by Amy Rachiele
I glance up and see her in the doorway. Will has parked himself on the mattress next to me. He is stroking his hand up and down my leg from knee to ankle. I take a small sip of my coffee. Mmmm!
“Coffee served to you in bed? He is definitely a keeper!” Jen imparts her words of wisdom emphatically. “I’m not here to bother you; I just need to borrow your coat.” She goes into my closet and rummages around. Pulling out my navy pea coat, Jen removes it from the hanger. “Jake is taking me to the park this morning. The fresh air should be good for him. Are we all still meeting for lunch?” she asks, talking a mile a minute.
“Yeah,” Will answers. He gives me a look like does she does this all the time? “I guess we will be spending some time at my house,” he mumbles to me under his breath.
“What was that?” Jen asks sarcastically. “I’ve already seen your lily-white ass in the air early this morning.”
OMG! Jen came down here this morning. I flush with mortification, but Will, who has learned Jen’s disposition over the past week, gives it right back.
“Well, at least she is getting some?” Will says challenging her. I can’t believe Jen walked in on us. Holy crap! I didn’t even hear her, and neither did Will. I pull the sheet over my head.
“I’ll get some, when I want some,” she spits back acerbically. “Jake has to earn it!” she says with sarcasm. “Besides, he is hurt. It’s going to be at least a couple of weeks for his shoulder to heal up.”
I can’t believe this conversation is happening. I am totally and one hundred percent embarrassed from my toes to my hairline.
“Watch out, Joy. You may stay that red forever,” Jen says and dances out of the room.
I yank off the sheet and screech when the front door closes. “Oh my God!” I cry to Will.
Laughter rumbles in his chest until he is in a complete fit. My mattress shakes with every rumble of Will’s amused body.
“Ignore her,” he says soothingly through his laughter as he reaches for me. “I’ll put up a chain on the door. We can use it to keep her out when we’re busy,” Will chuckles with a heavy inflection on ‘busy.’ I shove my head back under the sheet too embarrassed to look at him. “Or,” he adds. “I can put a bell around her neck.”
I laugh and he pulls the sheet away from my face. He gently presses down my staticky hair and softly kisses me on the nose. Will always knows what to say to me. Jen is right. He is a keeper.
*****
The morning passes by quickly and quietly, which is a welcomed change to the chaos of the past week. I shower and dress, getting ready to meet everyone for lunch.
Will and I walk hand-in-hand down the sidewalk to a place that is walking distance from my apartment building. We are quiet as we pass other college students going about the daily routine and activities.
“Are we in disguise?” I ask. I laugh quietly to myself thinking about the hats and sunglasses and holding hands roadside, high tech FBI disguises.
“Nope,” he quips.
We enter Sochi’s Grille and scan around looking for everyone. In a corner, opposite the street-side window is a long table. At it sits Jen and Jake, along with Kara and Derek. Jake’s arm is fitted into a white sling.
“Hey,” Will says as we approach. Derek stands and gives Will a manly one-armed half-hug.
Kara’s face is looking better just after one night in the hospital. Her lips aren’t as chapped and blistered. Showered and cleaned up makes her look refreshed. Living with her aunt should help too. She won’t be in the clutches of her father, who is in jail anyway, but the sting of his behavior and betrayal is probably something Kara and her family will have to deal with for many years to come.
Kara’s aunt showed up the next day while we were all hanging out at the hospital waiting for Kara and Jake to be released. She is Kara’s mother’s sister. Her face was flooded with complete and utter disbelief and devastation at what has been going on with Kara’s father. Apparently, Kara’s aunt had no idea.
The way Kara is mooning at Derek helps too, giving her an amazing glow that has virtually erased the dark days of torment. I’m happy for her. Derek seems to sort of cancel out what her father has done. She’s not alone. We have all become friends...good ones, and we won’t let her down. I don’t think Derek can ever erase what Tommy did to her, but, from what I’ve seen, I think he is good medicine.
The waitress comes over, and we all order. We chit-chat and make small talk. No one really wants to talk about anything too heavy.
“Did you see the football game last night?” Derek asks Will.
“Nope. I was busy.”
My face flames in embarrassment as Jen erupts into giggles. Last night was one of the best nights of my life. Will and me, enjoying each other, comfortable in the silence, a regular night transformed into greatness just by being together. I can’t believe he just said that! I elbow him in the ribs and shoot Jen a death glare.
The waitress comes back quickly with our lunch. Everyone ordered sandwiches except Jake. He ordered a steak...rare. Jen begins cutting Jake’s steak into bite-size pieces, reaching up to give him a bite from time to time.
“Dude,” Will asks, “why did you order a steak when your arm is in a cast?”
“Because I have Jen here to cut it for me,” Jake smirks.
“You ass!” Jen yells at him.
“I’m a...smart-ass,” he counters.
Jen huffs, and tosses the fork and knife down. She picks up her sandwich in annoyance and bites into it. This was going to be an interesting relationship!
“So...Derek and I have an announcement,” Will declares. We all turn to him waiting.
“We’ve been promoted.” Pride shows on his face and Derek smiles. “Bill is going to have us working on some high profile cases. He said we proved ourselves in the field and are moving up. Our security clearance will now be top-secret.”
“That is great!” I squeal. “Congratulations!”
Kara kisses Derek, and whispers, “Congrats.”
“What kind of cases?” I ask.
“They wouldn’t be top-secret if I tell you,” he counters and kisses my nose.
“Top secret?” I question. “Are they going to be dangerous?”
“Well...” Will is hesitant and glances at Derek for help. Derek says nothing. Will musters up a soothing voice. “That is the nature of the job, Joy.”
I think about it. Why wouldn’t it be dangerous? That’s what he signed up for. It is what made him what he is today. I am going to have to get used to it.
I look up into his eyes and think that it’s been a great day. No car chases, getting shot at, or sleeping in jeans. And, to think, he was right under my nose all through high school...as though destiny brought us together and didn’t give up until we had made a connection.
Fate is a mysterious thing, it sneaks up on you when you least expect it. The events that followed Will’s beating spiraled out of control and morphed it into a new life for me. I wouldn’t change it for anything. Something amazing came out of something catastrophic.
I look at Will...then Jen, my best friend, and Jake. I shift my attention to Derek and Kara, and I smile, very pleased with the way things turned out. Everyone at the table is silent, and that’s okay. Silence is definitely okay.
Other books by Amy Rachiele:
Mobster Series
Mobster’s Girl 1
Awakening the Mobster 2
Mobster’s Vendetta 3
Mobster’s Angel 4 (Coming Soon)
Frosted Over
Coming Soon
Sybrina
(Historical Paranormal Romance)
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