All Bets Are Off

by Marguerite Labbe

  “Nope.” Ash tugged on his earlobe. “Still I don’t know if Eli would tell me right away if there had been. Maybe it is over with, but all of Wayne’s reasons for blackmailing him in the first place still remain, and if he does have the proof he claimed in the note, then he could be tempted. He could destroy Eli’s career with even a hint of it to his department head.”

  “I don’t envy you that balancing act you’re playing. How pissed was he when you told him the bet was still on?”

  Ash thought back to their dinner the other night and the expression on Eli’s face. “He’s got a temper, that’s for sure. It catches you by surprise because normally he’s so easygoing.” At least Eli didn’t usually stay mad long. Ash was sure that Jabber’s injuries and his confrontation with Wayne had played a part in Eli being so distant last week. “Blackmail is a felony, and Wayne’s given no indication that he plans to stop, even if Eli confronted him. If there had been an apology or admission of guilt, then I’d be more inclined to drop the bet. I don’t think it’s over with and someone’s already been hurt.”

  “You could go to Cooper yourself. As you said, it involves you now. You’d be within your rights.”

  Ash scrubbed a hand over his hair and shook his head. “Believe me, the thought did cross my mind. But I think it just might kill whatever it is I’ve got going on with Eli. It’s bad enough that I’ve cornered him, he’d see that as a betrayal on top of it.”

  “Good luck.”

  “You too, buddy.” Ash smiled at Kurtis. He felt like he had too many sisters sometimes and Kurtis was like the brother he’d never had. “I’ll see you soon.”

  Eli was going to find a way to finish this damned bet once and for all without letting Ash win. Unless Wayne pushed him again, in which case he’d happily let Ash do whatever he wanted. And Ash was thirsting to take Wayne down. He hadn’t seen Wayne around town since Eli had confronted him, but he was pretty sure there hadn’t been any more break-ins. So that was one mark in Wayne’s favor. A small one.

  He was running out of time. Sooner or later, either Ash or Wayne would lose their patience. He couldn’t picture either one just dropping the whole matter, so he needed to find that damn baseball card, without alienating his dad any more than he already had. Eli wasn’t quite sure what he’d do with it once he had it, but it would at least give him some leverage to make Wayne see sense before he truly lost everything and ended up in jail.

  Wayne’s truck wasn’t outside the house he shared with his dad. Good, he didn’t think Wayne would let Eli speak to him. Mr. Grayson’s nurse, an older woman with graying hair opened the door at his knock, and Eli smiled at her. “How are you doing, Ms. Parisot? Is Mr. Grayson in?”

  “Of course, Eli. He’ll be glad for some company.” The nurse stepped back to let him in. “I was just heating some water for tea, would you like some?”

  “If it wouldn’t be any trouble.” Eli felt a little twinge of guilt. He hadn’t been by to visit Mr. Grayson since he’d been in the hospital. A busy, crazy semester didn’t excuse him.

  “No trouble at all.” She pointed down the hallway and then made a shooing motion. “He’s in the sitting room. Go on, I’ll be along in a bit.”

  Mr. Grayson sat by the windows in the sun. It was strange to see him in a wheelchair. Until his stroke, Mr. Grayson had worked twice as hard as younger men. He turned toward Eli as he entered the room, and one corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. The other side of his face remained slack, the muscles dragging down.

  The room showed all of Mr. Grayson’s attention to detail. One wall had been taken out and replaced with floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out on the back garden. Handmade shelves lined the walls, loaded with pictures and plants. A stand with more plants sat under the window, getting plenty of sun. They obviously flourished, a talent that Eli was a trifle envious of. He couldn’t keep anything green alive in his house.

  “How’s it going, Mr. Grayson? Wayne tells me you’ve been making good progress.”

  Mr. Grayson grunted, his hands twitching on his lap. “Too slow,” he slurred. “Body’s… taking advantage… ha… needed a vacation….”

  “True, I’m sure it’s frustrating.” Eli watched him attempt to straighten in his chair, pride still evident in every line in his body. “Still, you’re the one who taught me that the things that matter take time and to do a good job you need to take little steps.”

  The corner of Mr. Grayson’s mouth twitched and his eyes glinted with humor. “Don’t throw… words back at me… boy.”

  “Yes, sir.” Eli laughed, Mr. Grayson was going to be just fine, he was sure. He still had plenty of fight in him. Maybe Wayne couldn’t see that. And for as rocky as Mr. Grayson’s relationship might have been with Eli’s dad, the man had never treated Eli wrongly for it, and that counted for quite a bit in Eli’s opinion. If anyone deserved the baseball card, it was Mr. Grayson, not Wayne.

  “Look, I needed to ask you about something. Wayne told me about your and Dad’s falling out in high school.” Eli waited for Mr. Grayson’s nod to continue. He seemed more curious than upset at the change in topic. “He thinks that Dad wrongfully kept the baseball card you guys betted over, and I’m not here to argue that. I wasn’t there and I’m not about to pass judgment on anybody. But Wayne is pretty upset over it. He seems to feel like Dad owes you, and when I asked my dad about the card for Wayne, he told me to talk to you.”

  Mr. Grayson furrowed one brow in concentration. “Teenagers are stu-stupid…. We were stu-stupider… to let it… get between us.” He held up a finger as Eli started to reply and grunted again. “Took me… long time… to realize.”

  Ms. Parisot came in carrying a tray as Eli pondered that statement. On the one hand, he was glad that Dad and Mr. Grayson seemed inclined to unbend and make up, but it didn’t get him any closer to finding the card. He remained silent, giving Mr. Grayson a chance to rest, as Ms. Parisot set everything out before disappearing again to finish lunch.

  “Woman can c-cook. I’d fall in love… if she’d… quit poking me.”

  Eli chuckled. “I know it eases Wayne’s mind to have her here with you during the day.”

  Mr. Grayson grunted and fumbled with his mug of tea before responding. “Wayne worries… too much. We’ll… be fine.”

  “Mr. Grayson, if you don’t mind me asking, whatever happened to that baseball card you and my dad argued over?”

  The older man’s brow furrowed so fiercely at him that Eli wasn’t sure he would answer. Finally, he grunted, his expression easing. “I… have it.”

  “That’s great news,” Eli said after a moment of stunned silence, as relief swept through him. He really owed his dad an apology for the way he’d spoken to him. “If you could just let Wayne know I’d—”

  “Don’t!” He cut off as Mr. Grayson shook his head. “Tell him! Please… don’t.”

  “Why?” Eli stared at him in disbelief as the old man continued to glare at him, and then he realized what had upset Mr. Grayson. “He’d sell it and you don’t want him to.”

  Mr. Grayson nodded and his hands trembled. “Just got it… back. Waited too… damn long… to sell.” He pulled out a smudged envelope from a pocket in his robe, the corners bent and handed it to Eli.

  He recognized that envelope. He’d brought it to Mr. Grayson from his dad when he’d visited him in the hospital just after his stroke. Eli drew out a letter folded around the baseball card laid in a protective plastic sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard. He let out a low whistle, his stomach jumping with excitement. It was in beautiful condition, with no tears or bends. “Wow, Mr. Grayson, that’s just amazing. A genuine Ted Williams card.” He’d never even dreamed of holding a card like that.

  A quick glance at the letter showed his dad’s handwriting, but Eli didn’t read it. That was private business between the two of them. “How’d you get the card in the first place? It had to have been worth some money even when you were a teenager.”

  “Grandfather… colle
cted. Got it… when it came out… saved for me.”

  And then he’d gone on to gamble something so precious away and Eli’s dad had let him, knowing what it had meant to his friend. It was senseless on both sides. Eli stared down at the card, weighing his options now until another grunt from Mr. Grayson drew his attention.

  “Don’t tell! Please.”

  Eli nodded slowly. Wayne would sell it. He had been hell-bent on that idea from the first, and Eli could understand Mr. Grayson’s reluctance to part with the card.

  “I understand, Mr. Grayson.” Eli couldn’t promise that he wouldn’t tell, but he could hold off for a little bit. Maybe Wayne would find another way to raise the money if he tried as hard to get it legally as he was trying to get it illegally.

  “It’s time for your medication,” Ms. Parisot said as she came back in with a glass of water and a small container that rattled with pills. “Now don’t give me that glare. It’s not like you didn’t know it was coming.”

  “I’m… talking… woman.”

  “I think I need to head out, anyway. Thank you for your time, Mr. Grayson.” Eli did not want to get between Ms. Parisot and her patient. Besides, he needed to think about his next move and he wanted to talk to Ash about it too. “It’s good to see that you’re doing better than what the rumors have been saying.”

  Mr. Grayson’s eyes gleamed, and he shrugged one shoulder. “What… do they… know? Just need a little rest. Be fine… you’ll see.”

  “Of course you will. You’re too hardheaded to not be fine.” Ms. Parisot gently placed the baseball card back in its envelope and returned it to Mr. Grayson’s pocket. His hand settled over it protectively as she turned his chair toward the window. “Now, relax while I walk Eli out. You’ve talked yourself out.”

  Ms. Parisot flipped her hand at him, and Eli took the hint and walked back to the kitchen door. “You tell your dad that it was really nice of him to send that card. I think it’s made a difference.”

  “I will, I promise.” Eli hesitated as Ms. Parisot opened the door. “How’s Wayne been doing?”

  “Brooding. So busy concentrating on the fact that his dad’s in a chair that he can’t see the improvements he’s been making. I think it’s a source of frustration for them both.”

  “Well, they’ll figure it out. Thanks again, Ms. Parisot.” Eli paused and then looked back at her. Maybe he’d be able to cajole her into a bit of gossip. “You wouldn’t mind answering one or two questions, would you?”

  Eli smiled as he hung up the phone. That had to have been one of the better conversations he’d had with his dad in a long time. Even if his dad hadn’t wanted to hear anybody’s thanks over the card, he’d still been happy to know that Mr. Grayson was improving.

  The click of claws on the wooden floor alerted him before Jabbers trotted around the corner with a questioning bark. He went to the window and looked out over the snow-covered ground with a little whine.

  “Yeah, I agree. It’s awfully quiet in this old house with just the two of us, isn’t it?” Eli sat beside him on the couch so he could rub Jabbers’s ears. “Would you like some company?”

  Jabbers wagged his tail and answered with his little rumble. It was good to see him with that stupid cone off of his head. The beagle had been humiliated by it and moped about like it had been a personal affront to his dignity. It would take longer for the shaved hair on his haunch and ear to grow back completely.

  “Maybe we could invite Ash over.” Jabbers’s ears perked at the sound of the familiar name. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? To see your buddy again.”

  Lu had given Eli so much food for dinner that he would have no problem setting a table for two. And if he recalled correctly, Ash didn’t have drill this weekend. If he called Ash, he’d have to deal with that stupid bet. He really must be a masochist. He wasn’t sure that he could handle all that sexual tension just for a bit of Ash’s company in return.

  And did he really want to risk his heart even more than he already was? He was afraid that the answer was a resounding yes. “Yep, masochist. That’s me.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  The Hermitage looked pretty all lit up in the dark, with snow clinging to the shingles and mantling the sloped roof. Ash could picture it all decorated up for Christmas, with candles in the windows that held old-fashioned wreaths. Eli came to the door as Ash pulled his truck up in front of the house, and Ash warmed inside despite the frigid cold outside. He could get used to Eli turning him into an utter sap.

  Jabbers burst out the front door, snow spraying up as he bounded toward Ash. Wet paws plopped on his thigh, and the beagle licked his hand in between excited barks. “Opportunist,” said Ash, chuckling. “Yes, I brought you presents. We can share war stories and scars later.”

  Ash grinned at Eli as he nudged Jabbers off of him. “Do I get the same enthusiastic greeting from you?”

  “I’m considering it,” Eli said with one of his slow smiles. “But I promise not to lick your hand or paw your leg to death.”

  “Doc, you can lick and paw me any damn time you please.” Ash tossed a rawhide bone to Jabbers then picked up a bouquet of flowers off the truck seat. He held them up as he walked toward Eli. “Ms. Beauchamp at the florist says that you’d better keep me. I swear I didn’t tell her who they were for.”

  “Ash, if there is anybody on the north side of town who doesn’t know we’re keeping company, they’re either dead or have their head buried so damn deep in the ground they’ll hit lava before they decide to emerge.” Eli smiled and slid warm fingers around the nape of Ash’s neck. “Did Ms. Beauchamp tell you I liked irises in the house?”

  “She might’ve mentioned that your grandmother always kept them around.” She’d actually had quite a bit to say about Eli and had held Ash captive for twenty minutes before he managed to escape. He leaned in and brushed his mouth over Eli’s. “Are you going to let me in or make me freeze out here?”

  “I suppose I could find it in my heart to let you in,” Eli said and stepped back, opening the door for him. “Watch out for Jabbers because here he comes.”

  Ash had no idea why Eli had invited him over for the evening. He hadn’t mentioned the bet at all, and Ash didn’t really want to bring it up himself. It had been too long since their weekend at camp, and he didn’t want to start the evening out with an argument or worry about everything going on outside Eli’s little antique house. There was a fire crackling on the hearth, and the wood-paneled room with its throw rugs was much cozier than Ash’s apartment.

  “Seriously, Eli, I love your place. People don’t build homes like this anymore.”

  Eli took his coat and hat and hung them near the door. He wrapped his arms around Ash’s waist, pressing against his back. “I love seeing you in my place. And thank you for the flowers. I can honestly say I have never gotten any before.” He kissed the back of Ash’s neck.

  “Well, I did piss you off on purpose a couple of times. That does call for an apology of some sort.” Ash twisted around to smile at Eli over his shoulder. “I thought you’d get a kick out of them.”

  Eli smiled and laid another kiss on Ash’s jaw before plucking the flowers out of his hand. “Your instincts were correct,” he said as he headed toward the kitchen. “Do you want a beer before dinner?”

  Ash followed him into the kitchen as Jabbers sprawled in his doggie bed in front of the pot-bellied stove with his new bone clutched protectively between his paws. Ash could smell the stew simmering on the burner and something warm and yeasty coming from the oven. Even if he hadn’t really come because of Eli’s promise of dinner, his stomach still rumbled.

  “I’ll take one.” Ash popped open the beer Eli handed him, curiosity getting the better of him. “So why did you invite me?”

  Eli set the irises in a vase on the table and poured himself a glass of red wine before fiddling with the oven and stove. “I wanted your company.”

  “Are you going to ask me to behave myself?” Ash asked as they went
back to the living room. Eli’s eyes twinkled, and he leaned against him on the couch as he took a sip of the wine.

  “Where would the fun be in that? Besides, wouldn’t asking you to behave be cheating?”

  Ash stroked his hand through Eli’s hair, admiring the way the fire brought out every bit of red. He didn’t know where that wall of Eli’s had disappeared to and he didn’t care, as long as it stayed gone. He wasn’t sure who had the upper hand in this bet anymore, because not getting the chance to have Eli naked was driving him mad. “That’s good to know.”

  He sank his hand deeper into Eli’s hair and kissed him. He tasted like wine and an indescribable something that kept Ash wanting more every time. Eli didn’t resist him or hold back this time. Ash heard the clink of Eli’s glass being set down and then his beer was taken out of his hand. Eli kissed him again, his mouth hungry and hot as he pressed Ash back into the cushions of the couch.