Unbound Faith (Bulletproof #1)

by J. L. Baldwin

  “Oh how nice to meet you dear. I’m Ethel, but please call me Grams. Everyone does.” I nod with a smile. I’ve never known my own grandparents, so it caused an unexpected warmth to flood my body hearing her say that. I take her outstretched hand and shake it. “Nice to meet you Grams, I’m Jayde.” I look around the room for Anna, who has fled the scene. “And umm somewhere around here is Anna.”

  Grams had a mischievous smirk on her soft, rosy cheeks. “Oh dear, she snuck out while you were getting all hot and heavy with my grandson. I imagine she didn’t get far though.” Embarrassment flushed my cheeks and I turned away not looking her in the eyes. Dammit. “Oh you saw that?”

  Grams smiled. She took my hand and patted it tenderly, the corners of her mouth crinkling up in the corner when she smiles. “Now, now don’t be embarrassed. I may be old but I’m not out of it. Back in my day, I had a hard time keeping my hands off my Gregory. He was the babe of our high school. Everyone thought he was just the bees knees. I however was the one who caught his eye. I’d love to tell you the story one day.” I smiled. The love for her late husband that she poured into her statement was obvious. Of course any girl would want that more than anything. “I would love to hear the story grams. Maybe you can come over for tea some time and tell us the story.”

  Her smile resembled that of Zac’s. It must be a very beautiful family trait. “That would be lovely dear. Make an old lady feel welcomed.” I leaned in and give her a warm hug. “Well, it’s the least I could do. I mean, your grandson here insisted I purchase your wind dancer which I fully intend on doing.”

  Grams takes the wind dancer down from the display and carries it around the corner. I follow her with my eyes to see what she is doing with the beautiful piece. “Don’t worry about it honey, no charge.”

  I gasp. “Oh no, surely you’d like something for it. Something of that magnificence and beauty must have taken a long time to make.” She smiled as she continued putting the wind dancer in the box, making sure that it doesn’t get damaged as he double wraps it, all without making eye contact with me until she hands me the box.

  “Please tell me you don’t expect me to take this without giving you something for it. It wouldn’t feel right.” Shooing me away, she comes back around the counter. “I have a special going on. One free wind dancer to the lucky lady who agrees to date my very stubborn grandson.”

  Zac shakes his head and smirks. “Actually grams, she asked me out.”

  “Oh my heavens, well that does make a difference. Well it’s a good thing I’m the owner and can bend the rules if I want to. Now go along dear and enjoy that. There’s a wonderful story behind that as well. I’m sure Zac can fill you in on that.” I nod and Zac places his hand at the small of my back, steering me towards the front as Grams disappears to the back allowing us to have a little more privacy. “I can’t believe she gave this to me. I could always donate anonymously and she wouldn’t know.”

  “She would know. Grams finds out anything and everything. She has lived in this area her whole life and so anything that goes on around here, she knows.” I nod and I cradle the box close to my body, keeping it safe. “I’ll keep it forever. And I’ll guard it with my life.” When we step out onto the sidewalk, Anna is leaned up against the building scrolling through her phone.

  “I’ll call you later on to talk about our date. Until then?” He stretches his hand out and I grab it, shaking it hesitantly. The electricity that flows through my body causes me to shiver slightly, which he catches because he smirks. He leans in to whisper in my ear. “I look forward to watching you doing that while you’re beneath me princess.”

  Another shiver passes through me and before he notices, he turns and walks back into the shop and I’m standing there, frozen in place. “Wait, you never answered my question!” I ask before he disappears into the shop. He turns back to me with a smile, waiting for me to repeat the question. “How do you keep finding me?” I ask.

  "I have my ways Jayde..." He whispered. "Many, many ways..." And with that, he disappears into the shop and I’m shocked. That’s the answer he gives me? Anna is standing there staring at me, looking angry but I ignore it.

  “Do you realize I’ve been waiting here for an hour while you made out with sex on a stick in there?” Anna points back into the shop but I don’t hear her. Instead my mind is marching back in there, and dragging Zac into the backroom and giving him the one thing I’ve kept hidden from him. I cradle the box closer to my body, still feeling my heart pounding like mad.

  “What’s gotten into you? Who is this girl who makes out with hot guys in public? And what’s in the box?”

  I smile. “Will you stop with the questions? Okay, nothing’s gotten into me. I am still me. And this is the wind dancer that we saw earlier.”

  She gasped. “You paid a hundred and fifty bucks for that? Are you out of your mind?” I shake my head laughing.

  “No, it was a gift…from Zac’s grandmother.” I say lovingly.

  “Oh my god!” Anna’s realization hits her and she grabs my arm. “That old lady is his grandmother?” She asks pulling me away from the shop as I clutch the box tighter to my body.

  “Yes, and that’s his grandmothers shop.” My heartbeat won’t stop beating a mile a minute out of my chest and there’s that ache between my legs that doesn’t seem to stop throbbing. It’s been never ending since I kissed him. I’m in a daze and I can’t shake it. I don’t want to shake it.

  “She gave it to me as a gift because I’m dating her grandson.” I say as I start to walk down the sidewalk, smiling from ear to ear.

  “You’re dating him? Wait, did you ask him?” I quickly nod and she smiles a Cheshire cat grin. I sense the mental fist pump she does in her mind.

  “Hot damn! I knew it! I fucking knew it! You asked him out you brazen hussy!! I am so damn proud of you and I can’t believe that! Well looks like we need to go shopping, huh?”

  “Actually, I know the perfect dress.” The ball was a couple days away so there wasn’t that much time left to get ready. I placed the box in the back seat of Anna’s little red beetle, and she pulled away from the shop towards the department store. A hundred dresses could be acceptable, but there was only one that was “perfect.”

  “Darling, we are going to make you so hot, you’ll melt any dress you put on. Zac won’t know where to put his hands. He’ll want to put them all over you.”

  That’s what I’m secretly hoping. I think to myself. Operation: Make me as smoldering as possible was in full swing.

  Chapter 18

  Jayde

  Later on in the afternoon at the department store, Anna and I must have tried on twenty different dresses. The fact that every dress looked like a burlap sack on me, proved my point. Girls who look like me can’t wear these department store dresses. They didn’t make them for my size. Only one dress stood out in my mind.

  “Jayde, you have shaken your head at every single dress you tried on. Please tell me that you are not reconsidering, are you? I think I may have to hurt you if you back out.” I shake my head as I settle down onto the bench outside the dressing room.

  “It’s not that, these dresses are made for girls like your size. Not like me.” She looks down at her body and scoffs. “Girl you’re crazy! I have cellulite that would look fabulous if they could shift it up to my boobs, and my muffin top is hardly attractive. But I’m happy how I am. You should be too. Now come on, maybe we can find somebody to help us.”

  Sure enough, Anna found a very handsome, very professional gentleman who appeared to work at the store. I was embarrassed enough, but this was the icing on the cake. “Excuse me sir, would you mind telling her how beautiful she is and you have a dress that would accentuate her curves.” He looked me up and down, quietly assessing me. And I wanted to curl into myself so he doesn’t keep looking at me like he was judging me, which I had no doubt he was. When he spoke finally, I was floored.

  “Oh honey, you shouldn’t be like that. Any man would be lucky
to have you! God, I mean if I wasn’t gay, you’d be on my arm in one second flat.” He snapped when he said ‘flat’ and I had to smile. There was no way around it. Anna gaped at me from behind me and I shook my head. I look around the room to figure out an exit strategy because this wasn’t working out. Anna comes from behind me, laying a hand on my shoulder.

  “Okay, even I can’t keep a straight face. Andy, this is my best friend Jayde. Jayde, this is my best gay guy friend Andy. Our parents were friends for years.”

  Andy smiled at Anna which she returned. “Yeah, and we knew our parents would eventually try to pin us together one day, but when I came out as gay at sixteen, that all changed. I think your mom took it worse than mine.” Andy said to Anna and she giggled. “Yeah, she was pretty broken up about it.”

  “How come I didn’t know about him?” I ask Anna and she quickly looked down. “He was from my old neighborhood. I thought I told you about him.” I could tell Anna didn’t like to talk about her past. And I didn’t bring it up, because she was ashamed of it, except for Andy of course. As much as I’d like to dig deeper, I’ll leave it like that. Of course, we were best friends before she moved away, but I’ve never really been over to her house as a child.

  “So Andy.” Anna says, snapping back to normal. “Do you have a dress for my very beautiful Jayde here? Something that will bring out all those curves she’s got.” Anna says with a wink. Is there something she knows that I don’t? Andy grabbed my hands and looked me up and down once more. Now that I know he is gay, him watching me didn’t make me uncomfortable. “Hmm. I believe I do.” Andy disappears into the back and then reappears about ten minutes later with a big black dress bag and from the looks of it, this bag probably holds a queens gown. He places it on the hook and unzips it slowly, and my mouth drops. “Well, here it is.” I look at the gown and my eyes widen. It can’t be. There’s no way.

  Anna giggles from behind me. “Sorry, when I saw how much you loved it, I texted Andy to go pick it for me to surprise you. He is who I was texting when you walked outside from being wrapped up in Mr. Sexy’s arms.”

  I can’t get over the intricate beadwork beneath the bust, the way the lace flows evenly around the waist gives it a flattering effect. It’s even more beautiful than I remember. The entire dress was a soft pink, which was always a flattering color on me. Spaghetti straps, with a silk wrap. The skirt flowed in waves to the floor. It’s beyond beautiful and totally out of my price range.

  “I can’t believe you did that for me. How can I ever repay you?” Andy chuckled and pulled the dress from the bag. “Try it on, then we’ll work out a deal.” I carefully take the dress and step into the dressing room. A dress of this beauty deserves to be in a museum or something. Definitely not to be worn. I quickly undress and stand there and just stare at the dress. It’s too beautiful. “Come on Jayde, don’t just stand there staring at it, try it on.”

  “Okay, okay. Give me a minute. Ugh, this isn’t going to be easy.” Blowing out a heavy breath, I step into the dress and pull the straps up onto my shoulders. The dress weighs more than I do, but that’s good right? I reach behind me and zip it up and it zips fairly easily. Luckily the zipper is on the side so I don’t have to reach all the way behind me. The dress fits me like a glove. Almost like it was made for me. Once it’s on, I keep my eyes closed while I open the door, not bothering to look in the mirror before stepping out into the judgement zone.

  “Okay, so how do I look?” I ask with no response. They are both standing there staring at me in awe. I am not sure if that is good or bad. Their mouths have dropped completely open. Flies flew in and out without them noticing. “Umm, okay quit staring guys and tell me what you think. Be brutal.”

  Anna was the first to speak. “Oh my god girl. I can’t believe. I mean I knew you were beautiful but in that dress, I swear it’s like you’re glowing. You’re simply radiant. We may have to pick Zac up off the floor when he sees you.”

  I smile and for the first time since I met him, I shed a tear which I quickly wiped away. “Oh honey, don’t cry. Andy, please tell her how beautiful she is.”

  Andy looked me up and down and I swear I could have seen a hard on, but that was impossible. “I wish I could. Beautiful isn’t the right word to describe this woman. That’s an understatement. I am fighting the urge to cheat on my boyfriend right now doll. You’re that gorgeous.”

  I laughed at his remark but Anna glared. “Oh come on now Andy, Mack is a good guy. Don’t cheat on him. We all go bowling on Sundays, remember? You won’t screw that up!” She says to him sternly and he backs off, holding up his hands in surrender. “Fine, but if I wasn’t gay, she’d be in trouble because I’d have to fight Zac to make her mine.” I laugh again and pull Andy into a hug. Andy wasn’t skinny or lanky, he was built. I’m guessing he practically lives in a gym and doesn’t eat any junk food.

  “Well she is gorgeous. But there is one thing missing. This Cinderella doesn’t need glass slippers.” Andy disappears once more and returns holding a pair of brown, leather cowboy boots. “Cowboy boots? Isn’t that a bit cliché?” I ask and he acts as if he’s offended. “Girl, cliché is not in my vocabulary. Now try these on and let’s complete the ensemble.” I sat down and slipped them on and then stood up. The boots did nothing for my height, which was fine with me. Zac wasn’t that tall anyways so it shouldn’t be too awkward.

  “It’s perfect. And don’t worry about paying me back. This one’s on me.” Andy spoke up and I my mouth drops agape. “Oh no, I can’t. This is a three hundred dollar dress and these shoes are about a hundred!”

  “Just call me your fairy gayfather.” Okay, that was clever. I run and jump in his arms, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. “Oh thank you thank you Andy! You are awesome!” We are all laughing when I let go of Andy. He adjusts his tailored suit from my assault. “This is going to be an amazing night! I haven’t been on a date since…him.” Anna quickly frowned at the memory. “Oh Jayde, don’t think about him. He was an ass.”

  Dating has never been my strongest suit. Once in high school, during one of Todd and I’s ‘breaks, Luke Sanders asked me out, or what I thought was an invitation since he offered to pick me up for junior prom, which I thought was odd but I assumed it as a date. I did all the necessary girl things; went shopping, got my hair done, nails, all that. When he came to pick me up, he wasn’t alone. Draped on his arm, was Nikki Tyler, one of the schools most popular girls, voted most likely to spread her legs any given day.

  All the guys lusted after her, but she was only interested in anybody I was interested in. Fucking bitch is all she was. I could never figure out why she would go after him. Every day in high school, she made my life a living hell.

  “Erm, sorry Jayde. Nikki insisted we pick you up because she said you didn’t have a ride to Prom. Where’s your date?” He asked me, leaning in taking a look around my entryway. Nikki stood beside him with a shit eating grin on her face.

  “I umm, thought you were my date. That’s why you asked me, wasn’t it?” I asked, my eyes glazing over with tears that didn’t fall. This can’t be fucking happening. Not to me.

  “Oh god, I’m so sorry Jayde, Nikki said you had a date but was meeting him there. She said you would need a ride…I thought….” Before he could say another word, I slammed the door in their face. I can hear Nikki’s giggle on the other side of the door, and then a whispered curse that had to come from Luke. I never forgot that day and I never went to my prom. That was going to be one of the worst fucking days of my life if Todd hadn’t called and wanted to fix things, which I agreed to. I ended up having one of the best times ever…

  “Hello??? Earth to Jade!” Anna snapped in my face to get my attention.

  “Huh, what?” I asked, stammering a bit on my words. My hands were gripped into fists from the awful, painful memory of me wanting to rip Nikki’s throat out.

  “You kind of checked out there for a second. What were you thinking?” She asked.

&nbs
p; “Do you remember Nikki Tyler, from High School?” Anna nodded then scoffed at the mention of her name and I smiled. Anna hated her just as much as I did, if not more. Nikki made everyone’s life miserable.

  “How can I forget that bitch? We all voted her most likely to spread her legs any given day.” We both busted out laughing at our private joke. Andy looked between both of us and shook his head and scurried off to help another client.

  “Why are you thinking about her anyway? I thought she moved to Canada.”

  “Oh I think she did, but I don’t know. I was thinking about the date and what happened the last time I was asked out on a date, you know…Junior Prom?”

  Anna smiled and nodded her head. “That’s right. I remember. That was the same night you called me crying until Todd swooped in and rescued you from a horrible night. After prom me, you, Todd and a couple other kids went to the ice cream shop and got one scoop of every flavor. You didn’t know it then, but Andy was there too.”

  Of course he was. I smiled at the memory and looked over at Andy helping an elderly lady who was blushing intensely at his charming remarks. He is such a ladies man. Women would fawn all over him if he didn’t play for the opposite team.

  “We were sick for days, if I recall.” She rubbed her belly at the memory which caused me to smile. My mind quickly averted to the painful memory of my last “date.” Thank god for Todd that night. I owed him big time.

  “Please tell me you aren’t thinking about that Nikki bitch again, are you?” Anna asked me as I walked back into the dressing room to get my regular clothes back on. I packed up the dress and zipped it back up and stepped out of the dressing room to slip the boots off and hand them off to Anna to place back into the box.