Walter snorted. “You heard her. She did explain.”
“No she didn’t,” Daniel argued. “I know you haven’t ever kept a girlfriend long enough to appreciate the fine art of fighting in a relationship, but you were too brutal for her to respond honestly. Who could blame her for not saying anything after that shit you said to her first? I didn’t even know you had that much asshole capacity in you. Damn Walter, I can’t believe you were so mean to a woman you slept with just this morning. That’s just cold, bro.”
“So you don’t think the guy was anyone important to her? You think I ought to just let Jane go from me to him without a word of complaint? I like her a lot, but I’m not that desperate for female company. Sex is not my problem. There are plenty of other women in the world,” Walter declared.
“Dude, how can you be so smart about everything else and so dumb about that woman that just ran away from you? You’re going to be sorry as hell if you don’t fix this quickly. You’re going to be sorry in ways that you can’t even imagine being right now when you find out what this is really about,” Daniel said. “I’m warning you, Walter. The truth is going to make you feel like the lowest idiot that ever lived. And I don’t know if anyone’s going to be able to help you.”
“He was naked, Daniel. You didn’t see him. I did. The man was obviously very much at home in her house.”
Walter shook his head and headed back to work.
***
Walter wasn’t surprised when Jane didn’t show up on Tuesday. Amanda wasn’t talking to him much, but she did attach a note to the special courier delivery that arrived that afternoon.
Jane was invoking her right to cancel their project agreement. In lieu of her continued involvement, attached to the cancellation notice was a check for some bogus calculated share of project costs. The letter from her attorney outlined her suggestion that her thirty thousand dollar contribution be used to replace the resident swimming pool.
Walter snapped the check from its staple and handed it to Amanda. “Send it back to her by Harrison’s attorney. Have him release Jane Waterfield from all liability and involvement at North Winds. I’m not taking her money. I’ll find another way to pay for the replacement swimming pool.”
“What if you just called her to talk?” Amanda asked.
Walter shook his head. “About what?”
“I really hope you wake up soon and get your head out of your ass before Jane gets over you,” Amanda said, picking up the paperwork and leaving Walter to stew.
Chapter 15
“Janey won’t talk about what happened. She left chasing after some guy in her bathrobe and when she got back, she went to her room and cried for the rest of the day. Tuesday morning, I found her making coffee, dressed in business clothes. We had breakfast and then she left. She came home late in the afternoon, looking like chalk. What is going on, Dad?”
Morrie frowned and studied the table. Jane wasn’t talking to any of them. And Walter wasn’t talking to Harrison. Something had gone badly wrong between them, but nobody knew what it was. Jane had been happy working on the project with Walter. For the first time since Nathan Waterfield, his daughter had been truly happy. He had thought Walter was the reason.
“His name is Walter Graham. He bought North Winds from her. I think they were. . .involved,” Morrie said, carefully choosing his term for their relationship.
“Well, that would explain why he wanted to kill me at first sight when I answered the door without my shirt,” Eli said. “Geez, I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself, but how was I supposed to know? He was so young. He didn’t look like her type. He certainly didn’t look like Waterfield. The kid was not nearly as polished as her usual.”
Morrie nodded. “Walter is an intellectual. I don’t understand how he could have jumped so fast to any conclusion. It would have taken him two questions to find out who you were. In my opinion, if a mistake was made, it is on his head more than yours. He should have asked who you were. There is being jealous and there is acting ridiculous.”
“Are you sure the man is an intellectual? The guy who showed up at the door didn’t look like he had a brain, much less knew how to use one. I thought he was some gang punk, all wild-eyed and enraged. I was expecting him to throw a punch any minute. He certainly didn’t ask who I was. He just asked where Jane was. I may have been a little abrupt in my answer at that point because he sounded like a dick about my sister,” Eli said, rubbing his small growth of beard.
“Yes. I’ve heard you be abrupt before,” Morrie said dryly, drinking the coffee his son had made. “And your language has certainly gotten very colorful.”
“Sorry. Bad habits over the last year. So should I track down this guy and tell him who I am?” Eli asked. “I don’t mind doing that. I’ve gotten pretty creative about getting unwilling people to listen to me.”
Morrie shook his head. “A week ago, I would have said yes. Now. . .now I’m not so sure I want Jane involved with a man who won’t listen to her. As far as I know, this was their first fight. If a woman comes looking for you, it means your opinion matters to her. The least Walter could have done was heard her out. Think of the heartache his listening would have saved. Do we want Jane going through that again and again if the man isn’t capable of trusting her? I don’t. Walter lashing out in a jealous rage every five seconds would be as bad as anything Waterfield did to her.”
Eli nodded. “I hear you, but you should have heard her crying, Dad. It was heartwrenching. I was sick listening to it. She obviously cared.”
Morrie sighed. “More than just cared. Jane was falling in love with Walter, even despite the age difference. Lots of us have been watching it happen and crossing our fingers.”
“Is some guy named Harrison one of those watching?” Eli asked. “He was calling two or three times a day until Jane changed her phone number.”
Morrie put his head in his hand. “Harrison is Walter’s elderly grandfather. He was the original matchmaker between the two of them. He’s probably disappointed in how this has worked out.”
“The last time I saw Janey this hurt, it was right after she had found Nathan in bed with someone. Did she ever tell you who the woman was?” Eli asked.
Morrie shook his head. “No. I don’t think she knows. She told me she ran out of the room too quickly to see. Then she left the house after she confronted him. I know catching him in the act has stayed with her though. She didn’t date for almost a year.”
“Well the woman thought Jane saw her, so she confessed to her fiancé. He took the first out of town job he could get,” Eli said. “But you know what the guy discovered? It doesn’t work like that. Your problems just keep getting in your face until you stop and confront them. Now I’m back and that shit is behind me. Jane needs to put it away for good too.”
“Shira? You’re telling me the woman Jane caught with Nathan Waterfield was Shira,” Morrie exclaimed.
“Yes,” Eli said. “Hell of a mess, right? How was I supposed to look at Jane all the time knowing the woman I planned to marry had caused the end of her marriage? And you know how guilty she feels about every little thing, Dad. I couldn’t stand the idea of that. Now I’ve managed to help screw up Jane’s happy life a second time. What kind of sense does any of this shit make?”
“None,” Morrie said sadly. “None at all. I think you should tell Jane about Shira and clear the air between you. Nathan comes sniffing around her every once in a while, hoping Jane will take him back. If you want to scare some jerk away from Jane, scare Nathan Waterfield.”
Eli nodded. “Done—but I haven’t seen him yet.”
Morrie reached over and pounded his son on the hand. “I’m glad you’re back, Elijah. Lydia wants to have you over to dinner soon. She’s become a hell of a cook.”
“Are you happy with her, Dad?”
“Happier than I thought I would ever be again after your mother died. I still miss Evelyn, but I’m appreciative to have a wonderful woman to spend the rest of my life wi
th,” Morrie said.
“Well, I’m inspired. I hope Jane is too. One of us is bound to get it right sooner or later. You and Mom set the perfect example.”
“Some grandchildren eventually would nice, but I’m very proud of you, Eli. You’ve done nothing less than honorable as far as I can tell. Many men don’t live their lives so honestly,” Morrie said.
“So is the glaring Walter honorable when he isn’t being a schmuck?” Eli asked.
“In most ways,” Morrie said, his mouth twitching a little at Eli’s search for a less offensive term. “Like everyone else, I honestly believe Walter adores Jane. He made her come back to life. That’s why this stupid misunderstanding is just the pits.”
“How much of a kid is he, Dad?”
“Evidently more of one than Jane wants to deal with, since she didn’t find him and shove the truth down his throat. I think that worries me more than anything else. Jane only gets depressed on personal hurts. I’m afraid she’ll pull so far inside this time that no man will ever get into her heart again,” Morrie said.
“If there’s anything I can do, all it will take is saying the words,” Eli said.
Morrie nodded. “Keep watch over your sister for now. Things have a way of working out as they’re meant to. She went after him and failed. Walter will have to be the one to fix this.”
Eli walked his father to the door and hugged him as he left. After closing the door, he looked at the pretty house his sister now lived in alone. It bothered him to think of Jane ending up old and lonely just because every man she loved ended up breaking her heart.
“Yeah Dad, things have a way of working out when some person takes it upon themselves to make sure it does. I think this may be one of those times where I need to be that person. Walter Graham, I hope you’re ready for a little Jewish brother enlightenment.”
***
Daniel scowled at the waiter when he brought over two more drinks for Walter. He watched his stupid friend motion for them to be lined up with the other six on the table already.
“If I rule out the matching ones due to lack of imagination, that leaves three unique ones. I’m feeling in a green mood tonight. What did the waiter say the green one was again?”
“It’s called trouble, you moron. Any one of these is trouble for both of us. Amanda said if I let you leave with one of the crazy women that I might as well not come home myself. You’ve put me in a hell of predicament, Walter. Your asinine behavior has pissed off my angel. My path to heaven is blocked and I’m getting more angry with every passing day. Something has to change, my friend,” Daniel warned.
Walter ignored Daniel’s irritated ramblings, thinking about the dates he’d had for the last three nights. He’d finally managed to bring himself to kiss one of them—for about two seconds. Her fingernails on his neck had turned him off. That had to be it. Who knew he had an aversion to glitter polish? It also hadn’t helped that she’d talked about her fingernails all through dinner like they were a piece of artwork.
“Walter,” Daniel snapped fingers in front of his stupid friend’s line of vision. “You’ve had two sips of wine. I know you’re not drunk yet. It takes at least a whole glass, you freaking lightweight.”
Walter scooted all the glasses and his wine away to make room to lay his head down on the table.
“You better not be crying into your red wine. That’s all I got to say,” Daniel said, crossing his arms. “I told you to listen to her. I told you. Now look at you. I knew you’d be miserable.”
Walter raised his head. “Did you not hear me? The man was naked.”
“I thought you admitted that he was just shirtless. Shirtless is not naked,” Daniel argued. He couldn’t believe they were going to have this same stupid debate for yet another time. They’d had this debate at least once a day for almost two weeks.
“Same difference,” Walter insisted.
“No. No it’s not,” Daniel said, crossing his arms and glaring until Walter laid his head back down.
“Hey, Walter. Tell me about the guy’s tattoo again. It circled his arm, and had what on it?” Daniel asked, eyeing the man borrowing a chair from a nearby table.
“I told you. I didn’t see it clearly. I was too upset,” Walter replied, his answer muffled by the tabletop.
The scraping of a chair being drawn up to their table had Walter raising his head and looking straight into the eyes of his nightmare.
“It’s a gang tattoo for New York which is why I’m sounding a little funny for Virginia. It was part of some undercover work I was doing. Man, I hope this Yankee dialect goes away soon. I hate being looked at so funny every time I open my mouth to talk,” Eli said, returning Walter Graham’s blue-eyed glare with his own hard brown one.
“Hey, Walter. I think the tattoo on Jane’s naked guy is a dragon tattoo,” Daniel said, slapping Walter on the arm to direct his friend’s glare to him for a few seconds.
“Naked? Who was naked? I was looking for a clean shirt when Mr. No-Game here lays on the doorbell like we’re all deaf. So finally I give in and answer it despite having no clothes. I don’t see what the problem is. A man’s got a right to answer his door any way he wants, right?” Eli asked.
“Your door?” Walter repeated, straightening in his chair. “What do you mean your door? That was Jane’s door.”
“Did I say my door?” Eli asked Daniel, who he could see was starting to warm up to him. Maybe Daniel was the intelligent one. Walter still wasn’t taking the hint.
“It was inferred by the ‘man’s got a right’ comment,” Daniel supplied.
“It was? Oh—my bad then. I’m obviously not as well educated as your giant, blond friend here. It was not my door, at least not exactly,” Eli explained, shrugging one shoulder.
“Who the hell are you?” Walter demanded.
“Oh now you finally ask,” Eli said, lifting his hands like it was a miracle. “You might have saved yourself the grief you’re about to have if you had let your brain handle that the moment you saw me instead of your damn dick. Jane even went after you to explain the situation, but I’m guessing you didn’t bother to listen to her since you’re here crying into your. . .is that wine? What a manly drink for someone like you, Walter. Listen stud, when it matters enough to a woman for her to come after you to explain something, you might ought to hear her out. Ain’t that right, Daniel?”
“I tried to tell him. Walter’s normally hard-headed, but he’s stupid stubborn about Jane Fox,” Daniel supplied.
Walter turned to glare at his friend, then back to glare at the man across the table. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“What does it matter now, hotshot? You already screwed up. Jane’s out tonight with some cheesy lawyer in a Mustang. Man, I thought you were some bad news, being a punk ass kid. That guy loves his car more than is normal, if you know what I mean,” Eli said, happy that the angry color was finally rising in Walter Graham’s way too youthful face.
“Tell me your name. Don’t make me beat it out of you,” Walter declared.
“You’re welcome to try,” Eli said quietly, glaring back fiercely, secretly liking that the blond giant never wavered. “I wouldn’t advise it though, Walter. Besides, what do you need with Jane anyway? You got all the women in the bar tonight buying you drinks. Oh look—here comes some more. Yeah, we’ll take those too. Look at this, Walter. Three more fruity ones. Let’s see. I believe that’s eleven. You must be really picky. Most men would have settled for one from the first round.”
Walter took a deep breath, telling himself that he was not going to turn over the table, and not going to put the guy on his ass, no matter how smart his mouth was. At least he was not going to do it until he found out the truth. He had survived Nathan Waterfield dressed for Wall Street when he tried to come crawling back. He would find a way to survive this guy.
“Well, I would love to string Walter here along more for making Jane cry for a solid day and night. However, I can’t see that helping anything ‘in th
e big picture’ as my father would say. Dad is a stickler about looking at the whole of a situation before jumping to any conclusions,” Eli declared, sticking his hand across the table over all the drinks that stood untouched. He waited until Walter had taken his hand, and then gripped hard to get the blond giant’s attention. “I’m Elijah Jakob Fox. I’d like to say nice to meet you, but the truth is I’d like to kick your pretty teeth out for being the second worthless asswipe to break my sister’s heart.”
“You’re not Jane’s brother. Her brother is at seminary. You have never seen the inside of a seminary,” Walter said, easing his hand away when the guy finally let go.
Eli winced and shrugged. “Well, the seminary story might have been a tiny, tiny white lie for my sister’s sake. You see she walked in on my fiancée and her husband in delictum fellatio. I felt bad about it and took a job where I wouldn’t be allowed to contact my family. Emotion clouds your judgment when you’re in love with someone who hurts you. You following me, Walter? Everyone keeps telling me how intelligent you are.”
Walter nodded in a daze as his mind finally shifted from being in denial to taking it in. This really was Jane’s brother. The magnitude of his mistake took his body on a sickening freefall that hurt worse than falling through several floors of a burning house had.
“Whoever said that was wrong, Elijah Fox. I’m not smart at all. I’m a fucking idiot,” Walter said, rubbing his face with his hand. “I accused Jane of cheating on me. Oh my God, how could I have done that to her?”
“I have no idea,” Eli said. “After what her ex did to her, cheating is not something Janey is likely ever to do—ever. And if you accuse my sister of anything like that ever again, and I find out you did, I will make sure you sing soprano for the rest of your life.”
“She’s never going to forgive me,” Walter said sadly. Memories of how angry he had been and what he’d said to Jane came back to haunt him.
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