Meeting The Unpredictable (22 page)

“Your account is at an all-time low, Lennie. Don’t you think you should focus on a job that might actually pay you something?” My account that he’s referring to has more money in it than most people make in a lifetime.

“Maybe we should talk about why you’re nosing around my bank account. I transferred my money to another bank for a reason. I guess with your power, it shouldn’t surprise me that you know the right people to stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong.”

Both my mother and Jodi gasp. Dad’s eyes narrow. “Watch how you speak to me. I’m your father and you will treat me with respect.”

I should have felt some remorse but I don’t. “You’re my father but you don’t really love me, not the way a father should, and you haven’t done anything to earn my respect. If I don’t act like you, if I don’t act like Jodi, then I’m the outcast and I’m okay with that. I’ve learned to be okay with that, but that doesn’t mean you get a say in my life anymore.”

He shakes his head in disgust. “You’re always the first one to tell everyone how much you don’t need them but without your family how would you have survived the last ten years? Huh? It sure as hell wasn’t because you went out and learned how to support yourself. You should be a disappointment to yourself, Lennie, and the fact that you’re not is unnerving.”

“Daddy,” Jodi whispers.

My eyes unwillingly water. Believing I’m a disappointment and hearing it are completely different things. “When the doctors warned you about possible side effects, did you listen?” Instead of answering me, his face hardens even more. “Did you listen when the doctors told you those were life alternating drugs they were giving me? You were so willing to save my life, but at what cost? Do you ever wonder if I am who I am today because of the treatments you forced on me?” My mom sniffles and wipes at her eyes. “Sometimes...it feels like I’m being punished for your mistakes.”

I turn around and walk right back out the door. Again, I want to open Tyler’s door and walk straight into his arms, but I stop myself. Instead, I run out to my car and get the hell out of the retirement village. I need a night at a bar where I might find a way to completely numb myself.

MY SIBLING FROM HELL CONTINUES
to text me, but I’ve yet to answer him. I might be willing to accept his forced apology, but that doesn’t mean I’m eager to talk to him. On some level, I’ll be relieved when I can finally put this behind me, but I don’t think Brandon is sincere, therefore this will probably always hang over us.

“No Lennie tonight?” Chad questions as he walks into the living room, which is noticeably quiet without Lennie around.

“I was going to give her an hour or two then I was going to check on her.” Chad nods his head but he acts almost upset by my answer, which I don’t understand. He’s urged me for years to go out and live life again, and now that I actually have a relationship, he suddenly doesn’t seem the least bit happy for me.

“I was going to ask you if you wanted to go out for a beer. Just you and me, you know, like old times?”

I’ve been a shitty friend to Chad since Lennie crashed into my life. If I’m being honest, I’ve been a shitty friend for years. Chad has all but dragged me out of this apartment trying to get me to move forward with my life, and I’ve always held a piece of myself back.

“That sounds like a good idea, but let me at least check in with Lennie.”

Chad gives me a quick head nod as I jump to my feet and cross the hall to Jodi’s apartment. As much as I want to grab Lennie and take her with me, I’ll settle for at least knowing she’s okay. I haven’t seen her since yesterday when we got back and my nerves are on edge.

I knock and several long moments pass before Jodi finally answers. “Tyler, what are you doing here?”

I try my best to look past her shoulder, but I don’t see Lennie. “I stopped by to see Lennie.”

Jodi’s face scrunches up. “Oh, I thought she was with you.”

Immediately, my heart starts racing. She promised...she promised she wouldn’t leave without telling me. “I haven’t seen her since yesterday morning.” I curl my fingers into a fist as my anger starts to surface.

“Oh, she left about an hour ago.”

“Did she take her stuff?” My voice was harsher than I intended.

“Oh, heavens no. I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to scare you. Our parents were here and Lennie doesn’t interact that well with them.” Jodi breathes out a long sigh. “My dad and her did what they do best, which is butt heads. Lennie grabbed her purse and left. Honestly, I thought she walked over to your apartment.”

I nod, unable to come up with something to say. Lennie was upset and instead of turning to me, she left to be by herself. I thought I finally made it through to her, but I’m guessing I’ve yet to discover the many layers of Lennie Jacobs.

“When she comes home, will you tell her I stopped by to check on her?”

“Of course.”

Chad opens our door and smiles. “Hey, we were just about to grab a beer. You want to come with us?”

I turn my stare to Chad. Moments ago, he was ready to bust my balls for checking in with Lennie, and now he’s asking Jodi to join us.

“I’d love to, but I think it would be best if I didn’t. I’d like to be here when Lennie gets home, and I actually have some case files I need to look over.”

“Yeah, sure,” Chad mumbles, sounding rejected.

“Maybe this weekend? If you’re free, that is,” she adds, still looking at Chad, who now has a megawatt smile on his face.

“I’d love to. You pick the time and I’ll pick the place.”

Jodi gives the two of us a warm smile. “Enjoy your evening.” With that, she shuts the door.

“What the hell?” I ask the second the door closes.

“What?”

“‘Just you and me, like old times?’ That’s what.”

“Oh come on. No matter how much progress I make with Jodi, it’s still a struggle to get her to agree to spend time with me. If that was the in I needed, then I had no problems taking it.”

I roll my eyes as I follow Chad down the stairs.

“Where to?” he questions as we get in his car.

“Let’s just go to our normal hang out.” Both Chad and I enjoy a bar that’s less than a mile from our building. On very rare occasions, I’ve walked home when I’ve had enough, and that very well could be how tonight might end.

***

I CHECK MY PHONE AT
least a hundred times in a matter of a couple of hours. Lennie hasn’t text, but I’ve sent her more than a dozen. I groan before setting my phone down. I’m not this guy. The one who gets uptight over a woman, but suddenly I am. Maybe that was part of my problem with Amber. I didn’t give enough of a shit to worry where she was or what she was doing, but my relationship with Lennie feels completely different.

Without knowing the details, I can’t say for sure, but shit hit the fan today and she didn’t come to me. That scares the fuck out of me.

“Hot blonde with huge tits at two o’clock.” I shake my head but for some reason my eyes still wander that direction. “She’s hot, isn’t she?”

“Who the hell cares?”

“Me, that’s who.”

I roll my eyes. “Really? You just asked Jodi out. The same woman you’ve made a lifestyle change for and seconds later you’re right back to your old ways?”

“If I was right back to my old ways, I’d be over there looking to score with her, but I’m not. I’m over here sitting with you trying to see if you have balls big enough to go over and talk to her.”

“What the fuck, man? I’m with Lennie and you know that.”

Chad groans before rubbing his hands over his face. “Really? And how long is that going to last?”

My eyes thin as I do my best to control my anger. “What’s your deal tonight?”

Chad glances around the bar before his eyes come back to mine. “I want to see you happy, and I’m not sure that’s what you’re going to get with this woman.”

“Bullshit.” Chad crosses his arms over his chest and smiles.

“You liked Lennie from the moment you met her. Something has changed your opinion of her and I want to know what it is.”

Chad takes a long pull of his beer. “Nothing has changed my opinion of Lennie. She seems like a great woman, but I’m not sure she’s the right fit for you.”

I straighten in my chair. “Chad, your longest relationship was two weeks. What makes you a sudden expert on what make a great fit for me?” I did nothing to keep the sarcasm out of my tone. Until last year, Chad hasn’t even pretended to like a woman for more than sex.

“Okay.” He holds his hands up. “Point made. I’ll stay out of your love life, but just don’t forget I tried to warn you.”

“Duly noted,” I snap before looking around the bar. Tonight was anything but old time’s sake. A year ago, Chad would be hitting on anything in a skirt, and I would be wondering how much longer I had to stay until Chad forgot I was with him. The second half hasn’t changed much, except tonight, I had the urge to punch my best friend in the face, and that’s never happened before.

“I’m not feeling it. Let’s get out of here.” Chad hops to his feet and walks towards the door. I down the rest of my beer and once again check my phone.

Where the fuck is she?

My insides begin to turn as the possibilities of what could be wrong bounce around in my head.

“Ready?” Chad questions.

“Yep. Let’s go.”

The ride to the apartment happens in a flash, and I have to force myself not to knock on Jodi’s door again. I feel like a stage five clinger, but I need to make sure I’m not acting like one. Therefore, I pass her door and unlock ours.

“I’m calling it a night,” Chad says as he passes me and walks down the hall.

Instead of going to bed, I walk over to the fridge and grab a beer before I sit down at my computer. With my mind this caught up on Lennie, I’m positive I won’t be able to sleep, so work it is.

I COME AWAKE WITH THE
sun shining in my eyes. I wipe at my mouth and look around the room. I have no idea where I’m at. Last night slowly starts coming back to me. I left Jodi’s house with anger coursing through me. I needed to get the hell out of her apartment and desperately wanted to get drunk. Seeing as I’m waking up in a stranger’s room, I’m guessing I accomplished both things.

“Hey, honey.” My eyes snap up and lock on Carla’s.

“What are you doing here?”

She laughs. “I live here, sweetheart.”

“Oh.” I glance around the tight living quarters with no memory of how I made it here.

“You don’t remember texting me do you?” I shake my head.

“You text me around midnight. Said you were wasted and needed a ride.”

“Oh, thank God,” I mumble.

I’ve ended up in countless stranger’s beds in the past, but it’s usually after a night filled with sex, and messing around on Tyler is the very last thing I want to do to him. We might not be official, and I may not have a future to offer him, but he deserves more than someone who’d act like his ex. Who cares if my dad is an asshole? Who cares how fucked up my life is? That’s no excuse for me to act like a drunken whore.

“I’m glad it was your house I woke up in.”

“I told you last night you should have called that beefcake but you wouldn’t listen to me.”

“I’m sorry, Carla.”

“Don’t be sorry, sweetheart. I’m happy that I was able to help something with two legs for a change.”

When I glance down at myself again, I see I’m in the same top I wore yesterday. My shorts are lying next to the bed I’m in, which only confirms I didn’t do what I normally would have.

“Listen, sweetie, I need to get down to the shelter. Tina has been working the front counter and Lord only knows the mess she’s left for me.”

“Oh gosh. I’m sorry I’ve kept you.”

“Nonsense. You needed someone and last night that someone was me.”

I give Carla a small smile. Last night I wanted that someone to be Tyler, but how can I do that to him? How can I allow him to become any more attached than he already is? If this was any other point in my life, I would be gone by now, but I can’t leave yet, and it has just as much to do with Tyler as it does my pending appointment.

“Thank you, Carla.”

“Don’t be thanking me for anything. I expect to see you cleaning out a few kennels when you’re up to it.” Carla nods her head towards the door. “Lock up when you leave.” Seconds later, Carla leaves me alone in her apartment. I glance around with a smile on my face. Carla’s place reminds me a lot of my apartment in New Orleans. Small but homey. I could easily see myself living here. Nothing in this apartment matches but it all comes together and makes one loud statement that screams home.