Within Six Months (A Wild Roses Novel Book 1)

by Cleo Scornavacca

  “Is he okay? How’d this happen? Can he speak? What hospital?” The questions flew out of his mouth one right after the other before I could answer him. The one thing I would admit is that Damien loved his dad, even if they were at odds.

  “Well, the doctor stated he’ll need cardiac therapy and he shouldn't stay alone.”

  “I see. How long will he be in the hospital?” He asked.

  “He’s at Mt. Sinai and he is due to go to cardiac therapy next week on an outpatient basis. He’s going to need your help, though.” I fibbed slightly. Reece wanted Damien home for reasons that he had not divulged just yet, but I had a pretty good idea he was warming up his matchmaking skills again because of his earlier statements to me.

  “Okay. I’ll make some arrangements and we’ll fly out on Tuesday, sooner if I can get a flight. Many are booked due to the holiday.”

  “I forgot about the holiday, but I’m sure they’ll be keeping him over the next few days for observation, regardless. He’s in the ER now and they’re preparing his admittance and room,” I said, as I saw Reece, with a defiant look on his face, shake his head back and forth. Oh boy, here we go. Reece was going to be Reece…very difficult.

  “Okay, keep me posted.” There was a pause and then he continued. “If that’s not too much for me to ask of you, Jade?”

  “Either I’ll call you or Blaze will should something change,” I added that Blaze would call, that way I would get myself away from this situation and away from having to speak to Damien for anything more than our usual uncomfortable small talk. I wouldn’t let Reece control this situation and make me revisit a completely devastating time in my life. A time I had no intention of going back to.

  “Thank you. Wait. Blaze is there with my dad?”

  I couldn’t speak. Damien’s grateful tone took me back to happier times.

  No, Jade! Don’t let him get to you; remember what he did. There was no going back.

  “You’re welcome. Oh, Blaze came with me, so she knows what’s going on as well. One of us will be in touch after the doctor updates his report tomorrow.”

  Our call ended. I placed my phone back in my bag. When I turned back to face Reece, all I saw was the look of sheer satisfaction, because everything seemed to be going Reece Montgomery’s way.

  “Happy now?” I asked sarcastically.

  “Delighted,” he stated with a tone of smug pleasure.

  I walked over to Blaze and kissed her forehead, as I place my hand on her shoulder. “Are you staying or are you coming with me? I really have to get back. Tomorrow is the first day of the season for Summertime Sweets.”

  “I thought you were renovating the new location?” Reece asked.

  “I am, but I’m keeping the old shoppe open until the work is done. I can’t disappoint my regulars.”

  “Oh shit! I forgot! I’m sorry.” She looked at me, then she apprehensively looked to Reece for what she should do. I found this somewhat odd. She only slept with him for the first time tonight. Or did she?

  He looked at both of us and then looked down while his lips were pursed to keep him from saying something that he might regret. This told me that Blaze was staying put and this wasn’t the first time they slept together.

  “How long?” I asked, and Blaze knew what I meant.

  Blaze hung her head to the side and took a deep breath in, which she then exhaled in defeat.

  “Six months”

  “I see. So, for the past six months the two of you have been sleeping together and the only reason why I am finding out about this now is because Reece had a heart attack? Great Blaze, that’s just great,” I reprimanded.

  “I didn’t say anything, because I was afraid of how you would react if I told you,” she stated.

  “You mean Reece told you not to.” They both looked at me in shock. I was right. Reece then decided it was time he stepped in.

  “It wasn’t like Blaze didn’t want you to know. I was the one, you’re right, that stopped her. My reason was to give it some time to see where this was going between us and should it develop into something more serious, then, of course, we both would have told you.” His voice was like velvet. The words strategically rolled off his tongue as he gave his summation of their romp between the sheets for the past six months. I assumed it was a romp and they were still working things out being six months was too soon to know where it was going.

  It was true; nothing, not even a mild heart attack could stop that man from getting what he wanted. My only concern was her and her feelings. Reece could and ultimately would fend for himself. He was never worse for wear when relationships he had ended. He would never allow anything to tarnish his image.

  Bastard.

  “It may not be the most opportune time to mention this, but so help me God if you hurt her like you did to the others you've been with, you're gonna wish this little heart attack killed you. Do I make myself clear?” Timing can be everything and my timing to threaten him could have been better, but he didn’t seem all that sick, as evidenced by his screaming at the charge nurse when we came in and his ordering of me to talk to Damien on his behalf. For a sick man, he seemed quite capable, so I felt it was important to let him know the shit he pulled with the other women he screwed would not happen to my best friend.

  Yet, he was not one bit moved by my threat.

  “I admire your loyalty to Blaze, but I can assure you I have no intention of hurting her. On the contrary, once I’m healed, I would like to take our relationship to the next level,” he admitted.

  Oh, boy!

  Blaze turned to him with a surprised look on her face, surprised, but not excited. “What are you talking about?” Blaze asked, her tone was discreet, disapproving, and slightly jittery.

  “Darling, I was saving this as a surprise, but I felt if things kept going as they have been, then perhaps we could move you into my penthouse.”

  I hid my smirk. If I knew Blaze as well as I thought I did, I knew Reece’s statement had commitment written all over it. And Blaze didn’t do commitments. At this moment, I almost understood the attraction Blaze had for Reece and why it lasted this long, but I also knew it would never be enough for her. On the surface, he didn’t appear to want a commitment of any kind, just like Blaze. He was attractive, older, sophisticated, and had the funds to keep life exciting without being over the top.

  For Blaze, it was a nearly perfect relationship to have with a man, but throw the word commitment in, and Blaze would go into panic mode and start preparing damage control in advance.

  Tonight, however, she was remarkably calm. She probably didn’t want to stress Reece out or cause any further complications with his health. Especially because her creativity in bed was partly to blame for the state he was in at the moment.

  Blaze did the only thing she could do. She used me to bail out on him for the weekend.

  “Now is not the time to talk about me moving in with you. There is plenty of time to talk about that once you’ve completed cardiac rehab and Damien heads back to Napa. For now, let’s take things one day at a time, shall we?” She said to end the conversation. I had to hand it to her for that performance. Her voice didn’t fail her once during the brush off.

  Reece yawned and looked at his phone. I think he knew Blaze was torn about staying or running… I mean coming with me to the shore. He made the decision easy for her because he made it for her.

  “Well, ladies, I think I better get some rest. It’s after 2. Blaze, why don’t you go back to the shore with Jade. It’s much too late for her to be heading back alone. We can talk tomorrow after all of us have had a good night’s rest,” he stated diplomatically.

  Blaze nodded. She didn’t let on, but I knew she was relieved.

  Reece reached out to her and she complied. “We’ll talk in the morning, baby,” Reece whispered, which prompted Blaze to lean in and kiss him softly on his mouth.

  Baby? I could vomit.

  Breaking from their kiss, yet still holding Blaze’s hand
, Reece addressed me. “Jade, I appreciate the trip you took here tonight and for calling my son at my somewhat forward request. We’ll talk more during the week,” he said as if he wasn’t quite done with me yet.

  I nodded. “I can’t wait.” I turned and rolled my eyes as I said goodbye to Reece and waited outside of the room for Blaze.

  Just as we were about to leave, the nurse came to us and stated that Reece’s tests confirmed a very mild heart attack, which was what the doctor had originally suspected and with cardiac rehab and at-home instructions over the next few months, he would make a complete recovery.

  She also stated they would be moving him to a private room on the cardiology floor. That explained all of the screaming and dramatics on Reece’s part when I first arrived. He was so self-entitled—when he found out he had to stay, he decided to request, no, demand a private room. I agreed with his prognosis. From the look of things and his actions, Reece Montgomery would walk away from this better than ever. I wondered if Blaze would have the same outcome.

  Hopefully, after a good night’s rest, things would seem brighter in the morning.

  Jade

  MY MORNING JOLT was not caused by the buzz of my alarm clock, nor the wail of the fishing boats on the water. No, the sound that interrupted my rest was the obnoxious purr of my best friend in the next room.

  Both Blaze and I left Reece to sleep; at least someone was sleeping… and we drove back to LBI by 4:30 am. The clock on my nightstand now said 8:00 am.

  “Okay. I might as well get up,” I said, whining loudly, hoping I’d wake her.

  Not a chance of that happening; Blaze just continued to snore blissfully. I looked out in the direction of the guest room with slight disdain, not that she cared. First off, she was comatose, and secondly, she and Reece each got what they wanted.

  I walked downstairs, shaking my head and smiling. It was good to be home, finally.

  Reaching the kitchen, I grabbed a cup of coffee and the mail Viv collected for me while I was away, before sinking into one of the chairs on the deck off the living room. My staff members agreed to cover the morning shift for me. Viv had said she would check in with them to see if they needed additional help.

  I had called her last night, even though it was late, so I could explain what had happened with Blaze and Reece. I left out the part about knowing the house was rented and that she helped my father do it right under my nose. I figured I’d save that conversation for this afternoon when my head was a bit clearer and my body was sated with caffeine.

  She wasn't at all moved by the Blaze and Reece connection. She had the uncanny ability to read people fairly well. There weren’t many situations that got to her, scared her, or surprised her. Maybe it was because she had been married to a former Marine turned detective? Viv had to deal with so much being a cop’s wife. It shaped her into who she was. Yet, as tough as she appeared, she was also warm and loving. Perhaps it was because she knew how precious life was and how easily it could change, as if in an instant. She saw it with her husband, Robert, who died in the line of duty during a huge undercover investigation some years back, and she saw it with my brother, Jimmy, whose death was sadly self-inflicted, but no less devastating for any of us, especially me and Viv.

  I avoided the thought of Jimmy’s tragic accident, and let the morning rays soak into my skin. My eyes closed automatically as I sat back, allowing the sounds of the powerful waves on the beach to soothe my stress levels. The seawater’s slow rhythmic motion lulled me into the day ahead, but for a brief moment I drifted off. That was…before my morning peace was violently taken away by the startling hum of a power tool in the next yard.

  What the hell?

  I jumped up and leaned over the banister to see what all of the noise was about. I looked to the left, nothing. I looked to the right, although I knew it wouldn’t have come from my bro…my parents’ old house. Kim mentioned that Viv had rented it to some hot guy, but he didn’t own the place, so he couldn't possibly be stupid enough to change anything in or on the property. Perhaps, it was our landscaper? Although he wasn’t due to come until sometime next week for the springtime clean-up, I hadn’t even confirmed with him yet.

  My eyes grew wide and wild with anger. The landscape company must have misunderstood me and sent out one of his crew members to clean up today. He was just about to cut down the rose vine my brother gave me years ago.

  “No! What the hell do you think you're doing?” I screamed as I ran down the side stairs of my deck to reach the landscaper before he could do any more damage than he had already done.

  The noise stopped immediately and he looked around for the person screaming loud enough to wake the dead.

  In fact, I did.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I got a glimpse of Blaze standing on the second-floor deck watching from the doorway of the guest room. Her make-up was smeared and her long red hair looked like a matted bird’s nest. She was wrapped in a robe, which was more than I could say for me. With all of the commotion, I had forgotten that I wasn’t dressed. I came to realize I was barefoot and wearing the T-shirt I slept in and a pair of black bikini underwear. My attire wouldn’t have been an issue if I had stayed put on my deck and screamed from there, but as I stood in front of this perfect stranger, I felt almost naked.

  He finally faced my direction with his electric hedge cutter in hand to greet the crazy lady whose shrills abruptly stopped his morning activity. Temporarily blinded by the morning light, I moved to the right to get a better look at his face before I addressed him properly.

  “Hi, I’m Ja—” I stopped mid-introduction. It was him. The guy from the dance floor, the guy from The Palm…last night…my mystery man.

  His smile was a bit devilish when he saw it was me and noticed I was barely wearing anything.

  “Hi…I didn’t think I would see you so soon after our date last night.”

  I hated to admit it, but he looked even better in the sunshine. I hadn’t noticed in the darkness of the club, but I’d had a feeling his body would be amazing, and it was. He was built with an incredible display of artwork inked into his tanned skin. If his tattoos were any evidence of his interests, then I would have to say that he was a surfer. I imagined how he must look in a pair of board shorts, all wet and…

  “Oh, is that what they’re calling what we did last night these days, a date?” I sounded haughty.

  He froze, taken back by how I responded to him.

  “I’m sorry for my rudeness. I haven’t had much sleep in the last two days. Let’s start over. Hi, I’m Jade. Good to meet you.” I smiled and held out my hand.

  He reached for my hand, but then paused before he took it.

  “Hi Jade, I’m Tommy. Wait… Jade? You mean Jade Stanton?” He was hesitant. I wondered why.

  “Yes, I’m Jade Stanton.” Leave it to Viv to already talk to the new tenant about me, and …speak of the devil.

  “Good morning, I see you two met without any help from me.”

  No help? Give me a break. She had to be joking, right?

  Viv’s interruption was positively perfect. Her exuberant self was in rare form as she floated toward us wearing a yellow and white sundress and oversized straw hat.

  “How can anyone be that happy and that well-dressed in the morning?”

  Tommy chuckled at my observation.

  Viv kissed both of us on the cheek before continuing her salutations.

  Her smile was too wide and filled with guilt. “I didn't want to get into this with you last night or while you were away at your conference, but I rented your brother’s old house to Tommy, with your parents’ approval, of course. Isn’t it wonderful?”

  Meeting her elated explanation with a flat expression, I methodically turned on my heels and waited for Tommy to speak.

  “I assumed Viv had told you by now.”

  “No, she didn't tell me, and she knew that I wanted to be part of the process.” I didn't recognize my own irritated tone. I withheld the fact I had know
n the house was rented thanks to Kim, but what I hadn’t counted on was Tommy being one-in-the-same person…the renter and the guy from the dance floor last night.

  “Listen. I’m sorry, but I needed a place and the conditions were worth it.”

  “Conditions? What conditions?” I asked. I was unaware of any conditions that my parents had decided to impose on the would-be renters or buyers for that matter.

  “I told Tommy that the house was in need of repair, so one of the stipulations in renting with an option to buy was that he had to help with the updates to the home. If your parents decided not to sell, then he would be reimbursed for the labor and materials that he put into it. Yet, if everyone agreed Tommy could buy it at the end of his lease, including you, then your parents wouldn’t raise the price because Tommy did all the work. I thought that it was a more than fair offer, and he agreed and moved in the other day.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I was in the city for less than a week and in that time Viv worked out a deal with Tommy and my parents. Yet no one had the decency to call me to let me know.

  “I see. Can I ask you how long you’re leasing it for?”

  “Sure, I signed for one year. That should give me plenty of time to get the house in shape, should your parents agree to let me buy it, and if not, it gives me time to see what other properties are available here on the island at the end of my lease.”

  “Can I ask a favor of you?” I said.

  “Jade!” Viv snapped as she was sure I would say something to stop this rental.

  “It’s okay, Viv,” Tommy said. “Sure…What do you need?”

  “Could I ask you to not cut the rose vines down? Well, at least until you know for sure that you’ll be the new owner? Those plants hold a huge sentimental value for me.” I explained, without revealing the true reason behind the plants.

  “Of course, but to tell you the truth I have a very close friend that has roses similar to these. When we were growing up, the one thing her mom always did in the spring was cut them back, so that they would have huge blooms in the fall. That’s exactly what I was trying to do. I guess I got carried away,” he chuckled.