Meeting The Unpredictable (11 page)

“SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAD A
nice night.” Chad smirks over his coffee mug seconds after Lennie leaves.

“Yes, I did.”

“I was under the impression you were going to a four-year old’s birthday party. Instead, you came back hours later with our temporary neighbor then proceed to bed her like an animal.”

I shake my head and walk over to the coffee maker. “I’ve been waiting for Jodi Jacobs to know I exist for close to a year now, and in a little more than two weeks, you were able to screw her sister.”

“Shut up.” My voice takes on a growl. “I’ve spent more time with Lennie in the last two weeks than you’ve spent with Jodi in your entire life.”

Chad sighs, sounding frustrated, but that makes two of us. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m in desperate need of a night like you had. I’m jealous.”

“It doesn’t sound like you made progress with your date the other night, so why are you holding out for Jodi? Move on, find someone who actually wants to date you.”

I’ve known Chad since we were kids. He goes through women faster than anyone I’ve met, but his attitude changed once he decided Jodi was the woman for him.

“I saw Jodi a few times coming and going from the building, but I never stopped to talk to her. Do you remember last year when I bitched about how I had to go to a damn fundraiser at the last minute?”

“Yes. You mean the night you got pissed off because you had a woman waiting for you at the bar?”

“Yeah, but I never made it to the bar.” Chad rubs his hands over his face. “I showed up, did what my firm asked me to, and I was ready to get the hell out of there when I spotted Jodi crying. She was down a deserted hallway. I don’t know how much she had to drink, but she was lit up.”

“O...kay? How does that translate into you stopping your whoring ways?”

“Because Jodi was different that night. The things she told me...broke my heart, and for the first time in my life, I wanted to do anything in my power to fix something I didn’t break.”

“What did she tell you?”

He shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter, because when I saw her in the hallway the next day, she acted like she had no idea who I was.”

“Maybe she was too drunk to remember?”

“Yeah...maybe. Either way, she gave me a glimpse into the woman she really is, and my desire to strip her bare and toss away her hard outer shell has consumed me.”

“Sounds like she has a little bit of Lennie trapped somewhere inside her.”

Chad gives me a grim smile. “Yeah, but I’m to the point where I doubt I’ll ever see it.”

On some strange level, I understand where Chad is coming from because I have an overwhelming urge to uncover the many layers of Lennie Jacobs.

***

LENNIE OPENS MY BEDROOM DOOR
with a smile. “Let’s go out and do something fun.”

“Hello to you, too.”

“Hello, Tyler. Now let’s go do something fun.”

“Lennie, I need to work, not to mention your version of fun and mine are clearly different.”

Lennie laughs before hopping on the bed next to me. “What is your definition of fun?”

“I can tell you for a fact it doesn’t include a hoverboard park.”

Lennie breaks out in laughter. “What are you complaining about? You didn’t fall or get hurt.”

“Geez, is that how you judge if something’s fun?
I didn’t break my arm so I had a blast
?”

“Whatever we do doesn’t have to be dangerous in order to be fun, and to be clear, I don’t think hoverboards are dangerous. Tyler, you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone every now and then.”

I don’t ever push myself out of my comfort zone, not even when I was with Amber. Hell, my parents barely paid attention to what I was doing as a teenager, and I still didn’t do anything crazy.

“Every week for the next six weeks we’re going to do at least one thing you wouldn’t normally do. Because when I leave next month, I want to know that you, Tyler...”—her eyes narrow—“whatever your last name is...are a changed man. You work in this apartment, you live in this apartment, but it’s time you discover the big, beautiful world that sits right outside your door.”

There’s an energy that Lennie emits that’s practically contagious, and when she smiles, it’s almost impossible not to smile with her. I may never admit this to her, but I don’t think there’s much I wouldn’t agree to do as long as she’s with me.

“What’s your last name?” she asks.

“Brooker.”

Lennie puts her hand over her chest before falling over on my bed, laughing. “What the hell is so funny?”

“Brooker? Your last name makes you sound like a whore.”

“My last name is Br...ooker. Not hooker. There’s a B and an R in there.”

She smirks. “But it’s close.”

“No, they rhyme, which is totally different.”

“Okay, whatever you say.” I start to argue with her until she places her head on my chest and snuggles into my side.

“Tyler?”

“Umm?”

“Do you ever think you’ll fall in love again?”

My heart speeds up from her unexpected question. “I don’t know,” I mumble, unsure of why she’s asking.

“I don’t think you should allow one experience to hold you back, no matter how horrible it was.” Her voice is soft, verging on sad.

“Is that what you’re doing? Not allowing an experience to hold you back?”

“Everything about me is different, Tyler.” I hate the tone in her voice. It’s like someone has told her being different is wrong.

“That’s not a bad thing.”

“Maybe not to you.”

I pull her tighter into my chest as the urge to protect her starts to take over.

I WATCH MY CELL PHONE
light up with a call from my mother, but I don’t make any attempt to answer it. As far as I’m concerned, there are two Connie Jacobs. The compassionate mother who would do anything for her child and a woman who, like my father, spends too much time worrying about what other people think of her. The first Connie is great. The second one turns my stomach.

There’s no set of rules one should live by and when someone else—especially someone that claims to love you—can’t understand that, it opens up a wound. For me, it’s a wound much deeper than the one my mother tried to save me from.

“Oh, damn it. Really, Lennie? Ignore her call and she goes straight to me,” Jodi gripes as her phone starts ringing.

“Don’t answer it. Problem solved.”

“No, Lennie, the problem is not solved because she will continue to call me until I pick up and tell her where you’re at.”

“Who does she call when I’m not here? Because I can sure as hell tell you it’s not me.”

Jodi groans before rubbing her temples. “She’s sorry, okay? She can’t go back and undo anything, and you need to stop punishing them.”

My eyes water. “I’m punishing them?”

Her face falls. “That’s not...that’s not exactly what I meant.”

“Of course it’s not. You’re the prim and proper one who takes everyone’s side in a fight, but that’s not going to work this time.”

Jodi shakes her head. “They’re your parents. You can love them without agreeing with everything they say.”

“I’ve seen you in a courtroom. You know how to argue, so why are you afraid to stand up for yourself with them?”

Her face softens. “Because I haven’t needed to.”

A tear slowly slips down my cheek. “You’re right. I wasn’t your battle to fight.”

“Lennie, damn it, that’s not what I meant.”

“Doesn’t it get old?”

Her nose wrinkles with a confused look. “Does what get old?”

I grab my keys and bag, forcing myself to calm down. Once I have her door open, I look back. “Being perfect all the time.”

Jodi’s mouth drops open, but she doesn’t say anything.

Jodi has always played by the rules. She’d spend hours studying for a test, while I would cheat off the person next to me in school. She’d allow our mom to pick out everything she wore, where I’d rip up anything my mother purchased for me. We’ve always been this way. She’s the good one, and I’m the bad one. That’s why when the time came that Jodi had the power to
heal
me, I’m surprised she went against their wishes and picked me.

***

AFTER I LEFT JODI’S, I
drove to the animal shelter. I wanted to open Tyler’s door and crash on his couch while he more than likely worked, but my mood was off. Off enough that I would have had a hard time faking it. He’d start asking questions, and then I would either evade, or worse, lie, and end up feeling like shit. Therefore, I hung out with some of the best four-legged friends a girl could ask for. After I did every shit job Carla needed done, and all the animals had been walked and played with, I made my way back to the retirement village. I can’t for the life of me understand why the three of them live here. Then again, all three of them appear to be lacking in the fun category.

My plan was to go inside Jodi’s apartment and crash before she arrived home, but instead, I open Tyler’s door and make my way inside. I smile when I spot him in front of his computer, but my smile dims when I see him rub his hands over his face before he sighs.

“What’s wrong?”

Tyler jumps but turns around faster than lightning. “Where have you been?”

My eyes narrow. “At the animal shelter. Why?”

He takes a deep breath and nods his head. “You never came by. I knocked on Jodi’s door to see if you wanted to hang out and your sister said she didn’t know where you went.” He glances at the clock on the wall. “That was over five hours ago.”

Wow. We really have come a long way if Tyler actually got up and went looking for me.

“If I’m not at Jodi’s or with you then I’m at the animal shelter. You could have come down to visit me if you wanted to.” A shy smile crosses his face. “Or you can decide we’re actually friends and give me your cell phone number.”

He chuckles. “Give me your phone.” I hand over my phone and watch as he punches his number in. Seconds later, his phone on the desk lights up.

“What did you do all day?”

“Worked.”

I roll my eyes. “Of course you did.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“We’ve had this conversation already.” This time, he rolls his eyes. “I’m going to leave you alone and allow you to work all night because tomorrow you’re mine.”

His eyes flare before he smirks. “I’m yours, huh?”

I slowly walk over and stop in front of him. I place a hand on each side of his face. “You won’t be mine forever, but I plan to enjoy you while you are.” I bring his face down to mine as our mouths crash together. His lips feel smooth, but his touch is rough. Tyler’s hands come up to the back of my head as he possessively holds me against him. It’s not until this moment that I realize we’ve yet to kiss each other, at least traditionally, but as his tongue moves against mine, I start to wonder if kissing Tyler Brooker is just as amazing as sex with him is. My body starts to ignite, which forces me to pull back.

I take a huge step away as his hungry eyes follow me. “I was peed on today—more than once, actually. I’m going over to Jodi’s where I plan to take a long hot shower then I’m going to bed. I’m exhausted, and we have a big day ahead of us.”

“I don’t know, Lennie. I have to—”

I immediately cut him off. “I promise the world won’t come to an end if you take a day off.” Tyler groans before giving me a stern look. “I’ll see you in the morning.” Before he has the chance to protest further, I walk out of his apartment.

I DON’T FEAR THE OUTSIDE
world. Over the years, I’ve formed a routine. A formula, so to speak, and right now my nerves are on fire because I absolutely dread whatever Lennie has planned for today. I don’t need to know where we’re going to know it’s something I’d rather not do. Then again, I guess that’s her point. I never thought I’d admit this, but I actually enjoy Lennie’s company. I really like having sex with her, and if I had my way, we’d spend the day held up in my apartment. But I’m not that lucky.

Like Lennie said, humans come with strings, and I guess leaving my comfort zone is the string that Lennie has attached to her.

Moments after Chad left for work, Lennie walks in without knocking. She’s dressed in what I’ve learned is very normal clothing for her, which is nothing more than a tank top and cut off shorts that many would deem too short. Not me, though. I love looking at her long legs. Today, like almost every other day, she’s not wearing her glasses. I’ve yet to figure out if they are prescription glasses or if she wears them solely for looks.