A Wild Ride (Jessica Brodie Diaries #3) (9 page)

Lump had still never hit William—she reversed the challenge when she got hit the last time. William was fast, and Lump wasn’t near as sneaky. She only got close when he was coming around corners—or when I sabotaged him for her.

“Did she hurt her arm, maybe? You know she doesn’t like to admit injuries,” I speculated.

“I don’t know, Jess. I don’t think so. I think she just isn’t feeling all that great these days. Lady will only take one day off, and that is with the strict understanding that Adam and I will stay at Gladis’s for that night.”

I once asked Adam if it was weird staying with Lump in a room at Gladis’s house. He’d said that the first night, yes, absolutely. He really didn’t want to, but Lump strong armed him. Apparently, though, his unease ended abruptly when he woke up to an extravagant breakfast, a paper, and seconds on anything he chose. Oh yeah, and his boots shined by the time he was ready to leave. He never complained again. Lump even caught him leaving the door open so his laundry would be done by the time he came back. He obviously missed his mama doing all his chores.

“Tell her about the other thing,” Adam said.

“Oh yeah. She keeps trying to corner me into agreeing to expand the business. ‘Cause, it’s, you know, doing well…” Lump had a sip of her coffee to hide her pride.

“I visited,” William said, leaning back in his chair and nearly putting his arm over Adam’s shoulders.

Adam jumped and leaned away, a big grin on his face. “Now, I know I’m pretty, Willie, but don’t go mistakin’ me for Jessie.”

William smiled in embarrassment. “As Jessica would say, ‘my bad.’ Anyway, I stopped in when you asked if I wanted to invest. Or, when Jessica asked, anyway.” Lump had needed more cash to move to a bigger place, and I figured investing was the way to go. That’s how I ended up with 25%, William and Adam with 12% each, and Lump with the majority, 51%. “You’re doing good. The set-up is well thought out, the classes seem organized and well received—you made it a success.”

Lump’s face turned red. “Jess was huge in that. I’m good at the hands on, she’s good at everything else.”

Now it was William showing pride. He went to put his arm around Adam’s shoulders again.

“Jessie, switch with me,” Adam said, jumping out of the chair. “Next he’ll be trying to cop a feel, and I don’t swing that way.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, obliging. I got a dark look.

“Well, anyway,” Lump continued, smiling at what I’d said, “she has been trying to get me thinking about expanding the business. I mean,
seriously
expanding. As in, nationwide. She doesn’t think I am using my full potential.”

“What’s wrong with that? You aren’t,” William divulged.

“She’s lazy and doesn’t see things through,” I answered. “But if you didn’t know that, I can see Gladis trying to push. She always wants what’s best.”

“I agree,” Adam said. He got an elbow. “I mean, not about the lazy part, but yeah, I can see how Gladis would want Lump to push her advantage. But, Jessie, it’s not that, it’s the
way
she’s after it. Really pushing at her. Pushing at me to get Betz to get some plans together.”

“I don’t know.” Lump shook her head. “I catch her walking through the house, noticing things. Like she’s taking inventory.”

“I wouldn’t let that worry you too much,” William stated. All three of us turned to look at him, his nonchalance misplaced in this group. He put up his hands in surrender, “Not that I’m saying it isn’t strange. It is. I’ll mention it to my mother—“

“Oh, good plan. Denise’ll snoop and push until she finds out what’s going on.” I approved.

William gave me a squeeze—his arm having finally found rest on the back of my chair. “She’ll
inquire,
yes. But Gladis is getting up there, and she probably knows it. She wants to make sure everything is taken care of, and that probably means you girls. I wouldn’t treat it like Doom’s Day.”

“Well, I think you should stay at the cottage while Willie is gone, Jess,” Lump said. “We’re going to stay more often, too. Make Gladis think she has a full house. Lord knows Adam keeps everyone plenty busy for the staff to assume he was five men instead of one.”

“Is it my fault everyone gets things for me? It’d be rude to say no!”

“You’re not a guest.”

“I am so.”

“Then why don’t you make me meals and clean up after me at your house?” Lump quirked her eyebrow at him.

“Because that is my house, and you are the girlfriend. You should be doing that for me. You are in Gladis’s house, and there I was a guest long before you came along.”

“I should be doing that for you? Should I be wiping your ass, too?”

“If you can stomach it.” Adam was totally dead pan.

Lump scoffed. “Jess, dead arm.”

I got up immediately with an excited grin and punched Adam in the arm.

By rule, Lump and Adam did not hit each other. They did not act in violence toward or around each other in any way, even when they got in spirited arguments. I, however, could hit, kick and bite Adam as much as I wanted. And since I was always on Lump’s side—in public—I got to enforce her irritation.

William had tried to put a stop to it once, but he got a high-heel thrown at his head, which he narrowly dodged. Being that my punches didn’t hurt Adam all that much, and I usually got a nuggie for my efforts, which really sucked when my hair was looking good, everyone stopped complaining.

Another Saturday without William. He’d been gone for two weeks now. Missing him had moved from a dull ache to a sharp pain. When you are with a guy every day, nonstop, for months and months, then suddenly his warmth disappeared—well, the return to the single life was a lonely one.

It didn’t help that everyone I knew had boyfriends, and liked to spend all their time with said boyfriend. Except Candace, who now had a fiancé, thanks to stupid Valentine’s Day.

My response when William told me:
Valentine’s
? He ruined a proposal with that loser holiday? But Candace was thrilled, so who was I to judge?

I made my way through the beautiful crisp morning to Gladis’s house. Per Lump’s request, I had been spending all my time at the cottage—except for a day now and again so I could check on William’s house and also sniff his smell off his sheets like a creep.

I let myself in the back door, as I had a million times before, and closed the door on Fred so he’d stay outside. The freaking dog was feeding off my listlessness and moaning constantly; it was driving me crazy. I really hoped I wasn’t that irritating.

I found an empty parlor, but a happy Adam stuffing his face at the small kitchen table. The table wasn’t actually
in
the kitchen, since the kitchen was giant and mostly industrial, but it was in a small dining room off the kitchen where people could get a quick bite on their way to do whatever. Or for Adam to setup shop and get seconds and thirds on everything the cooks could dish out.

“What’s up, Butternut?” I asked, sitting across from him at the round table.

He looked up with troubled, brown eyes.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

“I’ll let Betsy tell ya. Probably nothin’.”

“Note to you: I hate when people do that.”

Adam shrugged and bent over his plate full of greasy breakfast items.

“When will she be down?”

“She went out for a run.”

“How long ago?”

“She drank some OJ and headed out. I was just sittin’ down to grub.”

“You measure time by how much you’ve eaten?”

Adam looked up again, with a smirk this time. “When I get fed this well, yup.”

The light was coming through the window next to Adam and hitting him just right. His brown eyes, once brooding, were now soft and deep. He had just enough twinkle to invite conversation, whereas before he’d be the statue against the wall, relying on William’s conservational skills. His dark brown hair was tussled, and the light emphasized his perfect features.

“You’re looking good, cowboy. Hotter than before, I think,” I said, sitting back to analyze.

And he was. Something about him had softened, or deepened, maybe. Or maybe he’d just cleared away all the rubble, and was now enjoying his life. Whatever it was, he looked better for it. It made my insides squishy—I was really happy for the guy. He was an important friend to me; loyal and honest and good. I was glad whatever had plagued him before was easier to deal with now.

Or maybe he was just getting laid. Funny things happen to a guy that isn’t getting laid properly.

Adam straightened up and looked at me cock-eyed, his bacon halfway to his mouth. “You hittin’ on me?”

“Um…yes? Wanna roll in the hay?”

“Can’t. I only date ladies, and ladies don’t say ‘um’.” He laughed and finished putting the bacon in his mouth.

“You, too? Hm. Well, I’d be offended if Lump hadn’t tricked you so thoroughly into thinking her a lady.”

Adam smiled and nodded, mouth now full of egg. The guy shoveled food into his face like it was his last meal.

“She’s a good woman, Jess. I thank God every day for her. And you and Willie, too, because without you hangin’ around, she wudda taken off runnin’ after Gladis’s party. We took a long road to get where we’re at, but I’m glad for it. I found a good thing in her.”

“Wow, sentimental morning.”

“It’s true. I love that woman somethin’ fierce. Do anything for her. Got me a rude awakenin’, knowing I ended up just as whipped as Willie, and caring jus’ as little by it.”

I paused as Joanna walked in with coffee. “You want eggs Miss Jessica?”

“Um—“
Wince.
Damn it! “Yes please. And some toast if you don’t mind?”

“Of course. Why I mind? I get paid to cook. You here to eat. So, there you go.” Joanna walked out, shaking her head.

I watched her go with a smirk. “I like that all Gladis’s employees have attitudes.”

“That Joanna is from Cuba. Gladis got her legalized when she found out Joanna didn’t have good paperwork. She’s got three kids.”

“Doesn’t surprise me. When Gladis has to follow the rules, she does it ethically. I bet all these people make a fortune.”

“Yeah. Still. I’ve known Gladis a long time. She knew my father. Never approved, but she knew him. Guess I never really got to know her. Not like I do now. She’s a good lady. Better’n most. Never knew the half of it, I guess.”

“Cripes, it
is
a sentimental morning, huh?” I leaned out of the way so Joanna could put my breakfast in front of me.

“Jam?” she asked.

“No, thank you.” I got a nod before she walked away.

Then something occurred to me. “Adam,” I said slowly. He looked up at the change in my tone. “Why is it a sentimental morning?”

Adam’s face became guarded. “It’s nothin’.”

“Tell me. I will start crying if you make me wait for Lump.”

Guarded became slightly panicked. “Jess, it ain’t my place—“

Thinking the worst, I felt tears well up, which had Adam halfway out of his chair. Then, realizing he wouldn’t have to console me if he just told him, he sat back down.

“Gladis just had some pain in her chest—“

“
What?”
I interrupted in panic.

“Now hold on. She had some pain, and a little trouble breathing—“

I half stood up, tears free-falling. Adam stood up with me and moved around the table to grab hold and squeeze me to his chest in his default “stop Jessica from crying” mode.

I knew better than to struggle—he’d just squeeze harder and it’d hurt. The time I got a paper cut from Lump’s mail, then started crying in frustration because her finances were all messed up—PMS didn’t help that situation—Adam had crushed me and started freaking out, calling William in a dead panic. It took Lump pushing him away for my tears of anger to turn into manic laughter at the freaked out look on the big brute’s face—I had terrible, yet exciting, mood swings one day a month. Poor Adam still thinks I’m crazy.

Hence his current rib cracking hug.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh thank the Lord!” Adam sighed, releasing me and pushing me at Lump.

“What’s going on with Gladis?” I asked immediately, nearly sobbing.

“
Adam!
I told you you’d only upset her.”

“What the hell was I supposed to do? She started crying for Pete’s sakes!”

“Good thing I’m not a crier.” Lump sighed as she pushed me back toward the chair. “He’d probably hang himself once a month.”

“I don’t love your monthly temper, neither.” Adam looked back in forth from his unfinished breakfast and the door.

Lump sighed. “Jess, it’s not that big of a deal—“

“But Adam said chest pain and shortness of breath.”

Lump turned to Adam with a look of doom. “Are you serious?”

Getting lost won out. Except, Adam was smart—he grabbed his plate and headed into the kitchen. He’d probably need seconds, and would surely get some peace and quiet; Joanna didn’t bother you if you didn’t bother her.

Lump watched him flee sat in his seat. “Besides that first night, I cried once with him. I had to punch him in the stomach to get him to let me out of a bear hug. It’s because of the memories of his mother—“

“Lump, I know his history. What I need to know is about Gladis.”

“Oh right—sorry. Seriously, it’s not that bad. The chest pain was probably muscle related, not heart related, and the shortness of breath was just the way she was sitting. Which Gladis tried to say. She’d twisted wrong yesterday when she tried to hit me with a tennis ball, so that all makes sense. It was Lady and Adam that were freaking out. Lady took Gladis in to the doctor just to be sure.”

“You should probably stop that throwing game.”

“I suggested it, but I could tell it upset Gladis. Her spirits are low. She can’t move as liberally anymore.”

I nodded, feeling better. “Adam needs to learn how to break news to people a little better.”

“You think? Why’d you start crying? Just to get your way?”