Overflow: The Carpino Series (18 page)

I’ve been sitting here at our table nursing a beer for the
past hour watching men watch Gabby and I’m about to go fucking insane.  Seeing
her ex approach her telling her how good she looks made me want to put my fist
in his face.  He doesn’t get to say how good she looks, he lost that right when
he broke up with her when she was already broken, the asshole.  Between dealing
with her ex and watching men adjust themselves while watching her have fun on
the dance floor has put me on edge to say the least.  The only thing that has
kept me even keeled is watching her throw her big beautiful smile at me and
giving me that intimate secret knowing look that only lovers share.  But then
that makes me wonder if she used to give that same look to her ex, putting me
on fucking edge again.  I hate to be a hypocrite because I’ve had plenty of
women, but now that I’ve seen the asshole in person and knowing he had her
before me is about to make me crazy. 

On that thought, I see Gabby give me the universal sign for
another drink and pointing to the bar as Paige has her hand dragging her to the
stables.  Keeping my eye on her, I hear Tony say to me, “I can’t believe you
got Pop’s blessing so soon.  James broke up with Gabby right before she moved
in with Pop, so he had to deal with that as well the death of her parents.  No
one’s more protective of Gabby than Pop.  And that’s saying something, because
we’re all pretty protective of her.”

“I’m feeling like I could give him a run for his money,” I
mutter, not taking my eyes off Gabby, still making the trek up the hill to the
bar in her short ass dress. 

“Well, the jury is still out on that, but I’m thinking maybe
you might.”  Then he adds, “Or should I say, we’re all hoping you will.” 

That got my attention.  Looking straight at him now, I ask,
“You don’t think I will?”

“Like I said, we’re all hoping.  You’ve only been around for
a month, but you’ve proved yourself so far,” he pauses, looking down at his
beer shaking his head then looking back at me.  “I’m closer to Gabby than I am
my own sisters, I don’t remember it every being another way.  I’m just saying,
Jude, we’ve got pretty fucking high expectations when it comes to Gabby.  She
deserves happy and if someone or something takes that away from her, I don’t
think her family is going to be too forgiving,” he says, trying to deliver his
warning softly.  “I like you Jude, I’m on your side and I hope you saw that the
day in the hospital.  Shit, I pegged you a good guy when I met you and could
tell you were interested in Gabby.  Why do you think I invited you to the
draft?  But I love my cousin, so make her happy.  She’s had enough hurt to last
a lifetime.”

I don’t get a chance to respond to his warning because we
hear a familiar but drunk voice scream, “Take your hands off of her, you
asshole!”

Tony and I whip our heads around to see where Paige is
screaming from and we see Paige pulling on James’s arm since he has both his
hands around Gabby’s biceps.  I fold out of my chair and start across the open
grassy area to get to them, just off from the bar.  I can hear Tony close
behind me, weaving in and out of people to get to her.  As I close in, I see
that James has her by the upper arms and is crouched down a bit with his face
in hers.  Gabby is rearing back as much as she can, her eyebrows are pulled
together and she’s quickly shaking her head ‘no’ while saying something I can’t
hear.  I make my last few strides to them and grab his forearm with my left
hand, he’s surprised by me because he instantly lets go of Gabby.   I see Tony
pull Gabby back out of my peripheral vision, but then see a fist coming my
way.  I duck easily, rear back and punch the fucking asshole in the face, he
stumbles back too many times and barely rights himself.  When he looks back up
to me while holding his jaw, I can see he’s drunk off his ass but I don’t give
a shit, he swung at me first.  Proving he’s not just an asshole, but stupid to
boot, he comes at me one more time.  I dodge to the right to miss his pathetic
attempt at an uppercut and grab his wrist.  Twisting his arm, he has no choice
but to turn his back to me as I grab the other and pull them up his back.  I
keep ahold of his arms pulling them high in back of him until I hear him
wince. 

Leaning down to the side of his face, I seethe, “You will
never see Gabby again, do you understand?  If you see her on the street, you
had better fucking walk the other way and fast.  You will not scare her and you
will never put your fucking hands on her again.  You gave her up.  Your
choice.  Now she’s mine.  Do you understand me, you asshole?” I wait a beat but
he doesn’t say a word. 

I grip his arms harder and pull them up his back as a
warning and he winces but says, “Yeah, I get you.” 

I take his arms and push him so hard he stumbles forward,
falling on all fours, and I finish, “You had better call a fucking cab.  If I
see you get behind a wheel tonight, I’ll cuff you myself.”

I turn to Gabby to see that Tony has her, her back pulled up
against his front with Paige standing close.  I go to her, Tony lets her go and
she comes straight to me.  I put my lips to her head and ask her, “Babe, what
did he say to you?”

Shaking her head against my chest, she answers, “He’s just
drunk.  He was never a fun drunk.  He told me he made a mistake, wanted another
go with me, yadda yadda yadda, and I kept saying no and to leave me alone. 
That’s when he grabbed my arms.”  She looks up to me and continues, “He didn’t
hurt me.  I know that freaked you out after what happened with Trevor.  It
didn’t even scare me, really, there are too many people around.  I’m fine, I
promise.”

“We’re leaving,” I announce.  I turn to Tony and Paige, asking,
“Can you get her shit, antlers and some toys, I think?”

Tony grins at both of us and says, “Sure, I’ll get your
shit, Gabby.  Go home.”

Obviously James didn’t ruin Gabby’s buzz completely because
she grins and whispers loudly, “You can just have your mom get it all, I’m
pretty sure your date has a curfew!”  She proceeds to giggle out loud and Paige
starts to laugh hysterically. 

“Shit,” Tony drawls, shaking his head knowing he’s not going
to live this down anytime soon. 

“You don’t want her to end up grounded or anything!  Her
parents might take away her cell phone or not let her go out next weekend, so
you’d better get her home in time!”

Tony, glaring at Gabby now, throws Paige a dirty look then
turns on his boot to walk away.  He really has no comeback and he knows it. 

“Bye Tone!  I loooove yoooou!” she sings out as I drag her
tipsy ass to the car. 

“See ya, guys!  What a great night!  We’ll be talking about
this for ages!” Paige exclaims as she turns to follow Tony back to the group.

“Sugar, what am I going to do with you?” I ask as I put her
in the car and strap her in.  I stop, lean in close to her face and she grins
at me. 

She pulls her hands up to my face and traces my lips with a
finger and while looking at my lips she says, “I can’t believe you hit James.” 
Then she looks into my eyes, “Boy, you were not kidding when you said you’re
territorial!”

Grinning at her I kiss her quick and move to take her home
before she gets tired.  Despite James, she’s in a good mood, tipsy and awake. 
A Gabby who’s tipsy, awake and in a good mood is probably a lot of fun, so I
get my ass in the car to get us home as fast as I can! 

I hear the deck door open and Mia jumps down to greet our
visitor.  I twist around from my comfy position on the outdoor loveseat to see
Jude stomping down the deck stairs with his eyes on me. Smiling at him, I turn
back around to the fire and move myself around to make room for him.  He comes
up behind me and kisses the top of my head and says, “Sugar.  Beautiful evening
for a fire.”

He makes his way around the loveseat, settles in and swings
his arm around me so I can snuggle into his side.  I arrange the blanket over
both of us and Mia jumps up to cuddle in.  “How was your day?” I ask, not
taking my eyes off the fire.

“Good.  Looks like you’ve been busy.  Seriously, babe, how
many pumpkin patches did you clean out to find all those pumpkins for your
front porch?  I’m not sure there’ll be any left for the little kids in town. 
I’ve never seen anything like it,” he drawls.

I twist my head around to look at him and grin.  “I like
pumpkins.  Pretty much anything that has to do with pumpkins.  You can’t just
buy a couple, to do it right you have to make a statement and that takes a lot
of pumpkins.”  I have had a busy day.  I didn’t go to a pumpkin patch, but I
did have to hit three stores to find the perfect pumpkins and funny looking
gourdes I was looking for.  Then I made a trip to the garden center, which
necessitated cleaning out my summer flowers and vines in my pots, replacing
them with mums.  That led to changing out my summer door décor to fall décor. 
And just for fun and since I had them out from the charity event, I threw my
antlers and antique toys to the mix.  It looks like autumn has thrown up on my
front porch, but I can’t seem to do anything small, so it is what it is.  I
even added a few pumpkins out back by the outdoor fireplace on the lower
patio.  I strung grapevines on the fireplace mantel and hung another fall
wreath above.  We had a bout of Indian Summer last week, but the weather has
cooled off again and the trees across the lake are changing colors.  A perfect
time for an outdoor fire. 

“This is a great fireplace, Gabby,” Jude comments.

“My dad loved it out here.  He loved to hunt and be
outdoors, but my mom wanted all gas fireplaces in the house because of the
mess, so he had this built a few years after we moved into the house.  I have
lots of memories here with my dad,” I reflect quietly.

“That’s good, Gabby,” Jude whispers against my head.  “You
okay today?”

“I’m fine, why?”

“No reason, you just seem quiet.”

“Really, I’m fine.”

“Okay then, we need to talk about something,” he turns me a
bit so I look at him.  “When were you going to tell me?”

Confused by his strange question, I ask, “Tell you what?”

“That your birthday is Sunday.  Were you not going to
mention it to me?”

“How did you find out about my birthday?” I ask, looking
back to the fire.

“Babe, I found out a lot of things about you the day I
cuffed and patted you down.  Which by the way, I wasn’t supposed to do,” he
informs me, with mirth.

This last bit of information made me sit up straight, turn
and put my hand to his chest.  “What?  You weren’t supposed to pat me down?”

“No.”

“Then why did you?”

“Because I couldn’t help myself, but don’t worry.  I’ve
never done it before,” he goes on to enlighten me.

“You’re unbelievable!” I exclaim, turning back around to
snuggle in again.

He chuckles, shrugs and returns, “I know.  You’re not gonna
turn me in now are you?”

“Maybe,” I lie.

“Well, I might have to cuff you again,” he says, and I’m not
sure if he’s teasing or not.  But he keeps going so I don’t have a chance to
respond, “But I’ve known your birthday from the get go.  Do you have plans?”

“No, I haven’t thought about it much,” which is true.  My
mom was great at birthdays, always made a big deal over it, even when I was
older.  And it wasn’t just about presents, but she just found ways to make it
special each year.  My aunts have picked up the slack the last few years with
gusto, but it’s still not the same.

“Can you get away?  Clear your schedule Friday through
Monday?” he asks.

“What?” I’ve never been good with surprises. 

“I want to take you somewhere for your birthday.  Your
family can have you another time.  I’m sure you can find someone to watch Mia.”

“You’re not going to tell me where we’re going?”

“No,” again, with the simple answer.

“Well, I don’t know, it’s already Wednesday.  I’ll have to
move some things around on my projects,” but the thought of going somewhere
with Jude makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, especially that he wants to do this
for me for my birthday.  I turn to look up at him again and say, “Okay, but you
have to give me a hint!”

“No,” he smiles and leans down to kiss me quick. He goes on
with, “What did you make for dinner?  It smells good.”

“Chili.”

“Do you eat salad with chili?”

Throwing his word back at him, but with more attitude, I
answer with a fierce, “No!”

Finding this funny, he laughs and says, “Good.”

Rolling my eyes at him, I get up and say, “Let’s bring it
out here, we can eat by the fire.”

Smacking my ass lightly as he gets up behind me, he returns,
“Sounds good to me, sugar.”

Not wanting to encourage him too much, I lead the way to the
kitchen shaking my head at the same time wondering where Jude is going to take
me for my birthday.  Then I realize I really don’t care because I get to go
somewhere with Jude and that thought warms me all over! 

*****

“Hey sugar, what’s up?” Jude greets me over the phone.

“Well, I want to let you know I’m on my way to the
hospital.  Sophia went into labor this afternoon.  Her first delivery was
almost twelve hours and then her second only took two.  I’m figuring she’ll pop
this one out in record time and I want to be there.  I’m going to wait with
Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Tony and whoever else congregates,” I explain.

Jude hesitates for a beat and then says, “Okay.  Maybe I’ll
head up after work if you’re still there.  Keep me posted.”

I frown into the windshield of my car as I make my way
through the parking garage of the hospital.  Jude sounds funny.  And so far,
I’ve heard Jude sound lots of different ways, but never funny.  “Okay,” is all
I can manage.

“If it works out, we’ll grab something to eat on the way
home,” he sounds back to his normal self again.  Maybe he was just distracted.

“Yeah, I’d love that.  I’ll let you know how it goes.  Bye,”
I say and hang up.

It takes me a freaking year, but I finally find the floor of
the birthing center in the huge maze that is the hospital.  Do they want people
to get lost in this place?  I finally walk into the waiting room and Lizzie
jumps up immediately shrieking, “It should be any minute!  I can’t believe they
made us wait to find out with this one!”

Lanny and Sophia have two boys and want to be surprised with
this one.  I say I’m not good with surprises, but does it really matter when
God creates something so perfect just for you?  I don’t blame them for wanting
to be surprised. 

I barely get a chance to greet the Carpino clan when Lanny
walks in wearing a huge smile and announces, “It’s a girl!  She’s perfect and
Sophia’s on top of the world.  Everything went great!”  My entire family
descends on him with hugs, kisses and congratulations.  Lizzy is crying,
anxious to get in to see her oldest daughter and newest grandchild.  Lanny
pauses, looks at my Pop and says, “We want to name her Isabella, Gil, if that’s
okay with you.”

I turn to my Pop who is standing to my right and I move to
put my arms around him.  Isabella was my Gram’s name.  He hugs me back but
looks to Lanny and says, “Bella would have loved that.”  Lanny gives him a head
lift, turns to get back to Sophia and baby Isabella. 

*****

“You should have seen my Pop when Lanny told him they wanted
to name her after my Gram.  It was so sweet,” I reminisce over the last few
hours. 

Jude got to the hospital and we both went in to visit
Isabella and Sophia.  Jude even held Isabella and I thought I was going to
melt.  She’s so tiny with a full head of dark hair like Sophia’s and very dark
blue eyes that will likely turn dark brown like her brothers.  Then Jude and I
stopped at Dante Pizzeria for a woodfire pizza.  I was finishing my beer and
watching teenagers play a game of Bocce on the indoor court. 

“I’m sure that made your Pop happy, babe.”  He downs the
last swallow of his ice tea and announces, “Finish up, Gabby.  We’ve got a stop
to make on the way home.”

“Where are we going?”

He sits back and assesses me, like he’s trying to make a
decision.  Not looking happy, he crosses his arms on his chest while frowning
and finally says, “I cannot believe I’m going to do this, but I’m going to take
you shopping.  You can consider it an early birthday present.”

My face breaks into an enormous smile and I exclaim, “You’re
taking me shopping?!?!  Where are we going?”

Closing his eyes and shaking his head like he can’t believe
he just did what he did, he gets up from his seat and says, “Come on.  You’ll
find out when we get there.”  With that, he takes my hand pulls me out of my
favorite pizza place to take me surprise shopping!

*****

Thirty minutes later, my brows are pulled together and I’m
frowning.  I look down at my feet where Jude is crouched while lacing up shoes
on my feet that I am
ab-so-lute-ly
not going to wear. 

“Um…Jude?” I call down to him.  “I don’t want to
seem…well…ungrateful or anything, but this isn’t exactly what I had in mind
when you said you’d take me shopping.”  He keeps messing with my feet, checking
the heel, pressing on my big toe like I’m a three year old trying on shoes.  “I
was thinking more along the lines of Banana Republic.  You know, White House
Black Market has the best jeans of any store hands down and they even have
great shoes so you don’t have to go anywhere else.  It’s like a one stop shop.”

Jude ignores my rant and asks, “How do these feel?”

“They feel clunky.”

“They’re supposed to be.”

“Why would I want clunky shoes?”

“You’re gonna need them.”

Okay. 

Enough is enough. 

I’ve got to lay it out for him, even if I do sound
ungrateful.  But new fears are bubbling up inside of me and I can’t take it
anymore.  Fears that I know are irrational, but I’m going to overflow with them
any minute now so I start with, “I know we haven’t known each other that long. 
I mean, it
seems
like a long time because of everything we’ve gone
through, but maybe you don’t know me as well as you think you know me.”  He
looks up at me from his crouch, one knee to the floor and one up with his
forearm resting on it.  Of course he grins up at me, so I forge on, “I just
really need to let you know that I am not the,” and I use my fingers to make
air quotes, “‘camping’ kind of girl.  You said you’re taking me away for four
days, and that means three nights.  Four days and three nights could really fly
by in a five star hotel, but I also think four days and three nights could seem
like an
eternity
in a tent.  I need you to know that I’m the kind of
girl that requires at least one shower a day, an indoor bathroom and coffee. 
And not coffee from a campfire.  Coffee from a coffeemaker that plugs into the
wall requiring electricity.  With real creamer that needs to be refrigerated. 
And not in a cooler.  I’ve already done a little shopping for my surprise
birthday weekend getaway and I’m warning you now, I won’t be able to wear any
of it if you take me camping,” I say, finishing up my schpeel with my nose
wrinkled shaking my head back and forth. 

Jude stands up to tower over me, even in these clunky shoes
I plan on refusing to wear.  He puts his hand up to cup my jaw and says softly,
“Babe, don’t worry.  I had you pegged as not the,” and he holds up his other
hand to mock me with air quotes, “‘camping’ kind of girl the minute I had my
hands on you patting you down in that sweet skirt and those sexy heels.  We’re
not going to a five star hotel, but we aren’t gonna be sleeping in a tent
either. I can promise you something in between where you can go the bathroom
indoors, take as many showers a day as you want, hopefully with me, and you
will have coffee made from electricity.  I’ve been living with you for weeks,
do you think I’m gonna take you somewhere for your birthday where you won’t be
happy?”

My frown turns upside down and I smile up at him big and
answer, “No, I’m sorry.  But you can’t blame me, I just had to make sure.” 
Then I go on to complain about the shoes, “But Jude, you have to know
something, I
do not
wear high tops.  Like,
at all
.  So I
absolutely will not wear these shoes.”

“You need the ankle support.”

“Nope. Not wearing them.”

He sighs at me, looking frustrated and turns to the clerk
who works in the Cabela's shoe department to ask, “Do you have the Merrell’s in
her size in a low top?”

The older guy, donning a bushy beard with bushier hair,
looking like he could live in the mountain displays at Cabela's, laughs at us
and says, “Sure, I’ll check.”

But I add quickly, “I’d like the ones with pink trim,
please!”  Jude looks down at me with furrowed brows this time, so I add,
“What?  It is my birthday, do I not get to the pick the color at least?”

After Jude gives the approval of my low top Merrell clunky
shoes for my surprise trip he drags me over to the women’s clothing and, as
quick as a bunny, finds what he’s looking for.  He rips a North Face black down
vest off the hanger and holds it out for me to try on.  Raising an eyebrow at
him, I turn, move around him, grab a hot pink one in my size and put it on. 
Smiling up at him, I say, “It matches my new shoes!”