Chanel wondered if Jake was just being nice to her as well. He must be the type of guy who flirted with everybody.
Tracy pulled Jake down the long hallway.
Ellie glowered. “What a slut.”
Chanel whirled around, unable to hide a chuckle. “Oh, Ellie. You don’t know she’s a slut.”
“Look at her.” Ellie pointed. “If she isn’t a hooker, why does she show the whole world her underwear?”
The top of Tracy’s thong hung out of her low-riding nurse’s uniform. “You’ve got a point, Ellie, my friend,” Chanel said.
Jake and Tracy disappeared around the corner, and Chanel turned away with a sigh.
“Don’t worry.” Ruby patted her hand. “Jake never went for the floozies.”
Chanel laughed. “Really? So who does Jake go for?”
Ruby smiled with tight lips, sorrow radiating from her dark gaze as she clutched Chanel’s hand. “The angels.”
Chanel sobered. “Oh.” She studied Ruby’s hand covering hers. “Guess I’m out of the running.” Chanel’s face went red. She’d just admitted to Jake’s grandmother that she was interested in being in the running.
The lines around the older woman’s eyes softened. “I know an angel when I see one.” She squeezed Chanel’s hand tighter and then released it.
The front door slid open, and a boy sprinted through the gap. “Gramma Rue! Gramma Rue!” He crossed the distance and threw his arms around her legs. Ruby sank onto a chair, lifting him onto her lap.
“Trevor, sweetheart. I’m so glad you came to see me. I’ve been missing you.”
“Missed you too.” He laid a slobbery kiss on her cheek, then jumped from her arms and did laps around the room.
An exhausted, obviously pregnant woman entered the building and immediately took up pursuit of the child. “Trevor, honey, you can’t run in here.” After several circles she righted a chair he’d knocked over, straightened the rug he’d twisted, and gave up trying to catch him. “Don’t break anything,” she admonished. Leaning back to counteract the heaviness of her abdomen, the young mother walked slowly forward.
Ruby gave her a hug. “Come sit down, sweetie.”
“But Trevor—”
“Oh, don’t worry about him.” Ruby directed her to an arrangement of couches. “He’ll be fine, Brinley. No one is in here but us.”
Chanel started to walk away. Ellie grabbed her arm. “Stay with us. You need to meet Brinley, Jake’s sister.”
Chanel’s eyes widened. She looked closer at the dark-haired woman. She was the female version of Jake. Tall, dark, and beautiful, with wispy hair layered around her face. Chanel guessed that under normal circumstances she would be thin, but currently she looked about nine months pregnant.
They settled into the semicircle of couches by the unlit fireplace. The little boy darted under, over, and around furniture with no hint of exhaustion. Chanel watched his mother, wondering if she ever slept.
“This is my granddaughter, Brinley,” Ruby said.
Chanel stretched across the couch to shake her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too.” Brinley’s manicured fingers returned to holding her abdomen and rocking slowly as if the baby was already here. “You’re the new activities director?”
“Uh-huh.”
Brinley smiled. “No wonder Jake is so excited about visiting Grandma.” She started and cast a guilty look at Ruby. “Not that he isn’t normally excited to see you Grandma, it’s just…”
“Just the truth,” Ellie interjected.
Chanel’s face suddenly felt hot. She barely knew Jake, yet his sister believed he was coming here to see her. She ducked her head, hoping it was true.
“I can’t compare with Chanel.” Ruby chuckled softly. “So, how much longer until the baby comes?”
“Two weeks.” Brinley reclined into the couch, slowly massaging her abdomen. Her stomach distended to the left, then rolled to the right. Brinley smiled and pressed against the bump. “This little guy’s a wild one. I’m praying he’s early.”
“Wilder than Trevor?” Ellie asked, pointing to the little boy, who stole a packet of hot-chocolate mix from the snack counter, ripped it open, and poured the powder into his mouth.
“Oh, Trevor,” Brinley moaned, but made no attempt to stop him.
“Another boy.” Ellie sighed. “Heaven help us. Who did you say knocked you up this time?”
Ruby gasped. “Ellie, really.”
Marissa raised her eyebrows. “Please say I misunderstood that one. Did you just say ‘who knocked you up’?”
“Yes, I did.” Ellie zeroed in on Brinley like a game-show host asking the million-dollar question. “Now out with it.”
Chanel froze with embarrassment for Brinley. How dare Ellie say something so offensive to this worn-out young mother?
Brinley watched her son scramble up and over a coffee table, barely missing the silk floral arrangement. “Be careful, Trevor.” She turned back to Ellie with a sigh. “I’ve already told you, Aunt Ellie. The father’s name is Harrison.”
“Harrison, huh? That’s an odd one. Harrison’s not a first name, it’s a last name.”
Brinley wiped her hand over her eyes. “It’s his first name. His last name is James.”
“Now that’s a first name.” Ellie’s gaze swung to Ruby. “Don’t tell me. Please not—Marlene’s boy?”
Ruby only nodded, but her grimace spoke pages.
“Marlene James?” Marissa said. “Oh, heavens. If I ever get stuck at the grocery store listening to that woman talk again, I’ll beg for the electric chair.”
Ellie giggled. “Good one, Rissa.”
Marissa beamed.
“He’s nothing like his mother,” Brinley defended.
“That’s wonderful,” Ellie said. “So you’re going to marry this one, or is he a putz like Trevor’s daddy?”
Brinley sighed again. “We’ve already talked about this subject as well.”
Ellie’s eyes narrowed. “We did? I must be getting old. Refresh my memory—what was the excuse this time?”
Brinley didn’t respond.
“Come on, out with it.” Ellie patted her hand. “We’re all family here, except Chanel, and she doesn’t know enough people for her gossip to do damage. Tell us the loser’s story.”
Brinley glanced at Chanel. “Harrison isn’t a loser.”
Ellie nodded. “Oh, good, so he’s going to be a part of his baby’s life. He’s going to support you financially and emotionally. You’ll get married and life happily ever after. I’m so glad to hear it.”
Brinley’s jaw tightened. “You just don’t know how to give up, do you?”
“Leave her alone, Ellie,” Ruby said.
“I will.” Ellie’s brow furrowed. She reached out and gently rubbed Brinley’s shoulder. “I’ll leave her alone after she tells me why another man isn’t taking responsibility for his child. I’ll leave this beautiful girl, who I love like she’s my own, alone after she tells me why she let another man break her heart.”
Everyone studied Brinley. She shifted uncomfortably, a telling brightness in her dark eyes.
“Oh, fine.” Brinley wrapped her arms around her belly as if she could protect the baby from the words she was about to speak. “Harrison and I started dating when he visited his mom last summer. We emailed back and forth, and then he came for Thanksgiving. Well, we really hit it off and…” She gestured to her stomach. “This is what happened.”
“We all know how that happens,” Ellie said. “But where is he now?”
“St. George.”
Ellie scowled. “Doing what?”
“He leads backpacking adventures in Zion’s Park in the summer and is a ski instructor in Park City in the winter.” Brinley glanced at the plush rug covering the wood floor. “It’s not possible for him to care for a family. I told him to go. He didn’t make a fuss about leaving.” She paused. “Leaving didn’t seem to bother him at all. The only time I heard from hi
m was when he offered me money for an abortion.”
Ruby grabbed onto the arm of the couch, her beautiful face distorted in anger. “The scum.”
“Yeah.” Brinley nodded. “See, Aunt Ellie, he isn’t a loser, he’s a class-one jerk. Now he’s gone, and I made a mistake again.” She closed her eyes for a moment and let out a deep breath. “Is that what you needed to know, Aunt Ellie?”
Ellie patted Brinley’s hand. “Yes. But you know, sweetheart, uncrossing your legs that often ain’t a mistake.” She cackled. “It’s an addiction.”
Brinley jerked her hand from Ellie’s, rose to her feet, and started to walk away.
“Ellie, you stop this meanness right now,” Ruby ordered. “You never know when you’re past the point of funny. Brinley has got enough stress without you making her feel worse.”
“Sorry,” Ellie said, and for once she actually looked apologetic. “I thought if I cracked a joke it would take the strain off the abortion issue.” She whistled and shook her head. “I love that girl, but she’s got to learn to stand up for herself. She’s been too pampered. If your son would cut off the funds and give her a taste of a real single mom’s life, maybe she’d have to take some accountability for her sexuality and tell these jerks where to go, if you know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t know what you mean, and I’m grateful,” Ruby replied. “At least she doesn’t have to worry about supporting herself and trying to be a single mom. You know she’s just trying to find love any way she can get it. It’s not like David and Don were great male role models. You act nice before you make my sweet girl cry and she never comes to see us again.”
Jake re-entered the open area, thankfully without the beautiful nurse. After hugging his sister, he took up pursuit of his nephew. The voices around Chanel faded as she watched him pretend to run as fast as he could. Trevor giggled and screamed, “Don’t catch me, Unca Jake. Don’t do it!”
A shrill voice interrupted the game. “What on earth is a child doing in the facility? Those despicable little things should be outlawed.”
Jake swooped Trevor into his arms, shielding him from the glowering Jennalou. “He isn’t hurting anything,” he said.
“He’s giving me hearing damage.”
Trevor jerked farther away from Jennalou, burying his cheek into his uncle’s shirt. “What a wench bucket,” the child said.
“Oh,” Jennalou gasped. “You little brat! I swear children these days have no manners.” The angular woman glared at the group, then stomped past, muttering about putting an end to the screaming and swiping at the air with an antibacterial wipe. “Of course he would be related to that creepy Ruby Merrill.” She shuddered. “Children. I swear those monsters put viruses into the air just by living.”
Chanel heaved a sigh of relief as Jennalou disappeared down the hall. Jake walked over to the group of women, with Brinley trailing him and Trevor giggling in his arms.
“My little Trevor, a brat?” Ruby tossed her head. “Creepy Ruby Merrill?”
“I wouldn’t worry about anything the psycho says,” Marissa comforted her.
“Trevor’s right—that woman is a wench,” Brinley said.
“I not in troubles?” Trevor asked.
“No, sir.” Brinley tweaked his nose. “Not when someone is that nasty.”
“Nice parenting, Sis,” Jake said.
Brinley chuckled, then focused on her child, “Okay, Trevor, we shouldn’t call names, but you aren’t in trouble this time. Just don’t do it again. Okay?”
“’Kay.” Trevor clutched his uncle.
“Is Jennalou a bigger wench than me?” Ellie arched her neck to look at Brinley.
Brinley sat down and let Ellie pull her into a hug. “Just a bit,” Brinley said.
Ellie’s eyes widened. “But you love me?” she asked in a whining voice.
Brinley chuckled. “I always love you, and most of the time I even like you, Aunt Ellie.”
“Good thing somebody does,” Ruby muttered.
Marissa laughed. Ellie glowered, then squeezed Brinley tighter. “You know I only bug you because I want you to be happy,” Ellie said.
Brinley nodded. “I know.”
“Unca Jake.” Trevor tugged on Jake’s sleeve. “I show Gramma Rue my ball.”
Jake’s eyebrows rose. “Your ball?”
“What you teached me.” He struggled from his uncle’s arms and ran to Ruby. “Unca Jake teached me this show, for when we go on his boat with the ladies.” Grinning, he drew out the last word.
A burning jealousy filled Chanel’s chest. She barely knew Jake, and already she wanted to be the only lady he took on his boat.
“Show us what Uncle Jake taught you,” Ruby said.
The little boy ripped his shirt over his head and dropped it in a pile on the flowered rug.
“Trevor, put your shirt on,” Brinley said.
“Gimme a sec. I gotta show my beach ball.” He paused to make sure he had everyone’s attention, then lifted his hands above his head, attempting to flex his muscles. “You seen my beach ball?” He lowered his hands, gritted his teeth, and struck a pose. “It about this big. It go that way.” He shifted his arms to the right, still trying to show them off. “Or that way.” To the left. “If you sees it.” He bent forward and lowered his clasped hands, flexing to his full advantage. “Bring it back right here.” He motioned to his chest and grinned. His cheeks dimpled irresistibly.
Everyone clapped and laughed. Jake folded his arms across his chest, looking chagrined but proud. Chanel would like to see him do the beach-ball routine with his shirt off. She glanced at the long-sleeved button-down shirt he wore, realizing she’d never seen him in short-sleeves, even though it was mid-summer and he was obviously fit.
“Did you like my muscles? Do you want to see me flex them again?” Trevor asked.
Jake shook his head. “I think they’ve seen enough, buddy. You keep it up and your mom won’t let me babysit anymore.” He grabbed Trevor’s shirt from the floor, swooped the boy off the floor, and turned him upside down. “I’m taking this guy outside where he can run without the wench complaining.”
Ellie rolled her eyes. “Jennalou would complain if somebody gave her a free bikini wax.”
Chanel laughed. “I could’ve gone all year without imagining Jennalou in a bikini.”
“Amen to that,” Jake said, lifting a squirming, giggling Trevor above his head. “I need to replace that mental picture.” He looked at Chanel.
Ellie winked at him. “So Chanel, what color is your bikini?”
Marissa and Brinley chortled. Chanel turned bright red.
“Shush.” Ruby snapped her fingers at Ellie and glared at Jake. “You get out of here.”
“Sorry, Grandma, but Chanel in a bikini could keep my imagination busy for a year.” He smiled at her and carried Trevor out the front door.
***
Jake debated between Skittles and M&M’s. He needed some treats for his weekly night out with his nephew. They usually spent the evening on Glendale Reservoir or drove to Logan for the latest animated movie. Jake wondered if he dared ask Chanel to come along. Which candy would she prefer? He smiled to himself. As good as Chanel looked, she probably didn’t eat treats.
Bam. A shopping cart slammed into his heel.
“Ouch.” Jake reached down and rubbed at his leg. That was going to leave a bruise.
“Oh, I apologize,” the shopping cart owner’s began, then paused. “Jake?”
Jake looked up but continued massaging the wound. “Hey, Mr. Trapper, I didn’t see you coming.”
“I didn’t see you either.” The older man frowned. “Please call me Michael.”
“Okay, Michael,” Jake said, though it seemed disrespectful to refer to an older gentleman by his first name.
“How bad did I get you?” Michael asked.
“It’s just a flesh wound.” Jake straightened and stuck out his hand. “How are you, sir?”
Michael shook the extended hand. �
��I’m okay. And you?”
“I was doing better a few minutes ago.”
Michael flinched. “Oh, Jake. I am truly sorry.”
He laughed. “I shouldn’t tease you, sir. I’m fine. What are you doing grocery shopping? Doesn’t the Palace feed you all your meals?”
Michael nodded. “Yes, but I like to have treats for the grandkids and food for the days… well, I like my own food for the days the menu sounds disgusting.”
Jake started pushing his cart slowly down the aisle. Michael kept pace with him. “Some of those meals don’t sound too appetizing,” Jake said. “So how’s the Palace treating you?”
“They usually feed me well.”
“The women all seem to enjoy you.”
“One man for every twenty women.” Michael shrugged. “Good odds.”
“And my grandma?” Jake knew he shouldn’t ask, but he couldn’t help himself.
Michael turned from him, studying a display of Kit-Kats. “You know how it is with your grandmother and me.”
“No, I don’t.” Jake halted, gripping the shopping cart handle. “You can tell me to stay out of it, but I sense Grandma has something against you. She’s nice to everyone, even Jennalou, most of the time. You’re such a great guy. I can’t figure out why she’s short with you.”
Michael bypassed the Kit-Kats and retrieved a bag of peanut M&M’s. Jake waited for an answer.
“Ruby’s told you nothing about me?” Michael asked, finally turning to face him.
Jake shook his head quickly.
Michael’s shoulders drooped. “Then I can’t tell you anything either. I’ve known your Grandma a long time, Jake, and I’ve always…” He paused. “I’ve always thought highly of her. If you want to know why she has a hard time with me, you’d better ask her.”
Jake nodded. “Okay.” He softly slapped Michael on the shoulder. “Gotta respect a man who won’t bus-roll my grandma.”
“You’re a good boy, Jake.” Michael smiled. “I’m proud of you, son.”
Jake’s eyebrows rose, but he said, “Thank you, sir.”
Michael rushed on. “I’m sure Ruby’s proud of you, too. Thanks for taking such good care of her.”
Poison Me Page 6
