Sing Me Back Home

by Eve Gaddy

  She snorted. “Yes, that would be the problem. One of us was. I told him I loved him.”

  “Oh.” Amy looked at her for a moment. “Not a good idea, I take it.”

  Maya drummed her fingers on the table. “I told him I loved him and he said . . . nothing.”

  “Nothing?” Amy repeated.

  “Absolutely nothing.”

  “Awk-ward,” Amy said, emphasizing the first syllable.

  “Tell me about it,” Maya said. Thinking about that moment still made her want to cringe. “Then he kissed me. Every time I started to open my mouth, he kissed me.”

  Amy laughed. “And that’s a problem?”

  “You’re damn right it’s a problem. It’s called avoidance.” She fell silent, thinking about it.

  “So what happened after you told him?” Amy prompted.

  “Obviously, he didn’t want to talk about it. So, we didn’t. We both spent the rest of the night pretending I hadn’t said the ‘L’ word.”

  “I’m impressed that you managed not to say anything else. I’m sure I would’ve had to say something.”

  “I started to ask him if it was too soon, but I didn’t want a repeat of him staring at me with nothing to say.” She smiled briefly. “I seduced him instead.”

  “That sounds like a good plan,” Amy said, laughing.

  “The rest of the night was okay. In fact, it was good. But ever since he left the next morning, things have been weird.”

  “Define weird.”

  “It’s more of a feeling I get than anything he’s actually done. He hasn’t broken things off or anything like that. He hasn’t been mean or combative. He’s been a little distant. Stand-offish. Then last night I asked him and Gina to come over for dinner and he said no. He said he had to make early rounds today.”

  “Maybe he did,” Amy said reasonably.

  “Ha! He makes early rounds all the time. This is the first time he used it as an excuse not to see me.”

  Amy frowned. “When did this happen?”

  Wrapping her hands around her cup, she said, “I told him late Saturday night. Early Sunday morning technically.” She drank some more coffee, stewing over Jack’s reaction to her confession. She shouldn’t have told him. Clearly, he didn’t feel the same. Or, at the least, he wasn’t ready to hear it. Maya didn’t know what had possessed her to blurt out her feelings. She used to have more sense. Of course, she hadn’t ever been so madly crazy about a man either. For sure not her ex-husband. Not that she remembered, anyway.

  At first, she’d shrugged off Jack’s reaction, or done her best to. He’d seemed fine later that night. Better than fine. They spent the remainder of the night, or most of it, having fantastic sex. And if Jack wasn’t on the same page about the great sex, then he was the best faker she’d ever known.

  Amy laughed. “Oh, Maya. You’re overreacting. It hasn’t even been two days.”

  “Trust me, I’m not overreacting. You didn’t see his face.” Nothing had been the same since. “I thought our relationship was going somewhere. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he just wants to have fun.”

  Amy patted her hand. “Why don’t you just ask him? Talk to him, instead of jumping to conclusions.”

  Was she jumping to conclusions? There was one way to find out. “You’re right. I’ll go see him tonight.”

  “Hey, Ms. Parrish,” Gina said, answering the front door. “Come on in. Is Carmen with you?”

  Oh, man. Maya’s here, Jack thought, looking up from the toaster he was trying to fix. Maya. In the flesh. In the very beautiful flesh, wearing tight black leggings, man-killer black boots and a cream-colored sweater that kept slipping off her shoulder. I am so screwed.

  “Not this time,” Maya told Gina pleasantly. “Why don’t you go call her?”

  Gina took off for her room. Leaving Jack, and the toaster, alone with Maya. She walked over and stood beside the couch, looking at the toaster parts spread all over the coffee table.

  “What in the world are you doing to that toaster?”

  “Trying to fix it.” And doing a mighty crappy job of it.

  “I think it’s dead. Why don’t you just throw it out and get a new one?”

  “It was a wedding present,” he said, immediately wishing he’d kept his mouth shut. For reasons he didn’t understand, Brianna had loved the stupid toaster.

  “I see.” She said nothing else, but sat beside him and crossed one long, gorgeous leg over the other. The sweater slipped again and he saw smooth, creamy flesh. Why had he wanted to avoid her? Oh, yeah.

  Maya had told him she loved him.

  “We need to talk,” she said.

  Talk. Exactly what he’d been trying to dodge. He continued fooling around with the toaster, which really was hopeless at this point. Maya was right. He should throw it out, but he knew he wouldn’t. “What do you want to talk about?”

  “I’m fairly sure you know.” Maya tilted her head, considering him. “I’ve never seen you so uneasy.”

  Jack started to deny it, but couldn’t.

  “I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable,” she continued. “I didn’t mean to.”

  “You didn’t make me uncomfortable.” Which was as big a lie as had ever come out of his mouth.

  Maya hitched up her sweater. He couldn’t figure out why. She’d simply switched shoulders, exposing the skin of the other one.

  “Call it what you want, but ever since I told you I loved you, nothing has been the same between us.”

  Jack looked into her eyes. He did not want to talk, and he sure as hell didn’t want to talk about love. Why did Maya have to complicate matters? Why did she want to label what was between them? Why couldn’t they just continue on, enjoying each other, having fantastic sex, and not have to talk about it, for God’s sake?

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. “Everything’s fine.” Liar, liar.

  Her eyes flashed. “Everything is a long way from fine. I told you my feelings. That doesn’t mean you have to reciprocate. But you don’t need to freak out, either. It doesn’t have to mean anything beyond those are my feelings and I wanted you to know.”

  Part of him admired her for putting herself out there as she had. The other part didn’t like it at all. What did she expect him to say? Did she really think he believed she wasn’t upset by his response, or lack of it?

  “I’m fine,” he repeated. “You’re the one who’s decided we need to analyze every damn thing.”

  Her eyes flashed again and narrowed. “Pardon me. How stupid of me to suggest we have an honest discussion about our relationship.”

  “I didn’t say you were stupid. But I don’t see why we need to talk. There’s nothing wrong with us. Why can’t we just go along the way we were? Why do we have to discuss anything, for God’s sake?”

  Now, she was really pissed. Fine. He wasn’t too happy himself.

  She stood. “We don’t. We don’t need to talk about one damn thing. Ever.”

  She started toward the door. He got up as well. “You’re overreacting, Maya.”

  Maya turned around and looked at him incredulously. “I’m overreacting? Did you really just say that to me?”

  He shrugged. “That’s the way I see it.”

  “Really. That’s the way you see it.” She opened the door and sent him a scathing look. “The way I see it is you can stick it where the sun don’t shine.” The door slammed behind her.

  “Wow, she’s really mad. What did you do, Dad?” Gina said.

  “Nothing.” He ran a hand through his hair and scowled at the door. “Why do you think I did something? Maya’s the one being completely unreasonable.”

  Gina looked a little skeptical. “Did you two break up?”

  Well, shit. Is that what had happened? “I don’t think so,” he told Gina. “She’s just upset. She’ll get over it.”

  “Dad?”

  He looked at his daughter.

  “I don’t think you get girls at all.” She didn’t wai
t for his response, but went off to her room, shaking her head.

  He couldn’t argue that. Women, he thought in disgust. Who could understand them?

  Chapter Ten

  Maya drove straight to Amy’s house. On the way, she called her daughter to check on her. Fortunately, Carmen was on the other line and didn’t want to talk long, which was fine with Maya. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could bottle up her anger.

  “Are you alone?” she asked Amy when she answered the door. “Are you expecting anyone?”

  “Yes, I’m alone and no, I’m not expecting anyone.” She opened the door and stepped aside. “What’s got you so worked up?”

  Maya brushed past her and paced the room, her stride lengthening as she did. She could never sit still when she was angry, so she paced. “I went to see Jack. To talk to him, honestly. I wanted to reassure him that I hadn’t meant to freak him out.” She snorted in disgust. “That was the dumbest idea I ever had. Do you know what he did?”

  “Just a guess, but made you mad as hell?” Amy sat on the couch, then added, “I wish you’d sit down. You make me tired just watching you.”

  Maya ignored her comment and continued to stride around the room. “He sat there and said everything was fine. Fine!” She kicked the couch in frustration, then grabbed her foot, hopping on the other. “Damn it!”

  “It doesn’t pay to hit or kick inanimate objects. Back up,” Amy said. “I need more details. Take it from the top.”

  “Gina let me in. He was sitting on the couch fixing a toaster—a toaster for God’s sake—and I said he should just throw it out. It was in a thousand pieces.” Amy looked perplexed. “He said it was a wedding present,” Maya continued. “Which, of course, made me feel like slime for suggesting he throw it out.”

  “How were you to know that?”

  “I couldn’t, of course. Especially since he’s never once spoken of his wife to me.” Maya shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I tried to talk to him, but he wasn’t interested. He said we didn’t need to discuss anything. According to Jack, everything is just fine. I’m overreacting.” She paused and added the clincher. “And then, he said I was stupid.”

  “What?” Amy sat up straight and goggled at her. “He actually called you stupid?”

  Maybe he hadn’t. Even so, that’s what she had taken from the conversation. “No, but he implied it.”

  “Somehow I can’t imagine this scene.”

  “I don’t have to imagine it. I was there. After he implied I was stupid, he asked why we had to ‘analyze every damn thing,’” she said making air quotes around the phrase. “I wanted to kick him.”

  “Did you?”

  “No, but he would have deserved it if I had. I told him we didn’t have to discuss anything, ever, and then I said he should stick it where the sun don’t shine.”

  “Gee, Maya, you could have been more forceful about it. Why’d you let him off so easy?”

  “Are you laughing? You are! Don’t you dare laugh. This isn’t funny.”

  Amy gained control of herself. Maya decided to ignore the tremor in her voice when she spoke. “Maya, you had an argument. At the risk of you biting my head off, don’t you think you are overreacting just a teensy bit?”

  “No,” she muttered. “Maybe.”

  “The two of you need to cool off. It sounds like he was being almost as unreasonable as you were.”

  “Almost my foot. He’s the one being completely unreasonable, not me.”

  “Give it some time,” Amy advised. “And after you’ve both had a chance to cool down, try to talk to him again.”

  “Because it worked out so well last time, you mean? No, thanks. If Jack wants to talk he can come to me.”

  Now you’ve stepped in it, Jack thought. The week from hell had just gotten worse. He looked from his nurse Vera’s angry face to Mrs. Delaney’s even angrier one. But really, they were grown women. Why couldn’t they act like it?

  “I beg your pardon,” Mrs. Delaney said in arctic tones. “You want me to—to—”

  Jack interrupted. “I suggested that you and Vera make up and you allow her to give you your weekly shot. She’s more than capable of doing it.”

  Mrs. Delaney stared at him as if he’d lost his mind.

  Vera’s bosom heaved and she glared at him for all she was worth. But she kept her mouth closed. She wouldn’t say anything in front of a patient, no matter how angry she was.

  “And if I refuse? I don’t want that woman touching me.”

  He could all but see the icicles hanging from her words. He slipped into a pleasant fantasy.

  “I’m sorry to lose you, but that’s your decision, Mrs. Delaney.” To Vera he added, “Fax her records to Mrs. Delaney’s new doctor. Have you chosen one or would you like me to recommend someone?”

  It would almost be worthwhile to say those words aloud simply to see the reactions of the two women.

  He sighed. “If you refuse, of course I’ll continue to give you your shot. But I urge you both to consider burying the hatchet.” He walked to the door and said, “I’ll leave you to talk about it. I’ll be in my office if you need me, Vera.”

  He was going to pay for this. Vera wouldn’t appreciate his comments any more than Mrs. Delaney had. His nurse could make his life miserable if she wanted. But what difference did it make if the last week was any indication of how things were going?

  He hadn’t talked to Maya for more than a few minutes since Monday evening. Today was Friday. The end of a very long week. Take Tuesday, for example. He and Maya had run into each other at the Java Cafe that morning. He’d assumed she’d gotten over her snit.

  “Do you want to grab some dinner tonight?” he’d asked.

  She looked him up and down, as if he were gum on the bottom of one of her fancy-ass boots. “Sorry. I have to wash my hair.”

  “Still pissed at me?”

  “No, not at all,” she said, dripping sarcasm.

  If her goggling eyes were any sign, Sally, the barista, had heard every word. Great. The news that he and Maya were on the outs would be all over Marietta by nightfall. Or more likely, lunchtime.

  It annoyed the hell out of him that just because he didn’t want to talk everything to death, Maya was pissed off at him. He hadn’t seen Maya since, or talked to her either. He’d decided she could come to him once she got over herself. He had a feeling he might be waiting until Hell froze over.

  Someone knocked on the door. Vera probably. “Come in.”

  Vera stepped inside his office. Miracle of miracles, she didn’t look angry.

  “Did you two call a truce?” he asked without much hope.

  She nodded. “We did.”

  That shocked the hell out of him. “You’re kidding. How did that happen?”

  “Well, we talked to each other. She told me her side and I told her mine, and we actually listened to each other this time.”

  Stunned, he asked, “That’s all it took? You two have hated each other for years. A simple conversation and suddenly you’re friends?”

  Vera laughed. “I wouldn’t call us friends. But we’re not enemies anymore. We decided life was too short.”

  Life’s too short. Brianna’s life had been. His thoughts must have shown on his face.

  “Oh, Doctor, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you two aren’t at each other’s throats anymore.”

  “I suppose.” She looked at him closely. “Are you all right, Dr. Gallagher?”

  “I’m fine.” Yeah, he was great. Maya was giving him the frozen shoulder and showed no signs of thawing, all because he didn’t want to talk. And why didn’t he want to talk? Because he didn’t know what to say.

  He wanted Maya. He wanted to be with her, make love to her. But love? He wasn’t ready for that. He wanted things to go back to the way they were. Fun and easy. Love complicated everything. It didn’t last either. You never knew when it would be snatched right out of your hands.
/>
  “You don’t look fine,” Vera said bluntly. “If you don’t mind my saying, you look like something my cat dropped on the doorstep.” Thank God, she took herself off after that observation.

  The day didn’t get any better. He dragged himself home and looked in the refrigerator to get a beer, but of course, he didn’t have any. Instead, he picked up a soft drink and took it to the couch, determined to do nothing. Relax. That was the ticket.

  “Dad, have you seen my red sweater?” Gina rushed into the living room and began pulling up cushions, checking behind chairs, and shoving magazines off the tables. Her magazines that were supposed to be kept in her room, but never were. She insisted she keep every stinking one “in case she might need them.” For what, he didn’t have a clue.

  “No. Why do you need it?”

  She shot him an exasperated glance. “For the game, of course. We have to leave in half an hour. I need to get there early because the Spirit Club is going to sit together.” She took another look at him. “Is that what you’re wearing?”

  Crap. He still wore his work clothes, khakis and a button down shirt. He’d totally forgotten he’d promised not only to take Gina to the game, but to stay and watch it himself. He didn’t know why it mattered to her, since she’d vanish with her friends the minute they got there. Not to mention, she was sitting with the Spirit Club, so she wouldn’t even know he was there. But a promise was a promise, so he went to his room and changed into his jeans and a lightweight sweater.

  Jack only waited on Gina ten minutes. Almost a record. “I see you found your sweater.” He started the car and backed up. “Where was it?”

  “Um, in my room.”

  Buried under God knew how many dirty clothes, he bet. He was too tired to say anything, so he let it pass.

  It was a good game. Close, and their team, the Grizzlies, were ahead at halftime and they looked like they might hang on to win. He’d discovered he was hungry after all, so he went to the concession stand at halftime, like everyone else in the stadium.

  Everyone, including Maya.