Shadow of Doubt (6 page)
Authors: Melissa Gaye Perez
“I've gotten that impression, yes,” she giggled. “He makes me a bit nervous though.”
“You'll get used to him hanging around,” Jordan replied feeling a little shaken as he realized how much he was actually enjoying their chat. Just as he and Victoria used too, before he found out that all she was after him for was a good time until she found someone better. Someone who could afford to live the type of lifestyle she dreamed about. He didn't like the way he kept thinking about Dolly. He wanted to be more than just a friend to her, but he was afraid. He didn't want to go through what he had before.
He knew Dolly seemed different though, but what if her memory came back and she became someone else completely? What if they became lovers then she suddenly left and never returned?
Jordan quickly rose from the table and put his plate in the sink trying to hide the fact that he had enjoyed this meal with her very much.
Dolly cleared the rest of the things from the table and began cleaning up the mess. Jordan started to help out but was afraid they were getting a little too chummy. For some reason he was weary about getting too acquainted with her. He thought it best to stay clear of her as much as possible to ward off any hardship when she regained her memory and it came time for her to leave him. He knew he could easily fall for a beautiful, compassionate lady like her. If only he knew more about her...but a serious relationship wasn't exactly in Jordan's Scott's date book.
Jordan felt unusually nervous this morning. He wasn't used to having a woman actually “living” in his house. Although a few days had already passed he still just couldn't get used to it.
Still half asleep, he stumbled out of bed and to his bedroom door intending to go have his usual morning cup of coffee. In nothing but his bare chest and white cotton briefs, he opened the bedroom door only to come face to face with a very embarrassed blue-eyed blonde also exiting her bedroom just next to his.
Red faced and grinning at the same time, he ran back and slammed the door shut. “Sorry...I forgot you were here,” he yelled out nearly amused at the way Dolly had covered her face with both hands and sped into the living room.
“Now we're even,” he thought to himself smiling as he remembered how he had walked in on her in his bathroom only a few days before.
He pulled on his jeans and re-emerged to join her in the kitchen for breakfast. Dolly grinned a shy, embarrassing grin wearing her khaki shorts and white tank top trying not to stare at this man's smooth, bare tanned chest, but the temptation was standing right next to her now, pouring himself a cup of coffee. She reached for an egg and cracked it on the side of the frying pan.
“Do I still make you that nervous?” she then asked as he leaned against the counter next to her to watch her cook breakfast.
“Yes. I'll never be used to having a woman here,” he replied frankly and without hesitation. Then he sipped at the cup of coffee.
“Then why do you put up with me?”
“Jordan's emerald eyes scanned her face thoroughly before answering. As if in deep thought. “I'm really not too sure of that myself. Nuts I guess.” He smiled as if he were joking. Dolly wasn't sure if he was or not.
That afternoon Dolly strolled to the beach doing her best not to bother Jordan while he worked on the spare bedroom. Occasionally glancing toward the house, she hoped he might take a break and join her. So far no luck. Other than breakfast, he had hardly spoken to her all morning even though she questioned him again all about his life. The only topic he seemed to be slightly interested in was his racing but he acted as if a woman had no business prying into his personal life other than that. Dolly only wanted to become friends with him and have him like her as much as she likes him.
Again she hopefully glanced toward the house, now only to see Martin emerging from his car. His red head and brown eyes focused immediately on her finely tanned flesh as she kicked the fine white sand lightly into the air with her toes, trying her best to ignore the fact she had seen him coming. Yet, she felt so lonesome right now, she actually hoped that this absurd man would come and visit with her.
Of course Martin Slater couldn't let a blonde bombshell go untainted. He glanced around, heard Jordan's hammering inside, and then headed straight toward the beach. By the lonesome look on her face, Jordan and she clearly weren't involved so he saw no harm in becoming friends with her.
“Beautiful afternoon isn't it?” he asked not really seeming at all interested in the weather, just enjoying the sight of Dolly's tanned breasts that slightly emerged from her low cut top.
“I guess,” she replied dreamily. “Jordan's working in the house.”
“Yeah...I heard,” he answered as he stood directly in front of her, blocking her stride as she tried to walk away.
Dolly looked up at him wonderingly. “Why's he so grumpy all the time?” She figured his best friend should surely know him better than anyone else.
“He's not usually,” Martin answered smiling slyly. “Maybe you're just not his type.”
“Do you have to be a certain type to just be friends with somebody?” she asked remembering now why this man had annoyed her so much before. He seemed to love making assumptions and his staring chest level when he talked to her made her only madder for even talking to him in the first place.
Martin's eyes finally moved to meet hers. “Maybe not. I'm not too particular though.” Now he seemed to making himself available to her.
Dolly wasn't interested in the slightest. She turned away. “I'm going in for a swim,” she remarked bitterly and headed for the surf.
“Watch for sharks,” he warned chuckling.
Dolly glanced back to see him finally going up the stairs of the house as she waded out to sea.
“Only shark around here is on dry land,” she thought as she plunged into the warm salty waters and felt relaxed at last as the waves rolled around and massaged her neck.
“Jordan must be right,” she thought as she savored the feeling of the warm salty water soothingly pounding every inch of her body. “I must be a beach bum just like he is. I could stay here forever.”
Three days had passed now and Dolly wasn't sure at all these arrangements were going to work out now. She spent as much of her time as possible staying out of Jordan's way as he did trying to ignore her.
As she sat the table for lunch, Jordan came in and sat waiting for her to place the food on the table. He rather liked having her around to cook and clean for him, but still wished he had never brought her home. Martin's constant teasing was bad enough, he just wanted her to remember who she was before his upcoming trip to North Carolina.
“How's the room coming along?” she asked as she joined him at the table, Myron's little body snuggling at her feet.
“Okay I guess,” he answered between bites.
“Need any help? I'm kinda bored around here,” Dolly then offered hopefully.
“Jordan suddenly froze for a moment and gave her a ridiculous stare. “I don't think so. It's not exactly a woman's kind of work.”
“Macho bastard,” she then thought feeling insulted by his quick answer.
“I won't get in the way, I promise,” she tried again.
“I said no!” he nearly yelled out then quickly calmed himself. All he needed was a sniffling woman around again. “Besides, I'm almost finished anyway.”
After they silently finished their meal, Jordan combed his black wavy hair and put his wallet in the back pocket of his jeans.
“I'm going into town for supplies...need anything?” he asked Dolly as he watched her fill the sink with soapy dish water.
“No...I'm fine,” she muttered back. “But you're a little low on dog food.” She had even been tending to his small pooch while he tended to his carpentry work.
Jordan could see she wasn't happy this morning, but only assumed it was because of the situation she was in. “Strange people, strange place...must be awful scary,” he thought as he again neared her.
He leaned on the kitchen counter next to her. “Wanna ride with me?” he then offered hoping she would say no, but thought he would be nice and ask anyway to keep her from feeling so unwanted.
“No thanks. I'm just gonna clean up here,” she answered without looking at him.
“Suit yourself,” he answered rather relieved. So far Martin was the only one of his friends besides the authorities who knew he had even taken her in. He didn't care to parade her around any more than he had too.
Dolly saw the relieved look on his face as he cheerfully whistled his way down the stairs and hopped into his truck. She really liked this guy, but was getting tired of him constantly shrugging her off and ignoring her. He treated her as if she was a menace and too young to even help him around the house, except for cooking and cleaning.
When they did speak it was as if he wasn't interested and would rather be left alone. The thought of Lydia and some women's shelter was scary, but Dolly didn't want to inconvenience this man any longer than she already had.
Dolly finished cleaning the kitchen then packed the few clothes she had and left Jordan a note thanking him for all he had done and apologized for ever bothering him in the first place. She then walked down the main road until she hitched a ride into town. A dangerous thing she knew, but really didn't much care anymore. She wanted to get as far away as she could before Jordan returned and caught her walking down the road unescorted. She knew he would surely be outraged.
Dolly went to the local police station and had the officer she had met at the hospital call Lydia for her. While they waited she asked him if they had any luck finding out who she was. Hoping that someone had reported her missing.
“Sorry, but as far as the missing person's report there has been no one near your description listed. We're doing all we can, really ma'am,” the officer assured her.
Dolly didn't much care for his reply. Now she felt even more gloomy and alone at the thought of not being missed by anyone. “Don't I have any friends or family out there that care?” she wondered.
Then she saw Lydia's hard face and plump body approaching her. She wanted to cry at the very sight of her.
“Come along dearie, we'll take care of you right away. I knew those arrangements weren't gonna work out from the start,” she smugly gloated as Dolly sadly rose from her seat, gathered up her belongings and followed her out of the police station to her car.
“How I hate you,” she thought as she slid inside and sat trembling like never before next to this horrible woman.
When they arrived at the shelter Dolly wasn't sure now if this was what she really wanted to do or not. Rows of cots lined the large room and was filled with women and children of all ages. She felt as if they were staring at her while Lydia settled her in to her new living quarters.
Dolly lay on her hard uncomfortable cot and cried as she tried so hard to remember something...anything...anyone from her past, but the only person on her mind was Jordan Scott. She had felt so comfortable and safe in his home from the beginning.
“But he hates having me around,” she thought as she tried to fall asleep and ignore the other women's chatting and laughter from all around her. A sound that was almost deafening. What could they possibly be so happy about?
As she soon learned, the shelter was full of women out of work and abused by their husbands. This didn't make her feel any better about being here though. She just wanted to feel loved and cared for, but as time passed and no one noticed her missing, Dolly only grew even more deeply depressed and felt as if no one in the entire world cared whether or not she lived.
Jordan returned home around six that evening and unloaded his lumber and other building materials and began carrying them into the house. After straightening up his mess he realized he didn't smell supper cooking.
“Hmmph, she hasn't missed a meal yet,” he thought as he scanned the empty kitchen and living room.
Then he knocked lightly on her bedroom door afraid he had upset her again this morning and would find her lying on her bed crying. He knocked again not wanting to see her if she was lying there sobbing. He couldn't stand to see a woman cry. Myron whimpered at his feet.
Still no answer.
“Dolly?” he called out as he slowly opened the door. When he saw she wasn't there he went into his bedroom where he found a note on his pillow.
He felt a little flushed as he sat and read it, but somewhat relieved at the same time.
Dear Jordan,
Thank you so much for all you've
done. But I know I have really
been more of a burden than
anything else. Like I promised
before, somehow I will repay you
for all you've done. For now I feel
it's best if I let Lydia put me up in
the shelter so you can return to
your normal life. I will deeply
miss you and never forget all
your kindness.
Sincerely,
Dolly.
Jordan rested back against the headboard, the note to his chest. Taking a deep breath he thought, “Probably best anyway,” he mumbled to himself. Slowly he rose and went into the kitchen and fixed himself a sandwich.
Later that night Jordan showered and lay on his bed restlessly. He thought he would sleep soundly being alone again but kept seeing Lydia's ugly face and Dolly crying on the beach. He tossed and turned telling himself to forget it, she is being cared for, but, for some strange reason he couldn't get her off his mind. She was all he could think about.
Then he had finally convinced himself that it would be best if he went in the morning to get her. He just didn't want her staying in that place. He thought she was just too scared and fragile as it was...she didn't need to try to adjust to yet another bunch of strangers and an entirely new home all over again. He just couldn’t seem to get her off his mind.
The next morning Jordan dressed and planned to go into town to settle his bill at the hardware store before going to get Dolly. He opened his dresser drawer where he kept a little spare cash stashed away and brushed around looking for it. More frantically he threw everything from side to side. It wasn't there.
“There's supposed to be $600.00 here!” he yelled out loud.
“What the...?” he muttered to himself thinking now that only Dolly could possibly have taken it. “No wonder she snuck out of here like that,” he then thought angrily trying to decide how to handle this unexpected matter. He was hurt that she could do such a thing after he had taken her into his home and taken such good care of her. Even bought her new clothes.
“Damn it!” he yelled out again as he slammed his hands on top of the dresser and looked at himself in the mirror for a long while, trying to decide if he should confront her or just call the authorities first and report a theft.
