Back to Square One (Brandon Bay Babes) (17 page)

“It’s not so hard to understand.
 
“The fruit at the top of the tree is always the sweetest” they say.”

“Who says? –my mother?
 
And just what the hell does that
mean
?”

Jasmine laughed, “I just think that there’s nothing more irresistible to a man than a woman who acts like she doesn’t need one“

“Have I been acting like I don’t need one?
 
Because if last night was any indication; I’m the worst actress in the world.
 
My hormones were not exactly pushing him away”

“Maybe not, but, it’s probably pretty refreshing for someone like Jeremy Atwell to have to work at getting a woman to even dance with him”

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Kit wasn’t buying it.
 
“Well, he didn’t have to try very hard last night.
 
And I did more than dance with him.
 
So wouldn’t that mean game over; conquest made; fruit picked, and whatever?”

“Maybe not; you said that he talked about how he’s felt stifled in this town –maybe he’s never met a woman who talks to him seriously about the things that really matter to him.
 
Maybe he just sees what I see; a beautiful, fun, and unattached woman who would be a great catch for any man.
 
Or maybe” she shrugged, “he just has the hots for your bod.”

“That’s a lot of maybes” Kit replied wide-eyed.

“You
may
be right” Jasmine shot back with a grin.

When the following Sunday morning rolled around Kit mentally calculated that in the last week she had dodged four calls from Barnaby and two more from Jeremy.
 

Gladys informed her, in no uncertain terms, that she was through refusing to answer the phone or give out excuses as to why she was indisposed any longer; apparently being deceitful was upsetting her cosmic aura.
 
Being on the receiving end of Gladys’ dirty looks for trying to give two nice boys “the slip” was not pleasant.
 
So Kit decided to take her chances and venture out for a walk downtown.
 
  
The probability of bumping into one or the other was more likely than not to happen, but the fact was, she was going stir crazy at home.
 
Truth be told, although Jasmine had come by a couple of times, she was desperately in need of some human contact.

As Kit walked down the winding road to Brandon Bay from her mother’s home, she was glad to have chosen a pair of jeans instead of the Summery skirt she had initially picked.
 
The weather wasn’t particularly good; the wind had picked up and rain was undeniably on its ways.
 
Breathing in the fresh ocean air and watching the clouds being deftly blown inland towards the town, Kit viewed the panorama in front of her, and couldn’t help thinking that it held the makings of another TPG masterpiece.
 
She’d file it mentally away for another time.

Arriving on Main Street, she passed Fred’s diner, and looked in the window to see if Jasmine was having an early breakfast before opening the shop.
 
Nope.
 
Jasmine wasn’t anywhere in sight, but lo and behold; she couldn’t believe her eyes just who was sitting there having a cup of Joe.

Tapping on the window, Kit got his attention, and after some mouthing of words and some mime that would make Marcel Marceau turn over in his grave, she joined him at his table.

“Hi there” Kit said amiably.

“Hey Kit Kat” J.J. replied with a grin.
 
He pointed to the seat across from him and she sat.
 
“Want some coffee?” he asked.

“Do pigs like mud?”

J.J. laughed and called the waitress over to put in the order.

“What brings you to Brandon Bay Mr. Jones?”

“We could play twenty questions and you could guess?” he tried to joke.

Kit raised her brows. “I don’t think so.
 
You don’t play fair.”

J.J. squinted at her “
Hmm
.
 
In that case, why don’t I just tell you”

“That may be for the best”

“I’m here with Uncle Charles.
 
He loves this place so much; he’s decided to buy a vacation home here.
 
I’m the second opinion and moral support.”

“That’s fantastic.
 
Where is he?” Kit asked glancing from side to side in case Charles was somewhere around.

“He’s back at the Inn.
 
He doesn’t usually get up till noon.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to stay in bed most of the day?” she said with a sigh, thinking her mom would never allow
that
to happen.

Jeff gave her a measured look.
 
“Was that an invitation?”

Kit blithely ignored his comment, and the slightly awkward moment was shattered by some rather energetic finger tapping on the window.
 
Looking up, Kit came face to face with Jeremy Atwell’s sea-green eyes.

After he mouthed the word “Hi” at her, Kit responded with a small wave and a nervous smile.
 

Jeremy looked suspiciously from her to J.J. and back to her in quick succession.
 
He did not look happy.
 
He then stuck out his thumb as if to say “Who he?” and Kit replied by mouthing “just a friend”.
 
She then picked up an imaginary phone and mimed that she’d call him later.
 

Watching while he walked off down the street, Kit couldn’t help thinking that, 1. Jeremy still had the best ass she’d ever seen and now,
felt
; and 2. Marcel would have been much more pleased by her second attempt at mime than the first.

Turning back to J.J., she realized Marcel would have been the only one pleased by her mime.
 
If she thought Jeremy had looked a little angry, then J.J. looked positively livid. Her coffee arrived and she gratefully focused her full attention on it, waiting for some of the sudden uneasiness to leave.

Jeff continued drinking his coffee, as if she weren’t even there.
 
Was she invisible again? Well, she wouldn’t stand for it.
 
She was through being transparent.
 
“Would you rather I go?” she asked with a frown.

He peered at her over his coffee cup.
 
“I thought you said you weren’t seeing anyone” he uttered calmly.

“Who him?”
 
Kit pointed out the window, down the street.

J.J. regarded her expectantly.

“That’s just Jeremy” she shrugged.

“You mean the guy …”

“Yeah
him
…, from high school; the one I was insane about” she finished with a roll of her eyes.

Jeff scrutinised her intently.
 
“Any lingering mental health issues with regard to
him
then?”

Kit smiled and shook her head with certainty.
 
“I can safely say I’m cured Doctor.”

“Good to know” J.J. replied, his former warmness returning just a little.

Kit giggled.
 
“Well apart from a
slight
case of temporary insanity the other night.”

“Oh, what do you mean?” he asked warily.

“Well I kind of made out with Jeremy last week and now he’s sort of got it in his head that we’re an item”

“Well that would do it, I guess” J.J. coldly retorted.

Kit giggled and tried to explain.
 
Why was she so nervous telling him this?
 
“But you see I figure, well, you know how some vaccines work by actually giving you the virus.
 
Well, I got a dose of Jeremy and now I’m immune.”

J.J. seemingly relaxed a smidgen at the news.
 
“Immune, huh?”
 

“Completely, utterly, totally.
 
Now I just have to convince him of it.
 
Not an easy task when Jeremy Atwell has been irresistible to women since his voice changed.
 
I just hope he can comprehend a woman
not
wanting to be with him.”

This information seemed to placate J.J., although Kit had no idea why she needed to.
 
He was a compulsive tease, no doubt ingrained in him from his considerable experience as one of San Francisco’s most accomplished players; but she’d have to be out of her mind to think he could seriously be interested in her in a lustful way.
 

“So … , just what exactly did “kind of” making out with him comprise of?” J.J. asked with a slight scowl.

“You want details?” she queried him with raised brows.
 
“Like first base, home run?
 
That sort of thing”

“Forget it” he said quickly.
 

Kit crossed her arms in front of her chest and surveyed him with narrowed eyes.
 
“Why are you so upset about this?”

Jeff ran his hand through his dark brown hair and let out a calming breath.
 
“I guess I’m just disappointed in you Kit.
 
It seems it was pretty easy for you to fall into the arms of some guy who was, for all intents and purposes, a stranger to you in high school; and even more of a stranger now.”

Jutting her chin in the air, Kit assumed an offended stance.
 
“And
you’ve
never made a mistake like that?
 
You mean to tell me that Jeffrey Jones has
never
made out with a woman he didn’t really know?”
   

Blushing profusely J.J. conceded, looking down into his empty coffee cup.
 
“You’re right. I have no right to judge you.
 
I’m not exactly a monk myself”

Kit smiled playfully.
 
“I’m well aware of your checkered reputation.
 
The water-cooler, remember?”

Jeff chuckled.
 
“I seem to recall being told I brightened many a lonely fact checker’s day.
 
Did I brighten
your
day too Kit?”

Kit shook her head from side to side.
 
“I plead the fifth.
 
Anyway, I didn’t know you back then”

“And now that you do?”

“Well I guess you do brighten my day at that.
 
I kind of like having you for a friend”

“Are we
friends
?” he asked seriously.

“I hope so” she replied a little uncertainly.
 
“I mean I’d like to be.
 
As long you don’t go getting all superior on me about things like, … like kissing guys that I’m well aware I shouldn’t.
 
I know it was a mistake, but believe me J.J. I learned a valuable lesson from it”