Lost and Found (12 page)

Chapter
10

“Wake up, Jessie!”
 

The bed began shaking and Jessie groaned from under her pillow, “What time is it?” She asked, opening one eye to watch her sister bounce on the end of the bed.
 

“It’s three in the goddamned morning,” Jamie said, stopping mid-bounce to pull the pillow off Jessie’s head impatiently. “Do you want to explain to me what’s going on exactly?” Jamie sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at Jessie’s robed form.
 

Jessie attempted to smooth the wild tangle of her hair away from her face with her hands so she could glare at her sister. “Jamie, what are you doing here? I was having the best dream and I have to work tomorrow morning. Go away,” Jessie said, and took another pillow from the other side of the bed and placed it over her head again, trying to block out the sound of her sister’s voice.

Jamie pulled that one off too, and turned on the bedside reading light. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell you think you’re doing.”

Jessie flung an arm over her face to block out the intrusive light. Her voice was muffled as she said, “I’m trying to sleep, but my completely nutso sister is getting in the way of that. What are you babbling about?” She adjusted her arm enough so she could see her sister.

Jamie got off the bed and paced the small room a few times. She was still wearing her club clothes. The heels of her thigh high boots tapped loudly on the hardwood floor of Jessie’s bedroom, and Jessie winced, thinking of the dents her sister was probably making with her heavy, angry strides. A black stretchy skirt just long enough to cover Jamie’s thong, and a sheer black blouse completed her ensemble.

Finally, Jamie stopped and pointed a scarlet-tipped index finger at Jessie. “I’m talking about you, going over to a strange man’s place tonight. Alone. I’m talking about what could have happened to you tonight. God, Jessie, what were you thinking?”

“Nothing happened, at least not anything to get so excited about And what I was thinking was none of your business. I’m not a child, Jamie. I can stowaway on a merchant marine ship to
Portugal
if I want. What are you freaking out about exactly?” Jessie sat up and looked at Jamie resignedly. She was more confused than angry. In the two years since Jessie had been living here, Jamie had often used the spare key Jessie had given her for late night visits, but it was completely unheard of for her to show up when she knew Jessie had to work the next day. Her late night blitzes were usually reserved for evenings when she’d had a particularly intriguing encounter and she wanted to rehash the details with her sister.

“I’m freaking out because you are so naïve, Jess. Let me explain something to you. Just because that gorgeous guy from this morning happens to be a cop, doesn’t mean that he’s okay. Some of the biggest perverts in the world are cops, and yet you decide to meet him alone, at his apartment. Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?”
 

“God, you are so melodramatic,” Jessie muttered, getting up off the bed and shaking her head at her sister. She passed Jamie and gave her a little nudge with one hand. “Do you want some coffee?” Maybe she could distract Jamie and get her out of here without revealing everything. Jessie knew there was no way she was going to get through this conversation without a minute to collect her thoughts. Jamie could be very persistent.

“Jessie, we are not done talking about this.” Jamie said, crossing her arms and following Jessie into the kitchen.

“Yes, actually we are. I wasn’t sold into white slavery and my remains are not going to be found on a hilltop somewhere, so you can just relax.” Jessie turned on the coffee machine for Jamie, and got some nice herbal tea out of the cupboard for herself. She paused as she reached for a cup. “Did Clay call you? Am I going to have to kill him tomorrow morning?” Jessie paled at the thought of Clay calling her sister to tell her what she’d been up to. She didn’t even want to imagine that conversation.

Jamie sat down in the chair
Duncan
had vacated earlier and put her booted feet on the white vinyl chair across from her. “No, he didn’t call me. We ran into each other at the Lotus. He was drunk and babbled on about you going off into the night for a bit of the rough. Clay thinks you’re possessed, by the way. He said you were acting extremely not like yourself. He wants to perform an exorcism. He was wandering around the club, asking all the cute guys if they were priests. You’d be surprised how many said ‘yes.’”
 

“I’m not possessed. Clay is just being protective. I don’t know why. He’s the one that encouraged me to call
Duncan
anyway.” Jessie couldn’t believe that her sister and Clay were both against her like this. Hadn’t this been what they’d been pressuring her about these past few years? And here she was, finally trying to seduce someone and they were acting like she’d started selling naked pictures of herself on the internet. Jessie threw a tea bag in one of her big blue mugs and glared at her sister over her shoulder.

Jamie leaned back in her chair and put her hands behind her head. “Oh, so it’s
Duncan
now. And you called him? That gorgeous cop? Are you serious? I never thought I’d see you pursue a guy. He must be pretty special. Or are you just tired of living the life of the lonely spinster?” Jamie smiled at her sister and let the chair land on the tile with a bang.

Jessie straightened a black and white photo of the Parthenon behind the sink and tried to ignore her sister’s annoying habit of rocking back and forth on her kitchen chairs. “Both, I think. But I’m not going to get my hopes up. He’s way out of my league.” Jessie filled a cup and placed it in front of her sister, automatically pushing the sugar bowl toward her.
 

Jamie stirred her coffee and looked at Jessie thoughtfully. “Why do you say that?” Jamie gave her sister a sardonic grin. “Besides being almost too beautiful, is he a well-endowed millionaire, as well?”
 

Jessie giggled. She actually giggled. “Well, actually—.” Jessie set down her cup and held her hands out, perpendicular to the table and spread them until they were many inches apart. She held them there for a second and wiggled her eyebrows meaningfully at Jamie.

Jamie’s eyes opened wide in shock. “Oh my God! No way. You didn’t! You complete slut. I can’t believe it. You finally got laid. I’m impressed.” Laughing she slammed her hand down on the table hard enough to make the spoon beside her cup jump.

“No, no I didn’t, but I can honestly say that he certainly isn’t lacking in the equipment department.” Jessie couldn’t believe she’d revealed such an intimate detail to her sister, but she couldn’t help herself. She had to tell someone about her evening, at least a little. She never had anything good to share. Usually it was Jamie reciting a step-by-step recollection of her evening.

“And the millionaire part?” Jamie asked eagerly.

“Jamie, you know that doesn’t matter to me.” Jessie shook her head and frowned at her sister. Why was it always about money, anyway?
 

“I know, but it matters to me. Is he?”

“All I know is that he has an apartment straight out of Better Homes and Gardens.”
 

“You’re kidding. And he’s straight?”

“Extremely.” Jessie shivered slightly thinking about how desirable he’d made her feel today. Just the thought of him nudging her thighs apart was enough to make a flush stain her cheeks.

“Wow. You certainly got lucky your first time out. So, what happened exactly?”

“Not much really. We kissed and stuff. He said he’d call tomorrow.” Jessie knew her sister wanted a play-by-play, but she just couldn’t do it. Despite her earlier revelation, she thought it would cheapen the experience if she sat here and analyzed it too much.

Jamie gave her a pouty look, clearly disappointed at Jessie’s close-mouthed attitude. “Come on, Jessie. You’re being awfully stingy with the details.”

“I know. I just don’t want to jinx it.”

“But you want to see him again? You like him?”

“Yes, I do. But like I said. He’s too perfect. He could have any woman in the world. Why would he want someone like me?” Jessie had to keep reminding herself that they weren’t right for each other. She needed someone quiet, and bookish like her—maybe an accountant, or a scientist with a paunch and a balding pate. Not a sex god. Sex gods were too complicated, too intense. Someone like the detective could easily hurt her.

“Honestly, Jessie. This insecurity thing is getting old. You’re pretty, and sweet. You’re even smart. Some guys are actually into that. Why won’t you believe that he’d want more from you than a bit of rough and tumble?” Jamie took a sip from her coffee and shook her head in exasperation. She’d had this conversation way too many times with her sister.

“I don’t know. Maybe because no one’s really wanted anything from me before, not even sex. Why would he see what all these other guys haven’t?”

“Well, maybe because you haven’t given them a chance, Jessie. You scuttle away and hide behind your glasses and your books whenever men approach you. You may see it as being shy, but they see it as being aloof or unfriendly. Snobbish even.”

“I’m not a snob at all,” Jessie said, raising her voice in consternation. It had never occurred to her before that anyone could interpret her behavior as being in any way hurtful. She mostly just thought she was avoiding making a fool of herself when she steered clear of making conversation with people.

“I know that, but they don’t. Besides, whatever you’ve got, that detective was definitely into it. He didn’t even glance at me this morning. Not even once.” Jamie held up a finger. “You guys definitely had some chemistry. I just never thought it would amount to anything. I thought you’d run away and hide for sure.”

“I didn’t though, did I? I actually called him and sort of went on a date with him.” Jessie’s smile was proud and oddly childlike, like she’d just won a blue ribbon at an elementary school track & field day.

“Yeah, you did. Amazing. Where did you two crazy kids go anyway? Clay didn’t mention that part. Travis pulled him away for a dance before I got a chance to ask.”

“Well, we actually just searched the area for his sister.”

“Is that why he was at the store today? He was looking for her?”

“Yeah. She’s been missing for two months.”

“Jesus. Poor thing. Does he think she’ll turn up?”

“Actually, she was at the store tonight. Clay called while we were at
Duncan
’s place, and then we tried to pick up her trail from the store. No luck though. It was like she disappeared.”

“When did you get home?”

“Around one.”

“And then he went home?”

“No, actually he came in for awhile.” Jessie tried not to look embarrassed. Like she had strange men in her apartment on a regular basis.
 

“And?” Jamie dragged out the word and made a hurrying motion with her hands.

Jessie looked at the table and tried to think of a way to say this without sounding too stupid. “And nothing. He wouldn’t do it.”

“I thought you said he was straight.”
 

“He is. Very. We just didn’t have any protection here.”

“Oh my God. That is hilarious. So close, and yet so far.” Jamie laughed and shook her head. “We need to get you on the pill, like immediately.”

“Well, I’m glad you think it’s funny. It was pretty embarrassing at the time. I actually let him in on my secret.”

“No way. After that whole disaster with librarian Ken? You actually told
Duncan
you were a virgin? Was he cool about it?”

“Actually he was, but now he thinks we should wait.”

“Wait? Doesn’t he realize that you’ve waited long enough? Why does he want to wait?”

“He wants to make it special for me or something. I don’t know exactly. He also said he wanted to find his sister first because he doesn’t want to be distracted.”
 

“Really? What did you say?”

“I said: I’m not making any promises. I’ll seduce him if I can.”

“I can’t believe you said that to him. That is so unlike you. Are you sure you’re not possessed?”

“I’m not. There’s just something about him. I feel really comfortable around him. Comfortable, but nervous and excited too. In a good way. I’ve never felt like this before.”

“Oh Jess. You’ve got it bad. I’m so happy for you. No wonder you were so stupid, going over there alone and everything.”

“I wasn’t stupid. I had mace in my purse, but I wasn’t even worried. We’d actually spent some time together that morning already.”

“What do you mean, ‘spent some time together?’”

Jessie couldn’t contain her excitement. Gleefully, she said, “We made out, right after you left. Right there in the store. If Clay hadn’t come in, I don’t know what would have happened. It was just incredible.”

Jamie looked at her for a second with her mouth open in shock. “Are you crazy?”

“Yes, I think I am. But it feels great. You’ve been right all this time. I have needed to loosen up.”

“Jessie, I meant you needed to stop dressing like Laura Ingalls Wilder, and go on a few dates. I didn’t mean you should start having nooners at the store and making booty calls with strangers. I can’t believe all that’s happened in just one day. I think that detective might be right. You do need to slow down a bit.”