Page 22 of Tiger Queen

“Don’t do that,” he repeated in a deep voice. “Don’t talk about dad like that. Not in his own fucking house.”

David stiffened next to me. “You couldn’t be bothered to come to the funeral, but now you’re concerned about dad?”

“I was busy.”

David pointed a finger at his brother. “Were you? What exactly was so important that you had to leave me and Anthony to bury him alone?”

Jake’s jaw tightened. Fury raged behind his dark eyes. “I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

He disappeared back in the bathroom and slammed the door.

11

Rachel

David relaxed as soon as Jake was gone. “Sorry about that.”

“No big deal.”

“Do you have siblings?”

“Nope,” I replied.

“Lucky you.”

Two hallways extended in opposite directions from the top of the stairs. My bedroom was at the very end of one. It was sparse, just a bed and a dresser. The bed frame was in the style of a log cabin and the sheets were black and orange tiger stripes. And above the bed was a glamor portrait of Crazy Carl, one elbow on the table and resting his chin on his hand. It was like a cheesy high school photo, and the calm, staged nature of it was at odds with Crazy Carl’s unhinged appearance.

“Told you,” David you. “I’ll understand if you want to take it off the wall.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “No offense to your dad, but I think that would give me nightmares.”

“The kitchen is downstairs. We need to make a grocery run, but there’s plenty of microwave dinners in the freezer. Beer, too, as long as you like Bud Light. As far as bathrooms go, you and Jake are sharing the one in the hallway. But if he’s using it, feel free to use the one in my bedroom. It’s the first door on the right at the other end of the hall. I think that’s about it. If you need anything else just let me know.”

“Thanks.”

I listened to the floorboards creak as he walked down the hall. I sat on the bed and let everything sink in. Since arriving this morning I hadn’t really had a chance to process things. I had a new job, in a new city, with new people. I had to fight down the feeling of being in over my head.

To give myself a sense of order, I unpacked my suitcase and put away my clothes in the closet and dresser. I had three more suitcases full of clothes still in my car, but I could unpack those later. For now I had enough clothes to last at least a week.

The bathroom door opened and I heard someone walk down the hall. Another door slammed. I guess that means the bathroom is free.

I carried my bag of toiletries and a change of clothes into the bathroom. The mirror was still steamy and it smelled like spicy aftershave. Jake’s scent. The image of his semi-nude body leaped into my head, his bulging muscles still damp from the shower. And of course the outline in his boxer-briefs that was impossible to ignore…

I took a cold shower to cool myself off.

When I was done I put on fresh clothes, then went downstairs to get some food. The kitchen had a long island with butcher-block countertops, surrounded by cabinets and drawers. Anthony was standing in front of the microwave, watching the contents spin.

“Your options are Salisbury steak, or turkey with gravy,” he said with a grimace. “But it’s all we have. Don’t worry—I’m making a grocery run tomorrow. Then we’ll eat proper meals. If you think of anything you want me to get, just write it on the notepad over there.”

“Thanks. But I’m not picky.” I pulled out a Salisbury steak TV dinner and waited my turn.

“Can I ask you something?”

He shrugged. “Sure.”

“What’s Jake’s deal?”

Anthony crossed his arms and sighed. “What isn’t his deal? He’s your typical middle child. Feels like he always gets screwed. A permanent chip on his shoulder. And the worst of it? He kind of got stuck working here at the zoo.”

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