"Sure," Ginger said and as she watched him walk to the back of the restaurant she answered the phone.
Roger started in on her about her email to their realtor right off the bat. She didn't have much of a chance to get a word in edge wise. Quite frankly all she wanted to do was tell him that she would have to call him back later.
"Listen, Rog, I am at a business meeting. I really can't get into this right now. Please stop worrying about the house and please for heaven's sake don't call or email Sandra. I told you that I would handle it." Ginger felt her blood pressure increase with each word he spoke.
She was trying to get off the phone with him before Redford came back from the bathroom. But, damn he was fast. She could see him nearing the table. She didn't know what to do. It would be just as rude for her to get up and walk away as it would be for her to sit there on the phone with her ex-husband. As for that date, she wanted one too.
Roger continued to berate her and tell her how he didn't do business with people that didn't do what they said they would. He explained to her that there are dates on a contract for a reason, as if she was unaware of this. Redford sat back down and gave her a half smile.
"Listen, I have to-"she tried to interrupt him, but he kept going on and on.
"Everything ok?" Redford sat very straight, if Ginger didn't know any better she would have thought that he was puffing up his chest like a lion.
Ginger half nodded half shook her head. It really wasn't ok, but she didn't really want to tell him that. Roger was yelling so loud that even with the volume turned down she was afraid that Redford could hear him yelling.
"Ok, I understand all that. Please, I need to go. I told you that I will contact Ira. If you have a problem with something you can call him. I thought I made myself pretty clear earlier today." Ginger took a deep breath. "I don't want to be rude and hang up on you, but I am getting off the phone now. Goodbye, Roger."
Ginger turned her phone all the way off and slid it back into her purse. "I am so sorry."
"It's ok, not my business. I don't know if that is business thing or a boyfriend thing, but one thing I do know is you don't deserve to be spoken to like that. No one does."
"Thanks. It was actually my ex-husband. We are still in the process of selling our old house. It is an unnecessary annoyance that will hopefully be behind me soon enough." Ginger felt her stomach start to sour and she couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
She pushed her plate to the side. This was officially the least she had ever had to eat at this place. At least she had one slice of pizza and a few bites of salad.
"I thought you said this was the best pizza? You aren't done are you?" Redford pointed to her plate.
"It is, I just don't think I am as hungry as I thought I was. You know I forgot I have a really early appointment first thing tomorrow morning, I should get home."
"Really?" There was a dip in his voice. "Ok, why don't you wrap this food to take home? I can't eat anymore either and I am in a hotel room so I can't take any of it."
"I don't know, I guess I can. Pizza for breakfast is always good." She feigned a soft chuckle.
Red got the attention of the waitress and swirled his finger around the top of the pizza signifying to her that they would need the food wrapped. She nodded at him and was back over to the table with an empty pizza box in a flash.
Chapter Thirteen
GINGER RAN HER FINGERS THROUGH her hair repeatedly as she drove. It was a nervous habit she had as a young girl. It had been a long time since she had done it to such an extent. At least she was mature enough and aware of what she was doing, she had a period of time where her twirling caused a bald spot on the right side of her head.
She looked over at the full pizza box and was pissed at Roger and herself for being dumb enough to answer the phone when she was out to dinner with the first guy since she and Roger met nearly ten years earlier.
It may not have officially been a date, but it did feel like one, not only for Ginger, but for Redford as well. Ginger knew this based on his comment. She rushed out of the restaurant as fast as she could to avoid the potentially awkward goodbye. She knew she would see him again on a professional level at the restaurant, and maybe that was all that would be between them.
He'd said that he would like to take her out again, but that was before- before the ugliness that seeped out of her cell phone. He also lived hundreds of miles away. Even if he came back and they dated a few times while he was there on business, how could they actually have anything more than a casual relationship? Maybe that was all he was interested in.
She guessed she would never know. She and her left over pizza were on their way home to an empty condo. Maybe she needed a cat, she could see herself becoming a cat lady. At least someone would be there at the door waiting to greet her at the end of her day.
Ginger really needed to relax and de-stress from the overwhelmingly emotional day. There were so many peaks and valleys that it was hard to sort out if it was a good day or a bad day. She didn't really need to put a label on it, did she?
Maybe not, but she did need to wash it away with a nice hot bath, some chill music, maybe a glass of wine and a really good romance book. Maybe romance wasn't what she needed, maybe a good fantasy book to escape with. Either way she had more books than she had time read downloaded on her tablet.
Ginger drank most of the Riesling she opened the night before so she decided to stop and pick something up and a new red candle to burn during her soak. She would have to be quick so her pizza didn't get gross in the hot car.
Just as Ginger got back in her car, her phone rang. She sighed and considered tossing the evil little machine out the window. The poor phone didn't do anything to her, it was the person wielding the phone at the other end of the line.
Against her better judgment she pulled it from its designated pocket in her purse. If it was Roger or Ira for that matter she wasn't going to answer. They could wait until tomorrow. Roger could wait a lifetime for all she cared. She actually debated on blocking his number all together. Ira was getting a call from her either way when she woke up, but not tonight.
It was Jasinda. A sigh of relief floated down over her tense body. She answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Hey, hun, how was the pizza?" Jasinda asked.
Ginger hesitated. What could she say, she barely ate and then abruptly ended the meal.
"It, uh..."
"Everything ok, Ginger?"
"Yes, well, no. Maybe, I don't know. The pizza it was good, but I only had a few bites."
"Oh, did something happen with Redford? He didn't turn out to be a jerk did he?"
"Oh, heavens no. He was more than polite. Stupid Roger blew up my phone in the middle of dinner. It got to the point where I had to answer the call. Redford suggested that it must be important, but he didn't know."
"Oh dear."
"Yeah, exactly. He excused himself to use the restroom so I could answer, but when he came back to the table he could hear Roger yelling at me through the phone. It became very uncomfortable." Ginger was glad that she had not started to drive away yet. She felt her hands starting to tremble at the thought of reliving that moment again in her head.
"We were actually having a really nice time, a nice enough time that it looked like he was going to ask me out on a date."
"So, wow. He didn't ask you out?"
"Honestly, he didn't even have a chance. I ran out of there so fast once he paid the check that I probably looked like I was running the NY Marathon." Ginger turned the AC on full blast. Even though the sun was starting to sink it was still unseasonable hot.
"I am no expert, or maybe I am. He was completely enamored with you. Even Steve could see it. One thing I am a bit of an expert on is Magic, and if I didn't know any better, there was something magical about the encounter he had with you at Dunkin' Donuts. He saw something special about you and wanted to be a part of your existence, even if it was just bringing a simple smile to your
face by buying you a cup of coffee."
"He also could have felt bad for me because I was such a klutz, or because he wanted to get in my pants."
"He could be that kind of a person, but you told me that he bought you a coffee and left, you didn't even know he bought the coffee for you until after he had left. He is someone who is doing something without expectations of something in return. There is something very pure and true about that." Jasinda's voice was about as level as the truth in her words.
"That is all well and good. I am glad that we know he is a good person, because we wouldn't want to do business with someone with a crooked attitude. Speaking of which, do you have a meeting with him tomorrow?"
"I think he might be flying back to Chicago, I'm not sure. I left all the planning to Steve. I know that they talked about the best thing for him to do was to go back and meet with his staff and then schedule a time to come back for an extended period of time to work with us once we can firm up our exact business expansion plan."
"Oh, ok so I guess I don't have to worry about things being weird between us tomorrow. I can't wait until I never have to speak to Roger again. I can't believe the sale on our house got all messed up."
"Is that what you were upset about this morning?" Jasinda asked.
Ginger put the car in drive and decided that she was ok to drive. It was too hot for her to sit there. She didn't get to eat dinner and she couldn't bear the idea of all that food going to waste. She was hoping that she would have her appetite back later.
"I always say it, but it's true, things happen for a reason. Sometimes things fall apart so when you pick up the pieces they fit together better. Watch, everything with your house will work out just fine."
"I am afraid that Roger will under sell it to spite me and the realtor. I don't trust him and he has enough money to do it out of spite. I am really counting on the money as part of my investment in your restaurant."
"Our restaurant and don't worry about that now. You said it yourself, you are open to the possibilities of where this idea might lead you. Just know that I am here for you and will hold your hand if you need help up any of the steps along the way, even if those steps don't lead to my doorway." Jasinda had a way with making the worst situations sound like a blessing.
"Thank you so much, Jasinda. I really appreciate it, and you are right, I am just a little bit embarrassed. I will get over it. Besides I'm sure it isn't something a nice glass of wine and some of the magic salt scrub can't help to wash away." Ginger sucked in a deep breath of fresh air through her nose, it felt good and cleansing. "I'm almost home anyway."
"Ok, you relax and get some rest. Remember you get to go home and enjoy that mini make-over you were up all night doing. You never did get to show me the pictures," Jasinda reminded her.
"Oh shoot, how did I forget. If I remember I will send them to you when I get home. Thanks for calling."
Chapter Fourteen
GINGER PUT THE PIZZA AWAY in the fridge along with a bottle of wine and a six-pack of pumpkin beer. She was so excited to see that the pumpkin beers had started to come out. It was the end of August, but by the time fall rolled around the winter beers would be out.
She stared in at her beverage options, she had cold wine from the night before, but if she was going to nibble on that pizza later, beer would be so much better. And besides they were cold.
Ginger went a little bit overboard and bought a variety of red candles, she wasn't sure why Jasinda told her to burn red candles, but for whatever the potential healing properties of the red might have had, she wanted to max it out. And there was the soothing ambience that a room full of candles provided.
Ginger poured her beer into a large plastic wine glass so she didn't have to worry about the possibility of breaking a glass in the bathroom. She set up her assorted candles all over her bedroom and bathroom. That way she wouldn't have to come out of the bath to harsh lighting. She wanted her mellow mood to carry her to bed.
She started to draw the bath after all the candles were lit. Between the running water and the soothing glow she was feeling more relaxed already. Ginger used to journal before she got married to Roger. She did a lot of things before she and Roger were married. How she had been blind to how much of herself she gave up was beyond her.
She tossed her dirty clothes in the linen basket, grabbed her tablet and an empty notebook she knew was next to the computer. After she walked away from the computer she heard it bleeping. She just shook her head. No chance she was getting herself mixed up in dealing with anyone else for the day. It was Ginger time.
Ginger grabbed a hair clip and twisted her hair up on to the top of her head. She put two fresh towels on the closed toilet beside the tub and tested the water with her toes. It was a little bit on the hot side, but she would eventually get used to it once she got in. It took her a few minutes to ease into the heat, but it felt good. She felt her face flush from her rising temperatures.
Letting her head rest against the cold tile, she pondered whether to read or write. Reading a good book, would be nice, but that would require her having to sort through her daunting list of books. She could of course just aimlessly choose one of them. She did download all the books for a reason; at least most of them, if not all should have been something she thought she would have enjoyed.
She opted for the pad of paper and a ballpoint pen. When she decided to start writing something, she envisioned herself talking about her goals and other possible aspirations. Never did she expect that once her pen hit the paper that her heart would open up and bleed out onto the page.
"Dear Dad," she whispered so low she wished she hadn't heard the words. "God," she softly begged with hurt so deep. The mere idea of writing a letter to the only man she every truly loved or relied on, almost broke her in two. She slowly focused the pen to glide across the page.
Dear Dad,
So much has happened in the short amount of time that you have been gone. I suppose you know that Roger asked me for a divorce. It was a hard blow after just having lost you. But I know you would agree with the fact that it was the best thing he ever did for me.
I wasn't ready for you to go. And not having you in such a desperate time in my life was almost unbearable. It seems so unfair; I imagined that we would have so much more time together. Plans and dreams that we shared that will now never come to fruition. I am now alone and still yearning to be guided by you.
I still find myself leaning on the very idea of you. In fact, even in your absence I find that I now have the capacity to see more clearly the lessons you taught me. I call upon you so often; wishing that I could remember the melodic timbre of your voice that always brought me inner peace and strength, but you're gone.
Ginger's hand shook as she released the pen from the paper. Her chest began to tighten and a lump formed in the center of her throat making it hard to swallow. The clear evidence of her writing the letter was burning at her eyes with the unshed tears that she still held back. Ginger was hot, her body wet, covered in perspiration and steam created by the hot water her body was submerged in.
I bring to mind your proud eyes to boost my inner strength. Knowing that you always believed in me reminds me that I am worth believing in myself. It is a priceless gift that many children never receive even from those that come from the wealthiest of homes.
Being here in your home that I now call my own is filled with bittersweet memories. Every time I round a corner or I have news to share I expect to find you there. I will not allow that to cloud my efforts to fill these walls with as many memories as I can. Memories that I know would bring a smile to your face.
I pray every night that you hear me when I ask you for your guidance and protection as I walk through this precious time I call life.
I was living in the dark, filled with the deceit of my reality, one I probably helped to carve. I know I can't blame everything on Roger, I was an active participant in my life even if it was that of standing down and letting him lead the way.
Unfortunately I let him usher me away from myself. I am thankful to say that I am on the road back to my own identity. An identity and a self that is true to who I know I am and who I can continue to grow to be.
There are moments that feel futile without you here, but then, I picture your face and the look in your eyes when we were together and I remember...to have hope.
I am missing you with every ounce of my soul. There won't be a day in my life that goes by without you being a part of who I am.
Forever your baby,
Ginger
Ginger halted the flow of ink and pinched her eyes together not fully realizing that the tears had been cascading down the cheeks of her porcelain skin. Red strands of her hair fell from her clip sticking to the honey like tears getting caught in the torrent of unresolved sadness.
She tossed the notepad and pen onto the floor just past her floor mat. She couldn't wipe at her face while she held them, and her hands, until this point, were the only thing left that were dry.
She leaned over the edge of the tub letting her breasts rest on top of the cold lip of the tub to grab at one of the towels she put out for when she finished her bath. She took in a ragged nasal breath and her nostrils vibrated as she wiped the tears and sweat from her face.
As she buried her face in the soft bumpy terry cloth she again pinched her eyes together as hard as she could, trying to stop the shed of overdue tears. She took another breath and tossed the towel back on top of the toilet.
She sunk back into the hot water now allowing it to cover her hands and her chest. Ginger slid her butt down toward her feet, sinking further beneath the transparent glow of forgiving fluid. She was submerged, letting her limbs float gently in what felt like a pool of tears. Once she couldn't hold her breath any longer she decided it was time to come up for air and a cool sip of her beer.
Jack and Ginger (Sacred Heart Coven Book 3) Page 10
