"No," the resounding voice of authority from Gideon's right felt like the saving grace of the first drops of rain on a raging brush fire.
In unison, everyone turned to look at Henry, who carefully sat down his silverware on his empty plate. Leaning back in his chair with the grace of a man who ate way too much, he placed one hand on his thigh as he sat back comfortably and gave his wife a firm look.
"Jade will go to her meet at school, and if there is time afterward, she can go to your quilting show with you then," he offered diplomatically.
"But Henry," Sandra shifted in her chair, her face becoming red with frustration.
Setting one meaty fist onto the table without a sound, the silent movement was the equivalent of a gavel in a riotous courtroom. Immediately, all sound from everyone hushed, and Jade's grip on Gideon's thigh froze before being snatched away.
"School is more important, Sandra. I shouldn't have to explain this," Henry said, his naturally low, calming voice coming off like a warning fog down a foreboding black mountain.
With a wide stocky build of a blue-collar man who enjoyed a nightly beer or two after a good meal, the large graying man with the huge handlebar mustache looked a lot like a retired biker who should be sitting at a bar instead of a dinner table. When Gideon first came to live with the Lattimores years ago, he had told the giant of a man just that and received a roaring laugh in response. He winked at Gideon and told him that he was the first one brave enough to tell him that directly to his face. Though having been around plenty of bikers over the years as an over-the-road long-haul trucker, Henry had never actually been one. Henry had stuck to driving semi-trucks since he graduated high school and never turned back. With his shoulder-length graying, brown hair pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, and his thick mustache always perfectly trimmed, the older trucker looked intimidating with his tall stature and naturally gruff face hidden behind the extreme facial hair. It was only the twinkle of laughter in his eyes and sitting down to really talk to the man would anyone know that Henry Lattimore was probably the nicest man Gideon had ever known.
With an expression of pure hurt, Sandra swept her eyes from Henry to Jade before landing them directly onto Gideon with hurt accusation.
Gideon suppressed the urge to let out an annoyed sigh. Jesus fucking Christ, the woman was so damn dramatic it drove him nuts. Looking back at her, he refused to let himself flinch under the assault of her warbling lip and watering eyes. Of course, she would play the victim, Sandra knew no other role. But it wasn't her reaction that he had to worry about.
Risking a glance to his left, he inwardly cursed at Jade's stiffened posture. Staring directly at Sandra, Jade's face held a pained expression as she looked at the woman, as if she was trying to absorb all of the woman's anguish. Thankfully though, Jade didn't argue. It was the only saving grace of having Henry intercede, Gideon thought glumly. Jade would never contradict any order from Henry, hell, neither would Gideon. When the man rarely did lay down rules or made demands, they followed them. Both he and Jade knew Henry loved them and anything he wanted was only for their best interest, the same couldn't quite be said about Sandra. Taking another look upward across the table to Sandra, Gideon groaned. In her own selfish, looney way, Sandra loved and cared for them too. No, she wasn't as thoughtful as Henry nor easy to talk to, but she did love them.
Helping clear off the table, Gideon stopped trying to catch Jade's eye as they moved back and forth from the dining room to the kitchen with empty plates and serving dishes. He could feel that the reserved emotional wall she put up was built to perfection. Her face looked calm and serene as she pushed some of her honey-brown hair from her face and hoisted up the heavy pot roast pan into the sink, but he knew inside she was seething at him.
The sound of the TV from the large living area next to the dining room filled the space, and Gideon looked past Henry, who was coughing and lounging in his old battered reclining chair, to see Sandra sitting next to him on the far end of the couch near her huge bag of yarn.
Sighing, Gideon walked over to the couch and leaned over, and placed a kiss on Sandra's cheek. "I'm sorry, momma," he said loud enough for her and Henry to hear. "You know I want you to be happy, but you know I also really want Jade to get that scholarship money."
Turning her head to look at him, she gave him a tiny sniffle and nod before smiling and reaching up to hug his head close to hers. "I know. You are such a good brother, my sweet Gideon," she chuckled as she ruffled his wavy hair. "All you have to do is give me that handsome smile of yours, and you know I will forgive you of anything, sweet boy."
Standing upright again, he let her pat his hand once more in doting affection before he walked back into the kitchen to put out the last fire.
With the only entrance to the kitchen being on one end that cut through to the laundry room and the dining room, it left the narrow kitchen closed off to the living room, giving them privacy. As soon as he rounded the corner, Jade turned from the sink and let the cool mask she had worn fall until her hazel eyes glittered with anger. Normally, any look resembling consternation looked out of place if not a bit comical on her face. With full, high cheeks, Jade's cherub-like round face and perfectly pouty full lips usually did not aid her in portraying anger. Tonight, however, it did.
"Why did you do that?!" she demanded, her eyes crackling with frustration. "Why did you have to say anything? I could've reminded her gently, later, and just asked."
Crossing his arms over his chest, Gideon leaned onto the counter next to him. "Yeah, and we both know how that would have went down. She would have cried and begged, and you would've caved like you always do with her."
There was once a time where he, too, would have consoled their mother and backed off from a confrontation. A time where he would have tried to make her see reason in a series of small gradual steps. But Gideon was tired. He wasn't like Henry, who spent his entire life babying his wife, working hard grueling days all across the country cooped up in a big-rig for days just to come home to Sandra throwing a tantrum about something or another. No, Gideon had thrown off that yoke years ago, resigning himself to just watch in mounting frustration as Jade burdened herself with Sandra's quixotic emotions and did everything in her power to please the childish woman. He loved Sandra, he truly did. She was the only true mother he had ever known, but that did not make him blind to her faults.
"No, that's not what would have happened. You were just purposely trying to antagonize her," Jade hissed as she looked past him worriedly towards the kitchen entrance at the far-off sound of Henry coughing.
Pushing away from the counter, Gideon stepped forward, his own anger rising to meet hers. Why couldn't she understand? "I don't give a damn about antagonizing her. Stop trying to paint me as the villain when all I was trying to do was look after you—all I have ever done, by the way!"
Pulling back as if slapped, hurt streaked through her eyes for the barest of second before Jade shook her head and stepped back. Gideon watched with pained resignation as she rebuilt her walls, retreating behind them, showing no emotion as she gave him a blank expression. "That's…that's not what I need from you," she whispered.
Chapter 3
Leaning one shoulder against the building's brick wall, Jade stood in the shadow of the alley as she stared across the street at her brother.
Wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt, he looked up and gave Andy a sharp look at the man's statement. Both men were standing in front of the open hood of Gideon's white pickup truck at Andy's garage. The old beat-up truck Gideon bought in cash off of a man two towns over was always in the shop for one thing or another. She swore it would have been easier for him to just buy a new car instead, but the look of horror he gave her when she suggested it after the third mechanic visit told her the suggestion was not welcome. Smiling to herself, Jade had realized it was the sense of accomplishment and pride Gideon liked when it came to restoring that stupid truck.
The sound of Gideon's name b
eing called out brought her and his attention to two girls walking down the sidewalk. Jade watched with a leaden heart as a short, curvy blonde waved enthusiastically at Gideon. Leaning over to tell Andy something first, Gideon walked out from behind the truck and met the girls halfway up the drive to the shop. It was hot out today. The Texas sun bounced perfectly off the three as they stood and talked. Jade wanted to believe the beautiful girl only wanted to talk to Gideon, maybe about their classes they might share at the university or just to stop by and give a friendly hi-and-bye as she and her girlfriend walked home from classes, but Jade knew her hopes were in vain. Like a good wingman, the second girl that had walked with the blonde gracefully made a gesture to across the street, most likely towards the café that was popular with all the Oakes University students before giving them both a knowing smile and taking her leave. Alone now, the blonde looked up at Gideon with a whole new light. Jade could see from her shadowy spot in the alley next to the dry cleaner's building the hungry gleam of ambition in the girl's eyes. She wanted him, of course, just as every girl in Stardust Cove did. The blonde looked at Gideon as an ultimate achievement. And why wouldn't she, Jade thought sourly as she stared at the girl smiling sweetly up at him. Gideon was kind, intelligent, extremely respectful, tall, good looking, and so much more. Dubbed Mr. Perfect in his high-school yearbook, there was absolutely no one in Stardust Cove that wasn't bowled over by his overly bright excellence.
Too bad he refused to use an ounce of that quiet charm when Jade wanted him to.
Tearing her eyes away from the talking couple, Jade thought of dinner the other night. She hadn't spoken to Gideon in two days since that night. She had been so angry with him. Why couldn't he just be quiet? Why did he have to purposely upset Sandra like that? From the moment Sandra and Henry brought them both into their home, Jade had worked tirelessly to keep their new parents happy. She had realized early on that Sandra needed special attention and that Henry only wanted to see his wife happy. Although it had never been discussed, Jade always suspected Sandra had asked Henry about adopting a child after their own son had turned to drugs and left, and as Henry did with everything with his wife, he obliged her request. She and Gideon had been lucky when they were taken into the Lattimores’ home, Jade knew that from the moment she crossed through the threshold, and because of that, she would do everything in her power to never let the Lattimores regret their decision.
But lately, Gideon was not helping in that mission.
No longer willing to oblige Sandra's eccentricities, what Gideon termed selfishness, arguments between the two were becoming more and more frequent, much to Jade's dismay.
Annoyed at her thoughts and at the scene in front of her, Jade turned away and walked back down the alley to the next street over. She needed to stop by the pharmacy for some cough syrup for Henry before she went home. Stepping out onto Main street that ran through the center of town and across the river to the university, she walked past the historic, red-brick courthouse. Stardust Cove wasn't a large town in comparison to other cities in Texas, but what it lacked in size it made up in sheer beauty. Located about five miles off the Gulf coast, the sprawling town had an impressive population of nearly twenty thousand people. Passing the newly renovated hospital, Jade turned down another street, which led her through an older historic residential district, which would inevitably lead her to the pharmacy.
"Jade!"
Turning at the sound of her name, she looked up to see a familiar face on the porch of the house to her left. With an excited smile, Taylor Beans waved at her from the pale blue and white Victorian house. Stopping, she gave him a confused smirk as he loped down the steps with his long lanky legs and stopped in front of her. This close to him, she could smell the heavy scent of his usual teen-boy body-spray mixed with his sweat.
Jade cocked her head in question. "What are you doing in Mrs. Archuleta's house?"
Pushing back one of his dark brown curls from his forehead, he gave her a rueful grin. "Well, it certainly wasn't by choice. My dad left me a message saying when I got out of class I was to stop by and offer to help her put up her security system."
Glancing past him towards the house, Jade spotted a shift in one of the lacy white curtains near the door. Pretending as if she didn't see it, she nodded at Taylor while her eyes sparkled with restrained laughter.
Reading her expression perfectly, Taylor let out a groan as he glanced back up at the house and back to her. "You have no idea," he grumbled. "It took me nearly thirty minutes to even convince her to let me in, and that included having my dad on speaker-phone confirming he did send me and reminding her of the conversation they had together about this at the store."
Pressing her lips even harder together, Jade did all she could to keep from outright laughing at the situation. She could just picture it so vividly in her head, especially since she knew she was being watched.
"So, with that said…" Taylor let the words linger in the air as he gave her a suddenly hopeful look that immediately made her wary. "Will you come in and help me? I am sure you being there will assure Mrs. Archuleta that I am not trying to steal her pearls or something."
Toying with the braided strap of her bag, Jade considered it. They had been let out of class early today, and she did feel a little sorry for poor Taylor. Sandra had once told her that Mrs. Archuleta sewed her valuables into her curtains because she thought people would break in and steal them while she was at church. A little reassurance probably would help out Taylor and Mrs. Archuleta.
"Ok, but just for a little bit. I have to go to the pharmacy and then go home and cook dinner," Jade said, stepping forward towards the house.
With an extra pep in his step at her agreement, Taylor folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes with a deep appreciative hum. "Mmmm food, whatcha making?"
Laughing, she said. "Chicken stuffed pasta shells and greens."
Reaching for the door, Taylor pushed it open for her. Leaning his long body into the open doorway, he held open the door while giving her a look of pure starving hunger. "Oh my God, that sounds amazing," he whispered as they both entered the quiet foyer of the old house.
Keeping herself from laughing, Jade reminded herself to bring her eternally hungry friend some leftovers tomorrow at lunch.
"Mrs. Archuleta?" Taylor called out.
They were both standing respectfully in the foyer, waiting as the French doors to the parlor room opened.
Dressed in a dated blue dress with white embroidered birds sprinkled across it, Mrs. Archuleta stepped out into the foyer and gave both of the students a hard-suspicious stare. With her long gray hair pulled into a regal looking bun at the nape of her neck and her posture straight as a board Mrs. Archuleta could be a bit intimidating.
Taylor cleared his throat. "Umm, I saw Jade walking home and flagged her down, figuring she could help me out. It would make the job faster, and you know since she's a girl and all…"
His words faded as he looked back between both Jade's and Mrs. Archuleta's withering expression at his statement.
Stiffening, Taylor tried to recover, but it was useless. "I mean…I was just thinking it may be better if…"
Amusement glittered in Mrs. Archuleta's black eyes, dampening the look of suspicion as she watched the boy flounder. Turning to Jade, Mrs. Archuleta gave her a soft smile.
"Of course you can help, and thank you, Jade. I bought the camera system offline last week, and I have been eager to get it up and running," she informed them as she walked towards a long table against the foyer wall containing two medium-sized brown boxes. "I will feel so much better when I can go out and keep an eye on my house from my phone.
"I understand," Jade smiled sympathetically as she and Taylor both took a box and began opening them.
Though Jade could understand the woman's fears, they were a bit unfounded. Stardust Cove didn't have much criminal activity, especially within the historical district where Mrs. Archuleta lived. Being only one street over from the
police station, crime in this area was unheard of, though that didn't stop Mrs. Archuleta from seeking out crime reports and fanning the flames of worry within her close circles of other elderly friends. Every week Sheriff Grayson released a crime report that disclosed all criminal activity in the tri-city areas that covered Stardust Cove, Holter, and Fort Mason. A report he probably regretted doing since he was accosted by questions from Mrs. Archuleta every time he released it.
"Well, with these cameras, you should be able to rest easy," Taylor announced confidently as he handed Jade pieces of equipment.
Just like in school, where she was president of the Audio Visual and Engineering clubs, Taylor always happily deferred to her as the leader on every project despite being the vice president of each one himself. Setting her bag in the corner next to his, Jade sat on the floor and began reading the directions while examining each piece. It looked fairly simple, much easier than the wired system her and the AV club set up for Monica Jackson, the director of athletics at their high-school, last month. Wireless and only using batteries and some using solar panels to keep the batteries charged, the system was fairly simple.
A Love So Wrong: A Forbidden Romance Page 2
