HIDDEN CREEK THEN: a hidden creek high novel Page 9

  She laughed.

  Cherry slapped me with a dish towel. “That kind of talk will get you black pepper, Jett.”

  “You can’t reach my mouth,” I said.

  “I will get a damn step stool and pour all of the pepper I have into your mouth, Jett,” Cherry said. “Now sit.”

  I hurried to sit.

  I shivered.

  I looked at Carolyn and made an eek face.

  “So, talk to me, Wes’s mom,” I said.

  Carolyn hated when I called her that. I always called her that when I first met her after she had Wes. Then it became Carolyn once shit got real in all of our lives.

  Fucking West…

  “What’s there to talk about?” Carolyn asked.

  “Oh, this place is always buzzing,” I said. “I swear, this town was never this hectic when I was younger.”

  “Are you trying to make yourself sound like an old man or what?” Carolyn asked.

  “I’m not young.”

  “You’re not old,” Cherry said from the kitchen. “You’re hanging around that auto shop too much. Pop is rubbing off on you.”

  “Me?” I asked. “No way. Look at me. I’m in great shape. And I still have a life.”

  “Do you?” Carolyn asked.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  She laughed. “Nothing. I’m kidding.”

  “Wait a second,” I said. “When was the last time you had a real day off from work? Or the last time you did something for yourself?”

  I was pointing at Carolyn and she pointed back.

  “When was the last time I had the chance?” she threw at me.

  “That’s weak,” I said.

  “You both sound like children,” Cherry said as she walked to the table.

  She had a tray with coffee and cookies on it.

  I stood up to help and she gave me a side glance that could have made the sun freeze up in a second.

  “I don’t need your help,” she said.

  I sat back down and folded my hands on the table.

  Cherry put the tray down and passed the coffee. Then she put a plate of fresh cookies right at the middle of the table.

  She sat down. “You two stop acting like kids.”

  “She started it,” I said.

  “Did not,” Carolyn said.

  We both started to laugh.

  Carolyn was like a big sister to me. She was a little over ten years older than me. She had Wes at a young age. And if having a baby young wasn’t hard enough, having West as the father was just punishment. But West was gone (again) and he was staying away for good. That in itself was a whole other story to think about.

  “Jett showing up here is interesting,” Cherry said.

  “Oh?” I asked. “I’m always here.”

  “When I drag you here,” she said.

  “Why do you think he’s here?” Carolyn asked.

  Cherry reached for a cookie and slid it my way. “I can guess… one name.”

  “Hey, hey, hey,” I said.

  Carolyn gasped. “Are you and Julia fooling around again?”

  I looked at Carolyn and curled my lip.

  Now she made an eek face at me.

  “I don’t like the whole fooling around thing,” Cherry said.

  “It’s not that,” I said. “At all.”

  “But it’s something,” Cherry said.

  “Maybe,” I said. “We talked a few times.”

  “About damn time,” Carolyn said.

  “Language,” Cherry said.

  “Sorry,” Carolyn said.

  Cherry looked at me. She smiled. “About damn time.”

  “Really?” I asked.

  “You two were young,” Cherry said. “And so much happened at once. I mean, with-”

  “I know the past,” I said. “I… I lived it. Believe me. I watched her leave. And not just leave, but move on.”

  Carolyn clicked her tongue. “She never moved on. You know that.”

  I eyed Carolyn. “I’m sorry. Did you not see the wedding ring on her finger?”

  “I’m sorry, Jett, is she still wearing it today?”

  I gritted my teeth and grabbed for the cookie.

  I took an aggressive bite.

  “What’s going on, Jett?” Cherry asked. She reached for my arm.

  “I’m going to get going anyway,” Carolyn said. “Don’t stop me. I have to get some sleep. I have another midnight shift tonight.”

  Carolyn walked around the table and kissed Cherry on the top of her head. She kissed the top of my head too.

  “Make sure you take a shower before you go near Julia,” Carolyn said. “You smell and taste like that stinking garage.”

  “Good to see you too, Carolyn,” I said.

  She left and I felt Cherry’s eyes burning at me.

  “So… what is it?” Cherry asked.

  “If I go near her again… we’re going to tear each other’s hearts into pieces.”

  * * *

  I ate too many cookies.

  I ended up in the kitchen, leaning on the corner of the counter while Cherry stood a few feet away, arms crossed.

  She was a great listener but her face gave away everything she was thinking.

  Which was for me to shut the hell up and let her talk.

  When I did shut up, Cherry blinked fast.

  “Wow,” she said. “That was more than ten years in the making.”

  “What?”

  “Last time I heard you talk that much was when you first met her,” Cherry said. “My hair wasn’t quite as gray and I weighed a lot less.”

  “But you weren’t dating a cop,” I said.

  “Bring that up again and you’ll never talk to Julia again because I’ll rip your tongue out,” Cherry said.

  “I’m pretty sure Julia likes and needs my tongue.”

  Cherry waved her hands. “Get the pepper!”

  I laughed. “See? Got you to leave me alone for a second.”

  “No,” Cherry said. “Listen to me. You fool. You’ve been in this town for how long? You’ve known Julia for how long? You two were the scariest kind of young romance ever. I look at Wes and Aira and even that isn’t close to what you and Julia had. Watching him walk in your footsteps sometimes bothers me… so make sure the ending is good.”

  “Wes’s life isn’t mine.”

  “You stood right here and paced so much I think there are still prints on the floor. All you did was talk about this girl. This girl. She was the girl. You met her and a switch went off in your head. You were still a pain in the ass punk but you were suddenly focused. You cared about life a little more.”

  “I know,” I said. “I lived it. Like I said before… but let me ask you something, Cherry. People come and go in life. You’ve told me that many times. You’ve told Wes that about his father. And you also told us many times that people serve a purpose. Even the bad ones.”

  “What are you asking me?”

  “What if Julia fulfilled her purpose?”

  “Then you wouldn’t be here,” Cherry said. “You two have a million things to ask each other. And what’s the worst that can happen?”

  I laughed. “You really want me to answer that?”

  “No,” Cherry said. “I have plans. I can’t have you here pacing for ten hours.”

  “You have a date,” I said. “You’re cooking him dinner, aren’t you?”

  Cherry stepped toward me. “If you stop by later, make sure you knock.”

  She winked.

  “Oh… damn…,” I said.

  I was pretty sure Cherry blushed right then too.

  Which I wasn’t sure I ever saw before.

  “Then I better leave you be,” I said. “You don’t need to hear me rambling.”

  “But you’re going to hear me,” Cherry said. “Name the last woman you dated.”

  “What?”

  “Answer me.”

  “Uh… it wasn’t really dating…”

  Cherry
gave me an annoyed look. “Jett…”

  “Okay,” I said. “Kate.”

  “Did you talk to me about her?”

  “No.”

  “Did you worry about her when you weren’t with her?”

  “No,” I said.

  “Exactly. You’re this big tough guy, right? You’re eight feet tall. You’re built like a steel wall, Jett. You’ve got this nasty look to yourself that never leaves. But the second you say her name you’re that scrawny teenager, pacing in my kitchen, worried about everything to do with her. What she’s thinking and feeling. What you can do to make her happy. Your mind races. Your heart races…”

  “And is that a good thing?” I asked. “We screwed up so much of each other’s lives.”

  “Yet you’re both in the exact same place as you’ve always been,” Cherry said. “She’s at that bakery and you’re at that garage.”

  “So it is fate or a funeral?”

  “I don’t tell fortunes, Jett. Just the truth.”

  “And what’s the truth here?” I asked.

  Cherry reached up and grabbed my shoulder. “The truth is, you have to go. I have plans.”

  I nodded.

  It was time to get out of there.

  Which was okay.

  It wasn’t the first time Cherry kicked me out of her house.

  * * *

  The bakery was closed but that didn’t stop me.

  I knocked on the door and pulled at the handle. I shook the door and grinned as I did so. I knew Julia was in the back. And I knew she’d hear the annoying sound of me knocking and shaking the door and know who it was and why I was there.

  For a second, I forgot about the other woman she hired.

  When I saw Whitney appear, she stood behind the counter and shook her head at me.

  “Open the door,” I said.

  Whitney shook her head. She shrugged her shoulders.

  Messing with me.

  I stopped knocking and pulling at the door.

  I pointed to the door and then to her.

  “Really?” I called out, knowing she could read my lips.

  Whitney then mouthed to me, she went home.

  Well that got my attention.

  Julia hiring someone to help with the bakery. And then going home when the bakery closed?

  I walked away from the locked door, knowing damn well Whitney was going to call Julia and tell her about me.

  Which meant there was a chance I’d drive out to Julia’s place only to find it empty. Or I’d find Wes and Aira there. With all their friends, hanging around the back, either on the deck or on the beach.

  I got on my motorcycle and took off from the bakery to Julia’s.

  Her little beach house was the kind of place she always talked about buying. Living in a rich town with people who wanted more and more, Julia always talked about having just enough and wanting more happiness.

  And she went out and got it.

  Shit, maybe her true happiness was with me not around.

  That could have been a good reason to keep on riding and just skip going to see her.

  But I knew what I was good at in life.

  Part of it was messing with Julia’s happiness.

  As I climbed off the motorcycle, I looked at the house and saw Julia step outside. She casually lit a cigarette and stared at me.

  Talk about taking a dagger to my heart.

  Reminding me my heart still bled.

  The sight of her smoking…

  I walked toward the house, reaching for a cigarette of my own.

  “I guess you got a phone call,” I said.

  “Maybe. Maybe I just wanted to smoke.”

  “I’m sure the view out back is much better than this,” I said.

  “Let’s find out,” she said.

  She walked by me with a sly grin on her face.

  I walked with her and we went to the back deck of her house.

  “Is Wes here?” I asked.

  “No,” she said. “They’re never here anymore. They all have their own lives. Not much I can do about it. You know?”

  “Yeah, I know,” I said. “Nineteen and ruling the world.”

  “Wonder who that sounds like,” Julia said.

  She leaned against the railing, smoking, the breeze from the beach throwing loose strands of hair around her face.

  “So what are you up to tonight, sweetheart?” I asked.

  Julia laughed. “Wow. One little kiss in the office of the bakery and now you’re showing up here to hang out? I guess you weren’t lying all those years ago when you said I was good kisser.”

  I flicked my barely smoked cigarette far away and moved toward Julia.

  I wasn’t fucking around.

  I touched her cheek.

  “I’ll ask you again, sweetheart… what are you up to tonight?”

  Chapter 12

  NOW

  Julia

  The water ran into the sink as I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror.

  It was my house and Jett was in it.

  I invited him into the house.

  That little piece of me that wasn’t sure what letting go actually meant told the rest of me to let Jett stay. To have him hang out.

  And since it was my house that meant it was my rules.

  If he wanted to have a drink or two, then fine.

  He could sleep on the couch.

  I might even toss him a blanket too just to be nice.

  That was it.

  Nothing more.

  Nothing less.

  I knew I had been in the bathroom way too long.

  There was no leaving the bathroom without my cheeks burning red hot.

  I collected myself and left the bathroom, walking slowly through the house only to find Jett in the kitchen, standing at the island, two beers opened, and a takeout menu on the counter.

  Like he owned the place.

  “By all means, help yourself,” I said.

  Jett looked at me and lifted his eyebrow. “No offense, sweetheart, but I had to dust off these beers.”

  “So?”

  “You had no plans on drinking these,” he said. “Until now. You’re welcome.”

  “So you just walk into someone’s house, open their fridge, get a beer, grab a menu… want my credit card to order something?”

  “I already ordered dinner for us,” he said. He folded up the menu.

  “Oh?”

  “It’s our favorite place. I don’t care what you say, you know the square pizza and garlic knots from Millie’s are the best.”

  I kept a straight face. “I don’t eat that stuff anymore.”

  “Then I’ll cook you something,” he said.

  He moved to the fridge and opened it.

  I hurried over and slammed it shut.

  He tried to open it again and I kicked it shut this time.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “This is my house,” I said. “Don’t go into my fridge. I might have stuff in there.”

  “What kind of stuff would you hide in a fridge?”

  “Who cares? It’s my fridge. I didn’t tell you to touch it.”

  Jett curled his lip. “This is how we’re doing this?”

  “Doing what, Jett?”

  “I came over to see you, Julia. You invited me in. I know you were in the bathroom staring at yourself. Worried about me. What my intentions are. You just got done working all day at the bakery. So I ordered something to eat. We could sit outside - on opposite ends of the deck even - and just talk.”

  “You don’t ever do just talk, Jett.”

  “Well, you don’t eat garlic knots anymore, huh? You’ve changed. So have I.”

  Jett stepped back and I grabbed his shirt. “Well, I lied. I fucking love those garlic knots still. And I plan on eating the entire order.”

  “And I already knew that, sweetheart, which is why I got two orders. Because you always used to eat the garlic knots and never leave any for me.”

>   I sighed. “Jett…”

  “And I lied too. You’re right. I don’t do just talk. So make your move. Kick me out. The order is paid for. I’ll leave and you can call someone else over. Dinner’s on me.”

  So there it was.

  My chance to take all the control and tell Jett to leave.

  And he probably wanted me to do it.

  So he could leave and say I kicked him out.

  I laughed at him.

  Then I walked around him and grabbed the other beer off the counter and took a big drink.

  “You know what, Jett? I lied again. I have changed…”

  “Have you now?” he asked, turning around to face me.

  “Yeah,” I said. “I’m going to eat both orders of garlic knots.”

  * * *

  I watched as Jett walked across the deck and leaned against the railing. He looked around and nodded.

  “This is nice out here,” he said.

  I laughed. “Says the guy with the giant, rock star mansion and a heated pool that changes colors.”

  Jett looked back and lifted an eyebrow.

  “Aira told me,” I said.

  “Right. Well, anytime you’re in the mood for a swim…”

  “Please. I have the ocean right there.”

  “When was the last time you went in there, Julia?”

  “The ocean? I don’t know. Why?”

  Jett turned. “You got what you wanted here then, right? The dream house. The cozy house on the beach. You always talked about having a deck like this too. Do you have your coffee out here in the morning?”

  “That’s not your business to know,” I said.

  “Right,” Jett said again. He took a big gulp from his beer. “What’s it like to have everything you’ve ever wanted?”

  “Really?” I asked. “You really think I have everything I’ve ever wanted?”

  “Remind me again, sweetheart. You wanted to take that bakery over. And you did.”

  “And I lost it,” I said. “Do you not remember that? Oh, wait, you weren’t around.”

  Jett let out a sighing laugh. “Yeah, that’s right. I wasn’t around. It’s my fault the place shut down. But, hey, you got it back again. You’re like a phoenix.”

  “No, I’m not,” I said. “I just know how to survive.”

  “And you did it on your own,” Jett said. “That’s commendable.”