Chapter 54
JINX SAID, “WELL, are we going for a swim or not?”
She was walking down the steps at the shallow end of the pool in her tiny, shiny bikini and I was going inside to change when I heard my name. Justine was coming through the glass doors to the deck, still wearing work clothes: dark suit and heels.
“Justine?”
“I didn’t know where to park my car,” she said. “I left it out front, hoping for the best.”
She laughed.
I blinked at her and she kissed me, kept going out to the pool deck, still talking.
“You left your iPad in my car,” she said. “I called you, Jack, but no answer, so I thought I’d run over with it.”
She was taking the tablet out of her purse when her peripheral vision caught the shapely blonde in my pool.
I read the shock and then the hurt in Justine’s face, and she read the reflexive guilt in mine.
“Oh,” she said, looking away from me. “Hi, Jinx. It’s been a long time…”
Jinx said, “How’ve you been?” and Justine said, “Fine, thanks,” but they were speaking like actors in a British comedy of manners, no one saying what they meant.
Justine turned back to me, her eyes as hard as gun barrels. She said, “I see this isn’t a good time. I’ll let myself out.”
I said, “No, no, join us, Justine.”
She said, “See ya,” shoved the tablet into my hand, then went back through the open sliding doors. I called out, “Justine. Wait,” but she didn’t and she was moving fast.
I shot a glance at Jinx, said, “I’ll be right back.” Then I went after Justine, who swept through the house and out the front door like a gust of wind through my heart.
But when she stopped at the gatepost to punch in her code, I caught up with her.
“Sweetheart, Jinx is just a friend. Nothing is going on. Come back. Have a drink.”
“No, thanks, Jack. I only came by to drop off your thing, the iPad. And I’ve done it.”
“Justine, honestly,” I said, but by then she had ducked into her car. The door slammed shut, the engine started, the headlights went on, and she expertly navigated the tricky backing-up maneuver out of my driveway and onto the highway.
I found Jinx out on the deck, dressed again.
She stepped into her espadrilles, and I said what was already abundantly clear. “Justine had to leave.”
“I have to go too, Jack. A little nagging headache is turning into a big nagging headache.”
“Frozen daiquiris can give you brain freeze…”
She laughed. “Good one, Jack.”
“Well, I’m sorry about the awkward moment. It’s good to see you.”
“It’s okay, Jack. Another time.”
I walked Jinx out to her car. We exchanged cheek kisses. I waved. She tootled her horn and got onto PCH unscathed.
I felt embarrassed, deflated, and headaches must have been going around, because I had one too. I went inside and nuked frozen Salisbury steak with peas.
Then I ate dinner alone in front of the TV.