“So, Thomas tells me he’s getting married in August,” Jason offered, trying to get Jenny to speak. She’d been silent almost the entire drive.
“Yeah, well, they already live together so what’s the big deal,” she responded still in a sullen mood.
He looked at her a moment and simply smiled as he maneuvered his car through the evening traffic. Even on Sunday, Beach Boulevard was heavily trafficked at times.
She gave him credit, other than saying that one statement he kept quiet, not hassling her to talk as they rode in silence. He even kept his stereo down to low background music, knowing she was upset, when he knew she usually liked it at a decibel that made their chests rattle.
As they were about to arrive at the beaches area she turned to him and asked, “Jas, what were you and Tom discussing before I came in?”
Jason puffed out his cheeks, looked out the window, adjusted his hands on the wheel and shifted his weight before looking at her again. “There are some stocks that are really tumbling right now, and, uh, Thomas, I and many others are upset over it. It really punches the ole wallet, ya know.”
“Huh, so that was it?” she asked, a little relieved, not knowing if it could possibly be true or not, though she had never known of Jason ever telling a lie. He had mentioned many times over the years that a person should just keep quiet, in most circumstances, rather than tell a lie. Besides, a number of guys she knew or their parents were losing money in stocks. Her own brother had been a day trader almost since he’d been in grammar school, using his allowance and lawn mowing money. He’d purchased through their dad of course, until he’d turned eighteen and then bought on his own.
She had to admit, Thomas’ portfolio at one time had been pretty impressive for a kid. She didn’t know what it looked like now. That’s why he’d been able to limit the student loans he had to take out, by using his savings from the stocks and investments he owned. It wouldn’t make him rich, perhaps, but at least comfortable she hoped.
With a resigned sigh and putting her irritation behind her she admitted to herself, he was a good brother, aggravating and extremely irritating at times, but a good brother none the less.
With that worry off her mind she smiled at Jason and said, “Thanks for inviting me Jas. I sure hope that woman author comes by.”
He smiled broadly at her and laughingly admitted, “I hope so too, for my sake, otherwise you might not go to a party with me ever again.”
Just as they arrived at the beach house, both of them immediately realized they’d have to search for a place to park without blocking neighbor’s drives. There were cars, trucks and motorcycles all over the place. Some were parked where they knew they’d get towed before the evening was over. He drove over to the next street and asked, “Jen, do you mind walking a bit?”
He was parking as close to the beach and the host’s house as possible, but it was in a restaurant parking lot. Lots of folks did it.
“Don’t mind at all.”
As always he said, “Wait here,” while he jumped out and hurried around to her door to open it.
He was the last of the genteel men of their age who were still full of courtesies, as far as she believed. It was nice, made you feel special and looked after, she realized as she took his hand for him to help her out of the car.
“I’ll be right back, stay here, it won’t take a minute,” he said as he hurried off to the front door of the restaurant.
Jenny giggled to herself. She knew him well enough to know what he had in mind. He was going to order something and have them hold it until he came back in a couple of hours to pick it up. That way he could honestly say he was a customer, not just using their parking lot.
She watched with a smile as he came back, grinning that crooked grin at her that she always thought was cute.
“We can get there beach side,” Jason commented as he bent over and removed his shoes and socks. Stringing the shoes on his fingers and stuffing his socks in his pants pocket he soon grabbed her hand and off they went.
Jenny’s eyes grew big as they drew near the large house where there was music, laughter and people running down to the surf and back. The smell of barbeque wafting through the ocean breeze began to make her mouth water.
A couple who looked to be in their late-twenties spotted them as they neared the rear patio and pool area. They were hurrying to greet them.
“Hi Jason, Barbara will be thrilled to know you came and managed to bring a fan of hers,” the man exclaimed happily. It was obvious he was pleased Jason had come.
“This is Jennifer, Charles,” Jason said by way of introduction. “Jenny, this is Charles and his beautiful wife is Lillian.” Hands were shook all around before Lillian immediately grabbed Jenny’s arm as she confiscated her from Jason and headed toward the large open sliding glass doors that covered the whole rear of the house from floor to second story ceiling.
“I hope you don’t mind me stealing you for a while, Jennifer?” Lillian asked with a smile as they weaved through the party of people. The hostess was nodding and cheek kissing every other person they met as she introduced Jenny around.
“Of course not,” Jenny replied, between Lillian’s greetings to others. Looking back at Jason she gave him a wave when she found he was intent on watching her while talking with Charles at the same time, he gave her a swift smile and nod of his head in return.
Lillian leaned close to Jenny and whispered, “Barbara will be thrilled that the famous Jennifer is finally here. She’s heard all about you trying to start a career as a novelist. Since she absolutely adores Jason, and since Jason swears you read all her books, well, it’s always nice to make a few good contacts.”
Jennifer was befuddled and filled with wonder. “Barbara who?” she asked attentively trying to run down a list of Barbara’s in her head who were also authors.
Lillian stopped walking, looked stunned for a moment before she laughed gaily, “Oh, silly me. Of course you would know many ladies named Barbara. I’m sorry.”
She had perfect beautiful skin, lovely coifed hair and even teeth Jenny noted. The woman had a smile that camera’s have probably captured thousands of times for magazines, television or movies. She looked very familiar but Jenny simply couldn’t place her and she was too embarrassed to ask the woman, that would be humiliating.
When she realized Lillian was waiting for a response, she’d already continued, “It’s Barbara Bastar.” She grinned knowingly and asked, “Know her by chance?”
“Barbara Bastar?” Jenny responded, almost ecstatic with disbelief and joy. “No way!”
Lillian laughed happily. “Yes, way.”
About that time Jason and Charles walked up beside them. Seeing the happiness on Jennifer’s face made them both laugh, since Jason admitted to Charles he hadn’t shared who the writer might be tonight, just that it was a woman.
Jenny grinned at Jason, wrapped her arms around his neck, gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek and exclaimed, “How do I thank you, Jas?”
“Don’t thank me yet,” he warned with a smile, all the same. His face glowing with happiness over her excited response. Looking around he spotted Barbara. Dragging Jenny along he headed toward her.
“Missus Bastar, may I introduce you to Jennifer, my friend I told you about. She’s a writer too, just not novel published – yet, but it won’t be long. She’s a very gifted person and I certainly think a talented writer.”
Jason smiled proudly at Jenny and with slight pressure of his hand on her back pushed her forward to meet Mrs. Barbara Bastar.
“Jason Zonelli, if you call me missus again, I’ll simply have to kiss you to remind you I’m still a younger-type woman. You can leave my husband out of it too while you’re at it, it makes him feel old as well. Plus, it makes it difficult for me to act frisky what with you calling me missus and all. If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you ten times, I’m just plain ole Barbara to you and to your friends,” Barbara stated with an exaggerated batting of her eye lash
es.
“Hello, sweetheart,” Barbara exclaimed excitedly, turning to Jennifer. Then in a stage whisper, “I don’t know if you are privy or not but our Jason here is a closet romance reader.” Putting her finger to her lips she added, “Shush, though, we certainly don’t want any of his cronies to discover his delicious secret. My books sales would plummet then, for I do believe the dear boy buys them by the cartons to keep my name on the lists.”
Jennifer laughed and glanced at Jason to see if it had embarrassed him. No. He was at ease and smiling happily at her joke too. Who knows, maybe he did do that?
“I’m deeply honored to meet you, missu-, huh, Barbara,” Jenny stated while trying to get her jitters to subside. This was such a complete thrill to meet, face to face, one of the best selling female authors on today’s market right here at Jason’s friend’s party. She almost had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t actually dreaming.
“That’s better my dear. And I must say it is my honor to meet such a lovely young woman who befriends our precious Jason.”
Barbara began looking all around with a puzzled look on her face.
“Barbara,” Jason asked with concern, “may I get you anything?”
Finally spying what she was looking for she looked back at Jason. “Yes, dear boy, those patio chairs would be nice, set up three over by that garden wall so we can relax and talk proper. That is, if you don’t mind?”
While Jason was getting the chairs, Barbara took Jenny’s hand and began walking to the wall she had mentioned. “I absolutely adore the fragrant flowers Lillian has managed to grow here. Salty air and soil isn’t conducive to great flower growing you know.” Looking at Jenny she smiled and asked, “Do you like flowers much dear?”
“Yes, ma’m. I’m certainly not a good horticulturist though. I’m afraid I even tend to kill cacti. Actually even had a few silk flowers go south on me a time or too,” she laughed with the memory.
“We must be birds of a feather, my dear. I only grow succulents, which are supposed to be rather hearty.” Winking she admitted, “I’ve somehow managed to kill almost every pot I’ve ever had. That’s why I admire precious Lillian so much. The dear girl could probably root a can of vegetables.” They both laughed.
“I leave all the gardening to my wonderful husband Howard. He buys me fresh cut flowers to keep in the foyer to fool our guests into thinking I can actually garden. He says it’s a writer’s privilege to not have skills of the earth, since we bring so much pleasure to the heart and mind.
Shrugging her shoulders Barbara added, “So, I let him be happy puttering away in the sun and shade while I sit at my desk watching him through a window while I create realms for my readers to escape into. I also rather enjoy doing all the research needed. I have still much to learn about our local pirates, polite society scandals and such that I research on the computer. I also enjoy visiting libraries and sites of origin and especially meeting with most of the women’s historical groups we have here in the South. They and the genealogical groups are absolutely a wondrous wealth of information and,” she winked, “scuttle-butt I wouldn’t dare even write about.”
Winking her eye again she asked, “Do you like the research you do for a book or are you like many of our fellow writing friends, consider it drudgery?”
Jason had returned with the three chairs when Barbara first began talking. He’d quickly left to get them drinks after asking each what she wanted: tea, coffee, wine or cola?
Jenny thought a moment. “I really do enjoy the research. All too often it changes my whole story and it tends to give me better insight into my character’s personalities.” Pausing she admitted, “I’ll leave the historical genre to you, you’re too good to even try and emulate. I write fantasy, science fiction and contemporary. Not all are romances, although, what good is any novel without some . . . .” Just as she was about to say “romantic angles”, Jason returned with their drinks and tugged his chair so it was facing both women.
“Heat!” Barbara interjected with a knowing grin. “What good is any novel without a little sexual tension? It wouldn’t be worth the paper it was printed on, in my opinion. Sex is what makes our species survive after all and most every tale has the play on play of a male and female somewhere in it.” Nodding her head from side to side she admitted with a sly smile, “I like the hot stuff! As long as it’s not vulgar, mind you. But Howard does tend to think I go overboard while writing my first and second draft.”
She winked and laughed gaily for quite a while. “Hummm, he doesn’t realize I do that on purpose, knowing he will read it. He’s my ‘first editor’ you know. Reading the sassier stuff can make an old couple feel right young again, and I do say so myself.”
Cutting her eyes to stare at her shoes she admits, “I would never put it in my final copy. It’s simply little me flirting with my Howard, through my writing, but he doesn’t know that.” She actually blushed. “Let’s keep it our little secret? Huh?” she asked, and only relaxed when they both nodded.
“Do you have a finished book ready for submission, my dear?” Barbara suddenly inquired.
Jennifer almost choked on her tea. “Yes, ma’m. I actually have five I’ve tried to get someone interested in. And I’m working on two others.”
“Five you say?” Barbara responded surprised. “Finished?” She looked at Jennifer for confirmation and Jenny nodded yes. “Humph.” Barbara looked thoughtful.
Jennifer became so nervous she looked at Jason with pleading eyes to help her. Help her what she didn’t know, just help her not turn into a crying, babbling wreck. This was big. This was really, really huge. Monster huge.
Jason reached over and grabbed Jenny’s hand and smiled at her with a look of complete confidence. She felt his encouragement come through and she actually calmed a little but still found she was holding her breath. It’d be just like her at this gigantic opportunity to pass clean out, from simply not breathing. She stared into Jason’s eyes and he was still calmly smiling back at her and lightly squeezing her hand.
“Jennifer, I’d like you to do me a favor? Go over those five books and pick out the one you feel is your favorite, check all the spelling, format and such, then mail it to me in printed form and send me a digital copy as well, if you will.”
Barbara searched in her big purse and found one of her business cards, wrote something on the back and handed it to Jason. “That one’s for Jason, and this next one is for you.” She took another of her cards and wrote on the back of it too. Handing it to Jennifer she smiled and said, “If you are as talented a writer as our Jason seems to think you are, we might be able to help you along the way. That’s my private home number on the back. Feel free to call me anytime my dear.”
“Thank you,” Jenny gushed with awe. “Thank you so much!”
Smiling at Jason, Barbara said, “Now, dear boy, go make some sweet memories for yourself, young man. Enjoy the rest of the evening with this dear girl.” She patted Jennifer on the cheek. “I like her. We’re fellow gardeners.” She winked at Jenny, got up and walked away while greeting everyone she met.
Lillian and Charles came to them the minute they saw Barbara leave their little huddle.
“Jennifer, are you alright?” Charles asked, sounding truly concerned. “Jason, she’s turned white.” Then to add humor and ease the obvious tension he asked, “Now don’t tell me you’ve become a vampire to woo this beautiful lady. We know she likes those mysterious, dark dudes, look at her shirt!”
Jason smiled as he helped hold Jennifer steady on her feet. “No blood sucking here. Barbara asked to review one of Jennifer’s finished novels.”
Lillian looked surprised, “She did?!”
Suddenly seeming to understand Jenny’s reaction she said, “I’d be doing jumping jacks or passing out too.”
“I forgot to breathe,” Jenny admitted trying to make the spots disappear from in front of her eyes.
They all said in unison, “Breathe!”
The rest of the ev
ening was a blur.
Jason thankfully stayed by her side.
She assumed with a self-conscious laugh that he didn’t want her to stop breathing again and embarrass him by passing out.
When she was still a toddler her family took her to several doctors to find the cause of her holding her breath. All they could discern was it must be an emotional response to some unknown stressor. Her parents were assured her breathing would return once she passed out. That had only occurred a few times but she didn’t want it to happen now, not here and not in front of so many important people.
Her cell went off for the second time and though she saw curiosity in Jason’s eyes, as she checked to see who the call was from, he didn’t question her each time she stopped the ring.
“Got a later date?” he finally ended up asking as they meandered through the group trying to find another chair to sit in.
“Nope, this is our time Jas,” she responded to his pleasure.
6 – BEACH PARTY SHOCKER
When the meal was ready to be served buffet style, Charles, their host, announced their priest was going to give the blessing over the food.
This was a new one, Jennifer thought, however, everyone everywhere hushed and bowed their head. Many even held hands as she heard someone from the edge of the crowd give a benediction. She felt Jason’s hand lightly touch hers for a second before suddenly moving his fingers away.
Prayer? At a party? Never had that happen before, Jennifer decided, with a slight nervous cough. At a party? This was really odd in her book.
“Jen, I have several other friends I’d like for you to meet if you don’t mind?” Jason asked, speaking low to her as they mingled in the large dining room with a plate in one hand and a glass in the other.
“Sure thing, big guy.”
He stopped to greet various people who were also trying to find a place to settle down to eat.
The room was filled with small, tall round tables with tall comfy rolling bar stools with backs. The usual dining suite had been removed for the party and thus the multiple cozy tables, Jason explained. Each table had a glowing frosted light ball in its center, each a different muted shade of peach, blue, green, or cream - beach colors. It gave a decisive romantic air to the large room
THE DAWNING (The Dawning Trilogy) Page 5
