Watching You: KJ Elite Inc. (6 page)

“I’m going to let this go, simply because I am too tired to argue and find out what you’re up to. But you better believe I’ll get it out of you. I always do.”

He raised his brows, smiled and helped me into the limo.

I had apparently fallen asleep on the ride home because when I started to stir Matt was carrying me up the stairs to the apartment. He looked ordinary but Matty had some serious muscles under all those designer suits and perfectly manicured appearance.

“Want me to tuck you in too?” He joked but carried me in through the door and straight down the hall to the left asking Jamie to disarm the new system he had installed for us earlier that day.

Matt set me down at the foot of my bed and turned me to unzip my dress. I held my arms up and let Matt pull it up, off my body then threw on a way too big t-shirt, took my bra off under it like a pro and climbed right into my queen sized sleigh bed with way too many pillows.

Matt hung it in the closet and placed my clutch on the nightstand. Was he carrying it the whole time, plus me and my shoes? Too much thinking, not enough sleeping.

“Wait, don’t you have to take the dress back?” I asked peeking up over my covers with one eye shut.

“No, why would I?”

“That has to be one hell of an expensive roll of cloth.” I guessed, snuggling into my pillows further.

“Just know that it’s yours, one of a kind and you deserve it. Get some sleep and I’ll be by in the morning.” He leaned over the bed, kissed my forehead and shut out the lights, leaving the room. I love that man so much. He's so sweet and caring and makes me wonder sometimes why there’s never even been a spark between us. I chuckle to myself and roll over. I know exactly why for myself, but with him, I may never know.

Chapter 4

I woke to the sound of my cell phone blaring Brantley Gilbert’s, ‘More than miles in my rearview’. Reaching over to the clutch, eyes still closed, I retrieve the phone and pick up. “Hello?”

“Good morning baby! How are you?” My mama's sweet and smooth as honey, southern twang hits my ears and I feel at total peace despite the recent goings on.

“Mama, what time is it?” I glance at the clock.

“For me or you?” She said, far too happy for whatever hour of the day it would be. Unless it was happy hour. I was always really happy during any happy hour. Too bad mama didn't drink.

“Me.”

“5 AM.” She said pointedly, making it 4 AM for her. Oh, sweet baby Jesus.

“Mama, you are my heart and soul but do you know that not everyone in the world is up with the roosters when you are?” Sleeping in was the first indulgence I allowed myself when I left the farm.

My mother simply laughed and began divulging all the family and town gossip she had been collecting over the week since our last call. I fought desperately to stay awake while she did so. Once mama got started, it was best not to stop her.

“Vicky!” A loud, rushed voice called out to her as if running in the room at that instant.

“I’m on the phone Cyn, what is it?” Despite her attempt at annoyance, mama and Mrs. Cynde were like sisters and family just the same to us all. She also happened to be the neighbor, one of mama’s best friend since childhood, our godmama and unknowingly so...my mother in law. Yeah.

“Turn on your computer! Look at this!” She said just a little shakily as if she had run all the way over from her house. I could still imagine her with her brown, bobbed hair, soothing brown eyes and always with that apron on. Cynde was major on the arts and crafts and her horses. If she didn’t have her apron on with some sort of project’s proof on the front of it, she was trying to ride in her spare time, doing what the men would allow on the farm.

“Oh my goodness! Our little girl is famous!”

“What is going on?” I grumbled, rolling over and putting a pillow over my head.

“You’re on the front page of almost every magazine and gossip website!”

“Don’t joke with me mama.” Panic struck me in my heart. I froze and felt the blood in my veins turn to ice as I sat straight up in bed. Welp, that did it. I was certainly awake now, no mistaking.

“You are wearing the most breathtaking dress I have ever seen. You could have done with a sash or a little more over your special goods, but you still look so pretty baby.” Mama beamed through the phone line.

“Is that Tay? Ooh, tell her I love her and am so proud of her! I miss that little chicken something fierce!”

“She can hear you Cyn. You aren’t exactly the quietest woman in all of the southern region.”

“Hi baby, we love you!
All
of us!”

I wasn’t quite hung-over enough, unfortunately, that I didn’t catch the insinuation behind her emphasized ‘all’. It was an unspoken rule that we simply didn’t talk about Tommy or me and Tommy. Though mama was used to getting her way, after a few months’ time she would ‘accidentally’ let some news slip on him, then apologize profusely. She’d say, “Well, he is just as important to me as you are, it was an accident baby, I’m sorry! It won’t happen again, no, no, it won’t happen again.” I came to know that was a fib after about the fifth time it happened. Thankfully she hadn’t done it in a while; longest time she’s gone since doing it but I wasn’t going to go asking now. No, now I was a little more concerned with what she and Cynde were arguing over in the background.

“Can we get back to why exactly I am on the cover? I wasn’t recognized or do anything for that matter.” I grumble and throw my forehead into my free palm, resting my elbow on my knee. Couldn’t just one thing go my way, just once?

“Well, it seems as though you were spotted in an intimate pose, and everyone thinks you’re Jason Henderson’s bimbo of the week.” My mother said with an edge about her that indicated she was not happy about the story, nor was she amused. Cynde also huffed something that sounded more like disgust than anything.

“I can promise you, that is not the case mama. We just met last night and spoke for all of forty five minutes, maybe. I came home alone, as always, unless of course if you count Matt who poured me into bed.” Mama tsked at me regarding my pouring comment, she’s never been one for the sauce and hates that I drink whiskey “like a man.”

“Someone caught a picture of him leaning into you far too close for our liking and it does impose a certain bit of closeness and the intimacy indicated between you two. If that closeness wasn’t enough to spark rumors, his having a hand on your arm certainly did the trick.” Cynde whispered harshly in the background again and mama let out a deep breath before informing me there was a new picture being posted to the website in addition to the first. “Here, you two are both laughing quite deeply and again he has a hand on your hand with a twinkle in his eye for you.” I sigh loudly. “Don’t you take that tone of breath with me little girl.” She warned.

I simply smiled knowing she wasn’t angry but knew me all too well. “He couldn’t hear me over the host, that was all as far as the first picture and for the second, yes ma’am, he said something humorous and I laughed. Don’t worry about it. In Hollywood, things usually find a way to snub themselves out in five minutes. By the afternoon I’ll probably be long forgotten. Plus, I made it quite clear that I had no intention of meeting him for anything else and that I was not searching for anything. If we come near each other again, it will be a matter of coincidence, I promise you this. I have no intentions of chasing this man, being alone with him or leading him on.” I not only heard but felt both of them relax and take a deep calming breath in sync.

Beep Beep.

“Mama, can you hold on a minute, that’s my other line.”

“Call me later, I have to go clean up and set breakfast out for your daddy and brothers.”

“Okay mama, I love you. Tell Mrs. Cyn I love her too.”

“Bye baby!” I heard Cynde yell to me over the line.

Click.

“This is Taylor and it is 5 AM, how can I not help you?”

“Wow, even your sleepy, grumpy voice is sexy.” That silky voice, why does it sound so familiar?

I cleared my throat and picked my head back up, looking at the phone screen a minute.

“I’m sorry, who is this?” Oh, but I know. My previous topic of conversation with two territorial and very annoyed mamas. And so it has been answered; no, it cannot nor will it go my way.

He cleared his throat and apologized. “Forgive me. This is Jason, we met last night.”

“Oh.” I frowned. “I’m sorry, I know I drank last night but I don’t remember really getting drunk until after Matt and I left. Did I give you my number?” Of course I didn’t. But I could take one guess who did. I was certain Jamie wouldn’t but if he said it was her, I wouldn’t be totally surprised.

“Um, no. Actually, you shot me down in a first attempt at dinner.” He chuckled and was he… was he nervous? “Matt actually text it to me and told me I should give you a call today.”

“Oh he did, did he?” Of course he did. Note to self, remind Siri to remind me to kill him dead.

My front door opened with a squeak and I automatically reached for my .22 hoping like hell it was actually Matt coming down the hall quietly because I had the perfect gift for him. I knew it wouldn’t be Jamie because I could hear her snoring between three closed doors and a long hall.

“I hope I’m not interrupting something.” Jason said, practically begging for approval it seemed, or was it information he was looking for without actually asking.

“No, not at all.” Where are my manners? Just because I wasn’t interested didn’t mean I had to be rude. Just a few more steps before the person would be at my door, unless they stopped to listen to my conversation.

“I was hoping that if I tried again, showing a little intention of really getting to know you, maybe you’ll give me a small chance?” Ah, yes, there it was - definitely seeking approval.

Unsure of how to answer, I remained quiet and eyed my doorway, waiting for my prey.

“Could you hold on for just one moment please?” I asked with a sweet, fake as hell, smile.

“Yes, absolutely.”

I muted the phone and set it beside me on the bed, cocking the gun and raising it to the foot of where whoever it was, would appear. The visitor, whoever it had been, was taking far too long for my liking to make an appearance. If I spooked them, good, if it was Matt, he was going to have a whole hell of a lot more than an earful to deal with today. On second thought, I un-muted the phone. After the longest heartbeat of my life, Matt came around the corner, juggling two cups, a bag and some mail, wearing athletic clothes instead of his fancy duds like normal.

When his eyes lifted to me from his phone, he stopped dead in his tracks and attempted to raise his hands in surrender.

“Woah, just me.” He announced.

I lowered the gun and cleared the chamber, putting it on safety. Red means dead.

“Move a little quicker next time, you scared the life out of me.” I smirked, still edgy but also a little pleased with scaring him half as much as he scared me.

“Don’t they say not to point at something unless you have every intention of shooting it...or something like that?” He grumbled and then gave me an apologetic look and sat the stuff down on my coffee table, then sat at the couch in the corner of her room. “I brought you some breakfast and
only
for you, a chai tea madame!”

“Something like that, yes and if you must know, I had no qualms about pulling the trigger. Thank you for this, but that does not take you off the hook.” I pointed a finger at him and picked my phone back up, glaring.

“It’s bad enough you leave your door’s unlocked Tay but at least set the alarm, okay?”

“What are you talking about?” I asked completely befuddled.

“It’s 6AM and your alarm is not set. Your door isn’t locked either.”

I shrugged, “It was pretty late when we got back, I’m sure Jamie just forgot.” I picked my phone back up and shoo’d Matt away with my hand.

“I’m sorry about that Jason, Matt just walked in.” At that, Matt smiled with an open mouth, showing me every single tooth. Pleasure and joy strung over his face like Christmas lights.

“No problem.” Apparently, now Jason was also smiling wide.

“Please, finish what you were saying, now.” Back to the fake smile for show.

I climbed out of bed, phone to my ear and walked over to Matt, joining him on the couch.

“So, I was hoping that maybe you would grace me with your presence and join me for lunch?”

I choked a moment on my tea and almost spat out, “Today?” Not like he could see and not like I could help it, but my eyebrows were, I’m pretty certain, touching my hair line.

He chuckled a little on the other line and said, “Whenever is best for you.”

I hated being a bad guy and I hated being on the spot. I’m not a totally confrontational person. I mean, I stand up for myself and my friends and family fiercely, but if I can avoid it, that is more favorite. Or just shoot it and be done.
That
is most favorite.