Poison Me (7 page)

Ellie hooted. “Nobody can keep up with me.”

Chanel flushed. She attempted to ignore the recent star of her dreams, both day and night. “Okay,” she said. “Bicep curls, slowly now—up for one-two and down for one-two.”

“Did she say curl your woo-hoo?” Marissa asked.

Ellie chuckled. “No, but it sounds like more fun.”

Chanel shook her head. It was anyone’s guess if Marissa really misunderstood what people said or if she simply wanted to make Ellie laugh. Chanel was just grateful they weren’t bickering anymore.

“Slow down, Marissa,” Chanel said. “That’s it. Nice and strong. All right, Ellie, looking good. No, Ellie, don’t stop because I complimented you. We’ve got two more reps in this set.”

“Flipping Nazi,” Ellie muttered to Jake.

“I heard that,” Chanel said.

“Stop complaining,” Ruby admonished. “You make it harder.”

“That’s right,” Chanel said before Ellie could start a fight with Ruby. “A positive attitude makes exercise easier.” She talked the class through three sets of bicep curls without glancing at Jake, but when they moved to triceps kickbacks, she couldn’t resist any longer. He looked so cute sitting in the chair, his long legs and arms jutting out at odd angles as he tried not to throw the too-light weights. He caught her eyes on him and grinned.

“This is tough,” he said to Ellie.

“Tell me about it,” she muttered. “‘A positive attitude will make exercise easier,’” Ellie mocked Chanel. “Whatever. She’s a freaking slave driver.” Ellie rested the hand weight on her lap and flexed her arm. “But would you look at the results?” The skin on the underside of her arm succumbed to the demands of gravity, but a small biceps muscle rounded out the top.

Jake tapped the muscle. “Ooh, Aunt Ellie. That’s nice. We men like a firm woman.” His eyes flitted to Chanel.

“Don’t I know it,” Ellie said.

Chanel wondered if she could blush any harder. “Okay, ladies. Set the weights down and we’ll stretch those arms.” She caught Jake’s gaze on her as she led the stretching routine.

When the class ended, the women clapped for themselves.

“Great job today,” Chanel said. “Tomorrow we’ll concentrate on legs.”

Several women groaned as they filtered from the room.

“I hate her leg workouts,” Ellie said. “But I wouldn’t mind the misery if I could have legs like hers.” She jabbed a finger towards Chanel.

Jake lifted his eyebrows and lowered his voice. “Every woman wishes for a body like that.”

Ruby snapped her fingers at him. “Jake Merrill, I did not teach you to be crude. Stop embarrassing Chanel.”

Chanel turned away. They could talk about her all they wanted, but she didn’t need to be gawking at them the entire time. Was Jake really interested in her or did he flirt with every female who was semi-attractive? She reminded herself that smooth-talking men were not her flavor.

She straightened the weights and bands in the rollaway container, then pushed it into the closet. She didn’t worry about organizing the scattered chairs in the beautiful room, since maintenance would restore things to perfection within the hour. She switched off the CD player hidden in the closet, scooted out of the space, and shut the door.

Sensing someone behind her, Chanel spun around. Jake was centimeters away. She lost her balance, and when she reached out to steady herself, her palms connected with his solid, warm chest. She quickly removed her hands.

“Great workout,” he said.

She giggled like a teenager. “Bet you worked up a sweat.”

Jake grinned. “No, but I am now.”

Ellie cackled. “This is better than the movies.”

“Yeah, and all we can see is his backside,” Marissa agreed.

“That’s not a bad side,” Ellie countered.

Ruby stepped forward. “You two leave them alone.”

Jake turned, staying close to Chanel, and looked at Ellie and Marissa. “You two are a nightmare.” He rested his hand on Chanel’s lower back. Her entire body tingled.

“Don’t talk about your grandma and Rissa that way,” Ellie said with a wink at Marissa.

Marissa giggled.

Jake and Ruby both tossed their heads in disgust.

The home-health nurse, Tracy Pullman, walked into the room, and everyone’s attention refocused. With golden blonde hair and startling blue eyes, she filled out her nurse’s uniform in a way most people only saw on their big-screen television. She squealed when she saw Jake. “Dr. Merrill. Oh, wow, imagine seeing you here.”

Tracy rushed to his side, and he allowed himself to be dragged away from the group. He glanced at Chanel, but it was little comfort as she watched Tracy drape herself over him.

“You work here, Tracy?” Jake asked.

“Yes. I’m at the hospital in the morning, then here at the old fogies’ home every afternoon.” Leaning into Jake, Tracy fluttered her long, and hopefully fake, lashes. “Aren’t these old people just
darling?”

Ruby grimaced. Marissa frowned. Ellie whipped off the sweatband decorating her forehead and chucked it in Tracy’s direction.

The nurse didn’t appear to notice the ladies, or the harmless flying object, as she tugged on Jake’s arm. “You just have to come with me to see one of my patients. She’s having repeated headaches and I’ve tried everything I can think of. I sure could use your advice. You know your stuff better than any doctor I’ve ever met.”

“I bet babies scream for their mamas when they see her coming,” Ellie said when they were out of earshot.

“Too bad men don’t.” Chanel watched Tracy lean into Jake and giggle loudly at something he said. Chanel massaged her birthmark.

Ruby looked compassionately at her. “Don’t worry about Tracy Pullman, sweetheart. Notice how he’s leaning away. He wouldn’t be interested in someone who acts, or flaunts herself, like that. He’s just being nice to her.”

Chanel wondered if Jake was just being nice to her as well. He must be the type of guy who flirted with everybody.

Tracy pulled Jake down the long hallway.

Ellie glowered. “What a slut.”

Chanel whirled around, unable to hide a chuckle. “Oh, Ellie. You don’t know she’s a slut.”

“Look at her.” Ellie pointed. “If she isn’t a hooker, why does she show the whole world her underwear?”

The top of Tracy’s thong hung out of her low-riding nurse’s uniform. “You’ve got a point, Ellie, my friend,” Chanel said.

Jake and Tracy disappeared around the corner, and Chanel turned away with a sigh.

“Don’t worry.” Ruby patted her hand. “Jake never went for the floozies.”

Chanel laughed. “Really? So who does Jake go for?”

Ruby smiled with tight lips, sorrow radiating from her dark gaze as she clutched Chanel’s hand. “The angels.”

Chanel sobered. “Oh.” She studied Ruby’s hand covering hers. “Guess I’m out of the running.” Chanel’s face went red. She’d just admitted to Jake’s grandmother that she was interested in being
in
the running.

The lines around the older woman’s eyes softened. “I know an angel when I see one.” She squeezed Chanel’s hand tighter and then released it.

The front door slid open, and a boy sprinted through the gap. “Gramma Rue! Gramma Rue!” He crossed the distance and threw his arms around her legs. Ruby sank onto a chair, lifting him onto her lap.

“Trevor, sweetheart. I’m so glad you came to see me. I’ve been missing you.”

“Missed you too.” He laid a slobbery kiss on her cheek, then jumped from her arms and did laps around the room.

An exhausted, obviously pregnant woman entered the building and immediately took up pursuit of the child. “Trevor, honey, you can’t run in here.” After several circles she righted a chair he’d knocked over, straightened the rug he’d twisted, and gave up trying to catch him. “Don’t break anything,” she admonished. Leaning back to counteract the heaviness of her abdomen, the young mother walked slowly forward.

Ruby gave her a hug. “Come sit down, sweetie.”

“But Trevor—”

“Oh, don’t worry about him.” Ruby directed her to an arrangement of couches. “He’ll be fine, Brinley. No one is in here but us.”

Chanel started to walk away. Ellie grabbed her arm. “Stay with us. You need to meet Brinley, Jake’s sister.”

Chanel’s eyes widened. She looked closer at the dark-haired woman. She was the female version of Jake. Tall, dark, and beautiful, with wispy hair layered around her face. Chanel guessed that under normal circumstances she would be thin, but currently she looked about nine months pregnant.

They settled into the semicircle of couches by the unlit fireplace. The little boy darted under, over, and around furniture with no hint of exhaustion. Chanel watched his mother, wondering if she ever slept.

“This is my granddaughter, Brinley,” Ruby said.

Chanel stretched across the couch to shake her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too.” Brinley’s manicured fingers returned to holding her abdomen and rocking slowly as if the baby was already here. “You’re the new activities director?”

“Uh-huh.”

Brinley smiled. “No wonder Jake is so excited about visiting Grandma.” She started and cast a guilty look at Ruby. “Not that he isn’t normally excited to see you Grandma, it’s just…”

“Just the truth,” Ellie interjected.

Chanel’s face suddenly felt hot. She barely knew Jake, yet his sister believed he was coming here to see her. She ducked her head, hoping it was true.

“I can’t compare with Chanel.” Ruby chuckled softly. “So, how much longer until the baby comes?”

“Two weeks.” Brinley reclined into the couch, slowly massaging her abdomen. Her stomach distended to the left, then rolled to the right. Brinley smiled and pressed against the bump. “This little guy’s a wild one. I’m praying he’s early.”

“Wilder than Trevor?” Ellie asked, pointing to the little boy, who stole a packet of hot-chocolate mix from the snack counter, ripped it open, and poured the powder into his mouth.

“Oh, Trevor,” Brinley moaned, but made no attempt to stop him.

“Another boy.” Ellie sighed. “Heaven help us. Who did you say knocked you up this time?”

Ruby gasped. “Ellie, really.”

Marissa raised her eyebrows. “Please say I misunderstood
that
one. Did you just say ‘who knocked you up’?”

“Yes, I did.” Ellie zeroed in on Brinley like a game-show host asking the million-dollar question. “Now out with it.”

Chanel froze with embarrassment for Brinley. How dare Ellie say something so offensive to this worn-out young mother?

Brinley watched her son scramble up and over a coffee table, barely missing the silk floral arrangement. “Be careful, Trevor.” She turned back to Ellie with a sigh. “I’ve already told you, Aunt Ellie. The father’s name is Harrison.”

“Harrison, huh? That’s an odd one. Harrison’s not a first name, it’s a last name.”

Brinley wiped her hand over her eyes. “It’s his first name. His last name is James.”

“Now
that’s
a first name.” Ellie’s gaze swung to Ruby. “Don’t tell me. Please not—Marlene’s boy?”

Ruby only nodded, but her grimace spoke pages.

“Marlene James?” Marissa said. “Oh, heavens. If I ever get stuck at the grocery store listening to that woman talk again, I’ll beg for the electric chair.”

Ellie giggled. “Good one, Rissa.”

Marissa beamed.

“He’s nothing like his mother,” Brinley defended.

“That’s wonderful,” Ellie said. “So you’re going to marry this one, or is he a putz like Trevor’s daddy?”

Brinley sighed again. “We’ve already talked about
this
subject as well.”

Ellie’s eyes narrowed. “We did? I must be getting old. Refresh my memory—what was the excuse this time?”

Brinley didn’t respond.

“Come on, out with it.” Ellie patted her hand. “We’re all family here, except Chanel, and she doesn’t know enough people for her gossip to do damage. Tell us the loser’s story.”

Brinley glanced at Chanel. “Harrison isn’t a loser.”

Ellie nodded. “Oh, good, so he’s going to be a part of his baby’s life. He’s going to support you financially and emotionally. You’ll get married and life happily ever after. I’m so glad to hear it.”

Brinley’s jaw tightened. “You just don’t know how to give up, do you?”

“Leave her alone, Ellie,” Ruby said.

“I will.” Ellie’s brow furrowed. She reached out and gently rubbed Brinley’s shoulder. “I’ll leave her alone after she tells me why another man isn’t taking responsibility for his child. I’ll leave this beautiful girl, who I love like she’s my own, alone after she tells me why she let another man break her heart.”

Everyone studied Brinley. She shifted uncomfortably, a telling brightness in her dark eyes.

“Oh, fine.” Brinley wrapped her arms around her belly as if she could protect the baby from the words she was about to speak. “Harrison and I started dating when he visited his mom last summer. We emailed back and forth, and then he came for Thanksgiving. Well, we really hit it off and…” She gestured to her stomach. “This is what happened.”

“We all know how
that
happens,” Ellie said. “But where is he now?”

“St. George.”

Ellie scowled. “Doing what?”

“He leads backpacking adventures in Zion’s Park in the summer and is a ski instructor in Park City in the winter.” Brinley glanced at the plush rug covering the wood floor. “It’s not possible for him to care for a family. I told him to go. He didn’t make a fuss about leaving.” She paused. “Leaving didn’t seem to bother him at all. The only time I heard from him was when he offered me money for an abortion.”

Ruby grabbed onto the arm of the couch, her beautiful face distorted in anger. “The scum.”

“Yeah.” Brinley nodded. “See, Aunt Ellie, he isn’t a loser, he’s a class-one jerk. Now he’s gone, and I made a mistake again.” She closed her eyes for a moment and let out a deep breath. “Is that what you needed to know, Aunt Ellie?”

Ellie patted Brinley’s hand. “Yes. But you know, sweetheart, uncrossing your legs that often ain’t a mistake.” She cackled. “It’s an addiction.”

Brinley jerked her hand from Ellie’s, rose to her feet, and started to walk away.

“Ellie, you stop this meanness right now,” Ruby ordered. “You never know when you’re past the point of funny. Brinley has got enough stress without you making her feel worse.”