Chapter Six
Jamison
We are two hands in, and Claire is taking us for all we are worth. She’s a player, just like her father. I glance to see Claire try to turn the top to her beer bottle.
I tilt slightly and sneak my hand between her legs. Her back stiffens only a moment as my arm brushes her side. I use the end of my bottle opener to pop the top and slide away as the jasmine scent of her drifts away and the hops infuse the air. I think Rylee forgot to pop the top since she’s nervous and not everyone just walks around with the necessary tools like we do. She’s been around us guys for too long.
Claire lifts the bottle and takes a drink, cringing a bit at the taste. She masks it well. I know she’s telling me thank you. With her, you just have to read her body. Those expressions and movements tell you more than her hands do sometimes.
“Jamison, how can I ask if she likes that beer?” Rylee leans in. “Is the ‘like’ sign this?” She puts her hand flat on her chest, then pulls away in an F. I shake my head and correct her like sign by having her connect her thumb with her middle finger when she pulls away. The guys are distracting Claire by showing their cards, so when she looks back, Rylee leans away.
Claire’s brows drop, and I swear there’s a flare of possessiveness in her eyes. Damn, if it’s not the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.
Like your drink? Rylee signs to Claire. Rather than using the drink sign she points to the drink in Claire’s hand.
“Since when do you know anything about signing?” Chadwick interrupts. I was wondering the same, but I also love that my friends are trying to learn how to communicate with Claire.
Rylee watches Claire instead. She smiles when Claire signs back, Yes, thank you.
Rylee raises her beer and pauses. A long moment. Then she asks, More? Rylee is really unsure of her signing, but Claire just smiles reassuringly to her.
No, thank you.
Chadwick rises and follows Rylee to the kitchen, and Finn leans back in his chair and types on his phone. Claire’s head tilts. She observes Rylee and Chadwick retreating for a moment, then turns to me.
Are they in a relationship?
I shake my head and sigh. He wants her, but she’s heartbroken. I tap my chest right by my heart and make a pained face, unsure of how to really sign “heartbroken,” but Claire gets it. We are figuring this communication out.
They don’t try? she asks.
I shrug. No, she’s smarter than that. I’m not entirely sure Rylee feels the same for Chadwick. He’s a bit of a player and flirt, and he moves on too quickly. He’d break her heart, and I wouldn’t let him do that.
You and her aren’t in a relationship?Claire’s brow lowers, and she worries her lip.
No. Friends,I assure her. Not that I should want more than friendship with Claire, but I want her to know there isn’t a woman in my life.
“How long have they been doing this?” Chadwick asks as he walks back from the kitchen.
I ignore him. I want to make sure Claire understands and knows with certainty. I’m not in a relationship.
“What do you think they are talking about?” Chadwick asks Finn or Rylee. I try even harder to ignore him.
“Don’t be rude.” I’m shocked when Finn responds enough to draw my attention because of his annoyance.
Claire rises from the table, a dark tint of red flaming her cheeks. She sets the beer bottle down and signs to ask where the bathroom is.
I point to the hall and tell her it’s the second door. She disappears.
“He shouldn’t have interrupted.” Rylee smacks Chadwick’s arm as she retakes her seat. “He didn’t offend her, did he?”
“It’s all good.” I smile at my friends. “It’s good.”
Claire cares if I’m single. I take that as a win tonight.
When she returns, we fall back into some Texas Hold’em. I finish my beer and grab the one Claire is nursing and rise. She grabs my arm to pause me. I smile and let her know I’ll be right back.
I toss my empty bottle and pour her warm yet full bottle down the sink with a headshake. She’s so nice but hides who she is. That isn’t something she needs to do around us. I grab two bottles of water and return to the dining room as Finn shuffles the deck.
It’s getting late, and the sun has long since set. I slide her the water and open mine before calling. She glances around, a bit self-conscious. No one says anything, and Finn deals out the next hand. That’s one thing about my friends. No one has to pretend to be something they aren’t around us.
I also want Claire to be completely comfortable in my home. And welcomed. It’s not much, but I want her here. We wind down the rest of the night and let Claire run the cards. We do this for hours until I rise for another drink.
I pause to watch Chadwick type something on her phone. He hands it over. Claire shakes her head, then smirks but types him back anyway.
“You trust what he’s texting to her?” Rylee nudges my arm from where I’m standing next to the kitchen entryway, observing them.
“I’m sure he’s giving her trouble. But that’s Chadwick.” I glance at Rylee. She gives a knowing smile but doesn’t add anything. I hate that someone broke her heart once and makes her sad sometimes, but it landed her up here with us. She’s safe and doesn’t have to worry about that shitty ex of hers bothering her anymore. She doesn’t talk much about her past—very little, to be honest—but she said she just needed to be away from a guy. I’ve had to fill in the blanks from there.
“All right, guys, let’s head out.” Rylee gathers the guys up and gives everyone a hug, Claire included. Claire waves and has a smile on her face. She’s loosened up more as the night has wound down. My friends made her feel welcomed and comfortable, just like I knew they would.
Chadwick points to his eyes, then toward her. She laughs at the universal sign of “I’m watching you.”
I’ll see you later,she signs in return.
“She said she’ll see you later,” I tell Chadwick, interpreting for Claire.
“I gathered that, brother.”
He does a copy of the sign back to her and kisses her on the cheek on his way out. Rylee apologizes about the guys, then gives Claire another hug. Finn heads out last, again hugging her and waving goodbye.
I shut the door behind them and turn to find Claire gathering her things. She walked here, and no way am I letting her walk back alone. Mom’s old place isn’t but a few yards away, and there aren’t any houses between. Still, not happening. I ask Claire to stay for a minute. It’s just us, and I need the quiet. A moment for just the two of us.
She points over her shoulder, then signs about heading home and walking. I shake my head.
I’ll walk you. I have something to give Billy. Then we will leave, I sign to her, but I need a moment to gather my stuff.
After giving Billy all of my mom’s old treasure stuff and those personal journals, he’s been more than occupied. I find it fun letting her memory live on in an old friend. I believe she’d want him to have the Cipher research, and it keeps me from digging too much into her past myself. I know she has some buried secrets. Ones I’d rather not dig up myself. She had hidden money, and the fight it brought up with my stepfather bothered me enough. He hadn’t known where she could have amassed the money, and she made sure her husband didn’t see a dime of it.
When I return to the living room, I have the last bound journal in my hand and point to the door. I found this one separate from the others. Still, I couldn’t open it to see what’s contained inside.
Claire raises her hand for me to stop and takes the journal from my hand.
Your mom’s?She lifts the journal, and I nod. She immediately opens it and flips through some of the old pages. Have you read it?
No.I struggle for the sign I need. She said to not feel bad typing, so I grab my phone from my pocket.
It’s too invasive, I type and turn my phone to her.
She nods in understanding. She hands the journal back.
Sorry. I didn’t mean to take it.
I tilt my head toward the door, and Claire follows. I’m not entirely ready to let her go, but it’s getting late. I also have to work early in the morning so I could take the rest of the night off for her.
Once we step out into the night, the air is stronger, tinged with the pine trees that surround my property. We make the walk, and it’s calm. There’s a gentleness that comes from having her near me. The porch lamp floods us in a pale yellow light. Claire turns, her arms crossed, a soft smile on her lips. She hugs her woven cardigan close to her chest.
She hesitates, spending longer with me rather than going inside. I had fun tonight, she signs as fluid as ever, but slower for me.
Me too. I’ll see you tomorrow night?There’s a pinch to my chest, and I hope she doesn’t change her mind.
She nods, then holds up a finger for me to wait and grabs my mother’s journal. Claire disappears inside, and I take a deep breath of the night air. I wanted to kiss her. To tell her to sleep well. And that isn’t anywhere close to the level of okay right now. I want to take things slow with her. Usually, I jump all in, and the fire burns out quickly. Not with her. She’s a fire I want to keep alive.
A moment later she returns with a letter. I smile.
Have a good night,she signs.
You too.
I make the short walk back home. The moment I’m inside, I open her letter.
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Dear Jamison,
I feel like picking on you has just come back to bite me in the ass. That’s okay, I’d love to learn your secrets.
You’re afraid of spiders? We don’t even really have spiders here. None that are poisonous, anyway.
Let’s see…I’m secretly in love with romantic comedies. The more mushy they are, the better.
I don’t know about flying myself. It sounds terrifying, but I’ll think about it.
You want to know about my job? I have a class of ten rambunctious ten-year-olds. I love what I do. Fourth grade is never without entertainment. It’s not brave, it’s fun. It’s what I love. Once, Dad asked me to come north with them, but I wasn’t willing to leave my students behind. Mom wants me to return to Washington State and work on my doctorate instead of teaching, but I haven’t yet. I’m not quite ready to leave Alaska behind.
Well, I’ll end this now and see you this weekend.
Claire
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