Watching You: KJ Elite Inc.

by Unknown

  “Ma’am?” Tommy sounded nervous and it reassured me that he was indeed human still.

  She came in anyways and I heard her walk across the wooden floor toward his kitchen. That was her spot, no matter whose house she was in.

  “May I get you a drink?” He asked her, back to the southern gentlemen he was raised to be.

  “Don’t be silly baby. Let me get you something to eat, I’m sure you’re starved. Look at you, you haven’t been eating well like you promised. Have you been getting sleep?” She asked sounding like the mother hen she was. “Well, at least it looks like you’re off the bottle like you promised.”

  The bottle? Had he been having issues with drinking recently? That was definitely something I was going to have to look into.

  As I heard her moving around Tommy’s kitchen, the door opened again and just as I thought, in came another woman but she wasn’t alone.

  “Look who I found runnin’ along the main road.” The second woman announced cheerfully.

  “Matthew?”

  “Hello Mrs. Jameson.” Matt greeted sweetly with a hint of unease in his ragged breath.

  Served him right, running in plain sight. Of all the acreage he had to exercise on, he chose to do it right near our families’ houses. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if she pulled him in by his ear!

  “Oh, how are you honey?” Mama exclaimed with a new sense of relief.

  Surely she thought that if Matt were here, I would be too. I heard shuffling and by Matt’s grunt, my mother had hurried to him and wrapped him in one of her hugs. She always gave the best hugs.

  First mistake he made was being found, the second was hesitating a microsecond too long. Mama and Cyn were going to eat him alive. I smiled wide, at his misfortune but then mentally smacked myself. They really were going to cut him down and make him talk. The beauty and sweet southern charm wasn’t all they were. These women could be ruthless.

  “I’m wonderful, how are you? And who is this gorgeous friend of yours here?”

  Leave it to Matt. Thick with the charm as he was with the looks, he was good at getting out of jams… Up until he met the Kane and Jameson women.

  “That’s my mother.” Tommy warned.

  He wasn’t much of a sharer, never had been. I think it started in grade school.

  “It’s a pleasure Mrs. Kane.” I was certain his eyes were twinkling. Matt certainly had a way about him.

  “What brings you to our little ole’ town, sweet pea?”

  Ever the hostess and belle, Mama would not show her cards until he was properly greeted and introduced. This gave Matt and Tommy both a chance to lie through their teeth, which meant I expected doom to come knocking at my door in no less than five minutes.

  “Sit down, we’ll get you both some fresh, hot breakfast whipped right up.” Mama demanded instead of offered.

  “Oh, that’s not necessary ma’am, I need a shower anyway.”

  If Matt thought he was getting away that easily, he was blonder than I thought possible.

  “Sit,” was all they said and I heard two stools pull out from the island.

  At least neither man was too stupid or stubborn yet to get hurt by two mama grizzlies.

  “Tommy we’ve come to talk to you about a problem we are having.” His mother spoke now. “I know you mentioned that that was your specialty in the Army.”

  “Uh, yes ma’am, sort of. How can I help you ma?” I heard the sincere smile and love in his voice.

  They knew just how to get his attention, short of beating him.

  He should have been named Curious George.

  “We want our baby girl back and you are going to go get her.”

  Someone choked and began coughing to cover it. It didn’t work.

  “This is no laughing matter Thomas James Kane.” Cynde reprimanded.

  I laughed and whispered, “Amateur.”

  “And what makes you think I can get her to come home?”

  “She loves you. That ought to be enough.”

  I suddenly did not want to hear this conversation and would much rather be found out.

  “I doubt it ma. It’s been six years and if she was going to come back on her own, that time has passed.” His words hit me like a train and I was floored. No more did I want to hear this conversation than could I stop.

  “Love is all you need baby, you know that. Taylor has always been yours and our little Annie Oakley needs a little reigning in sometimes. You have allowed her to be gone far too long.”

  Allowed? I’d be damned if a man allowed me to do anything.

  Yet, here I was. Hiding from a man who threatened everything I loved, someone I tolerated and my way of life. Hell, my life. Tommy also found this funny and chuckled, again.

  “If you think that Tay has ever let a man make her do anything, you’re both delusional.”

  THWAP.

  “I’m sorry ma’am.”

  “You’d better be. Do you think because you’re trained to kill and out on your own that you can talk to your mama like that?” Cynde scolded and I assumed she had whacked him with his very own wooden spoon. Seriously, those things are indestructible and hurt like a mother…

  “No, ma’am.”

  My mama spoke up again and this time she directed her attention at Matt. “What brings you to our little town Matthew?” Honey ran through her veins and poured into her words as she spoke with love and treachery.

  “Just taking a little time off.” At least he wasn’t stupid; it was a half lie he could pull off.

  “Taylor told me just last night that she was in New York, why didn’t she come with you?” Oh, they were suspicious. Very suspicious indeed.

  “I’ve never been to Tennessee, as you know, and I thought I’d take a vacation and check it out a little bit.”

  “How did you manage to meet up with our Tommy here?”

  Checkmate. They were busted on so many levels and I’m pretty sure they knew it. But I was the one who was sucker punched with their next words.

  “Tommy reached out to me the first year of working with Tay and told me who he was and how he would like to send her some things so I gave him her info and we have kept in contact ever since.”

  The whole room fell in silence and I was certain they could all hear my heart beating out of my chest, all the way down the stairs, bouncing off the hall walls and beating down the kitchen.

  “Oh.my.”

  No kidding Cynde.

  “So, you’ve known all along?” Mama asked Tommy, purely bewildered. It must have been a first.

  “Yes ma’am.” It was so quiet, I could hardly hear the rest of his answer. “Initially I believed I was corresponding with his assistant but he took up the communication on his own once he found out who I was.”

  “Are you the mystery gifter?”

  I had once told mama how a fan was sending me tulips and chocolates and she nearly lost her mind with worry.

  I would always assure her, “Mama, it happens to all authors. It’s just a fan and they mean no harm.” She was always concerned with how they knew it was my favorite but I just brushed her off onto another subject.

  “I think I need to sit down.”

  You and me both, mama. It took everything I had not to slide down the door, right into a puddle of ‘what the fuhhhh’.

  Tommy must have stood and walked her over to his stool.

  “Does she know?”

  I do now.

  “No ma’am.” He hesitated. “I would be very thankful if you kept it to yourself.”

  “Why?” It was one word but he made no mistake what she was asking.

  “I wanted her to know that even though we were apart, not one day went by that she wasn’t thought of. That she was loved and special to someone and if I died, I was never angry with her.”

  “How could she possibly know that silly boy?”

  I pictured him shrugging when there was no answer. The odd thing is, I think I knew that in my gut, every time they showe
d up. We had a connection like no other.

  No one knew we were married or that I carried affections for Tommy, or so I liked to believe; our mothers knew I loved him. I had always denied their wildest dreams and fantasies of this huge country wedding between the only Jameson girl and her inseparable Kane boy. I knew for years but did what I could, dated every guy who looked my way, denied my feelings and was plain stupid for years.

  I started planning my departure the summer after our junior year in high school, when he came to me one night and I told him how I loved him. That was the night I gave myself to him, wholly, freely. That summer was the most magical time of my life, when we promised not to talk about the future, just live in the moment. Graduation night, I packed up all of my things and went to say goodbye but asked him to go with me instead. He knew I had to go but told me he had to stay for them. Mike was gone to the Marines by then and Noah had just shipped off to the Navy the year prior.

  Tommy said no, but asked me to marry him, with the promise of returning to him and he would keep it secret. I made my promise knowing deep in my heart that I would most likely break it but telling myself that it was right in that moment. He deserved that much, I thought. It was the hardest thing I had ever done but I was beginning to suspect it wasn’t cake for Tommy either. Who knew that by giving him the one thing he yearned for, I was only prolonging my own heartbreak? I was pulled from the memory when my mama spoke again.

  “Matthew, you foolish man. How could you let Taylor live in the dark all these years?”

  I could actually hear the hamster die and the wheel stop spinning. He was unprepared for this turn of conversation.

  “Uh…”

  “I’m the one to blame, not him.”

  “So make it right then Thomas James. You go get her and bring her home.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Yes, you can and you will.” Cynde challenged.

  “No ma’am.”

  It was the stupidest two words ever to come out of that skilled mouth.

  SMACK.

  His mother had had enough.

  “How could you do this to us?”

  “I cannot go to New York and get her.”

  “Why can’t you? You tell me now, son.”

  “She won’t be there.” Matt spoke up and I stood tall in all of my five foot three glory. Wearing nothing but a shirt, I prepared to walk out, announcing, “Because I’m here,” but I was saved by the bell.

  Well, sort of.

  There was a sharp knock and the front door opened again.

  “Ma, Ms. Cynde.” Peyton greeted. “I need to have a talk with Tommy. Alone.” He clarified.

  “We’re done here anyway. For now.” Both of our mothers walked out and left a thick cloud of pain in the air behind them.

  The front door shut, again, and Peyton walked in further. “We’ve got a slight problem.” The tone of his voice sounded like it was bigger than a little problem.

  “We couldn’t just have one day without a problem, could we?”

  “Would we be who we are if we did?” Peyton joked and lightened the mood a bit.

  “What’s up?”

  “I was in town this morning and Tina down at the grocery store told me that some fella’s came in asking about Taylor, looking around suspiciously and asked her to call if she came in. Of course she just had to tell me all about it because why would men come looking for Tay when she hadn’t even been home in years. They slid her this and walked out.”

  I assumed it was Tommy who walked over to Peyton while Matt stayed on his stool and asked, “What is it?”

  “A clean and crisp, brand spankin’ new, Benjamin.”

  Peyton popped the bill in the air and I could just imagine his big dumb grin.

  I wasn’t ready to join the group yet because it seemed like I was getting more information eavesdropping than I had in the past two weeks talking face to face with anyone.

  Speaking of, I need to figure out what is up Mike’s ass when I see him again.

  “Did she tell you what they looked like or give you the number they left?” Tommy asked.

  “Yeah, she gave me the card they left in exchange for a third date this weekend. Made me promise it would be expensive and real proper like. Tay owes me because that girl talks like there won’t be a tomorrow.”

  “You mean a second date?”

  “No. Third.” He shrugged and laughed, “What can I say? She is… friendly and quite good at it.”

  “Feel free to introduce me. Or to any other friendly ladies.” Matt quipped.

  Okay, maybe now was the time to make my entrance because I really didn’t need to know who put out in the town. Like Lissy. I turned my nose up and left the shadows of the bedroom doorway.

  I padded down the stairs and then hall, barefoot and first saw my twin leaning against a granite countertop grinning.

  “Good mornin’. My, you’re beautiful.”

  “You only say that because we’re twins.”

  “True.”

  I went to him and stood beside him comfortably, remembering a much simpler time so many years ago.

  “What brings you over to our humble little abode?” I jived.

  “Man speak!” He grunted and pounded his chest like a caveman.

  “Oh, look at you. Did your boy parts finally grow in?” I laughed and he pulled my head into a headlock and gave me a nuggy.

  “Har. Har.” He mocked.

  “Don’t make me hurt you.”

  “Ah, but see, you seem to be at the disadvantage considering your clothing choice.”

  He let me go still but kissed my cheek first.

  “Yeah, you better be nice to the lady. She could rip your balls off and you know it.”

  “I know no such thing.” He lifted his chin and puffed his chest out.

  I laughed but changed the subject, deciding to test the intelligence of the men in the room.

  “Did I hear someone else here earlier?” I took a quick look at their faces and seeming to know it was a bad idea to lie and that they probably didn’t have a cover story, they all rather dubiously shook their heads, “No., nope, nuh-unh.”

  Because that was very inconspicuous.

  “Hmm…” I lowered my lids to a slit and threw up one corner of my mouth. “Just as I thought.”

  Knowing I had the upper hand, I was not going to show my cards just yet.

  “Goodbye twin, I love you.” I smiled at him and flipped off the other two, “I’ll deal with you two later.” Turning on my heel, I heard Peyton laugh and a slight grumble from Tommy.

  He damn well knew he was in for hell.

  Chapter 10

  Three days passed swimmingly and without incident, considering. Tommy kept himself at a distance, glancing over at me when he thought I wasn’t paying attention. He was never more than three feet from me and never let anyone else come in to “keep me company.” Much company he was, always quiet and on his guard. I was unsure if I had triggered it or he just grew tired of the silence when he finally spoke up.

  “I saw you, you know?”

  “Cryptic much?”

  I mean, what kind of a statement was that?

  “Someone sent me an email with all the links to the different stories with you and that Jackson guy.”

  How cute.

  He was gonna pretend not to know his name.

  “I spy a little green monster.” I jested.

  “I’m not jealous.”

  “You’re a terrible liar. It’s okay, though, it’s still sexy.”

  “Well, prepare to get hot and bothered.” He pegged a look on me and set his jaw. “I don’t share.”

  “That’s funny.”

  “How so?”

  “Considering how you left me in utter silence for five years while my best friend threw men at my feet like a bird dog hunting.”

  Tommy ignored the last of that sentence, whether by choice or need, I wasn’t sure.

  “Once again, you left me.”

&
nbsp; “I never asked you to forget me.”

  “I couldn’t forget you if I tried.”

  “How do you know? Have you tried?”

  “No.”

  “Well, why not?”

  “Damnit Taylor, do you want me to?”

  He was beginning to grow tired of my tedious and exhausting run around. To be honest, I had no idea where this was going or why I started it.

  “Do you?”

  “I know everything about you Tommy.”

  Now it was my turn to be cryptic.

  He had the audacity to laugh and a half-assed one at that. It was more like a bark. He now had my full attention and I turned from my pen and paper.

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  “A lot has happened to me in the past six years.”

  “Then tell me.”

  “It’s not that easy Taylor.”

  “The hell it isn’t.”

  “You know, that’s one thing I’ve never understood.”

  “What?”

  “People expect you to spit everything out. If you have secrets or something to say, it ain’t always that easy to just say what you have to say.”

  “Of course it is.”

  “If you simply had your characters say what was on their minds, would you have bestselling books that went on for a whole series?”

  I took his words in, flipped em’ around and thought them over. He made a valid point.

  “No.” I hated being wrong and dammit did he love being right.

  “One day.”

  “Yeah, there’s a lot of that going around.” I turned back to my work and he took a sip from his water bottle.

  “In one of those articles, you were running in the park, holding his hand.”

  Ah. Back to square one.

  “We were running from paparazzi. He was trying to get me away from them. It was very kind of him, wouldn’t you say?”

  “No.”

  “Of course not.”

  “Do you like him?”

  And, there it is.

  “No.” I took no time answering him but he still had a nasty look on his face. “I made it absolutely clear, every single time we were near each other, that I had no desire to date him or anyone and was not interested.”

  “Are you sure you made it that clear? It seems he doesn’t understand no.”