Chapter 10 (4/19/16)

A short post for today.  I hope to put up another short post later this week.  Enjoy!

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Kevin’s overnight shifts were usually from 7pm to 7am, and he was usually gone by 6:30, so I made dinner plans with Jamie for 7:30 on Tuesday.  When I didn’t hear Kevin moving around by 6, though, I got a little nervous.  I heard his alarm go off at 6:30 and realized I had assumed incorrectly and he was working 8pm to 8am tonight.  I hoped briefly that Jamie would be late, but then realized that I shouldn't care if they ran into each other.

And run into each other they did.  Jamie, damn him, was 10 minutes early, pulling up in front of the house at the exact moment Kevin was walking down the stairs.  “Who’s that?” he questioned me, peering out the front window while I wrestled my feet into the boots I wanted to wear. 

“Jamie,” I muttered, grabbing for my coat and trying to slip out the door before the doorbell rang.  But Murphy’s Law intervened and my coat got stuck on the hanger.  I yanked and the hanger flipped up and off the bar with enough velocity to send it ricocheting into a framed print hanging on the hallway wall.  The print wobbled but didn’t fall as the hanger bounced off and smacked me right in the face. 

Kevin tried to bite back his smirk as he said, “I’ll get the door for you.”  I started to protest but he’d already pulled it open.  Jamie blinked in surprise but quickly pasted a smile on his face.

“Hi, Kevin,” he said neutrally. 

“Hi,” Kevin replied, staring him down.  Meanwhile I was trying to collect myself, smoothing my hair and yanking my coat on. 

“Sorry, I’m ready,” I said quickly, shoving past Kevin and ushering Jamie out the door—not that he’d even had a chance to come in it. 

Jamie peered at my cheek in light from the streetlamp and said, “Jenna, what happened to your face?”

“Never mind, I’m fine,” I replied sharply. 

Jamie didn’t say anything.  He pulled the passenger side door of his car open for me and I muttered a brief “thanks” as I got in.  He shut the door carefully after me and got in.  He didn’t say a word as we drove somewhere.  I didn’t even know where we were going, but I grinned when we pulled up to my favorite pizza place.  “I’m in the mood for pizza, that okay with you?” Jamie asked. 

“It’s perfect,” I replied.  I made eye contact and grinned sheepishly.  “I’m sorry,” I apologized.  “I wasn’t expecting Kevin to be home, and then you were early, and I was trying to get out the door, but my coat got stuck on the hanger and then I pulled too hard and the hanger flew off the rod and hit a print in the hall and bounced back and hit me in the face, so I was a little flustered.”

Jamie looked at me for a minute, processing what I just said, then burst into laughter.  “You are such a disaster, Jenna,” he said, shaking his head.  “Some things don’t change.” 

I touched my cheek.  “Is it that bad?” I asked.  It had stung when it connected but didn’t really hurt now, so I was surprised it was even noticeable. 

Jamie turned on the interior light and inspected my cheek.  “No, it’s fading already.  It was just a bright pink spot—you know how easily your skin gets irritated.”  I narrowed my eyes.  I did know how easily my fair skin got irritated.  If I scratched an itch it looked like a tiger clawed my arm.  But why did he know that?  “Oh, don’t look at me like that.  I only know because when we used to hook up my stubble would turn your inner thighs pink.  It was hot.”  

I felt my face heat up and then I started laughing.  “I had no idea,” I said, once I’d collected myself.  “Well.  Should we go eat?”

Over dinner, I told Jamie about the two houses I’d looked at after work today.  “I just don’t know if I’m going to be able to find something decent in my budget,” I complained.  “They all need something significant fixed or updated, or they’re in sketchy neighborhoods.  I just got a really big raise but I’m trying to be pretty conservative with my mortgage so I can save some money.”

“And you’re not even considering renting because you’re determined to show the world how goddamned independent you are, right?” he asked, his eyes twinkling. 

I glared at him.  “Renting is a waste of time and money,” I informed him.  “If I’m going to pay for something anyway, I want it to be mine someday.”

“Fair enough,” he said.  “You just might be able to find something better if you rent for awhile while you look and save.”

“I know, it’s my backup plan,” I admitted.  “If I don’t find a place by the end of January, I’m going to go ahead and rent for awhile.”

“Good plan,” he agreed. 

I changed the subject and we talked about our families’ Christmas plans for a while.  It was nice hanging out with Jamie.  It wasn’t awkward or weird.  We didn’t have to make idle chit chat to fill occasional silences.  I missed him being around.

After dinner, we headed back to my house and got right to business.  It was even better than Saturday, and I quickly lost track of the number of orgasms I had.  I was half asleep curled up against Jamie when he stroked my hair and softly said, “Don’t be mad J, but I’m going to head out.  I’d like to avoid an awkward morning encounter with Kevin.”

I rolled off him and stretched lazily.  “I don’t blame you one bit,” I replied.  Once he stood, I rolled onto my side and watched him get dressed.  “When do you head back to Seattle?” I asked. 

“The day after Christmas, unfortunately,” he said.  “So I won’t get to see you again before I head back.  But I wasn’t kidding when I said you should come out and visit.  Seriously, just let me know when.”

“I’d love to,” I agreed.  “Let me get moved out of this place first and then we’ll figure something out, okay?”

“Sounds good to me,” he replied.  I started to get up to walk him out but he sat down on the edge of the bed.  “Stay in bed,” he said.  “I can see myself out.  It was really good to see you, Jenna.  Take care of yourself and get out of this hellhole, okay?  You deserve better than living with your dickbag of an ex-husband in the basement of his house.”

“I will,” I promised.  I hugged him and he kissed the top of my head and stood.  “Wait, Jamie?  Tell me what Kevin has been telling people about why we got divorced.”

I pulled the sheet up over myself as I watched Jamie consider this.  Then he frowned.  “I’ll tell you if you really want to know, but I don’t know if it would be helpful for you right now.”

“That bad, huh?” I asked, making a face.  I wasn’t surprised.

“I wouldn’t say that,” he said thoughtfully.  “But do you really want one more thing to be pissed about when you still have to look at him on a regular basis?”

“No,” I agreed quickly.  “I don’t.” 

He shrugged.  “If you change your mind, let me know, but I think that’s the right choice for now.”

I frowned and he grinned at me.  “Hey, don’t waste your energy being upset now,” he said.  “Tomorrow you’re going home to deal with your family!  You’ll need all your bad attitude saved up for that.”

I laughed.  “That’s very true,” I responded.  “It’s going to be a shitshow.”