Tempest Torn

by Nicole Andrews Moore

  “You’ll know when you know,” Keely murmured in an effort to comfort her.

  “Oh,” Joey mumbled awkwardly. “I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.” He glanced back and forth between the two women.

  Shaking her head sadly, Marti sighed. “Nope. Let’s just eat and get this over with.”

  Taken aback, he stiffened. “Over with?” He swallowed hard.

  Sighing again, Marti glanced at Keely, then looked at him before explaining. “Yeah. Let’s go talk numbers.”

  Feeling somewhat better, Joey followed her to the table he always preferred right in front of the window. There was a reserved sign on it. He smiled at Keely’s thoughtful touch, but when he realized it was probably for Marti and not him, the smiled faded. Pulling out the chair for her, Joey acted ever the gentleman. Lisa, the weekday maid always morphed into the brunch server on Sundays to help out. She soon rushed over to take their drink order.

  “Hot chocolate, please,” Marti murmured. “Oh, and can I have a big glass of ice water too?”

  “Of course!” Smiling, Lisa turned to Joey.

  “I’ll have a sweet tea.” After she nodded and walked away, he studied Marti for a moment to read the signs. She was having trouble making eye contact. She seemed incredibly uncomfortable in his presence. There was something really familiar about this, only usually he was the one sitting on the other side of the table. Fuck. It was the brunch and dump, only he was the one getting kicked to the curb. Hanging his head for a moment, Joey realized he deserved it, but he refused to go down without a fight. Taking off his jacket and draping it over the back of his chair, he then began to work on some numbers. He had to sweeten the deal. Obviously, money was an issue.

  “Shall we get the business out of the way before we eat?” she asked quietly.

  This was all the confirmation Joey needed. She definitely figured he wouldn’t want to be in the same room with her after they talked. His mind recalled the many meals he had eaten alone at this table as he watched one female after another storm out or run crying from the building. Apparently it was his turn. “Yes, good idea,” he agreed.

  “You already told me two weeks, pending verification all materials were available,” she reminded him. “So, now we talk cost.”

  Passing her the pad of paper, he started talking. “If you can read my handwriting,” he began.

  “Barely. It’s worse than a doctor’s,” she teased. For a moment she brightened up, then the light quickly died out. “So I have years of experience to prepare for this, I guess.”

  Lisa returned and quietly placed their drinks on the tables before disappearing again.

  Joey waited quietly and patiently, knowing Marti was soaking everything in. He watched as she pushed her hair behind her ears. Leaning on her elbow, her neck was exposed and he had this urge to kiss her there, bury his face in her throat and inhale her scent. Closing his eyes, he remembered the passion between them. How could he have thrown that away? What would it take to get her back?

  “I see two numbers here,” Marti noted, interrupting his thoughts.

  Sitting up suddenly, Joey knew this part of the conversation was critical. “Okay.” He took a deep breath and slowly released it before speaking. “As you know, I’m currently homeless.” She nodded, then her head dropped to the side. It was her thinking face. She was waiting patiently to see where this was going. At least she seemed open to it at the moment. “I’m also pretty much broke right now.” Another head bob. “So the first price...is the price.” Marti’s brow furrowed in confusion. “The second price is the price if you let me stay with you while my house is being rebuilt.”

  Never one to hide her emotions, Marti closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. “I don’t know,” she grumbled.

  “Listen, I don’t have to share a bed with you. I’ll be more than happy on the couch,” he explained. “I just will be beyond poor if I have to spend money on a hotel room in Charlotte during this process.” Joey reached across the table and grabbed her forearms to make sure he had her full attention. “I won’t be going back to Finn’s,” he assured her. “Even if you turn me away. I won’t do that again. Ever.”

  “You can say whatever you want. In the back of my mind, because of how quickly you ran to her, I’ll always worry you will again.” She looked at him evenly as though watching for a reaction.

  “I know. I messed up. I may make mistakes, but I always learn from them.” He shrugged helplessly. Nothing seemed to sway her.

  “What did you learn this time?” Marti propped her head on her fist.

  “Never cross you,” Joey answered quickly. Her eyes flashed briefly. “Finn is completely wrong for me.” It was true. Maybe his honesty would finally appease her.

  Staring at him a moment, finally she spoke. “How long?”

  “How long what?” He was completely mesmerized by her eyes, her face, the way her beautiful lips formed the words.

  “How long would you have to stay with me?” she asked.

  Swallowing hard, he admitted, “I don’t know right now. The insurance company hasn’t even issued a check yet. Once that happens, I’ll know more. It might be quicker to just demolish it and rebuild from the ground up.” Shrugging, he felt completely helpless. It was terrible being at the mercy of so many women.

  Pulling her arms away, Marti folded them in her lap while she considered his words. “No more Finn. Good to know.”

  Something struck Joey. “I’m surprised you use her name,” he commented.

  “Why?” she wondered. “To not do so would simply give her more power than she deserves.”

  “Dr. Phil?” he asked, a smile turning the corners of his mouth.

  “J.K. Rowling,” she admitted with a laugh. “Seriously, from everything I’ve seen, she’s not a good person. She’s hurt you, but for some reason, you keep going back for more. If that’s the kind of life you want, so be it. Honestly, after the way you treated me, I’m not sure if I didn’t misjudge you too. Maybe you aren’t the man I thought you were.” Her chin jutted forth. “I know who I am. I know what I deserve.” Marti picked up her hot chocolate and cupped the mug in her hands. Taking a long sip, she added, “These last few months have changed me. I’m still changing. All I know for certain is I’m building a life where I will never depend on anyone again.”

  Joey raised his eyebrows. He opened his mouth to refute her statement when she interrupted him.

  “Once the remodel is done, of course.” She winked at him, the first sign of her playful self emerging.

  “Oh, of course,” he agreed, still unconvinced as to how such a life was possible. This independent Marti scared him. She seemed so different already. Looking at her as she held her drink, he realized what part of it was. “Hey, what happened to your charm bracelet?”

  Glancing down at her bare wrist, she shook her head. “It’s in my chest of drawers.” Then she looked at him, obviously expecting him to understand the gravity of her response.

  “Maybe you’ll want to wear it again one day.” He gazed at her hopefully.

  “We’ll see.”

 

  It was the longest brunch of her life. Once they had finished talking about prices, for reasons she couldn’t understand, she had agreed to let him stay with her. In her house. Until his was finished. It was an unexpected twist to say the least. One minute, she never wanted to see him again, the next minute she had put herself in a position where his constant presence would be inevitable. After this, no more, she vowed.

  After this, she never wanted to rely on anyone ever again. It wasn’t just a matter of independence. More, it was going to become her way of life. Marti stared at her bank balance on her phone while sipping her second hot cocoa.

  “Whew! I thought he’d never leave!” Keely commented when she came over and sat down in Joey’s vacant seat. “Wonder what mischief he’s up to now,” she mused.

  “Probably just moving into my house,” Marti mumbled without looking up. She didn’t have to
meet Keely’s face to know she was wearing a shocked look. “He offered me a discount in exchange for housing. Every dollar counts.” Sighing, she shook her head. “I still have to stock the house with food. Starting over is so damn expensive!” Setting the phone down, she pasted a smile on her face. “Brunch was perfect. Your food...amazing as always. I’m thinking I want to bathe in this.” Marti lifted her mug and savored another swig.

  “He’s staying with you? You’re going to be living together?” Slowly, Keely stood and walked away, muttering something unrecognizable under her breath. When she finally returned, she handed her a few stacks of the Sunday paper inserts.

  “What’s this?” Marti asked confused. Already she was flipping through them.

  “Every Sunday people come in with their newspapers and dump the innards on me. There’s a ton of coupons in here. You can have them. I thought it might help.” She sighed as she leaned on the table. “It seems like you are going to need all the help you can get. I’m going back to work while I digest this.”

  “Um,” Marti began quietly, “I have to go sign the lease with Brantley at Laurel’s. Could we keep this between us for now?” She wore a pleading look on her face.

  Pausing, a smile spread across her face. “Wait. I forgot. Joey and Brantley are going to be living with you? The three of you? Together?” She started to chuckle but it quickly morphed into a cackle. “This is gonna be good.” Walking back over to Marti she bent low and wrapped her in a hug. “Honey, this is just getting interesting.” Then she turned and walked back into the kitchen still laughing intermittently and shaking her head.

  “That went well,” Marti sighed. Then she turned her attention to searching out the coupons Keely had given her. After gathering just those inserts, she threw the remainder in the recycle bin once more and headed to her vehicle. So now she had a huge stack of coupons to cut out and no idea how to really use them.

  Glancing at her watch, she realized it was nearly noon. She had a good two hours to kill before she could meet Brantley. There was no way she was going to spend all that time under Laurel’s watchful eye. Standing and pushing in her chair, she started to head for the door.

  “Leaving without saying goodbye?” Keely called.

  Laughing, Marti turned. “I thought the hug was the goodbye. And the laughter. Whatever that was about.”

  With a twinkle in her eyes, Keely murmured, “You’ll see. Now don’t forget your coupons.”

  “Oh, I’ve got them,” Marti noted while gesturing to the pile in her arm. “I just have no idea what to do with them.”

  “You’ve never used coupons?” She wore and incredulous look on her face.

  “Married to a successful plastic surgeon, remember?”

  “Oh, yeah. You get cable?” Keely asked.

  With a stricken look, Marti nodded. “I’m not giving up my cable. The situation isn’t that desperate yet.”

  “Pshaw! No, I was just going to suggest you check On Demand with the cable and see if you can watch Extreme Couponing.” Together they walked towards the door.

  “If you know so much about this, why aren’t you using these?” Marti frowned at her.

  Shaking her head, Keely explained. “I get most everything delivered. I don’t have time to do my own grocery shopping.”

  “Sure you do! I see you over at Laurel’s and you come visit me all the time…”

  “Let me clarify,” Keely interrupted. “I don’t want to shop. I want my groceries delivered. There. Enjoy your coupons. Watch the show. Tell me all about it.” Then she shooed Marti out of Hope House.

  As Marti opened the door to the minivan, she noticed there was only one other vehicle in the parking lot. A bald man she had never met before emerged from inside it and nodded at her as he passed. There was spring in his step as he opened the door. It made her pause, but really, she had bigger concerns than who Keely was spending time with.

  Driving home, she was mildly surprised to see Joey’s truck in her driveway. After all, she had told him he could live with her. Pulling in, she parked and grabbed all the inserts before heading into the house. When she entered the kitchen, she found Joey talking on the phone. When he saw her, he frowned and headed into her bedroom then closed the door behind him.

  For some reason, his actions made her blood boil. In an instant, he had invaded her personal space. A few minutes later, he walked out and set his phone on the counter.

  “Hey.” He seemed quiet.

  Maybe she was supposed to ask what was bothering him, but at the moment, Marti didn’t care. They had a few things to settle. “You aren’t staying in there,” she announced.

  Looking puzzled, he stared at her. “I’m not?”

  “No, you’re not. You can have the couch.” She crossed her arms over her chest to show the matter wasn’t up for discussion. Apparently he didn’t know a thing about body language.

  “You let me sleep in there last night,” Joey complained.

  “Last night you thought you were dying!” Throwing her hands in the air, her frustration was evident.

  “I could think I’m dying tonight…”

  Her eyebrow rose dangerously. “Maybe. But it’s probably because I’ll kill you if you try to sleep in my bed again.” Marti leaned on the counter, her hands white knuckled as she gripped the stone.

  “You’d kill me?” His eyes twinkled with mischief.

  “Don’t test me, Masters. You’re on the couch.” Then she turned on her heels and headed to the living room. Maybe she could distract herself by watching the show Keely suggested. She really needed to cool down before meeting with Brantley. The last thing she needed was to have him reconsider moving in. She needed the influx of cash more than she cared to admit. Grabbing the remote off the coffee table, she sank down on the sofa and started searching.

  “Hey, get out of my room!” Joey teased.

  His timing was way off. “By day, it’s my living room. At night, it magically morphs into your bedroom. Now leave me alone,” she growled.

  Apparently he was oblivious to her mood because seconds later he plopped down on the couch and kicked his feet up on the coffee table. “So, what are we watching?”

  Scowling, Marti waited a moment before responding. “We aren’t watching anything. I, however, am learning to use coupons.” Then she glared at him before hitting play on the remote. Thankfully, he sat there quietly because she was fast enthralled in the episode.

  The extreme couponer was a stay at home mom. Her husband was injured at work and wasn’t able to bring in any income for some time while she watched her cupboards grow bare. Suddenly, she realized she could feed the family if she learned to use coupons. Now, after less than a year, she had a seriously enviable stockpile. Marti leaned in, fascinated. It was like listening to some guru impart wisdom. When the show was finished, she turned off the television without saying a word. Walking into the kitchen, she grabbed her utility scissors from the knife block, picked up the stacks of coupons and walked back into the living room. Sitting on the floor, she started clipping.

  Joey watched for a few minutes. She could feel his eyes on her back. Finally he spoke. “Do you mind if I turn on the television. It’s football season. Go Panthers!”

  “Nope. Watch what you want.” She was completely entranced.

 

  Two hours later, she had managed to sort through all the coupons and picked ones she intended to use immediately. Now, she was waiting at her table in the cafe under Laurel’s scrutiny. “Who did you say this guy was?” She wiped her hands on her apron and walked out to join Marti.

  “My new tenant. Or he will be as soon as Joe and his crew finish the upstairs.” Eager to change the topic and also in need of information, she asked, “So where do people go grocery shopping around here.”

  “What?” Laurel sounded horrified. “But if you have food in the house I won’t see you every day!”

  “Yes, but what if I want to eat when you or Keely are closed. Don’t hold out on me,�
�� she teased.

  “Harris Teeter is the nicest, then BI-LO, and finally Food Lion is cheapest.” Laurel looked at her a moment, obviously figuring there was a follow up question.

  “What if I want to use coupons?” Marti could feel her cheeks color. She had married Blaine out of college. He was older, already establishing his practice. She literally moved from the dorms into a house with him. They married and had joint accounts. Before that, he had always given her generous amounts of money to shop with. This felt like the ultimate humiliation...couponing.

  “I’ve heard Harris Teeter is best. Try it. You should be able to find one with your phone’s GPS.” The door chimed and Laurel looked up to greet the person who entered. “Oh my…”