Page 29 of Before the Storm
“That’s gross and hilarious at the same time.”
“I smelled for weeks.” She plugged her nose.
“I bet.” He opened the door to his shiny sports car.
“Can I ask you a personal question?”
“Of course,” he said.
“How old are you?” She knew he was a little older, making her uncomfortable. She was an adult. Free to make her own choices. But her upbringing tainted so much of her world view, his possible age did give her pause.
“Thirty-eight.”
That made him twelve years older. That was a lot of living. She bit down on her lower lip.
“Does that bother you?”
“It’s not so much your age as it’s the fact you’ve lived this colorful life with various experiences. I’ve been sheltered.”
“I saw your resume. Moving from one town to the next for the last few years isn’t sheltered.”
“My childhood was,” she admitted. Opening up wasn’t something she was used to doing. However, if she was committed to staying in Lake George, living above Phoenix’s garage, working at Blue Moon, and letting him kiss her some more, she needed to open up, even if it was only half-truths and made-up stories she’d learned. “My parents were strict. They didn’t let me do a lot; I was a shy kid. It wasn’t until after they died that I broke from my shell and started venturing out of the community I grew up in.”
“I hate to break it to you, but I had figured that out already.” He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “I’ve seen and donea lot because of my military career and some days I feel older than dirt. I look at you and see this young woman who has yet to experience so much and it makes me think I shouldn’t be having the thoughts and feelings I am. But then I realize there’s one thing I have absolutely no experience in.”
“What’s that?”
“Having a real relationship with a woman and you’re the first person I’ve met whom I can see myself doing that with.”
Her heart dropped to her toes. Her lips parted and a gasp escaped. She quickly regained her composure. “This is all new to me. I’ve had one relationship; honestly, it wasn’t a very good one.”
“I can’t say I’ve ever had a good or bad one. I just haven’t stayed with a girl long enough to call it that.” He kissed her cheek. “But I’d like to find out what we could be.” He gave her a little nudge into the passenger seat.
Her mouth defied her and curled into a smile. What could have been one of the worst days of her new start had turned into another new beginning.
6
Janelle held her glass of wine. She leaned against the railing on the sundeck. The moon and the stars lit up the night sky. She loved coming out onto the dock after the sun had set. Hell, sitting on the upper deck any time of day, outside of work, was her favorite pastime. It was strange to enjoy a little downtime. While she still worried Pam would jump out from behind a tree, after six or seven days of not seeing her anywhere, she was starting to believe Phoenix and his philosophy. That Pam had been scared enough about the consequences of her actions. That messing with Janelle wasn’t worth it and it certainly wouldn’t change Phoenix’s mind.
She raised her fingers to her lips. Over the course of the last week, he’d kissed her two or three times a day. Usually, a stolen one in the morning when she came into work, since he always got there before she did. A second one when she left. If she was lucky, she’d get a third one at home. That one usually lasted a lot longer. But that’s as far as things went.
She had to admit, she missed working the night shift. Jack was fun to work with and the night crowd was so lively. But Janelle really enjoyed the position and she had at least two night shifts over the weekends. She’d also brought up that two ofthe college girls returning preferred earlier hours. She managed to talk the brothers into reworking how her position looked as interim manager.
Only time would tell if it was a good idea or not.
The crickets sang a symphony while the waves from a boat gently lapped at the shoreline. She sucked in a deep breath.
Phoenix wasn’t supposed to close this evening. She glanced at her watch. It was half past ten and he wasn’t home. She raised her glass. Two sips left. That’s how long she had until she’d head up to her apartment and give up on Phoenix.
She took the first sip, slowly letting it roll down her throat. Wine had become something she savored. She was careful of how much she drank. She knew when she was getting close to having too much. She understood the effects and didn’t want to push the envelope. But the flavors were to die for. The adultness of merely holding the glass made her almost forget how submissive she’d been her entire life.
Flashes of her sister wives, her siblings, her mothers, and all the other women living in that compound pounded her brain like a hammer beating a nail until it was so wedged into the wood it couldn’t be pulled out if anyone tried.
Janelle was free. So free that when she’d become a victim to a crime, she’d been so empowered to report it. She downed her last sip. She might not have if it hadn’t been for Phoenix and everyone else at Blue Moon. Janelle had what Jason told her to go looking for.
A support system.
People who would look out for her in the right way. A positive way.
