Rock Chick 04 Renegade (28 page)

“What now?” Nick muttered from beside me.

“You! Yeah you!” Tex boomed, shaking the filter at a couple standing frozen in front of the couch. “Do not put your asses on that couch. The Law is sittin’ there with her uncle. Move!”

“Tex, we’re fine,” I said, my eyes on the scurrying customers.

“Stop scaring the customers,” Indy snapped over my words, her hands were on her hips, “and stop tossing the portafilter

around.

You’re

getting

coffee

grounds

everywhere. Do you ever clean them up when you do that?

No!
I clean them up. Jet cleans them up. Jane cleans them up. Does Tex clean them up? No, Tex does
not
clean them up!”

Jet was giggling, hips leaned against the back counter, arms wrapped around her middle. Al y was grinning like a loon. She grabbed a towel and hustled towards the couch to clean up the grounds.

I was thinking if I had one birthday wish, I would start the day again and miss Fortnum’s (and getting caught by Nick wearing nothing but a sheet though I’d keep the shower with Vance, it was fast but it was
nice
).

“That’s the best goddamned seat in the house,” Tex explained to Indy, cutting into my thoughts, “and Law’s sittin’

there.”

“Tex –” Indy began.

“No lip!” Tex slammed down Nick’s cappuccino next to my special and the foam sloshed over the sides. Then he looked at me. “Sit!”

“Al right, we’re sitting,” I said, smiling at him, hopeful y placatingly, “calm down, big man.”

Tex glared at the next customer, the unfortunate who’d opened his mouth. “She’s a badass motherfuckeress.

She’d kick your ass soon as look at you. You’ve clapped your eyes on The Law. Count yourself lucky, sucker. Now, what’l it fuckin’ be?”

I looked at the ceiling. Then I looked at the customer who was now staring at me and shook my head with an apologetic wince.

“I see you’ve given up on keepin’ a low profile,” Nick remarked, walking with me to the couch.

I decided to keep my mouth shut. I heard Vance laugh softly beside me. I threw him a frown. Then his laughter became not-so-soft.

Whatever.

We settled on a couch, me by the arm, Vance on the arm next to me, Nick on the seat on my other side.

Nick took a sip of his cappuccino, his eyes got big and he stared into his paper cup. “Now I understand why they put up with him. This coffee is great.”

I just nodded and took a sip of my own and decided

“great” didn’t do it justice.

Nick’s hand went into his jacket and he pul ed out a long, thin box, wrapped with pink paper topped with a little pink bow. “Happy birthday, sweetheart,” he said, his eyes warm on my face, handing the box to me.

I slammed my special on the table in front of me and clapped. I couldn’t help it, I loved presents and Nick’s presents were
the best
.

“What is it?” I asked stupidly.

“Open it,” Nick smiled at me.

I took it and ripped into it like a girlie girl (I did have a reason, seriously, his presents were the best). I tore off the paper and threw open the box.

Then I froze.

In it was a silver bracelet, a beautiful silver bracelet. It was made of hammered, matte silver squares each about an inch wide held together by smal links. Each square was different, some had etchings, some pieces of gold or copper soldered on to them. Four of them had stones of varying shapes, sizes and colors.

“I had it made special,” Nick told me and started pointing, “that one’s blue topaz, your mother’s birthstone.

That one’s garnet, your father’s. That’s peridot, for Mikey.

The last one’s amethyst, for Reba.”

At his words the weight hit me in the chest again so hard my body moved with the force of it. I leaned back and I felt Vance’s warm thigh against my back. My throat closed and my vision got blurry.

“Nick,” I whispered.

Nick looked at me then started talking fast. “Now, Jules, don’t start. If you start, I’l –”

“Where’s your birthstone?” I asked, my voice soft and it sounded croaky.

“That bracelet represents your family,” Nick explained.

“Yeah. I know,” I replied, my voice stil sounding funny.

“Where’s your birthstone?”

“Your real family, Jules,” Nick said softly.

I stared at him a beat then I slowly leaned into him, put my hand on his knee and looked in his eyes. “Yeah. I know,” I repeated. “Where’s
your
stone?”

He just looked at me and the way he did made me start blinking, fast.

I was not going to cry, I wasn’t. Not in front of Nick (who would cry with me, I knew it and I didn’t want that for him) and not in front of Vance (no way in hel ) and not in front of everyone at Fortnum’s who thought I was a head crackin’

mamma jamma.

“Here,” I said, pul ing the bracelet out of the box and throwing the box on the table, “put it on me.” I handed it to him and then gave him my wrist. I forced brightness into my voice and continued as if the emotional moment had never occurred. “I want to know where you got it. Your stone is emerald, right?”

“Yeah, sweetheart. That’s right,” Nick murmured, his voice sounding funny too.

“You’l take me there. We’l get them to put in another square. Okay?”

“Okay,” he whispered.

He fastened it on me and I shook my wrist around.

“Beautiful, Nick. Perfect,” I leaned in and kissed his cheek, “thanks.”

“You’re welcome, Jules.”

I turned to Vance and shook my wrist at him. “See? Isn’t it pretty?”

Vance grabbed my wrist which was shaking too hard for him to see anything and he held it fast. My eyes which were avoiding his moved to look at him.

He was staring down at me. He had that “mine” possessive look on his face but that other look was there too. The look that clawed at my memory and made my heart skip every other beat.

I stared at him, captured by the look, flipping through my memory cabinets to find the memory but before I could the look was gone.

His hand twisted so that his fingers laced in mine. He gave my hand a gentle yank and I came forward. He leaned down and kissed me softly.

“It’s beautiful,” he said when he was done kissing me and I was stuck staring at him again.

“Wel !” Nick said from behind us and Vance let me go.

That moment was lost too and I turned to Nick. “I gotta get to work. You two goin’ out tonight?” he asked, standing up.

I stood up with him and I felt Vance move to his feet behind me then he got close.

“No. The gang here is having a party for me. I’m not sure when and where but when I find out, wil you come?” I asked.

Nick watched me a second not able to hide his surprise at any gang throwing a party for me. I had a slumber party once when I was thirteen. That was it. I wasn’t johnny-no-mates. I had friends and went to their parties but had only ever had that one party for me.

Then Nick’s eyes moved to Vance. He stared at Vance for a few beats, did a slow smile and looked at me.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He leaned in, kissed my cheek, shook Vance’s hand, grabbed his cappuccino then he was gone.

I watched the door close behind him then I turned to Vance. “I have to get to work too,” I told him, feeling weird at what he’d witnessed, weird as in exposed.

He nodded, his arm came around me and pul ed me to his body. Clearly Vance didn’t feel weird.

“Don’t forget, you’re trainin’ with Luke at five thirty,” he reminded me.

I shook my head. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I have to go to the mal . Buy a party outfit.” Vance grinned. “Not sure Luke wil accept the mal as an excuse.”

“I’m not sure I care if Luke wil accept it or not.”

“Five thirty,” Vance said, stil grinning.

“Crowe, I need to go to the mal .” It sounded almost but thankful y not quite like a whine.

He didn’t answer my question, instead, he said, “I’l meet you at your house in time to take you to the party.”

“We don’t know when or where that’l be.”

“I’m sure we’l find out.”

I was sure he wasn’t wrong. Most of the party planners were in the very same room and he worked with their boyfriends.

“Al right,” I gave in.

“Pack a bag. I want you at my place tonight.” That got a Grade Three flutter right off the bat. I wanted to see where Vance lived. I knew I shouldn’t want to but I did. I also wanted him to “want” me at his place. I knew I shouldn’t want that either but I did.

And it was my birthday so I should get what I wanted.

It was then my emotional Rottweiler started panting and whining.

Damn.

“Vance –” I started.

“Pack a bag.”

My eyes narrowed. “Seriously, you’re going to have to do something about that macho-speak.”

“Jules, pack a bag.”

I frowned at him. He stared at me.

Then I gave in.

“Al
right,
” I said.

He kissed me again softly and I was a bit disappointed at getting a soft, sweet kiss. Not that it was a bad kiss, not at al , but it
was
my birthday.

When his head moved away, he was wearing his shit-eating grin like he knew my thoughts.

“Later, Princess,” he said.

Then he was gone.

No sooner had he vanished then the Rock Chicks No sooner had he vanished then the Rock Chicks descended.

“Let me see that bracelet,” Indy said, grabbing my wrist.

“That’s gorgeous! I want one!”

“I see you didn’t break up with Vance last night,” Jet said, smiling at me.

“I did,” I told her, “he just kinda ignored me.” She was stil smiling.

Whatever.

“I have a problem,” I told them, “I need to go to work and I need to train with Luke at five thirty and then there’s the party and somewhere in between, I need to go to the mal and get a party outfit.”

“You have a lunch hour?” Indy asked immediately, dropping my wrist.

“You’re training with Luke?” Al y asked, eyes wide.

“Yeah, but it’s only an hour,” I told Indy, “and, yeah, but against my wil ,” I told Al y.

“Doesn’t matter,” Indy said, “meet us at Cherry Creek Mal . By Aveda. Noon. We’l sort you out,” Indy said.

“But –” I started.

“Noon,” Indy repeated.

“I wanna train with Luke,” Al y put in.

“Everyone wants to train with Luke,” Jet replied.

We al looked at each other. Then we al started giggling.

Once we were done giggling, Indy and Al y went back to work but Jet walked me to the door checking out my bracelet.

I looked at her.

I wanted to ask but I didn’t want to ask. I wanted to know I wanted to ask but I didn’t want to ask. I wanted to know but I didn’t want to know.

Oh hel , I just went for it.

“Jet?”

Her head came around to look at me. I stopped and so did she.

“Yeah?”

“What’s it mean when I guy holds your hand?” I asked.

Her fingers were around my wrist, they moved to wrap around my hand. “It means he likes you,” she replied.

“What’s it mean when he’s a guy like Vance?” I went on.

Her hand squeezed mine. “It means he real y likes you,” she repeated.

“What’s it mean when he’s a known player and a guy like Vance?” I kept at it.

She reached out and grabbed my other hand. “Jules, it means he real y,
really
likes you,” she said softly.

I sighed. “I was afraid of that.”

She smiled at me. “I told Roxie and I’l tel you, trust me on this, don’t fight it,” Jet said.

My voice got low. “I have to.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, I just do,” I lied. I knew perfectly wel , I just didn’t want to share.

She nodded. “I understand.”

I blinked at her. “You do?”

“I’l tel you about Eddie and me sometime. Actual y,” she said, her eyes getting bright, “I take that back. Fight it. It’s much more interesting that way.”

“For who?” I asked.

“Al of us,” she grinned, “including you.” Hmm.

That did
not
sound good.

* * * * *

We’d just conquered Cherry Creek Mal and in the trunk of Hazel I had a new party outfit (with shoes); a new nightie to take to Vance’s on my sleepover; two new sets of very sexy underwear; a cute pair of cords I didn’t real y need; a couple of t-shirts I real y didn’t need; a fantastic new blouse I real y, real y didn’t need; and a serious new pair of ass-kicking boots.

This was accomplished because it wasn’t just Indy, Jet and Al y who met me at the mal , Roxie, Daisy, Tod and Stevie had come with.

I stood in different fitting rooms in different stores and they threw clothes at me. In came clothes, out went clothes.

Some would go scout other stores and whisk me away on the trot if they saw something I
had
to try on.

I didn’t need to train with Luke that evening. I’d had the workout to end al workouts at the mal .

But my party outfit was kil er and the shoes were
amazing
.

We’d al just made it through the door when May came trotting up to us, hands moving around in circles at her side, highly agitated about something.

Oh crap.

Oh crap.

The minute she made it to us I asked, “Where are Roam and Sniff?”

“What?” she asked, her eyes bright. “They’re in with a tutor, you gotta –”

“They’re okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, hon, you gotta –”

“You look like something’s wrong. What’s wrong?”

“I’m tel in’ you, you gotta –”