Chapter 7
Jensen
It’s been a week from hell, but a hell that pays. I even dropped off my rent check a few days early to be a little bitchy about it. As if this raise didn’t nearly knock me on my ass.
My back and feet may be killing me, but at least I made it work. I’ve looked thoroughly through my lease agreement, and unless I want to pay the next three months’ rent up front then I’m stuck here until the end of January.
I’ll most definitely continue my search of finding a new place, and hopefully Tally will find a new hyperfixation and leave me the fuck alone so I can actually start tattooing.
With today being my one and only day off, I fall onto the back of my bed. My eyes fall shut for a few seconds before all forty-plus pounds of Dottie climbs on top of me to snuggle.
I chuckle, scratching behind her ears. “I know. I’ve missed you too. All this work sucks, but I swear it’s short-term.”
Dottie paws at my chest. “Ow, come on now, what’s that for?” I get a whiny grumble from her, and I know what she wants. A run.
“Dottie,” I groan.
If I could sink deeper into this mattress I would. With me still not getting up, she lets out a bark. Ugh, she’s right. I’m punishing her by not taking her out.
“Alright, you win.”
With the small lift of my head, Dottie jumps off me and starts turning circles until it gets so out of control that she runs into one of the kitchen chairs.
I snort a laugh and pat her head. “I get it, you’re excited. I know I’ve been slacking, but let’s calm down.”
Throwing on my fleece workout set and running shoes, Dottie’s excitement starts up again, but she does her best to contain it—she knows I won’t fight her on the leash.
As I click it on, she loses it, turning circles again in full force.
Bless her, I really need to make sure I stay on top of her runs.
I pull out my phone to record her joy as my reminder, but the moment I stop, my thumb clicks on the share button and before it even registers, I’ve sent the video to Beck.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Why is it when I’m exhausted I always slip up with him?
Beck
Way to break my heart. Poor girl must miss me so much.
It’s Monday, she’s not expecting to see you today.
Oh so it’s you that misses me?
Apparently so, and against my better judgment.
Semi-lazy day I guess. Found the tiniest bit of energy for you today.
Shame I’m missing it.
My thumbs dance over my screen but I ultimately lock my phone and slide it in my pocket. “Okay, girl, you ready?”
Dottie lets out a few barks as her response.
“Alright, let’s do it.”
I have a bit of a rough start, but by mile three I hit my high, and Dottie pushes me for another three. With our cool down walk back, Dottie practically prances, and as much as I didn’t want to do it, I feel so much better.
“You were right, this was a good idea.” I pat her head as we start back up the stairs, but my steps stall when I see Charlie waiting outside my door.
“Jensen,” he purrs as he pushes off the wall. “It’s about time. I’ve been waiting for twenty minutes.”
“What a creepy thing to say.” I stop a good five feet back. As much as I would like to think I could defend myself against him, I’m going to give myself any advantage I can get and distance is my best safety net. “Why are you waiting on me, Charlie?”
The smile that comes to his face turns my stomach in knots. “I got your rent check. Gotta say, I wasn’t expecting you to make that change. You know, without going back to work at Tally’s. I heard other shops weren’t exactly keen on hiring you.”
I hold my chin high. “Well, that shouldn’t exactly be surprising considering the lies Tally’s been spreading, but the first words you said were the most important. You got your rent, so again, why are you waiting on me?”
Charlie takes a small step forward and as much as I want to match his step back, I stand strong. “There’s been another policy change in the apartment complex.”
My grip tightens on Dottie’s leash and I grit out, “What now?”
It doesn’t take much for me to connect the dots when Charlie looks down at Dottie. I take a step back. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Sorry, Jennie, no more dogs.” The asshole’s smile grows. “I could reconsider for—”
“Of course. Is this still about Tally’s?
Or are you thinking you can get something out of me?
What is you guys’ fucking obsession with me?
” I take a step forward and meet Charlie head on.
“Over my dead body will I get rid of my dog. You think you guys can bully me into doing whatever twisted shit you all want, but you’ll be sadly disappointed to know that I don’t have to put up with this bullshit.
” I take another step and this time, Charlie retreats a step.
“I won’t go back to Tally’s. I won’t get rid of my dog, and you all can just get used to the fact that the only fuck you’re going to get from me is my middle finger. ”
Charlie’s nostrils flare with my final blow. His hand lashes out reaching for Dottie’s leash, but I’m faster. I jerk it back, and at that Dottie lets out a low growl. I’ve had her for two years and never once have I heard her do that, but right now I’m grateful for it.
“I wouldn’t suggest trying that again.” I slowly start my walk backward, keeping an eye on Charlie, but once I reach the stairs I turn and bolt down them. My heart is beating out of my chest, but when I look back and see Charlie didn’t follow, I let out a small breath.
I wait until I reach my car before I reach for my phone. My thumb hovers over Beck’s name before I ultimately switch it to call Lucie, knowing Stella’s off working with some new PR crisis in Dallas.
It takes two rings before she picks up. “Hey, babes.”
I’ve calmed down a bit, but the adrenaline is battling rage and fear all at the same time. “I need to come over…I have Dottie with me too.”
With my tone, Lucie doesn’t ask any further questions. “Okay, come on over. Callie and Will are here too, but I can ask them to leave if you need me to?”
“No, it’s fine. I just…” I let out a deep breath and start my car. “You know I hate asking for help, but I think I’ve reached my limit.”
“Jensen…” I feel all the concern in the way Lucie says my name.
“I’ll explain. I’ll be there soon.”
A beat of silence passes before Lucie agrees. “Drive safe, see you soon.”
I can’t find words for much of a response, so I just end the call. I need to calm down, but I want to scream, cry, hit something, or someone, all at the same time.
Dottie lets out a whimper in the passenger seat, and before I can say anything she licks the side of my face.
I let out a pained laugh. “Thanks, I needed that.” I scratch behind her ear as I keep my eyes on the road. “We’ll figure this out. I promise there’s no way I’m getting rid of you.”
I pull into Dex’s parking garage, then punch in the Larsen family code to get in the lobby. It warms my heart a little at that reminder that Dex and Lucie gave all of us a family-specific code so we can come over to visit them anytime without being buzzed in.
My adrenaline has subsided enough but I barely get a knock on their door before Lucie is swinging it open and pulling me into a hug.
I let out a small grunt as her body hits mine. “Luce, I haven’t even stepped inside.”
“I know, but it sounds like you need it.” Her hold loosens and she steps back. “Come on, we’ll put the guys on Dottie duty and we can have girl talk on the deck.”
I nod and manage a small smile. “How excited is Dex that I’m bringing a dog over here for Miles to get ideas about?”
Lucie waves her hand over her shoulder. “He’ll be fine. Dex is all bark, no bite.”
“I don’t exactly believe that,” I tease. Each step into Lucie’s safe space and I’m already feeling better. “Daddy Dex has to bite a little.”
Lucie snorts. “Touché.”
Once we step into Miles’s peripheral, he’s bolting over. “Jensen brought her dog!”
Miles rests his hands on his knees as he talks to Dottie. “You’re the cutest doggie ever!” He reaches to pet her as her butt wiggles. “Jensen, she looks so much bigger than she does on the phone.”
I chuckle. “Yeah, but she’s still as sweet as can be.” I kneel down next to him. “Think you can take care of Dottie for me? I need to borrow Callie and Lucie for a bit.”
Miles jumps up. “Of course I can!”
I smile handing him her leash. “I knew I could count on you.”
When I stand, Callie’s also getting up from her spot on the couch next to Will, and Miles is bringing Dottie over to show his dad. “Sorry for crashing.”
“Don’t be.” Dex waves me off before turning his attention to Miles.
“Yeah, this is a treat, I think I’m getting ideas for Miles’s birthday.” Will looks at Callie with a wink.
“No,” Lucie snaps immediately as she points to the both of them. “No, I’m serious.”
Callie comes up to my side and hooks her arm around my shoulder. “Why don’t we head outside and we can talk about that later.”
Following Lucie out to the balcony, we sit at the small table off to the side.
“Okay, so, talk to us.” Lucie pulls her legs up in her chair. “What’s going on?”
I take one deep breath, then exhale it all out. From the issues with Tally’s, the raise in rent, then the new “no dogs” policy that led to the awful experience in the hall. By the end of it, Callie’s jaws on the floor and Lucie’s up from her seat.
“You mean to tell me that he reached for Dottie’s leash! That he was waiting on you?” Lucie holds her hands up. “I’m getting Dex.”
I grab her hand. “No, Luce, what’s he going to do?”
Lucie scrunches her nose. “I don’t know…”
Callie huffs. “I know I want to take a baseball bat to his groin, but I guess that doesn’t exactly fix the problem.”
I let the idea play through in my mind, and it helps to some extent, but it’s short lived.