I didn’t know what to say but I did know what to think and that was that Jake Spear was…the…bomb.
“What also would upset me is if you keep starin’ at me instead of givin’ me my cup ‘a joe that I know’s from The Shack so I know it’s gonna be good but not so good if it’s stone cold.”
I belatedly handed him his cup.
He took it, hooked an arm around my waist and yanked me into his body, dipping his head so his face was close to mine.
“Every singer, designer, model you know showed up here to check me out, the kids out, I wouldn’t give a fuck,” he told me quietly. “In fact, I want that. They’re the only family you had so actually, I want to know that part of your life. So bring it on.”
Good God.
“You keep getting more wonderful,” I whispered.
“Baby, it’s not yet seven, got my girl who hates to get up early in my arm, a coffee from The Shack she got for me, and I’m gonna get me some in about two hours. I’m thinkin’ you keep gettin’ more wonderful too.”
“Good answer,” I replied.
He grinned.
Then he dipped his head to touch his mouth to mine.
After that, he let us in, opened the doors while I turned on the lights, and then he gave me a key.
About two hours later, after Jake took Ethan to school while I stayed at his house and did the breakfast dishes, he returned, dragged me up the stairs and “got him some.”
In doing so, he gave me some too.
And it was wonderful.
* * * * *
Two days later, I’d just paid for Alyssa and my lunch of rather delicious cobb salads at Weatherby’s Diner when my phone rang.
Again.
“Jesus, you’re popular,” Alyssa noted as I ignored my phone (again).
“Word has gotten around that Henry fired me,” I explained, tucking my still-ringing phone in my bag. “And also that Gran has died. I’m getting dozens of calls a day.”
And I was. Some sharing condolences. Most sharing shock that Henry and I were not “together” anymore.
I’d learned from these calls that it seemed quite a few people thought Henry and I had an open relationship but in the end, it was me for Henry and Henry for me.
This also meant that, again, others were clued in far faster than I was about what was happening around me.
There were also job offers, one from a rather talented up-and-coming designer based out of New York who would “die” if I’d offer my services, even if I worked from Lavender House and only went to the City once every month or so.
“With your connections, darling, you’d have me where I wanted to be five years ago and do it in six months,” he’d said.
Of course, I thought this was rather sweet, if perhaps incorrect. But I was thinking about it and Jake was prompting me to do it.
“Gives you to us most of the time, but you still stay connected to who you are. Best of both worlds, babe,” he’d said.
I was thinking he was right.
I was also thinking that I had a great many acquaintances who I was finding, with their kind concern, were really friends and I wanted to stay connected to them because that kind concern was heartwarming.
It was also overwhelming, but I didn’t want to be on the phone all day, and certainly not while at lunch with Alyssa (this was rude) so I’d begun not to take some calls and called them back later.
“Cool your peeps are rallying around you, babe,” Alyssa said as we slid out of the booth.
“It is indeed cool,” I agreed.
She grinned at me as she got close and slid an arm around my waist.
I reciprocated the gesture and we walked through the diner in this fashion, Alyssa stating, “I’m gonna hang at The Circus with you tomorrow night. Check out the dancers, get me some new moves to rock Junior’s world.”
We separated to walk out the door as I looked at her with delight.
“I would love that,” I shared.
“Then you’re on. Meet you there at ten,” she replied as we stopped outside in the chill air.
“Excellent. Ten,” I agreed.
“Now, you need help goin’ through your boxes, you call me. I’d kill to dig through your wardrobe and if you let me try a few pieces on, I’ll put you in my will.”
The boxes from Henry’s pool house had arrived and this was how I told Alyssa I was going to spend my afternoon, sorting through them, officially moving into Lavender House.
Bittersweet.
But it would be less so with Alyssa helping me do it. Therefore, I decided to delay my afternoon’s activities until a time she could help me.
“I’ll take you up on that,” I said. “We’ll plan tomorrow night.”
“Right on,” she agreed.
We did double cheek kisses and she took off with a low wave saying, “Later, babelicious.”
“Later, honey,” I called to her as I turned in the other direction to head down the sidewalk toward my Cayenne.
I was nearly there when my phone in my purse rang and as it was so soon after the last call, I wondered if it was the same caller and they actually needed to speak to me.
So I pulled it out but stopped dead on the sidewalk when I saw the caller’s name on the display.
Quickly, I took the call and put the phone to my ear.
“Arnie, how are you?” I greeted cautiously.
There was a long pause before he replied in a voice that broke my heart, “Been better, Josephine.”
I stepped to the side, tilted my head down to stare at my high-heeled boots and gave him my full attention.
“Can I help you with something?” I asked.
“No, my dear. I’m just phoning to let you know we’re putting Eliza in hospice today.”
Hospice.
Damn.
My heart clenched and I whispered, “So soon?”
His broken heart was in his voice when he replied, “Yes, Josephine.”
I felt my hand shaking so I tightened it around the phone when I queried, “May I come and see her?”
“Of course,” he answered. “She’ll want to see you.”
“I…where will she be?”
He gave me the name of the hospice as I took deep breaths to control the tears stinging my eyes.
“I’ll come tomorrow,” I told him.
“Do it today, Josephine,” he said quietly and my eyes immediately got wet.
“Okay.” I paused. “I’ll, well…I’ll let you go.”
“I’ll see you later.”
“You will, Arnie,” I assured. “Thank you for taking the time to phone. Until then.”
“Good-bye, my dear,” he said and rang off.
When he did, I stood on the sidewalk and stared at my boots, tears gliding down my face.
Jake was right. He was very right.
I shouldn’t have taken that on.
I couldn’t handle it.
On this thought, I heard my name called.
“Josephine?”
I looked up and saw Mickey standing before me. His face was watery but I noted vaguely that he was smiling. However, the instant he caught my tear-stained cheeks, his expression shifted to concern.
“Jesus,” he murmured, “Honey, what’s happening?”
“Eliza Weaver is going into hospice today.”
He said nothing but then again, I didn’t give him a chance. I tilted my head down and covered my face with my hands even with my phone still in one of them.
Then I was in Mickey’s arms. Feeling their strength close around me, his warmth enveloping me, his kindness melting into my skin, my body bucked and I made one of those awful hiccupping noises through my tears.
One of his arms left me and moments later, as he turned us and started us walking, still holding me close, I heard him say, “Jake, buddy, you gotta get to the station. I got Josephine with me and she’s not good. Says some friend of hers is going to hospice today. Think she just found out on the street but I know she lost it.”