Ch. 3 – Jax
S tanding on the porch of a tidy blue house on the west side of town, Jax stared at the front door and gathered her courage.
This is crazy, she thought. But she had no choice. It was this or admit defeat to the spotted hellion in her apartment.
As she lifted her fist to knock on the door, anxiety flared through her body. It was a wrench, painfully tightening metal bands around her lungs, her spine, the sputtering confidence she tried to grasp onto. Jax knew that to the outside world she often came off as unflappable, even acerbic at times. That was the goal, after all. But on the inside, her emotions roiled, painful and spiked.
A honking giggle sounded from within the house. Jax knocked. After a few seconds, the door swung open revealing a petite woman, her auburn hair pulled into a messy ponytail.
“Jax, hi.” Tess Aldridge held a glass of wine in one hand and waved Jax into her house with the other. “I’m so glad you came to another meeting.”
Yep. Crazy Cat Lady Meeting, round two. Jax couldn’t quite believe she was here again, either .
“I’m shocked we didn’t scare her off,” said a tall, elegant woman sitting on Tess’s small couch. Alanna Sandoval eyed Jax critically. “No one in their right mind should be here.”
“Alanna!” gasped Layla, who sat on the couch next to her. “What a horrible thing to say. We’re all here.”
Alanna raised an eyebrow as if to say, silently, Right?
The sisters shared the same pale skin, round blue eyes, and golden hair. Other than that, they couldn’t be more different. Alanna was sharp-boned, refined, and more than a little terrifying. In other words, Jax wanted to be Alanna Sandoval when she grew up.
Shorter than her older sister, Layla possessed a rounder face, softer curves, and a smile that lit up her eyes. Where Alanna was frosty, Layla was sunshine and daffodils. Where Alanna wore a crisp, snow-white pantsuit with matching golden belt and earrings, Layla chose a short-sleeved denim dress over checkered pink-and-white leggings and chunky jeweled sandals. Yet somehow their opposite natures were their strength. They balanced each other out, and their bond—despite their near-constant bickering—was plain as day.
“Wine?” Tess gestured to the breakfast bar. Two resolute soldiers, a pinot noir and pinot grigio, stood at attention, though the grigio had clearly seen battle. Its cork was out, its body half drained. A fancy, store-bought cheese plate stood next to the wine, clearly Alanna’s contribution to the meeting.
“Grigio is already open,” Jax replied. “I’ll have that.” After all, both bottles were from The Rose and Thorn, and every wine from her workplace was solid.
“Coming right up.” Tess reached for an empty glass on the breakfast bar. At first glance, their tiny host didn’t look like she was of legal drinking age. She probably couldn’t ride every roller coaster at Six Flags. Her hazel eyes, though, were the giveaway to her age. Those eyes held years of hardship.
Jax didn’t know the whole story, but she’d heard enough bits and pieces. Secrets didn’t stay hidden for long in a town like Yucca Hills, especially if you happened to work at a winery where loose lips were practically on the menu. Tess had swept into town two months ago, a wedding band on her finger, a scared kitten in the passenger seat of her Jeep, and memories of a ghost trapped in her heart.
“Can I get a refill, too?” Layla asked, holding out her glass from the couch.
“Of course.” Tess walked the bottle over and filled Layla’s glass.
Jax glanced around the scantily furnished room, her eyes skimming over the Ikea coffee table, garish red bookshelf filled with airplane models, and floor lamp. Tess’s house contained less furniture than a hotel room and even less personality. Why hadn’t she brought anything with her when she’d arrived at Yucca Hills? Jax wondered. Other than a gray kitten named Spirit, that was.
Jax’s eyes snagged on the wall. “Those are new.” She nodded to two framed canvases hanging slightly crooked on the wall. The larger piece depicted a huge, masted ship floating on a dark sea, while the second picture used short, pastel strokes to create a scene of cowboys hanging around a corral of horses.
Tess handed Jax her wine and shrugged. “The bare walls were starting to annoy me. I picked these up at Behind the Times. That antique shop on Chaparral Drive.”
“Were you blindfolded?” Alanna asked.
Jax snorted into her glass. Alanna Sandoval wasn’t one to hold back her opinion. Ever. The woman was a goddess.
Tess laughed. “I’ve never had time to decorate a house before. I don’t really know how to do it. ”
Right. Tess had mentioned that she’d been on her way to becoming an actual real-life doctor. And she’d more than proven her skill the day Haley overdosed at the winery. Jax threw back a large gulp of wine as if she could somehow wash away the icy memories of that day. If she closed her eyes, she could still see Haley slumped on the ground, her face deathly pale, her lips blue. Jax had felt certain her best friend was dead before Tess had revived Haley with two doses of naloxone.
“I can help you decorate,” Layla sang. “I looooove decorating.”
“To be fair, she looooooves everything,” Alanna added, “but seriously, Tess, you do need help. A lot of it. I can put you in touch with my interior designer from LA.”
Tess shook her head, the end of her short ponytail grazing her shoulders. She looked at the two paintings. “I know they don’t match. There’s no rhyme or reason to anything in this house . . . but that feels like me right now. It fits.”
“Then it’s perfect,” said a soft voice from the other end of the room.
Jax hadn’t even noticed Willow. The quietest, most mysterious member of the Crazy Cat Lady Club stood at her usual post in the corner, ducking behind a waterfall of long, glossy black hair.
Jax and Willow had gone to Yucca Hills High together. Though Willow was two years older, they’d had a few of the same electives. Yet Jax couldn’t remember ever speaking to the other girl. Willow had never raised her hand in class. She hadn’t been in any clubs or sports that Jax knew about. And she’d often missed days or weeks of school at a time. It’d always seemed as if she were trying to be invisible. To take up as little space as possible.
Then again, it couldn’t have been easy for Willow as one of the few Asian students at a predominantly white and Hispanic school. Jax took another sip of wine. She should have made more of an effort to talk to Willow back then. But tennis had been Jax’s life in those days. Every breath and waking hour had been spent marching her way up the varsity ranks of the team and trying to grab the attention of college coaches. That, and trying to keep up with Haley. Reigning in her best friend had practically been her second all-consuming sport.
Still, Jax could have done better by Willow and the other students who’d struggled to fit in.
“Hi, Willow,” she said now.
“Hi,” Willow whispered, ducking her head.
Jax looked around, suddenly noticing the vacuum of a missing CCLC member. “Where’s Everly?”
“More importantly, where are Everly’s brownies?” Alanna demanded.
The women looked to Layla. She and Everly often volunteered together at the local animal shelter and were close friends.
“I don’t know,” Layla said, sipping her wine innocently. “She didn’t tell me anything.”
“Maybe she had an issue with one of her foster kittens,” Tess suggested.
“Or maybe her landlord finally found her out,” Alanna added.
Jax smirked. At her first CCLC meeting, she’d learned all about Everly’s never-ending battle to keep her foster kittens hidden from her nefarious landlord. It was an epic saga of cunning, subterfuge, and razor-thin escapes. George R.R. Martin could really learn a thing or two from Everly Forstrom.
“Well, how about we get started with our updates?” Tess suggested, taking a seat on the floor next to the couch. “If Everly gets here late, we can catch her up.”
Jax leaned against the breakfast bar, took another sip from her glass, and enjoyed the notes of apricot and honeysuckle in the semisweet white wine. Her boss, Theo, truly had a gift for turning grapes into liquid heaven.
Tess patted a spot on the floor next to her and looked expectantly at Willow. After a slight hesitation, the younger woman drifted over and gracefully lowered herself to the floor. She gave Tess and the other women a shy smile.
“Alanna, you’re up,” Tess decided. “You know how it works. Cat update, then life update. Then whatever else you want to add.”
Alanna ran a hand through her short hair, then squared her shoulders as if preparing to admit an embarrassing secret. “Simon is great. I’m head over heels for his stupid furry butt.”
Layla clapped excitedly, nearly splashing wine on her sister. She turned to Jax and explained, “I chose Simon for Alanna at the shelter. He’s an older black cat. So friendly and loving.”
“Simon can sniff out a free lap like a bloodhound,” Alanna confirmed. “He loves sitting with my mom while she knits. She gives him way too many treats.”
Layla made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a sniffle of happiness.
Alanna shrugged and leaned back on the couch. “Work is busy, but we’re getting some really good results.”
That was putting it mildly. Two months ago, Alanna had started a one-woman public relations firm in Yucca Hills. Client number one was The Rose and Thorn winery. Alanna was a tornado in heels and lipstick. In just a few weeks, she’d boosted the winery’s Yelp reviews, brought in a few local foodie influencers, and finally harangued Theo into starting a wine club.
Her efforts were paying off. More new faces appeared at the winery each day. Jax was busier than ever. Not great for her feet and low back, but totally worth it to see the perk in her boss’s step. And that wasn’t the half of it.
The winery was still at the start of Alanna’s ambitious revival plan, which would culminate with a huge relaunch next year. Jax felt both apprehension and a rare flutter of excitement to think that the old, staid winery would finally get the facelift it so desperately needed.
“And how did the Sheba-Simon meet and greet go?” Layla asked innocently as she took another sip of her wine.
“What’s this?” Tess leaned forward.
Was it Jax’s imagination or was Alanna “I Eat Egos for Breakfast” Sandoval actually blushing?
“It wasn’t a big deal,” the blond woman said quickly. “I brought Simon with me to Sully’s house this weekend. We kept him in the guest room—the cat, not the man—so he could get used to the scents. You know, in case—”
“You move in with Sully?” Layla squealed with joy. She threw her hands into the air, and several drops of wine rained on Tess’s couch. Someone needed to be downgraded to a wine sippy cup.
“Oooooooh,” Tess said, her eyes glinting with amusement.
“Nothing’s certain,” Alanna said quickly. “But Sully thought it might be a good idea for the cats to start to get comfortable with each other.”
“You’re mooooving in with yoooour man,” Layla sang, bobbing to her own beat on the couch. “You two are sooooo perfect together. It’s liiiiiiiike a movie.”
Jax smirked. Alanna and her boyfriend, Sully, had certainly come a long way since that heated cat arbitration hearing at The Rose and Thorn two months ago. The two of them were now vomit-inducingly adorable. They both frequented The Rose and Thorn regularly, Alanna to oversee progress on the relaunch and Sully to help renovate the winery in his spare time. Dating a handyman, apparently, did have its benefits.
“I’m just so glad you’re happy,” Layla was saying, her lower lip wobbling. “Sully is such a great guy. He loves you so much, Alanna.”
“Annnnd that’s the end of my turn,” Alanna said as a blush crawled up her cheeks, the color vivid against her pale skin. She looked around the room. “Tess, go.”
From the floor, Tess shrugged her slender shoulders beneath her large T-shirt. “Not much to tell. Spirit and I are doing a lot better. We have playtime twice a day, and she sleeps in bed with me each night. You ladies have really helped me learn to bond with her.”
“Awwww,” Layla cooed.
Tess’s small silver tabby rarely made herself known during these get-togethers. Jax didn’t blame the kitten. Crazy Cat Lady Club meetings, she was learning, tended to get both emotional and loud.
“What’s going on with your life?” Alanna asked.
Tess swirled the wine in her glass before answering. A lock of red-brown hair had escaped her ponytail and fell across her face. “I guess I’m just . . . well, bored,” she admitted. “My entire life I’ve always had a plan. First, it was to get into a good college. Then medical school. Then residency. After Jay . . .” Her voice trembled. She took a little breath and continued. “After Jay died, I went into this dark, empty place. All those plans crumbled.”
She shrugged again and tucked the strand of hair behind her ear. “Now I don’t know what to do with myself.”
“Do you own a vibrator?” Alanna asked.
“You could volunteer at the Yucca Hills Animal Rescue,” Layla chimed in. “We always need volunteers.”
“You could join my D&D group,” Willow added softly.
All eyes turned to her .
“D&D?” Tess asked.
“Dungeons and Dragons.” Willow looked down, then back up. “It’s, um . . . a type of role-playing game.”
“Role-playing?” Amusement lifted Alanna’s voice. “Willow, what haven’t you been telling us?”
The younger woman’s cheeks lit with a blush.
“It’s a game with elves and dwarves and stuff,” Jax said. “You pretend to be a character and go on missions.” She looked at Willow. “Do you know Bobby Costas? He’s my brother. He loves that stuff.”
Willow nodded. “He’s in my guild.”
Jax raised her eyebrows. That was news. She’d have to ask Bobby about it the next time she was home. It was almost impossible to imagine a wallflower like Willow fighting dragons and hunting for treasure.
“Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll figure out something to do with myself,” Tess said. “Eventually.”
“Vibrator!” Alanna called.
Tess ignored that. “Layla, how’s life?”
“A-maz-ing!” sung Layla. Jax noticed the other woman’s wineglass was empty again and a flush was playing across her pale cheeks. Obviously, Alanna was the designated driver for the night.
“Everything is wonderful,” Layla gushed. “My kittens are growing soooo fast. Cactus is having some digestion issues, but it’s nothing serious.”
“Cactus is . . .” Jax asked. In this group, it could be difficult to keep up with all the names and animals.
“The hedgehog,” the women answered in unison.
“Right, hedgehog,” Jax answered.
Layla stood and made her way to the breakfast bar, where she gleefully killed the bottle of grigio. “My job is great. My friends are great. My fiancé is great,” she said, making her way back to the couch. “But, um . . .” Her rosy smile faltered. “There have been some changes to the wedding.”
“What changes?” Alanna turned to her sister in surprise. “I thought everything was set.”
Uh-oh. Jax looked at her empty wineglass. No time like the present for a refill. Wedding talk could take a while. At the last CCLC meeting, Layla had spent over 20 minutes gleefully discussing place settings and napkin folds. Jax wasn’t sure the other woman had even taken a breath.
“Um . . .” Layla looked down at the massive, glittering rock on her finger. “We’re going to be changing the venue.”
“WHAT?” Alanna exploded. “You booked the church and the botanical gardens last year. What happened? Did they cancel on you? I will KILL them.” She stared daggers at her sister. “Give me names, Layla. That’s all I need. And don’t ask questions.”
Layla put her hand on her sister’s arm. “That’s kind of you, Alanna, really. But, um, we were the ones who canceled. You see, Calvin Senior wanted to invite a few more people to the wedding, and the church and the gardens were too small.”
Tess’s brow crinkled. “This is your wedding, Layla. You can’t let someone else change it.”
“Especially not an over-important gasbag like Mayor Bishop,” Alanna added.
Jax opened the bottle of pinot noir and filled her glass. She agreed with Tess and Alanna. Layla deserved to have the day of her dreams.
Careful, a voice whispered in her head. You’re getting in too deep. You don’t actually belong here. Not really.
“Mayor Bishop is going to be my father-in-law,” Layla said softly. “And he’s helping us a lot, financially, with the wedding.” She pulled her long braid over her shoulder. “He’s been so generous to us. So, if he asks to invite a few more people, I want to honor his wishes.”
“Layla,” Alanna groaned through gritted teeth, “he’s turning your wedding into one of his stupid political events. Don’t let him do that. You’ve been dreaming of that church and the botanical gardens since you were six. Seriously, I found your first wedding binder written in crayon in Mom’s garage.”
“What does Cal think?” Tess asked gently.
Layla looked into her wineglass, the earlier twinkle in her eye long gone. “Well, you know Cal. He has such particular tastes.”
“You mean expensive tastes,” Alanna offered.
It was no secret, even to a CCLC newbie like Jax, that Alanna was no fan of her sister’s fiancé. Jax didn’t blame her. Cal occasionally swung by the winery for after-hours drinks with his business buddies. The man had a rare talent for constantly requesting service without ever acknowledging that the winery staff existed. It was actually almost impressive how he could wave a server over, point to his empty glass, and tap the selection he wanted on the tasting menu, all without turning his head an inch or missing a beat as he spewed out sales data and end-of-month bonus structures.
And he never tipped. There should be a special level of hell for non-tippers.
“Cal’s choices have increased our budget . . . a lot,” Layla admitted. She played with the end of her braid. “We couldn’t have afforded it all without Calvin Senior, so . . .” She forced her lips into a smile. “It’s going to be magical, no matter where we are,” she said. “All that matters is that I’m marrying the man I love.”
“After a three-year engagement,” Alanna muttered. She held the stem of her wineglass in a death grip. Jax wondered if Cal might soon be found in a back alley, his balls severed by a mysterious pair of stiletto heels.
“So, who wants to go next?” Tess asked, her voice slightly strained.
Jax noticed that Layla’s glass was empty again. Clearly, the wedding changes were hitting harder than she was willing to admit. Jax crossed the room and filled Layla’s glass. It was the least she could do for any poor woman engaged to an asshole like Cal Jr.
“I’m thinking of getting an apartment,” Willow said, breaking the silence. She lifted her head a little higher. “I mean, I am going to get an apartment.”
“Willow, that’s wonderful.” Tess threw an arm around Willow and rocked with her. “It’s a big step. How do you feel about it?”
Willow seemed alarmed by Tess’s touch, but she didn’t pull away. “Well, I don’t always get along with my mother,” she began.
Amen to that, sister, Jax thought.
“She doesn’t think I should get a cat,” Willow added.
“What does she know?” Alanna motioned to Jax. Obediently, Jax filled the older woman’s glass and received an effusive air kiss for her effort.
“She, uh, doesn’t think I could handle the responsibility.” Willow’s voice dropped back to its usual whisper.
“Well, she’s wrong,” Tess insisted. She hugged Willow tighter.
“You’re an amazing woman, Willow,” Layla announced. “When the time is right, you’ll also be an amazing pet guardian.”
Willow ducked her head, blinking quickly as if forcing back tears.
Jax felt her throat tighten. These women, odd as they were, truly cared about each other. Willow didn’t even have a cat, and the other members of the CCLC treated her like family .
Is this what friendship is supposed to be like? Jax wondered. Not exhausting? Not full of fighting and resentment? But filled with . . . love?
“I . . . I figured that if I want to adopt a cat, I’ll need my own place,” Willow said, her voice a little louder. “So, I’ve been saving up for a security deposit. I’m almost there, but I’m not sure what to do next.”
“I’ll help you.”
Who had said that? And why was everyone suddenly looking at Jax?
Oh. Shit . She’d spoken. And she was opening her mouth again. “I mean, I’ve only ever lived in one apartment, but I can show you my place if you’re interested in renting in my complex. And I can walk you through the process of filling out the rental application and reviewing a lease. It’s not that hard.”
“Really?” Willow looked at Jax with hopeful brown eyes.
What was happening? Was Jax—temporary member of the CCLC—offering to help someone in need? Yes. She was. And it actually felt good. She wanted to help Willow.
“Yeah, sure,” she heard herself say. “You can swing by my place to see if you like my complex. We can even check out other apartments in town. There’s this fancy new complex they just finished on the north side of town.”
“That’s really great of you, Jax,” Tess said, approval in her gentle gaze. Jax suddenly felt awkward. She quickly turned to the breakfast bar and slapped a layer of goat cheese across a cracker.
“Jax, you’re up,” Alanna called.
“Oh.” Four sets of eyes gazed at her expectantly. Jax chewed quickly and swallowed her bite of food. “Layla and Everly figured out why Styles is pissing everywhere and howling at night. Turns out he needs the old snip snip .” She demonstrated the motion with her fingers.
“Shouldn’t just be for cats,” Alanna muttered .
“He’s going into the All Paws and Claws clinic next week,” Jax continued. Because of course she was now making vet appointments for her roommate’s cat. “Thanks for the friends and family discount, Layla.”
“Cheers.” Layla held up her glass.
“Don’t consider yourself special,” Alanna drawled. “Everyone in town gets the friends and family discount.”
“I have a lot of friends,” Layla said defensively.
“Are you and Styles starting to bond?” Tess asked.
Jax snorted. “Styles isn’t my cat. I’ve just got to keep him alive for another two months.”
“Noooo, Jax,” Layla said, her eyes growing round and sad. “Being a pet guardian is about so much more than just feeding a cat and cleaning a litter box. Styles needs love and companionship, especially since he’s an only cat.”
Jax reached into her pocket and wrapped her hand around a lollipop. What was the big deal? Didn’t these women know that Styles was a monster intent on making her life miserable? That he’d gleefully murdered her Peppa Pig saltshaker last week?
“Haley can give Styles all the love in the world when she gets homes,” Jax answered Layla. “I’ll tell her about these meetings, promise. You’ll all adore her.”
Everyone adored Haley.
“Just give Styles a chance,” Tess said. “I thought Spirit and I would never get along, but I just needed to let her in.”
“Yeah, sure.” Jax turned toward the bar. This conversation needed to be over. Didn’t these women know she wasn’t a real “pet guardian”? She was just a stand-in, forced into being a cat caretaker by guilt and obligation .
“How’s the rest of your life going?” Alanna asked, tactfully switching the subject.
A part of Jax longed to tell the women how much she was enjoying her journalism class at school, or how she’d recently volunteered to write for the East County Caller , a nonprofit local news website. But what was the point? In two months, Haley would be here in her place. The Crazy Cat Ladies would love Haley’s infectious spirit. Her sass and charm. They’d forget all about sullen, sarcastic Jax.
“Life is good,” she said to the waiting women. “No complaints.” To make sure they got the picture that her little spotlight was done, she turned back to the breakfast bar and made herself another cheese cracker.
“Well, that was enlightening,” Alanna said.
“We’ve still got half a bottle of wine,” Tess said. “Anyone have anything else they want to chat about?”
“Maybe we should start calling local jails and hospitals,” Alanna suggested. “If Everly’s landlord did find her kittens, one of them is probably dead and the other’s in prison.”
“Actually, I had an idea I’d like to share,” Layla cheerfully announced. The pink in her cheeks was more pronounced. “What do you think of starting a Crazy Cat Lady book club? And not just any book club.” She giggled. “A romance book club.”
The room fell silent.
Finally, Tess shrugged. “What the hell. I’ve got nothing to do anyway.”
“Not in a million years,” Alanna said. “No thrusting of mighty rods into glistening flowers for this woman.”
“What? Why?” Layla’s face fell. “Romance is wonderful. There’s adventure, love, intrigue, and, um, love! And you always get a happy ever after. ”
Exactly, Jax thought. Which is what made romance books so completely pointless.
“Will there be, um . . .” Willow stuttered, “ sex in the books?”
Alanna burst out laughing. Layla frowned at her sister, then turned to Willow. “Some books are, er, spicier than others. In clean romance, everything happens behind closed doors. In steamy romance, things are a little more, um, explicit.”
Willow seemed uncertain. Her fingers twitched in an odd pattern. Finally, she raised her head, her expression set. “I’d like to join,” she said.
“SEE!” Layla pointed at her sister. “Willow is brave enough to open her heart to love.”
“Fine.” Alanna rolled her eyes. “I’ll join your dumb book club, but I reserve the right to mock whatever book you pick relentlessly.”
“Oh, me too,” Tess called, raising her hand. “I’d also like the option to mock.”
“Noooooo,” Layla whined.
“What about you, Jax?” Alanna said. “You want in on whatever sappy hell we’ve just agreed to?”
Jax shook her head. As far as love went, she was a permanent no on that RSVP list.
The front door swung open so forcefully it banged into the wall.
“IT HAPPENED!” Everly crowed as she breezed into Tess’s house.
“Yay!!!” Layla chirped. She finished the last of her wine, then added, “What happened?”
“DESTINY!” Everly cried.
“This should be good.” Alanna folded her arms over her chest. “Please, enlighten us.”
Everly glided over to the breakfast bar. Jax, noting her intentions, provided a generous pour of the pinot noir into a clean glass .
“You’re a doll,” Everly purred as she accepted the glass and took a long sip.
“Come on,” Tess whined. “Don’t leave us hanging.”
Everly set down her glass. “You know how we’re hosting a kitten adoption fair at Pet Palace this weekend?”
“How could we forget? You basically strong-armed all of us into taking volunteer shifts,” Alanna answered.
“Exactly, and I love you all for it,” Everly said. “Well, I always let Channel 7 know about the fair and ask them to cover it.”
“But they always ignore you,” Layla said gently.
“Until now!” Everly performed a little dance, shaking her generous hips. “And you’ll never guess who’s coming to cover the event.”
“Rico Torres,” the women said in unison.
“Rico Torres,” Layla added a beat late, followed by a hiccup.
“RICO TORRES!” Everly hollered.