Weathering Stormy
Page 17
He needed some air…and fast.
He flung open the doors to the gym and marched out to the parking lot. The restrictive damned jacket was the first to go. He flung the offensive thing into his car, followed by the tie that threatened to choke off his air supply. He should never have agreed to wear them in the first place, but Pam had nearly blown a gasket when he’d told her he wasn’t wearing the slacks. The jacket and tie seemed like a good compromise at the time.
He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves while sucking in a big breath of the warm, damp, night air. Exasperated, he ran a hand through his hair, cringing at the crunchy feel of the dried gel that Pam had insisted on.
“Brylan, are you going to tell me what the hell is wrong? Or do I need to beat it out of you?”
“Wow, Coop. Way to be subtle.”
“Well…I’ve been trying to get your attention for half an hour….”
“I’ve just got a lot on my mind is all.”
Cooper cocked a suspicious eyebrow, “Does it have anything to do with that brunette goddess in purple that you’ve been gawking at since we got here?”
“Damn. Am I that obvious?”
“Uh, yeah. To me anyway. I recognize that look. I was sporting it myself not long ago after I busted up with Monica.”
Brylan leaned over the hood of his car and hung his head, “Tell me what I should do, man. I just can’t get her out of my head. She’s smart, and beautiful, and funny….”
“Man…. If this were any place other than Yaupon, I’d tell you to wait it out until she graduates in a couple of weeks. But this is Yaupon… and people like to talk. Doesn’t matter if what you’re doing is right or wrong. It only matters what people around here think about it. You know how it is. Opinions are like assholes—everybody’s got one. And around here, opinions are what count.”
“Yeah. I’ve figured that one out already. Yesterday I had Flint call me into his office to more or less ask me if I was screwing one of his students.”
Cooper’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “No shit?”
“Well, he asked if I had a girl living with me…I had to explain to him that she’s a tenant.”
“Damn, dude.” He exhaled loudly and ruffled the back of his hair. “That’s rough. I wonder who’s been running their mouth.”
Brylan stood up straight to stretch some of the tension out of his shoulders and leaned against the side of the car so that he was facing Cooper. “That’s what gets me, Coop. I haven’t done a damn thing wrong. I’ve only been in this town for a few months and people are already starting rumors…and I don’t like living under a microscope.”
Cooper clapped a hand on his shoulder, “Man, I hate to tell you this…but if that’s the case, you chose the wrong town…and the wrong profession.”
Cooper was right. Brylan was living a life that he hadn’t chosen for himself. His dad had talked him into teaching; an injury had taken away his chance at a baseball career; and, Principal Flint had roped him into dating Pam. It seemed that everything in his life had been dictated by something or someone other than him. And he was sick of it.
Brylan looked up at the small sprinkling of stars in the sky and let out a long sigh. “Guess we better get back inside before rumors start flying about me and you.”
Coop dropped his head back and let out a hoot of laughter. “I oughta take some empty boxes over to your house and pretend I’m moving in…start a feeding frenzy amongst the town busy bodies.”
“Pfft. You’re a real riot, Coop.” He opened his car door to retrieve his jacket and then paused. He slammed it closed again.
Screw the damned jacket.
****
Stormy giggled as Nozz twirled her around and then pulled her up against his chest again. Who knew he was so smooth on the dance floor? She couldn’t help but notice the several pairs of female eyes that were staring in their direction. Too bad, ladies. He’s with me tonight.
Surprisingly, Stormy was having tons more fun than she had anticipated, but she was still a little distracted by Brylan’s earlier disappearance. By the look on his face and the tension in his frame as he walked through the gym, he was clearly upset. She wondered if he was coming back, or if she’d missed her opportunity to talk to him.
And then she spotted him.
He returned to the gym sans jacket and sexy beyond words. A rogue lock of hair escaped from his previously slick sculpted head and had fallen down over his forehead. It was just begging to have her fingers run through it.
“You’re going to set the room on fire if you keep looking at him like that.” She whipped her gaze from Brylan to Nozz in horror. She wanted to defend herself, but all thoughts had fallen from her head. All she could do was stare at him with wide eyes and mouth ajar while Nozz smirked at her. “Geez, Stormy. It’s okay. Just keep moving your feet…or else we’re gonna get plowed over.”
She squeezed her eyes shut and begged for the right words. Come on, Stormy. Think!
Still nothing.
“Don’t look so shocked. I’ve known you had a thing for the coach for a while now.”
“Nozz,” she opened her eyes and looked at him apologetically, “I don’t know what to say….”
“You don’t have to say anything. I knew I was sloppy seconds before I asked you to prom.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “Sloppy seconds? I wouldn’t exactly phrase it like that, Nozz. In case you haven’t noticed…every girl in here has been drooling over you. You’re a catch.”
His grin widened. “I know. I’m not totally clueless. I had plenty of options for prom dates.”
Stormy realized that she was more self-absorbed than she had originally thought. Why wouldn’t girls be throwing themselves at Nozz? He was handsome, funny, and he had that whole lackadaisical thing going on that made him seem a little mysterious. In other words, he was charming.
“So why did you come with me if you knew I had eyes for somebody else? I don’t understand…you ruined your own prom.”
“No. I absolutely did not,” he said emphatically. “I knew you wouldn’t come to prom otherwise, and I didn’t want you to miss it. Plus, you’re good company. I didn’t want to spend the whole night listening to some girl gush over what everybody else is wearing and obsessing over her hair…and all that other crap that most girls do.”
“So, it was mostly all about you, then?” she teased.
“Definitely.”
His cockiness earned him a light punch on the shoulder. “Nozz…. What am I going to do with you?”
He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, “I have some ideas….”
She punched him again, a little harder this time.
“Owe!” He feigned injury by clutching his shoulder and then embarrassed the hell out of her with, “Help! Abuse! This girl is hurting me!”
“Shhhh! Shut up, stupid,” she scolded him in a giggly, whispered yell. “People are looking at us!”
She wasn’t exaggerating. People were staring. One of them was Brylan. And he looked like he could spit nails.
Stormy stopped dancing and told Nozz, “I have something to take care of. I’ll be right back.”
The look on his face turned grave and he gently tugged her back toward him. “Stormy, I know it’s not my business, but you’re my friend and I don’t want you to get hurt….”
“What is it, Nozz? Spit it out.” His tone had her worried.
“Coach…. Even if he likes you back, there’s nothing he can do about it. He’ll lose his job, Stormy.” His words came out slow and careful and his eyes were apologetic, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the ripple of anger that ran through her.
“I know Nozz. Everybody has made that abundantly clear.” As she spoke the words, understanding set in, and she knew what she had to do. The writing was on the wall and it echoed what everyone had already told her.
She and Brylan didn’t have a chance.
Trudy said it. Nozz said it. And hell, even Bry
lan had said it…just not in as many words. She dragged her eyes from Nozz’s and scanned the gym, only to see that Pam had rejoined Brylan at the refreshment table. She watched as Pam smoothed the front of Brylan’s shirt and then slipped her arm through his. The small, intimate act helped cement her decision.
“You know what, Nozz? What I have to say to Brylan can wait. I’m all yours for the rest of the night.” Nozz raised a cocky, blond eyebrow and a cheeky grin spread across his handsome face, earning him another punch in the arm. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
He clutched his fake injury again, “Good. Because I’m probably going to need a doctor later.”
****
Butterflies bounced around like ping-pong balls inside Stormy’s stomach as she and Nozz made the trek up the stairs to her apartment. Though they were just friends, the evening had still felt very much like a date. And didn’t most dates end with a kiss? The whole idea of it made her nervous.
“Don’t worry,” Nozz said as she put the key in the door, “I’m not going to try to kiss you or anything.” He was leaning casually against the doorframe with his arms crossed across his chest, smirking as if not kissing her was a foregone conclusion. And for some reason unbeknownst to her, a wave of disappointment washed over her. She turned the key until she heard the click and then paused. Do I want him to kiss me?
The clearing of his throat interrupted her thoughts, “I should tell you that you’re not going to be seeing much of me anymore.”
She was panic stricken. Oh no. She’d screwed things up. He never wanted to see her again. “Wh…why not?” she stuttered.
“I got a job over at the hospital. I’ll be mopping floors and emptying trash cans.”
Relief mixed with disappointment. “That’s good I guess. You getting a job I mean. But it’s going to really suck not having you around.”
His expression was solemn as his eyes focused on the wooden boards of the landing beneath their feet. Stormy gave his forearm a light squeeze. “You don’t look too thrilled about it.”
“Would you be? Mopping up people’s vomit and urine and….” He shivered. “I don’t even want to think about it.”
Stormy could definitely identify with that sentiment. She’d been there and done that…and it wasn’t pretty.
“Maybe it won’t be so bad,” she tried to reassure him even though she knew otherwise.
“Maybe,” he said thoughtfully. “At least the pay is decent. Not great, but better than flipping burgers. But the most important thing is the hours. I’ll mostly be working the day shift so I’ll be able to get home before dad does.”
Stormy didn’t know how to respond in words, but her heart ached for him. Poor guy…his whole life centered on protecting his mom from his dad. It wasn’t fair.
“That’s good, Nozz,” she said with forced enthusiasm. She secretly wished she had a magic wand that she could wave around and change his circumstances. Hers too, for that matter.
Suddenly, the thought of going inside the quiet apartment didn’t appeal to her. She wasn’t ready to be alone, and she definitely wasn’t ready to go to bed. Sleep would be impossible anyway, as bedtime was when the demons came out to play. That’s when her mind always came alive with thoughts of Mama…and Brylan…and every damned bad thing that’s ever happened to her.
“I know it’s late, Nozz, but do you want to go get a burger or something? Unless you need to get home, in which case I totally understand.”
Nozz’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “A burger sounds really good right now. I’m starving, and since my brother and his wife are visiting, I can stay out as late as I want. For tonight anyway. Dad’s always on his best behavior when other people are around.”
Huh. A brother. She wondered if he was just as much of a charming smartass as Nozz. The thought made her smile. “Just give me a minute to change my shoes.”
Chapter Sixteen
It had been a long, lonely two weeks since the prom. Stormy had barely seen Nozz since he’d started his job at the hospital. He worked every afternoon and most weekends, and after graduation the hospital would be putting him on full-time.
Although Stormy didn’t envy him having to empty bedpans and mop floors, at least Nozz had a plan. She, on the other hand, had no idea what the future held for her. Graduation was just around the corner and her whole life was up in the air.
Unfinished financial aid applications crinkled beneath her as she rolled over on the futon and stared up at the ceiling. What the hell was she going to do if the whole college thing didn’t pan out? Before Mama had thrown her out, she’d saved every penny she could. But being on her own hadn’t allowed her savings to grow as she’d originally planned. Buying food and paying rent left very little left over, and things were looking bleaker by the day.
In the beginning, before everything got so messed up between them, Brylan had told her she could stay for as long as she wanted. Rent free. But that was when they were friends. Now, things were tense between them and it just didn’t feel right living in his place for free. Not wanting to face him, and knowing he’d refuse them anyway, Stormy had been placing bi-weekly payments in his mailbox. It wasn’t much, but it was something. And it made her feel better to put a label on things.
She and Brylan weren’t friends. They weren’t in a relationship.
They were leaser and lessee.
As if on cue, a lawnmower cranked up outside, drawing Stormy out of her thoughts and drawing her over to the window. Sure enough, there was Brylan, shirtless and glistening with sweat as he push-mowed the strip of yard between his house and the garage apartment.
And there she was, staring at him again.
Grrr…. What is wrong with me? She yanked the frilly yellow curtains closed and buried her face in a pillow to stifle her frustrated groans.
****
For the next two hours Stormy distracted herself with grant and loan applications. She was nearly cross-eyed from staring at the tiny print, and her hand was starting to cramp up. She was regretting her decision to print them out and take them home rather than completing them online at the public library. Had she realized how much of a pain in the ass they were going to be, she would have stayed there and endured the musty smell and the creepy librarian that kept eyeing her as if she were a criminal. What did she thing she would do, stuff the desktop computer under her shirt and make a run for it?
Her stomach growled, reminding her that the half a bag of chips she had for breakfast wasn’t enough to sustain life, so she hopped up from the futon and sauntered to the tiny kitchen.
Hmmm…there wasn’t much to choose from. She had cereal, but no milk. There was peanut butter, but no bread. “Story of my life,” she ground out between clenched teeth. Then she spotted a can of tuna fish…and a sleeve of crackers. “Okay. Guess I’m having tuna.”
Just as she was pulling the can opener out of the drawer somebody knocked on the door, startling her and causing her to drop the can opener on her bare foot. “Dammit!” She hobbled over to the door and was surprised to see Nozz standing on the other side.
“Hey, Nozz. What are you doing here? I thought you were working.”
“I was, but my supervisor let me off early. Look, I’m really sorry to barge in on you…”
His expression was grave she detected a note of anxiety in his tone. The remorseful look in his eyes caused unease to slide over her. “What is it, Nozz? Are you okay? Did something happen—”
“No,” he cut her off, “I think it’s your mom.”
She couldn’t’ have heard him right. He didn’t even know her mom. “What do you mean? What about her?”
Nozz let out a shaky breath, “Well, I was taking out the trash in the emergency department when EMS rolled in a woman on a stretcher. She was yelling and cursing… and I didn’t think anything of it at first. They bring in drunk people all the time that scream and yell about wanting to go home. It always makes me wonder why they called for help in the first place.”
“Because I heard her call out for you…I heard her say, ‘Stormy,’ and then I heard the nurse address her as ‘Marni’. Isn’t that your mom’s name?”
All of the blood rushed out of Stormy’s face and pooled in her feet. Her head was swimming.
Mama needed her.
“Maybe you should sit down for a minute, Stormy.”
“No. I…I’ve got to go.” She shook the fuzz from her head and started rushing around to find her keys and shoes. On her way to the door Nozz reached out and grabbed a hold of her arm.