Hidden Desires (13 page)

"Will you leave my underwear alone? They never bothered you before."

"Well, they do now."
I wonder what kind of panties Cayden wears. NO! Stop that Brooke! Don't even THINK about her panties. LA LA LA LA LA ... oh yeah, whatever she wears I bet they're black... STOP! The sun will come out... tomorrow! Bet your bottom dollar ... a thong. A black silky... sexy.... thong.
"Mmmm...."

"What?"

Brooke turned her head to look at Grant. "What?"

"That's what I asked you. You hummed."

Brooke blushed and waved her hands in the air distractedly. "Well, I guess I thought of something yummy."

"Yeah? Like what?" Grant asked, happy to be talking about something other than his underwear.

Brooke shrugged her shoulders and looked guiltily out the window.
Cayden's underwear stuffy old Grant. That's what's so yummy. Sexy Cayden's underwear... her black thong... oh god...
she groaned.

"Brooke?"

"TOMORROW! TOMORROW! I LOVE YA TOMORROW.."

Grant was startled enough to pull the car over. "Brooke! What is wrong with you??! You scared me half to death!"

The blonde snickered. "You're only a day a... WAAAAAAY!"

"I will not drive all the way back to Manhattan with you screaming show tunes off key! Now close your eyes and sleep!"

Brooke pouted. "Ok, but I may just hum a lot more if you make me sleep."

"Humming I can handle, Annie I can't."

 
*  *  *

Cayden covered her face with her hands and groaned, she couldn't watch. "Oh my god! You are so stupid.. it's "c", Petunia!"

"Cayd, not everyone is as brilliant as you." Jodie laughed.

The contestant fidgeted, hemmed and hawed, and then chose to phone a friend, which sent Cayden into a tailspin.

"Oh, for chrissakes!" the shopkeeper shook her head in disgust. "Everyone knows who Porky Pig's girlfriend is."

Jodie changed the channel. "Well, there's Judge Judy, or Oprah..."

"Please, if I hear Dr. Phil tell one more woman she's a hopeless obese loser I'll hunt him down and kill him myself. Gimme that..." she said, snatching away the remote. "Trading Spaces is on."

"Oh yeah, I forgot. It's all about Amy Winn."

"Damn right." Cayden sat back and watched with interest. "See? Look at her, she's hot."

"Please. What carpenter in their right mind wear shorts and a tank top to cut wood." Jodie teased.

"You just wish you had her boobs." Cayden shot back.

The bell over the door tinkled and the two women sat up straight and smiled.

"Hello, Ladies." A short, fey man with wavy orange hair, plaid boxer shorts and a pink tank top sashayed in carrying a perfectly groomed if not overweight Shih Tzu.

"Hi there, Butch." Jodie said and then turned her head so not to snicker in his face.

Cayden smiled and kicked Jodie under the counter. It was an ironic twist of fate that a man that effeminate would be named Butch.

"How are you, Cayden, Honey? Whew! Is it ever hot out there, I'm shvitzing like an ape!" He declared, fanning himself with his free hand.

If you put down that fat throw pillow...
Jodie thought.

"Oh I know! I am eternally grateful for the AC. What can I get you, Butch? Did Anna-Nicole like the vanilla cookies?"

"Oh she loved them. A little too much, she's never going to lose weight if I get her any more... OOO! Is that Trading Spaces?" He asked, leaning over the counter and nearly choking the women with Aramis.

Cayden stood up to get some fresh air and nodded. "Yup, it just started."

"Oh yay! Who's in the tank top today? Ty?" Butch asked excitedly.

"Nope, apparently god's gift to lesbians, Amy Winn is on this episode." Jodie said, coming out from around the counter to find the dietetic cookies.

"Hmph." He pouted. "She's ok, but Ty's much hunkier. He's just so yummy!"

"Ooo, them's fightin' words." the waitress joked.

"Amy Winn rocks." Cayden cheered as they showed said carpenter.

"Ty!"

"Amy!"

"TY!"

"Children, do I have to separate you?" Jodie said, shaking her finger at them. "Here's some diet cookies for Anna-Nicole. Speaking of, do you watch her show?"

Butch examined the package of treats as he spoke. "Of course we do. My little sweetie loves the show. I, personally, am a little worried about the woman. Ok, these look good, and I need a pack of tinkle pads."

Cayden rang him up while Jodie retrieved the wee-wee pads. "I can't watch the show. It's like a train wreck. Besides, I think Kimmy has the hots for Anna."

"Oh no kidding, that's no secret. I'm sure they're doing it in a closet somewhere away from the cameras." Butch giggled, paying for the items.

"Ugh. please, don't give me that image. I have a date tonight." Jodie said with a sour face.

Cayden handed Butch his package. "Take it sleazy Butch, see ya soon."

"You take care too, Cayden. Thanks for the diet cookies, Jodie."

"Amy Winn." Cayden snuck in as he was walking out the door.

"TY!" He shouted as the door closed.

"You are such a brat." Jodie said, plopping herself back onto the stool.

Cayden stuck her tongue out and harrumphed watching Butch traipse across the street. "You know, I'll never understand how a grown man can walk out of the house with red plaid boxers and a pink tank top."

"He wasn't wearing anything under those boxers you know." Jodie said with a grimace.

"How do you know?"

"Come on! They were right up his crack. I read between the lines."

"YUCK, Jo. OO! Amy's on a ladder. I bet she smells good."

"Speaking of smells, how's Wade's cat, what's his name... Feather?"

"La La Bird. The cat's enormous, there oughta be a law. Shut up, Amy's taking down a ceiling fan."

G
RANT SAT IN the living room and sighed. He had a hell of a golf game and no one to share it with. He fully intended to brag about it to Brooke, but that all fell apart as soon as he saw her. He couldn't imagine what had gotten into her. She wasn't a drinker, hardly ever touched alcohol, and there she was, passed out on the bed.

It was an interesting car ride. Brooke was right, she hummed and groaned and stretched all the way home. She even uttered "kay" a few times as if someone had asked her a question. Once he got her into the bedroom she flopped down in bed and refused to get undressed, claiming she had to get back to sleep immediately, and she did so with a big fat smile on her face. Grant shook his head in confusion. Brooke was certainly not herself, and he was very concerned. It had to be in direct correlation to her newfound need to rollerblade every night. There must be somewhere she goes, someone she sees. There has to be somebody who is making her act like this.

Grant narrowed his eyes as Brooke's long purr of contentment drifted out from the bedroom. He got up and began pacing around the house, picking things up and putting them down, not sure what he was actually looking for. He eyed Brooke's pocketbook momentarily, then felt guilty for doing so. He went to the bedroom and watched her sleep, the smile on her face made him jealous and he didn't know why. Back in the living room, he eyed her pocketbook again, this time standing in front of it. He felt bad about opening it up, but not so much that he couldn't snoop inside. He moved some things around a bit and came across a small brown paper bag. It was screaming look inside me!, so he picked it out carefully and opened it up, glancing guiltily towards the bedroom as he did. Once he lifted out the contents his eyebrow raised in question.
CK-9? She carries doggie cologne in her bag?
He felt like a heel, knowing the only reason she'd have it was to remove Fred's stink that he hated so much. He took the cap off and smelled it out of curiosity.
Hmm, not a bad knock-off. I wonder how much she paid for this?
Fishing the receipt out of the bag, he snickered.
Fuzzy Belly Deli
. Feeling bad about the whole thing, he replaced the spray bottle in the paper bag when something caught his eye. Brooke had written all over the bag.
Cayden? Who's Cayden? That's Brooke's handwriting so it wasn't all over it when she got it.
He frowned.
Cayden, that's a girl's name right? Why would she write it so many times?
Puzzled, he put the bag neatly where he found it and closed the pocketbook. Wandering into the kitchen, he made himself a sandwich and thought.
Cayden. Could this be who she hangs out with? Cayden is a girl's name right? No, it's not a man's name, besides, she said there wasn't another man. She's never lied to me before. So... Cayden. Maybe she just works at The Fuzzy Belly Deli.
He ate in silence and the more he thought the more he was determined to find out who Cayden was.
Even if she does work at the shop, why would Brooke write it so many times? You only need to write it once to remember. Jeez, only teenagers do things like that when....
Grant paled and put down his sandwich.
... when they have a crush. No... Cayden is a girl's name. Brooke couldn't have a crush on a ... woman?

"Mmmm...."

Brooke's hum resonated loudly in Grant's ears. He got up and walked towards the bedroom as if he was walking his last mile. Brooke's earlier moans and hums suddenly made sense in a way he didn't want to understand, and refused to believe.
Cayden... Cay....
He stood in the doorway and stared nervously at his girlfriend. She was hugging her pillow tightly. His stomach felt sick.
No, stop jumping to conclusions. I don't know that any of this is true...

"Mmm, Cayden."

Grant's nostrils flared and he stormed out of the house.

 
*  *  *

Jodie was about to leave the shop when out of the blue, Denise came wandering in. The panic on Cayden's face was enough to keep her there a little longer.

"Hey Cayden, Hi Jodie." Denise smiled genuinely at Jodie and actually batted her eyelashes at Cayden.

"Uhm, hi." The shopkeeper muttered.

"So, this is The Fuzzy Belly Deli. Cute." Denise started looking around the shop.

Jodie leaned into Cayden and whispered. "I thought you wanted her? Why the panic?"

"I do, I think." Cayden whispered back.

"I like it." Denise announced, coming right up to the counter. "Don't I get a hello kiss, Cayd?"

Jodie smirked as her tall friend suddenly became all arms and legs as she tried to get out from behind the counter. "Need help there, Goofy?" she teased.

Cayden shot her a look and shimmied past her. "Heh, sorry, I wasn't expecting you." She explained, leaning over and kissing Denise quickly on the lips.

Slightly disappointed at the friendly kiss, Denise pouted. "Well, that was pretty lame." She complained.

"Cut me a break, I'm at work." Cayden said with nervous irritation.

Denise held up her hands, "Hey, no problem, I was just teasing you anyway."