’t say that aloud, though.
“I’m sure you’ll do great.” A little ass-kissing never hurt anybody even though I couldn’t care less about what she’s doing.
“You don’t understand.”
“Probably not,” I agree. “Anyway, are we leaving soon?”
She grunts. “When are you going to start driving? I don’t have time to be taking you to work.”
“You still have to take Lindy to school, don’t you?”
“Your father took her in. They already left.”
I grit my teeth so I don’t snap at her—that never ends well.
“I wish someone had let me know,” I say instead.
“We’re not your taxi service.”
“Uh, we agreed that you guys would help out so that I could graduate. I don’t get my master’s without the internship.”
“You should be looking for a husband instead of an advanced degree,” she replies, scowling. “I mean, you’re costing your father and me a fortune.”
“Costing my father, you mean,” I correct her. “Last time I checked, you weren’t working. Isn’t this only your second or third interior design project?”
She smacks her hand down on the granite countertop. “Do not talk to me that way. Your father and I are married, so what’s his is mine and vice versa.”
I stare at her for a beat. “Whatever you say, but I still need to get back and forth to the library. Otherwise, Dad is the one who pays for the Uber account. You can explain why the cost is going to double.”
“I can take you to work,” Blaze says, coming into the kitchen.
“Blaze, you’re a lifesaver!” Lourdes’s entire demeanor changes when he comes in the room, and it makes me want to gag. She’s old enough to be his mother but she smiles and bats her eyelashes like they’re dating.
“Sure, Mrs. M.” He nods before looking at me. “Are you ready to go? I’m heading to practice.”
“Yes. Thank you.” I don’t really want to ride with him, but it’s better than spending even another second with Lourdes.
I follow him out to his car and get into the passenger seat. He gets behind the wheel and starts it up, pulling down the driveway.
Neither of us talk on the way, which is fine with me. I don’t particularly like him and Bodi doesn’t either. Not to mention, he makes me nervous. Someone has been spying on the team and telling my dad things.
And part of me can’t help but wonder if it’s Blaze.
He and my dad have gotten close. I spend as much time as I can in my room, but whenever I’m downstairs and they’re home, they’re together.
Talking hockey, watching football on TV, grilling together.
Almost like the son my father never had.
Except my father is the least parental person in the world.
My mother did most of the parenting when she was alive and then I essentially finished raising myself once she died.
So I can’t quite figure out what the lure is.
From where I’m sitting, Blaze is a typical eighteen-year-old.
He’s athletic, but awkward, hasn’t completely grown into his tall frame yet, has really bad acne, and thinks he’s funnier than he actually is.
All things that normally drive my dad nuts.
Yet they’re like the best of friends lately.
He spends more time with Blaze than with Lindy, which is kind of sad.
I’m sure my dad has his reasons, none of them altruistic. It’s just a matter of figuring out his angle.
“How well do you know Billie?” Blaze asked as we stop at a red light.
“Why?” I ask cautiously.
“Curious, I guess. She’s pretty.”
“Oh. Well, she has a serious boyfriend.” I know her pretty well now but he doesn’t need to know that.
“It’s wild that Bodi’s sister is dating Lourdes’s ex-husband.”
“I guess.” I shrug, letting him know that I don’t think it’s a big deal. “But Lourdes was married to him a long time ago. She’s been with my dad for eight years.”
He’s quiet. “True.”
“Let the grown-ups do their thing,” I suggest quietly. “It has nothing to do with us.”
“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”
“Lourdes and I have never gotten along.” This isn’t a secret, so I’m not worried about being honest about it. “I stay out of her way and she mostly stays out of mine.”
“Don’t you have loyalty to your family?”
“Marrying my father doesn’t make her family,” I say quietly, grateful we’re finally at the library. “Anyway, thanks for the ride.”
I get out without a backward glance and hurry inside—
Running right smack into Bodi’s arms.
“Hi,” I breathe in surprise, forgetting all about the fact that Blaze just dropped me off and could potentially see us. “What are you doing here?”
“I was waiting for you—I missed you.” He kisses me firmly, and I wrap my arms around his waist, burying my head in his chest. “You okay?” he asks as he holds me.
“Just feels like it’s already been a long day. Argued with Lourdes. Had to get a ride with Blaze because my dad took Lindy to school without asking if I was ready. The usual bullshit.”
“I’m sorry.” He strokes my hair. “But I brought breakfast. Fresh donuts from that new place around the corner. They’re still warm.”
“They’re still warm?” That gets my attention and my head snaps up with interest.
He laughs. “Yup. Come on, they’re up front.”
We walk toward the desk where Kelly is taking a big bite out of what looks like a jelly donut.
“So good,” she murmurs, licking her lips.
I reach into the box and pluck out a blueberry cake donut—my favorite—and take a bite.
“Okay, now my morning is better.”
Bodi lifts his hands, palms up. “And my work here is done. Anyway, I just wanted a kiss and to bring you a treat. I have to get to practice.”
I tilt my face for another kiss and he presses his lips to mine.
“Call me later,” I whisper.
“I’ll pick you up,” he says. “Want to get dinner?”
“Sure.”
I watch him go and my heart flutters happily.
He’s really the best boyfriend a girl could ever ask for.
He ticks boxes I didn’t even know to put on my unwritten list.
Hell, he ticks more than boxes—he’s the most incredible guy I’ve ever known.
We haven’t used the words ‘I love you’ yet, but his behavior suggests that he shares my feelings. They say that actions speak louder than words and Bodi’s speak volumes. I just have to shore up the courage to ask him point-blank if he returns my feelings.
Or maybe I’ll just write him an honest-to-goodness love letter.
A letter that lays it all out there for him.
What I want, what I need, and what I intend to give in return—especially if I don’t bring money to the table.
In that case, it has to be about support.
Making sure I do everything in my power to make his life easier, so he only has to think about hockey. And me.
I’d still like to work, even part-time, at least until we have kids.
Kids?
I almost laugh at the thought.
Are we really to the marriage and kids part of the program? We had a generic conversation about how we’d like to wait but I don’t know exactly how long.
I’m probably getting ahead of myself because I just got done thinking I don’t want to rush into anything until we’re both ready, but my heart—and regions further south—seem to have other ideas.
Unfortunately, the current situation with my father has me confused and slightly out of sorts. We knew it would be tricky to date behind Dad’s back, but the chemistry between us was too intense to ignore. Now it’s only getting more complicated.
We need to have a heart to heart.
If I love this man, and I do, I have to trust him with everything.
Including my heart.
Otherwise, what’s the point?
Considering the risk he’s taking professionally, the least I can do is lay it all out for him.
So that’s what I’ll do tonight at dinner.