by Judi Lynn
“Zinfandel and ten wings,” she told him.
“I’m on it.” He handed in her tab, then turned and quirked an eyebrow. “Where’s the big guy? Did you kick him to the curb?”
The girls crowding Greg’s side of the bar focused on her, glaring.
She glanced at them. They had no worries from her. “Not likely. He had to go to Wisconsin to help his parents.”
“But he’s out of the picture for a minute?”
“He’s out of town, but we’re committed.” She nodded to the new guy. “Where’s Seth?”
“He never works Wednesdays, goes to Big Brothers Big Sisters to pick up the kid he took on.” He smirked. “How exciting is that?”
Jazzi couldn’t hide her surprise. Seth didn’t look the type to plug into a kid. “Actually, I’m impressed.”
A customer raised his hand for a refill, and Greg went to get him another beer. Then, to her surprise, he returned and leaned on the bar, invading her personal space. “It blew Meghan away, too, when she heard about Seth. He really milked it with her. Are you into kids?”
“As long as they belong to someone else. I thought Meghan had the hots for you.”
He shrugged. “Lots of girls come in here to enjoy some safe flirting. But Seth had a thing for Miss M. He was always picking up her tab, over and over again. Everything was on the house for her.”
“But she still flirted with you?”
“Yeah, it was a little awkward. Seth wasn’t too happy about it, but it wasn’t my fault. I didn’t treat her any different than anyone else.”
“You weren’t interested?”
“She wasn’t my type. You, on the other hand...”
She shook her head. “Would interest you for about ten minutes. I’m not into that.”
“If you get lonely while the big guy’s away, I can be discreet.”
“I’ll remember that.” She hesitated a moment. “Did you hear that Meghan was pregnant when she died?” She couldn’t bring herself to mention murder.
Greg stared. “I didn’t think she’d go to bed with someone until she was married. She seemed the Old Testament type to me.”
“She must have met someone who changed her religion.”
He thought hard on that, then shook his head. “I never saw her in here with a guy. Maybe someone from the hospital?”
“Maybe.” She remembered Gaff telling her about an EMT. She’d have to call him to find out more about him. Her food came, and the girls craving Greg’s attention started clamoring for refills. More customers came in. He got busy. She ate, set money on the bar, then left.
She stopped to rent a movie on the way home. By the time the last scene ended, she was more tired than she expected. Ansel called before she went up to bed.
“How was your day?” she asked before he could talk.
“Both the house and barn roof need to be replaced. They’re in too bad of shape to patch. No one’s done anything around here.”
“Not even your dad?”
“Dad’s knee’s been getting worse every year. He could do less and less. My brothers have kept the dairy running like it should, but that’s all.”
“Sucks to be you.”
He laughed. “What about you? What have you been up to?”
“I was going to go to Jerod’s house for supper tonight, but his kids have the flu. So I went to Seth’s bar for wings.”
“And Greg hit on you.”
How did he know? She wasn’t going to confirm that. “The place was packed. Great wings.”
“There’s a wings place just down from there in the strip mall.”
“It’s a family place. I don’t want to sit in a booth alone. It’s different at a bar.”
“A curvy blonde, alone on a bar stool, is like a magnet for men.”
“Not for supper.” She was tired of talking about it. “Did Jezebel stop in today?”
He hesitated. “It’s apple season. She brought us a pie.”
“That she baked?”
“She’s not into cooking.”
Was he really that naïve? “Has she ever brought a pie to Radley?”
“It wasn’t apple season before.”
“She’s hitting on you.”
He sighed. “It won’t do her any good. I told her that. I told her I had you, waiting at home.”
“And she looked at your ring finger.”
Another sigh. “I bet Greg looked at your ring finger, too.”
“It doesn’t matter what they do. Plenty of people who wear rings cheat.”
“That’s just plain sad.”
“It’s life. People can either trust each other, or they can’t.”
“I trust you.”
It sure didn’t sound like it, but she let that pass. “I trust you, too.” But she didn’t trust Jezebel.
“I hate this.” He sounded upset.
“Just get your family in good shape and come home.”
“Home.” His voice lingered on the word. “George doesn’t like it here either.”
“Tell your brothers to sneak him treats.”
“That’s the thing. They have. He won’t eat them.”
She didn’t believe it. George had never met a food he didn’t like. “You’ve got to be kidding. George eats everything. What are they giving him—broccoli?”
“We’re in farm country. Bits of steak. Chicken.”
Jazzi was concerned. “Is George feeling all right? Is he sick?”
“He misses you...and home.”
“Holy crap. I thought George would eat in spite of anything.”
Ansel sounded downright gloomy. “Well, I’d better go upstairs to bed. They put me in my old room. No happy memories there.”
“Do you want me to jump in my pickup tomorrow and drive to Wisconsin? I could roof next to you.”
“That’s tempting, but we already lost work time and money when we helped Olivia and Thane. I’m costing us money by staying here. I’m sleeping in a twin bed—no room for you—and believe me when I tell you that my parents wouldn’t make you feel welcome.”
“Even if I came to help?”
“They want me to stay and be a good farm boy again. They’d think of you as a strong enticement to leave. They’d let you know they didn’t want you here, and that would make me mad, and then...”
“I get it. If I came, it would make everything worse.”
“But you get a gold star for the offer. It made my day. Love you.”
“Love you, too.” But this was sure one bump in the road they didn’t need.
After they hung up, Jazzi went upstairs to the spare bedroom, but it was hours before she went to sleep.
Chapter 28
Jazzi and Jerod made good progress at the house on Anthony. Jazzi had to pinch herself. Things were going almost too smoothly there—no messed-up wiring when they tore down walls, no leaks or mold. It was almost as though the heavens were blessing them since they didn’t have Ansel there to help them.
She missed him but pushed that thought away. She was going to have fun tonight. Thursday was her and Olivia’s girls’ night out. They’d decided to try the Mexican restaurant close to Olivia’s house. Jazzi lusted after chimichangas.
She worked on sanding floors downstairs while Jerod painted bedrooms upstairs, and they finished earlier than usual. Jerod still looked tired, so they decided to call it a day. Jazzi drove home with enough time to leisurely get ready for her evening out. She showered and dressed in her new jeans and a snug top that showed off her figure. She took more time with her hair and makeup, too.
She still had plenty of time before Olivia got home from the salon, so she decided she’d stop at Louisa’s house and check on her. She was walking to her pickup when her cell buzzed.
“Gaff here. Just wanted to let
you know we got back the results on the DNA. I didn’t expect them so soon. It usually takes a while, but when the techs heard it was a mother and baby, well...the lab didn’t find any matches in the system.”
“It’s never that easy, is it?”
“It was a long shot. Just means the dad’s not on file. I don’t have time to talk, but I wanted to let you know.”
“Wait! You talked about an EMT who had a crush on Meghan. You asked me to go with you to talk to his new girlfriend.”
“Yeah, a nurse on another floor. She took a few days off but works again next week. I thought I’d try to grab you on Monday.”
“Works for me.”
“See you then.” And he hung up.
Abrupt, but nice. After meeting Gaff, Jazzi was glad she’d never become a detective. Too much stress. She drove to Olivia’s neighborhood. Louisa’s drive was full, so she pulled into her sister’s and walked across the street to knock on Louisa’s door. She recognized the home nurse’s vehicle and Seth’s SUV.
Miriam opened the door for her, and Jazzi was disappointed when no Cocoa came to greet her. When she glanced at the empty dog bed in the corner, Miriam smiled. “Seth will be back soon. He stopped in to take Cocoa for a walk...and other things.” She winked.
Jazzi smiled, too, and glanced at the home nurse, Amy.
Louisa chuckled. “Seth’s gotten attached to Cocoa. He even takes her in his SUV on Wednesdays when he runs errands. The boy he does things with for Big Brothers Big Sisters loves Cocoa. He’s getting attached to my Amy here, too.”
Amy blushed but didn’t deny that.
Louisa rushed on. “I have more good news. Miriam’s selling her big, old house in the country to move in with me.”
Jazzi looked at Louisa’s friend in surprise.
Miriam waved away her concern. “My bedroom at home is on the second floor, and stairs are becoming a problem for me. The house and yard are too big, too much for me to keep up with. A one-level house will be a lot better, and I’ll have company instead of living alone. We both have our houses paid off, so we don’t have to worry about money arrangements. It’s a win-win.”
Jazzi was happy for them. She thought about Gran and Samantha. “A widow moved in with my grandma a while ago, and they both like it.”
“See?” Louisa grinned at Miriam. “She understands. Seth likes the idea, too. Both of us will have someone to rely on.”
The door opened, and Seth came in with Cocoa. When the Lab saw Jazzi, she went over to be petted. Jazzi bent to hug the dog and scratch behind her ears. She was probably a little too happy to see her. Who knew she could miss George so much?
Seth went to stand beside Amy. He looked pretty happy being close to her. She was in her early forties, and very attractive. If Seth had a hang-up about young women, he’d gotten over it. “Hey, nice to see you. Are you stopping at your sister’s tonight?”
“We go out almost every Thursday night. Sister bonding. Since I was in the neighborhood, I thought I’d stop to see how everyone was doing.”
He nodded. “What can I say? Leo’s death knocked us off kilter, but we’re handling it pretty well.”
Louisa misted for a minute but blinked away unshed tears away. “I’m the luckiest woman in the world. I have so much love and support.”
A car flashed by the front window, and Jazzi motioned toward Olivia’s house. “My sister’s home, but I’m glad you’re all coping so well. Take care.” As she left, she crossed Louisa off her worry list. Grief still clung to her, and it would for another year or two, but she had a great support team. Even Cocoa would be well taken care of. It wouldn’t surprise Jazzi if Seth claimed her as his dog soon.
She was walking down Olivia’s driveway when Peyton pulled in behind her.
“No fair!” he called. “I’m not working tonight. You two didn’t order pizza, did you?”
He wasn’t working. So why was he here? Jazzi frowned. “What are you doing here? If you have the night off, why aren’t you out and about with buddies?”
He blushed and stumbled for words. “I came to check my work schedule, and it’s just habit to drive through the neighborhood.”
Yeah, right. Jazzi had driven past Ed’s house, and Ed’s van was parked near the garage. How many women did Peyton deliver to when their husbands were gone?
“Why are you here?” he asked.
“My sister and I go out on Thursday nights. Girls’ night out.”
“Take me with you.” He glanced at Olivia as she walked out of the house. “You two women are out of my league. Let me hang out with you and learn a few things.”
Olivia shrugged. “Sure, why not? Do you like Mexican?”
“I like whatever you like.”
Jazzi rolled her eyes. What was her sister thinking? It was girls’ night out, not girls and one guy. But what was done was done, so the three of them crammed into her pickup—which luckily had a back seat—and she drove to the restaurant.
They ended up in a booth, and Peyton wasn’t the dingbat Jazzi thought he was. She knew he had to be smart. He was studying to be a nurse, for heaven’s sake, but he didn’t come off as very mature.
“I love working with patients.” When Olivia looked surprised, he added, “I know some people titter about male nurses, but it’s a good, interesting job. I’ve done all my book work, so now I’m training on the floor. I just worked in med-surg for a week. Talk about tubes!”
“Which hospital are you training at?” Jazzi asked.
“Lutheran, not that far from here.”
The hospital where Meghan worked. She hadn’t put that together when he’d first talked about nursing. “Did you meet a girl named Meghan?”
“Yeah, she lived in an apartment close to Sycamore Drive. She told me if I got hired, her complex is a good place to live.” He grimaced. “I was sorry to hear she was killed. Talk about naïve. She wasn’t very worldly, grew up in a small town, an only child, really sheltered. She told me the first time she saw a penis, she almost fainted.”
An only child. Jazzi felt for her parents. “Did you talk to her very much? Learn anything about her?”
Peyton looked smug. “Women talk to me, you know? She said her parents were really old-fashioned. She moved to River Bluffs to have more freedom.”
Too much freedom? She didn’t sound like a wild child. Getting pregnant shouldn’t get you killed.
The waiter came to take their orders. Peyton ordered Dos Equis, Olivia went with a margarita, and Jazzi chose sangria. When the waiter left, the talk changed to what was happening around town and fixing up houses. Peyton and Olivia both had their pulses on the latest gossip.
The waiter returned with their drinks and to take their food orders. River Bluffs was obviously a happening place, because Olivia and Peyton talked all through their meal. By the time they’d finished eating, Jazzi felt like she was in the know again.
When they paid their bills, Peyton grinned at Jazzi. “Remember, I’m almost ready to graduate from nursing. If you start feeling poorly, give me a call, and I’ll come to check you out. If you get a fever, though, I hope I’m the one who makes your temperature rise.”
Oh, brother. “How many times have you rehearsed that line?”
He laughed. “Too many. It’s not working on you, though, I can tell.”
“I’m taken.”
“The Viking left town. If you get lonely, I’ll bring you a free pizza and any sides you want with it.”
She laughed. Peyton was persistent, she had to give him that. And lots of women seemed to appreciate his charms. They walked to her pickup, and she drove them back to Olivia’s house, waved good-bye, and then headed home. On the drive across town, she decided Peyton was harmless. He was a player, but too conspicuous to worry about.
The TinCaps must be playing at Parkview Field, because there was more traffic than usual.
People dressed in elegant outfits walked past the Botanical Gardens toward the Embassy theater, and Jazzi remembered the Philharmonic Orchestra played there tonight. The restaurants lining Clinton Street were busier than usual, too. It took her longer than she expected to pull into her drive.
She was in her pajamas in front of the TV when Ansel called at ten.
“How’s it going?” she asked.
“Radley and I got half the roof done on the house. We can finish it tomorrow. And we got all the milking done in the morning and again at night. We milk, roof, then milk again.”
“How are you and your parents getting along?”
He huffed a nonverbal comment. “Every night at supper, Dad explains how much Bain did around the farm before he broke his leg. Tonight, I finally told him I didn’t give a crap. Bain and Radley can do whatever they want, I don’t care. I’m only here for two weeks because Adda begged me to come, and then I’m gone, and I’m not coming back.”
His dad obviously pushed Ansel too far. “What did he say to that?”
“He mumbled around for a while and then shut up.”
Ouch! But Ansel’s dad deserved it. So did Bain. So did all of them. “Are your dad and Bain doing any better?”
“Dad can do more with his new knee, and Bain’s better on his crutches. By the time I leave, they’ll be able to do the basics, and Radley will have to do extra, but they’ll manage.”
“And your mom?”
“She nods to whatever Dad says. If her flower beds turn to weeds, I don’t care.”
“I’m sorry. You deserve better.”
“I have better. I found you. What did you do today?”
“I finished sanding the floors, and Jerod painted the upstairs. Then I went to Olivia’s, and we went out. Peyton ended up coming with us, and he knew Meghan.”
“The pizza guy?” His tone had an edge to it.
