Chapter 13
Jake stopped in front of the elevator and stared at the gift shop display case. Baskets of silk daisies in unnatural colors so bright they hurt his eyes, stuffed bunnies and bears, and slippers embellished with sparkles and pearls—all strategically located for those who wanted to arrive with full hands to complement their empty words.
He looked down at the paper bag in his hand.
Not exactly a gift, but at least he wasn’t empty-handed.
He should be out looking for a scared cat. He had the perfect excuse for spending the rest of the daylight hours in a kayak, and yet here he was—in a place that felt as familiar as his basement bedroom and equally depressing. If he stopped making everyone else’s problems his own he just might be able to squeeze out a couple of hours for a life.
He kicked the bottom of the wall with a plaster-splotched boot, turned around, and pushed the button.
The elevator moved too fast for his liking. He hadn’t figured out what he was going to say because he hadn’t figured out what he was really doing there. His mom could have made this trip for him.
The door opened on the second floor and his phone rang.
“Hey, Topher. ’Sup?”
“Who is she?”
“She who?”
“The hot chick you buzzed out of here to see. Never even said good-bye.”
He hadn’t? Jake rubbed the back of his neck. “No hot chick.” Really? “Had to pick up something for the Foster job.” He hadn’t shared any of the details of the past forty-eight hours with the guys in his crew. In a matter of days he’d need Topher to start mudding and sanding and he’d meet the “Foster job” face-to-face.
“So you’re free to hang out tonight? I’m throwing some bratwurst on. Everybody’s bringing something. Six work?”
Jake glanced at his watch. “Sure. I’ll grab chips and stuff.”
“Bring the chick, too.”
“Chicken?” Jake yelled over the static from the bag he crinkled next to his phone. “Sure, I’ll bring chicken. Bye.”
With a grin he couldn’t repress, he walked down the hall. At the door to 254, he took off his cap and walked in. She was sitting almost upright, staring out the window. He cleared his throat. “Hi.”
Her head jerked toward him. “Hi. You scared me.”
He shrugged. “I scare myself sometimes.” He held out the bag.
“What is … oh! A phone! You got me a … my phone?” She pushed a button on the side. “It works. How in the world?”
“Kitty litter.”
“What?”
“I sealed it in a bag of kitty litter and left it in the hot truck all day. It’s a little trick I learned after dumping my kayak.”
Her face lit with a hero-worship kind of look that doubled his pulse. There you go again, Braden. Some guys were adrenaline junkies. His personal addiction was a wistful sigh and a you’re-so-wonderful gaze. My name is Jacob Braden and I’m a rescue addict.
“Thank you.” Emily opened her phone and let out a sigh. Of relief, not awe.
Jake sank into a chair. Maybe this was where his addiction ended. She certainly wasn’t doing anything to feed it. “You’re welcome.”
“And you’re wonderful.”
Oh brother. “I just figured you might need it. I’d be lost without mine. Don’t have anybody’s number memorized.”
“Me either. I know my parents’ and my friend’s in California. That’s it.” She clutched her phone to her chest. “So now I have to make this up to you, too.”
We’re up to two dinners and two movies now, right? “You could make it up to me by not making me knock down any more walls.” Except yours.
Emily coughed, grabbed a tissue, and held up one finger until the spasm receded. Eyes watering, she shook her head. “Sorry about that.”
Clever how she ignored his request. “I found about three pounds of rice in the dining room wall. You have, or had, mice. I know where you can get a cheap cat. Assuming we can locate it.”
“I’ll take her. A good watch cat is hard to find. That’s only a temporary solution, but I wouldn’t mind the company.”
Temporary. As in not worth it. But did it have to be temporary? He counted IV drops. The antibiotics dripped healing into her veins. So different from the parade of liquid spheres he’d counted as they flowed into Abby’s arm and did nothing but dull her pain.
“You must be exhausted.”
He nodded. “It’s been an interesting week.”
“Can you take some time over the weekend to do something fun?”
“I’m hoping to get out the kayak.”
“What kind do you have?” Her eyes took on a higher sheen as she leaned toward him.
The girl had active listening skills down pat. “It’s just a little lightweight thing I can throw in the back of the truck.”
“Sea or touring?”
“Sea. You’ve kayaked?”
Was there a rheostat connected to those eyes? She laughed. “I’ve spent some time on the water. I was on the women’s rowing team in college.”
His turn to laugh. “That explains a lot.”
“A lot of what?”
“Adam was totally impressed with your skills—couldn’t believe a female could figure out how to make a paddle. And he said you didn’t row like a girl at all.”
“Now there’s a compliment.” She held up her arm and squeezed her bicep. “There was a time I had some respectable upper body strength. I need to work on it. I plan on spending a lot of time on the water in California.”
There it was again. Temporary. “Do you have a job waiting for you out there?” Or a guy?
“Nope.” Her hands flipped open, palms up. “That’s what makes this an adventure. I have a friend living out there, so at least I’ll know one person.”
He friend or she friend? “What’s the draw? I mean, besides year-round summer, white beaches, incredible views, ocean air?”
Her smile seemed to tighten. Her gaze settled on the blanket hills formed by her knees. “It’s far away.”
“From family?”
“That. And everything.” She blew out a quick breath and shot him a closed-lip smile that seemed to apologize for the break in her voice. “I used to run a preschool. I spent my days playing Freeze Tag and Leapfrog. I can’t keep up with four-year-olds anymore.”
“So you’re starting a whole new life.”
She nodded. “There’s something I want to accomplish before that, but essentially, yes. California will be the beginning of the new me.”
“And what about now?” He hadn’t really intended to ask the question out loud. But now that she was listening in on his thoughts, why stop? “If you’re not the old you or the new you, what does that make you?”
“Good question. In limbo, I guess.”
“Or in transition. You can’t be static. My football coach always said if you’re not striving to improve, you’re regressing. There’s no coasting in life.”
Emily nodded. “I guess flipping this house is my striving. It’s moving me toward my goal.”
“But what about personally? Socially?” His subconscious agenda unveiled as the words formed on his tongue. “You can’t be in relationship limbo either.” Too strong. “Don’t you think people are made to be in community?”
“Yes.” The single word was bathed in caution. “When we’re in a place where we can put down roots. Until then, relationships don’t make sense.” She bit down on her bottom lip. “That didn’t come out right. I so appreciate you and your mother. But I’d planned on not getting to know anyone here. What’s the point when I’ll be leaving?”
“Nothing wrong with long-distance friends. I have college friends from Idaho to the Bahamas. Gives me an excuse to travel.” He shrugged. “Well, it did. Until my sister died. My life’s in a bit of a holding pattern until we figure out what’s happening with Adam and Lexi.”
“What do you mean?”
“My mom and I hope to take guardianship away from Ben. If we can just prove he’s the creep we know he is. I’m hoping to adopt them.”
“You? Not your mother?”
“My mom’s got fibromyalgia. I guess she told you about that. That and her age would work against her in a custody battle.”
Her lips parted. Her eyes told him once again how amazing he was. He turned away. Lord, kill my pride.
She tipped her head like a little girl watching the last scene of Cinderella. “That’s a huge sacrifice.”
He shrugged and took a mental spear to the ego monster. “Anyway, I have some understanding of putting off your life until the dominoes start falling.”
“Interesting place to be, isn’t it? How do we keep from regressing?”
Jake laced his fingers and stretched his arms. “Maybe it’s okay to live while you’re waiting for life to begin.”
“Maybe. We don’t want to get rusty or out of practice.”
He felt his Adam’s apple rise and fall like a blip on a heart monitor. “We sure don’t.” But rust would be safe. “Tina said she invited you to the barbecue.”
“She did.”
Picking up his cap, he stood. “Good place to practice living.”