Hurt (8 page)

Can’t wait to see you again, will be at your house in about 5. On Davenport now.

Nicole looked up as the coffee pot belched and then quickly back down at the phone again. She swiped the screen and re-read the text message. The number wasn’t one that she recognized. Scrolling through the phone’s call history, she found other entries with the same number. One incoming, one outgoing, both from yesterday evening.

What the hell?

Nicole frowned and felt her stomach turn as she considered the implications of the message. Davenport Drive was in Jamie’s neighborhood, only a few streets down from her house. Obviously whoever sent the message was on their way to Jamie’s house and, from the sound of the message, was intending on meeting Jamie.

And apparently was looking forward to the meeting.

Nicole closed her eyes and tried to think if Jamie had mentioned meeting anyone at her house today, but was coming up empty. All Jamie had said was that she had to go into the station for a while to do some paperwork.

Nicole had a sudden flash of memory—Jamie in the kitchen cutting short a hushed phone conversation as Nicole walked in, Amy’s comments about seeing Jamie in front of the bath store, walking in to see her ex-girlfriend Carol in bed with another woman.

Nicole shook her head and dropped the phone. She felt her breath catch as her mind raced and tried to ignore that niggling voice in the back of her head. There had to be a good explanation for it. There was no way Jamie would ever cheat on her…was there?

Pushing back the tears that threatened and forcing herself to take a calming breath, Nicole picked up her car keys hanging on a hook by the refrigerator and then walked out of the kitchen.

Chapter Ten

“Is that a picture of…”

“Johnny Cash? Yeah.”

“Um, Jamie is that…”

“Black velvet? Sure is. You won’t believe I picked that up at a yard sale for two dollars.”

Jamie flashed a grin at Sundae, knowing from the other woman’s expression that she was not as impressed as Jamie had been with the find.

“Oh, I can believe it.”

“You sound as bad as Nicole. She’s made some not so subtle threats about what she’ll do if I ever attempt to bring that picture to her house.” Jamie smiled into a stainless steel travel mug half-full of pumpkin spice latte and then took a sip of the warm liquid.

Sundae laughed and shook her head.

“Sounds like a woman after my heart. I can’t wait to meet her.”

“You’ll love her. Tom will too. He’ll finally have someone to talk football with.” Jamie opened a door off the hallway and stepped in. “I’m sorry he couldn’t make it this morning.”

Sundae shrugged as she followed Jamie into the empty room with pale blue walls.

“It’s his own fault he’s sick. I told him not to eat grocery store sushi, but you know men. Oh, is that a walk-in closet?”

“It is,” Jamie answered. She motioned around the room with the coffee mug as Sundae inspected the closet. “I’ve never really used it, though. I kept a mountain bike in there during that year I decided to get more exercise, but other than that it’s always stayed empty. This room I more or less just use for storage.”

Sundae glanced back at Jamie from inside the cedar-lined closet.

“You’re something else, Jamie. So this isn’t the master, then?”

“No,” Jamie said, shaking her head. “I’ll show you that in a minute. Both the bedrooms are a nice size, but the master is a little larger and has the ensuite bathroom.”

“This is really nice. I can’t believe you’re wanting to sell it.”

“You know, this was the first really big thing I did after I was out on my own,” Jamie admitted. “Kind of an ‘I’ve made it’ purchase. But, I’ve been with Nicole long enough to know that I don’t ever want to be with anyone else, and it’s time to consolidate into one space.”

“Well, her house must be a friggin’ mansion for you to want to give this one up,” Sundae remarked as she closed the door to the closet.

“Nah, not really. To be honest, her place needs lots of work.”

Jamie walked out of the room, motioning for Sundae to follow.

“So why not move in here?” Sundae asked.

“Nicole’s house belonged to her mother. I never met her, she had cancer. She passed away before Nicole and I got together, but Nicole was crazy about her. Nicole moved in with her mom during that the last year and, after she passed, never moved back out. She’s a real estate agent, so I’m sure if she wanted to, Nicole could have easily sold that house and found herself something a little nicer.” Jamie paused in the hallway outside the door to her bedroom. She glanced back at Sundae as she continued. “To be honest, I think it’s her way of hanging onto her mom. I could never ask her to give it up.”

Sundae smiled and touched Jamie on the arm.

“You know, no matter how much I know you hate to admit it, you really are a softie. I hope Nicole appreciates you.”

“Some days more than others,” Jamie grinned. “When she finds out I’ve lost my cell phone, she’s going to be pissed. I distinctly remember that she told me to get the insurance on it, and I told her that it was a waste of money.”

“Well, maybe you just left it at her place,” Sundae said. “Hopefully, anyway. I know Tom lost his iPhone a couple years back and it cost around three hundred dollars to replace it out of contract.”

“Jesus,” Jamie muttered. “If that’s the case, I’ll just do without.” Jamie opened the door and stepped into the master bedroom. She motioned around the room with her coffee mug. “The ensuite is right over there. Jacuzzi tub, double sinks. The walk-in closet is there. It’s actually a little bigger than the one in the other bedroom.”

Jamie turned to look at Sundae, who was stopped in the doorway of the room. The blonde woman looked at the king-sized bed that sat against the far wall and then back to Jamie.

“Jamie…is that…”

“A Johnny Cash bedspread? It sure is.”

“Where on earth—you know what, never mind. I don’t even want to know,” Sundae said and walked into the room. She looked around admiringly. “Jamie, this is really nice. It’s so much bigger than I expected it to be.”

Jamie walked over to the window by the closet and looked out at the large, fenced in backyard. “You know, I really don’t know what I was thinking when I bought this house. It’s always been too big for me.”

“Well, I think it’s a perfect size for me and Tom. That kitchen was gorgeous. And this bedroom? Oh my God, look at that bathroom.” Jamie turned to see Sundae standing at the threshold of the bathroom. She spun around and shook her head at Jamie. “This bathroom is the size of my first house.”

“It is kinda something, isn’t it?” Jamie grinned. Jamie had to admit the master bathroom was one of the main things that had sold her on the house. “The shower is amazing, I’ll have to say. Here, let me show you this shower head. It’s called Rainforest,” Jamie said, crossing the distance between the window and the bathroom. She stepped in the shower stall and accidentally bumped the handle, giving a small shriek as water suddenly erupted from the huge shower nozzle that was pointing straight down at her. Jamie frantically hit at the small, silver handle, but it was too late. Drenched, she glared out from the shower stall at Sundae, who was leaning up against the sink laughing.

“Shit,” Jamie swore, stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel. Noticing some of the water had splashed out onto Sundae as well, she threw another one to the woman and began to apologize. “My God, I’m so sorry. I got you too, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, but it’s okay,” Sundae said, smiling and wiping her eyes. “The water wasn’t hot, I hope.”

Jamie shook her head.

“No, but I think I’m going to have to put on some dry clothes. Damn it.”

“Bless your heart. What time are the other people coming to look at the house today? Do you have time to change?”

“At eleven,” Jamie answered. “But I’m not going to be here when they are. I told the agent I would leave the key under the little garden gnome off the front porch. I do need to go into the station for a little bit.” Jamie looked at Sundae and grimaced. “You won’t mind if I change right quick?”

“Oh Lord, no. Go ahead. I can make myself at home while you’re at it.”

“I won’t be five minutes,” Jamie promised. “Walk around, take a look at the backyard, or just sit on the bed. Whatever you want to do. I’ll make it quick.”

Sundae tossed a glance behind her at the bed and shook her head with a laugh.

“I’ll just walk around, thank you. That bedspread scares me.”

Jamie laughed as she stepped to the closet, turning back toward Sundae and giving a little snort. “Don’t be a hater.”

Jamie walked into the closet and quickly unbuttoned the wet blouse, slipped off the wet pants and tossed them both in a white plastic laundry basket sitting by the doorway. She made a mental note to move them to the washer before she left the house so they wouldn’t mildew. Jamie pulled a white cotton blouse down from one of the hangers lining the closet, went over to the dresser and snagged a pair of jeans before stepping back into the bedroom.

“I really can’t say that much about you and your thing with Johnny Cash,” Sundae was saying as she looked out the window to the backyard. “Tom is a huge Auburn fan. Half my house is blue and orange.” The blonde woman turned as Jamie exited the walk-in closet. “Oh my word, I would murder to have abs like that. You can’t tell me that you don’t work out.”

“I don’t, really,” Jamie smirked. “It’s all in the genes.” She glanced up at the other woman. “Damn Sundae, that shirt is really wet.” She crossed back over to the dresser for a t-shirt. “Here, put this on before you get sick. It’s cold out there today.”

“You kill me,” Sundae said, shaking her head and unbuttoning her blouse. “I almost hate to get undressed in front of you. Here I am worried about packing on baby weight, and you stand there looking like the cover of
Sports Illustrated
without even trying.”

Jamie began to laugh and then stopped. She cocked her head at Sundae.

“Whoa, wait. Baby weight? Are you pregnant?”

The blonde woman licked her lips and tossed her hair back.

“We haven’t really told anyone yet, but…yeah, I’m pregnant,” Sundae said, smiling.

“No fucking way.”

“Yes fucking way,” Sundae laughed and then squealed as Jamie rushed forward and wrapped her arms around the short woman, spinning her around.

“I can’t believe it, Sundae. This is so awesome!”

“I know! I’m really nervous because we’ve been trying for so long, but I went to the OB doctor last week and she confirmed it. Early June.”

“Oh Sundae, I’m so happy for you!” Jamie smiled. “Let me finished getting dressed and then we—”

“Jamie?”

Jamie snapped her head toward the voice and jumped, letting her hands fall from Sundae’s arms, as she saw Nicole standing in the doorway of the bedroom.

“Nicole?” She looked to a shirtless Sundae and then back to Nicole’s stunned face. “What are you…what are you doing here?” The moment the words left her lips, Jamie knew it was the wrong thing to say. Feeling goosebumps rise on her bare stomach, she suddenly realized how bad it must look. From the look on Nicole’s face, Jamie knew what she was thinking.

Nicole spun on one heel and left the bedroom without saying another word.

“Shit,” Jamie said, quickly pulling on the shirt she had retrieved from the closet. She almost fell hopping into the jeans and then sprinted out of the room after Nicole. By the time Jamie got to the end of the hallway, Nicole was already on the front porch. “Nicole wait,” she called. “It’s not what you think.”

Nicole whirled around and glared at Jamie, her green eyes flashing.

“Not what I think? Then what the hell was that Jamie?”

Jamie felt her mouth go dry and her stomach drop. She stopped a step away from Nicole and reached a hand out.

“Come back in the house, Nicole. Let me explain,” she pleaded, her voice catching her in throat.

Nicole narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

“Fuck you, Jamie. Don’t think you can talk your way out of this. I know what I saw.” Nicole twisted away from Jamie and pounded down the front steps, all but running toward the Honda parked behind Sundae’s minivan.

“Nicole, don’t,” Jamie cried after her, following Nicole onto the driveway. “Wait. You have to let me explain.”

“I don’t have to do a goddamn thing,” Nicole barked back. She opened the door to her car and reached onto the front seat. “Here,” she said, throwing Jamie’s cell phone at her. “Take your fucking phone and go to hell. Don’t even think about calling me again.”

“Nicole, wait a min—fuck,” Jamie said as the phone landed square against the side of her head. “Calm down a damn minute and let me tell you what was going on.”

Nicole stared at her from the doorway of the car and for just a moment Jamie thought she was going to listen. Then Nicole shook her head again and scowled, “You missed a button.”

Chapter Eleven

“Grab some glasses out of the cabinet while I open the wine.”

“Julie, it’s a little early for wine, don’t you think?”

Julie Kent glanced back at Nicole from the open refrigerator door and cocked her head to one side.

“Sugar, it is never too early for wine,” she declared.

Despite the fact that she’d been crying for the past couple of hours, Nicole found herself smiling at her best friend’s words. Although she’d only known Julie for a few years, the thirty-something year-old used bookstore owner with chestnut colored hair was the closest thing to family Nicole had outside of her brother and Jamie. Well, Nicole thought as she pulled two wine glasses out of the cabinet, not so much Jamie anymore, apparently.

Julie’s mother and Nicole’s had gone through chemo treatments at the same time and Julie quickly became a familiar face for Nicole to talk to during the long waits at the hospital. When Julie’s mother’s cancer went into remission, Nicole had been right there with Julie to celebrate. When Nicole’s mother finally lost her battle with ovarian cancer, Julie had been there to help her mourn.