Page 11 of Hard Focus
Five minutes went by with no change. Connie finally pulled her phone out of her purse and texted Jonas:I don’t think Audrey’s willing for me to pick up Adrianne. Should I leave?Four words, that’s all Audrey had given her to work with, and no indication if she would be bringing Adrianne out in a minute, ten minutes, or never.
The sound of an engine growled up the roadandConnie turned to see a familiar truck driving towards her, faster than it should have been on the narrow residential streets. She stood to one side of the sidewalk and waited for Cole to disembark from the vehicle. Audrey’s brother didn’t even glance at her as he brushed past Connie on his way to the front door. It opened before he stepped a single foot on the porch, which meant Audrey had been standing right there. Connie sighed and rolled her eyes.
Cole is here. Should I stay?
Nothingin response. It was as if once he’d gotten her agreement in his plan, Jonas had fallen off the surface of the earth.
You’ve got to talk to me. What do you want me to do?
“Tell her to leave.” Cole’s voice resonated through the door. Even though she couldn’t see him, Connie had witnessed his angry posture often enough to know what he’d look like. “If you don’t want her to have Addy, then you don’t have to give our baby girl to that woman.”That woman. Connie winced. No name, no designation. Nothing in his voice to indicate she was anything other than an annoyance.
Audrey’s voice buzzed, the higher pitch impossible to make out words.
“ThenI’lltell her to leave.”
Another buzz of Audrey’s voice.
“I know Addy likes her. Hell, Audrey, that’s the only reason you let the asshole have Adrianne sometimes, is knowing thatwoman’sin the car. It makes Addy feel better about going, and that makes you less anxious. But Addy’s not the one making the decision today. Not this time. Asshole isn’t here. It’s past time for him to pick her up. Call the lawyer and tell himassholewas a no-show again.”
The slamming of a car door pulled her attention from the hidden conversation taking place behind the smooth surface of the door and made Connie turn to face the driveway. Jonas had pulled up behind Cole’s truck and was out of the vehicle, prowling around the front bumper towards where she stood.
“Hey,” she started to say and joltedbackwardswhen Jonas threw up a hand in front of her face.
“Not right now. If you can’t manage to do me a simple favor, then don’t expect to spend the weekend withme and my little girl.”
Uh, say what?Jonas’ reaction was miles away from anything she’d hoped for. If anything, Connie might have expected he would at least thank her for trying to do as he’d demanded, not throw attitude at her. Tension in his arms and shoulders showed a surprising rage bubbling just under the surface.
He wasupthe porch steps in a singleleapand pounded his fist against the door until the sound echoed off houses across the street as he rattled it in its frame. “Audrey, send the kid out. It’s my weekend.” He turned to glare at Connie, mouth pulled to the side in an unpleasant sneer. “I can’t deal with your attitude, too. Just get in your car and leave.”
“Listen, Jonas. I did what you asked. I left work early to come and try to pick up Adrianne.” Connie felt her brows furrowing. Things had changed on a dime and she was still trying to reconcile the man who’d asked her for a favor with the raging lunatic standing in front of her.I think I’m pissed. She raised her voice slightly. “There’s no call for you to be that way.”
“You didn’t manage this one, small thing, though, did you?” He scowled at Connie as he pounded his fist against the door again, then turned his back on her. His shout was loud and angry, voice scraped raw with ugly emotions. “Audrey. Open up.”
Connie swung around on her heel and stalked down the sidewalk, digging in her purse for her keys.Oh, yeah. I’m pissed. Angry tears burned her eyes, and she blinked rapidly, determined not to let Jonas see how his behavior had hurt her.I left work early, asked a favor from a friend, and for what?As she climbed into the front seat, she heard the door to the house open and glanced back to see Cole filling the space. He took two steps outside, bumping chests with the smaller man, pushing Jonasbackwards. Jonas stumbled and nearly fell off the porch, staggering as he landed with one foot on the sidewalk, the other in the grass. Her stomach lurched at the physical aggression between the unevenly matched men.This could turn out bad for Jonas.
“You were late. That’s a no-show. Sixth time in five months, asshole.” Cole tsked, the sound loud in the silence surrounding his words. “Then, you have the absolute balls to send some chick to pick up Adrianne? Not happening, man. You pick that baby girl up on time, or not at all. That’s the deal.”Some chick. That stung as bad as Cole’s earlier words.
“You know where I was.” Jonas shot backandConnie paused, listening. “You engineered that whole fiasco, and I don’t appreciate it. They came to my work. Embarrassed me.”
“You’re embarrassed? How tragic. Too bad I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Cole propped clenched fists on either hip, ducking his head to glare at Jonas. His wrath was unmistakable, veins on his neck standing out as his face reddened. “I couldn’t give a shit. You’re a no-show again. That’s all I care about right here and now.”
“He came to my work. Are you trying to get me fired? Does your sister not like the money I send her?”
Connie shook her head.Not my problem right now. She slammed the door to mute their voices and jammed her keys into the ignition, twisting them to start the engine.Maybe not ever again. For the first time, she agreed with Cole’s assessment of Jonas:A-hole. She was that angry. She rolled down the front windows a few inches to allow hot air trapped in the car to escape. “…ever talk to my sister the way you just handled your girlfriend, I’ll beat you within a half…”
She blew out a stream of air to steady herself, put the car into gear and pulled away, driving carefully. Taking the first main thoroughfare back downtown, she told her phone, “Text Taylor.” A pause while the software acknowledged her, then she said, “I need a drink. Meet me as soon as you can.”
***
Cole
Staring at the car as it drove away, he allowed himself to wonder again how a woman like that had wound up hooked to someone like Jonas Thompson. When Audrey called him to come over, she’d actually been pleased it was Connie who was picking up Addy. Cole understoodit,because his niece liked the pretty woman, but rules were rules for a reason, and he’d needed to remind Audrey of that. Cole had been inside talking to Audrey when he’d heard the second car door, and just knew who it was.
Then had been theyellingand a tone that would have cut the thickest skin. Connie didn’t look the type to have much in the way of defenses, but she’d not avoided Thompson’s anger, meeting it head-on.I wish I could figure her out. He’d looked into her, leveraging his contacts to find out she lived within her means, worked a good job and was well liked by her coworkers. It just seemed to be her boyfriend choices that were suspect.
“What do you think you accomplished today, Thompson?” Pulling his gaze from the street, he stared down at the man who straddled his sister’s sidewalk, glaring up at Cole aggressively. He pulled in a steadying breath, and shaking his head, Cole reached back and opened the door. “Go home, asshole. See you in two weeks.”
***
