Page 25 of Grounds for Love

Chapter 8

Jen

Istumbleintothe Inn and Kimberly walks out of the kitchen, expecting to see a guest I’m sure. Instead, she finds a wet, trembling, crying mess of a woman.

“Just tell me who we need to off and I’ll find a place to hide the body.” She grabs a throw from the back of a chair and wraps it around my shivering body. That unconditional support is why I call her my friend…. and that brings on a new batch of tears.

“Jen, what’s wrong? How did you get here?”

“I…I…” I try to speak, but my teeth are chattering I’m so cold.

Her eyes grow concerned. “Come on. Whatever it is can wait. Let’s get you in a warm shower and I’ll let you borrow some dry clothes. Then you can tell me all about it over a hot cup of tea.”

I try to nod, but I’m not sure she can tell the difference between my shivering and a nod.

More tears fall from my eyes as I stand under the warm spray of the shower. I haven’t cried in years, but lately that’s all I seem to do. I never thought I’d feel this deeply for someone again. I go back over what happened in Rod’s pool and I don’t understand how we got so far off track.

Once I’m warm, I do a quick washing and shampoo and then dry off. I run a comb Kimberly left for me through my hair and twist it on top of my hair with my own elastic. I pull on the leggings and fleece shirt waiting for me on the vanity. She’d even left a pair of socks and slides. I don’t usually wear socks with slides, but I’m freezing so don’t judge.

I find Kimberly in the kitchen pouring water from a steaming kettle into two mugs. She looks up when I come through the door. “There, that looks much better. Now sit and let’s talk.”

The Inn’s kitchen is cozy and I grin at Henrietta sitting in a box filled with colorful eggs beneath a window. “I don’t want to bother you. If I could just use your phone to call Joy to come get me, I’ll get out of your hair.”

Kimberly picks both mugs up from the soapstone counter and heads towards a charming kitchen table by the fireplace. “Of course you can borrow my phone or you could sit down, enjoy this lovely cup of tea, which I might add is imported from Tanistan, and hash out what some dumbass man did to you.”

Stunned at her observation, I blink. “How did you…”

“Oh, please.” She waves my question away with her hand. “Those tears had dumbass man written all over them.”

It would be nice to talk to someone and my alternative is to go home and cry on my sister’s shoulder, and she’s been my rock too many times to put her through that again. Especially over something I’m clueless about. I know Kimberly’s a rich heiress, but she’s never come across that way. I take a seat and wrap my hands around the warm mug.

Henrietta fluffs her feathers and once again settles down over the eggs. “Why don’t you put those eggs in the fridge?”

“Oh, those aren’t real. She just thinks they are. I replace the real ones with fake ones every day. I don’t have the heart to take them away from her. I feel like I’m taking away her babies.”

Kimberly’s soft heart makes me grin. “You know that’s messed up, right?”

“Yeah, Bode says the same thing, but I’ve caught him stuffing the box with fakes too. But enough about Henrietta. What’s going on with you?”

I sigh and take a sip of tea. “I wish I knew.”

“Is it Rod?”

My eyes widen curiously and I find myself repeating, “How did you…”

“Small town. You’ll get used to everyone knowing your business. So you had a date with Rod today. I’m guessing it didn’t go well.”

That’s just it… “It was amazing. We went out on his yacht and spent the day on the water. It was incredible. I really got to know him. We talked about everything. Then we went to his house for dinner. We laughed and joked and somehow ended up in his pool.” I pause and grin at the memory. I’d felt so close to him. “Then we kissed and… more, and I’m not sure what happened afterwards. He said some hurtful things and I retaliated with things I’m ashamed of having said to him. I stormed off and came here. I just wanted away from him.”

Kimberly shakes her head in disbelief. “Wow. There’s several points that jump out at me. Rod laughed and joked around?”

I nod and frown. “Yes, why is that so strange? We laughed about stuff all day long. He has a great sense of humor.”

Her eyes widen. “No. We can’t be talking about the same man. The Rod I’ve known is always serious and a step away from biting your head off.”

I shrug and take another sip of delicious tea. “I don’t know what to tell you. Other than the first time we met, he’s not been that man.”

Kimberly takes a sip of her own tea. “So things went downhill after you had sex? How was it?”

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