The Wager (29 page)

Jake purposefully chose not to get her meaning lest he have nightmares for the rest of his existence. “Grandma, please don’t ever say that out loud again.”

“What?” She shrugged. “It’s the truth. Besides, I figured my rape whistle wasn’t enough to protect me from intruders. But little Charles does such a great job. Well, I sleep like the dead!”

“You live with mom and dad.” Jake pointed out.

“On the first floor.” Grandma sounded exasperated. “By the time I grab my whistle they’ll already be in the bedroom! And once they’re in the bedroom, it’s lights out for Grandma.” Yeah, Jake wasn’t so sure Grandma would take anything lying down, the intruder would probably be the one leaving traumatized.

Char watched the exchange with amusement. “So, Grandma, is that who the shock collar’s for?”

“Ah.” Jake nodded. “Now it makes sense.”

“What does?” Grandma set the dog in her chair.

“The shock collar. It’s for Charles?”

“No.” Grandma petted the dog. “That’s a good boy, that’s a good boy! Charles…” she turned to Jake. “Is trained.”

The dog barked again.

“He’s the perfect dog, listens to my every word.”

The barking continued.

“Why he even knows French!”

The dog barked in agreement.

“How do you figure?” Jake glared at the dog as it bared its teeth at him.

Grandma flicked her hand in the air. “He was born in France, oui, oui!”

The dog actually stopped barking and sat.

“The shock collar was to scare Travis shitless.”

“Thanks, Grandma!” Travis called from one of the bedrooms.

“I love you, Trav!” Grandma yelled back breaking the sound barrier with her voice.

“Right.” Jake backed up slowly. “Well, Char and I are just going to go eat something. We’ll be back, how do we, uh, get past the guard dog?”

“Jake.” Grandma shook her head. “I’m disappointed, you of all people should know how to get past a dog. After all, you used to be one.”

“Point, Grandma,” Char said behind him.

At Grandma’s chuckle his eyes narrowed. “How do we get past the damn dog?”

“Think of it as another
game
.” Grandma waved him off. “Enjoy your snack!”

“She has too much time on her hands,” Jake said as they entered the kitchen. Char didn’t need wine; she was still buzzing about their few hours in bed. But food, food she needed.

“It’s not her fault that her hobby just so happens to be her grandsons.” Char located the glasses and brought them to the island in the middle of the large gourmet kitchen.

Jake grabbed a bottle of red wine and poured them both a glass. “Hey.” He bit his lip. “How about we take this up to the tree house? I want to show you something.”

“Ah, such a player. I bet you said that to all the girls in junior high.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “Just grab your glass. Come on.”

She followed him out into the cool night, absolutely giddy. It was ridiculous really, but her entire outlook on life felt changed. Maybe it was because she was finally with the one man she’d always wanted.

Married to be exact.

Not just dating.

So they did it backward? Fine by her.

“Come on.” Jake grabbed her glass and set it on the floor of the tree house as he helped her climb up.

Once they were in the small room, Jake lit a candle and blew out the match. “You ready for our surprise?”

“That depends.” Char took a sip of wine. “Are you going to tell me a ghost story or are you really planning on surprising me?”

“Yes or no?” He leaned forward and kissed her hard on the mouth.

“Yes.” Treacherous body.

“Close your eyes.”

She pouted.

“Close them.”

“Fine.” She closed her eyes and heard some shuffling around and then the sound of some sort of wrapper or plastic.

“Open your mouth.”

“I’m not sure I want to,” she said.

“Trust me,” he whispered.

And because he had said he loved her, and she finally trusted him, she did. She opened her mouth.

The first thing she tasted was a sweet cream. Her eyes fluttered open. “A Twinkie!” Laughing, she grabbed it out of his hands. “Why the hell do you have Twinkies up here?”

It looked like Jake blushed. He bit his lip and sat down next to her. “And now for your story…”

She leaned her head on his shoulder.

“There was once a boy who met a girl. He offended her by staring so she punched him in the face.” Char laughed as he continued. “Then one day, she gave him a Twinkie. Apparently in elementary school food is considered a peace offering. The boy didn’t have the heart to tell the really pretty girl that he didn’t like Twinkies, so he saved them. Every time she gave him one, he ran home and hid it in his tree house.”

Char’s eyes filled up with tears. “Like a squirrel?”

“Like a damn squirrel.” Jake laughed. “Until one day, no more Twinkies. You see, sometimes little boys grow up to be complete and total idiots. They think that because they grow a hair on their chin, or discover a muscle in their arms, that suddenly, they don’t need girls with Twinkies anymore. They think that they should have lots of girls, not just one. So they mess up. I…” He turned to her and swallowed. “I messed up so many times with you. I had the biggest crush on you when we were in junior high and then all of a sudden it was as if neither of us tried anymore. It was the first time I walked away from you, my first mistake…”

Char blinked back tears. “And your second mistake?”

“Leaving you again, the night I selfishly used you in order to feel better about myself.” He sighed. “And the third and final mistake in my tragic story…”

“What?”

“Not kissing you the first time I saw you again, and not apologizing for leaving you… for abandoning you when I think, deep down in my heart, I knew it had always been you, Char.”

She wiped away some of the tears as they streamed down her face.

“But what about Kacey? I mean you and her were—”

“It was never like this.” Jake shook his head. “Never.” His eyes turned serious as he tilted her chin toward his lips. “This is indescribable.”

“Oh.”

“Wow? After all of that, you say ‘oh’?”

Char grinned and leaned her head on his shoulder again. “Yeah, well, I’m a little tired after Charades.”

“Pity.” Jake snorted. “I had a few more games up my sleeve.”

“Sure you did, Tiger.”

Noise clattered from below the tree house. Motioning for her to be quiet, Jake looked over the edge and saw Grandma making her way across the lawn to the neighbor’s house.

“What’s she doing?” Char whispered.

“Looks like she’s going for a midnight… play date?” He offered.

“With?”

“Neighbor, crazy old man who only wears Hawaiian shirts and actually pinches Grandma’s ass during family dinner. He loves her. He’s obsessed. He plans his schedule around her morning walk routines.”

“Wow, dedicated.”

“Clearly she’s doing something right.”

Char laughed. “She is a Titus.”

“Well said.” Licking his lips, Jake pulled her in for another kiss. “I didn’t kiss her, you know. I didn’t want to. I never wanted to.”

“Who?”

“Amy.”

“Oh, her.” Char snorted. “Junior high nemesis and all around mean girl. I know, let it go. I swear I had until I saw her acrylic talons piercing your chest.”

“They hurt.” Jake laughed. “Like hell. And not a good hurt. A hurt that makes a man want to walk away slowly so he doesn’t get eaten.”

The porch lights to Mr. Casbon’s house lit up, with a squeal of laughter Grandma was pulled inside.

“Well.” Jake held out his hand. “You know what that means.”

Char put her hand in his. “We can go back to bed?”

With a growl he pulled her into his arms and kissed her roughly across the mouth. “Without having to worry about Grandma barging in.”

Biting her lip Char tilted her head. “I think I saw some whipped cream in the fridge.”

“Go. No!” Laughing, Jake helped her down the ladder as they ran back toward the house. Once they were in the kitchen Jake located the fruit and whipped cream and Char found the wine. They took the stairs two at a time but froze when they heard a low growl.

“Ah, shit.”

“It was only too easy,” Travis said from on top of the stairs. “You see, Jake here never learned French, thought it was too feminine for his tastes. Isn’t that right, brother?”

“Travis…” Jake’s voice had taken on a warning edge. What the hell was his brother doing?

Kacey sat across Travis’s lap. A look of pure contentment washed across their faces as the dog stood blocking Jake and Char’s path to their room.

“Self-control is good for you,” Kacey said, kissing Travis’s neck. “I mean, really, we’re doing you guys a favor.”

“How’d you get rid of Grandma?” Jake asked. “No way would she leave you alone.”

Travis grinned. “Mr. Casbon. Seems he’s been feeling pretty lonely since Grandma’s taken up residence here in the hallway. One phone call and down the stairs she went.”

Jake wanted to smack the smile off his brother’s face. “Fine, you win, you possess more intelligence than a flea. Let us up.”

Kacey and Travis looked at one another as if to say,
what do you think
?

Char groaned behind him.

“Think of it as a team-building exercise.” Kacey finally said. “You work together to make it up the stairs and into your bedroom and we’ll ignore any cries of help in the process.”

“Why are you doing this?” Jake asked.

“We lost a wager,” Kacey said through clenched teeth. “It’s only fair that we get some satisfaction.”

“Why can’t everyone get satisfaction?” Jake wondered aloud.

“Because, it’s your fault Grandma’s singing at the wedding,” Kacey said. “Therefore, we get satisfaction, and you get…” She pointed to the white dog. “Charles Barkley.”

Travis gave her a high five as they walked out of the hall, leaving Jake and Char alone with the small dog.

“How dangerous can he be?” Jake reached his fingers out to the dog. It began to growl and then gnashed its teeth together. “He’s faking it, right? He’s not really a bad boy, are you, Charles!” He tried again. This time the dog almost took off his finger.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t stand any closer.” Char pulled him back. “He may decide to bite something else off and I’m pretty sure that would put a damper on our evening.”

Jake scratched his head. “What do we do? He’s guarding the way to our room, and the rest of the guest rooms are taken up by the wedding party.”

“We can always scream fire next to Amy’s and then lock her out of her room?” Char suggested in a hopeful voice.

“Char.” Jake grabbed her hand. “Be the bigger person.”

“Do I have to?”

“Try.” Jake chuckled and pulled her into his arms, placing a hungry kiss on her mouth. The dog, clearly agitated, began to bark.

With a growl Jake pulled back. “Stop barking!”

The dog barked louder, this time hopping on all four feet, as if he was trying to jump into the air.

“Shh!” Char pointed at the dog. “No bark!”

The dog stopped for two seconds before howling again.

“I hate Grandma,” Jake cursed.

Char stood behind him.

“Gee, thanks. How’d I go from husband to human shield?”

Char laughed behind him. “Well, we are married now.”

“Good point.”

“What are we going to do?”

The dog wasn’t moving, that much was clear, and no way was Jake going to take the risk that the dog might bite off any bigger parts of his anatomy. Stuck, he looked back down the hallway. “I have an idea.”

Ten minutes later, they were back in the tree house. Only this time they had blankets, more wine, and popcorn.

Jake reached for Char’s fingers, grasping them within his own as he looked out the window toward the river. “About your job—”

“Screw my job.” Char wrapped her arms around his neck and straddled his lap. “A job’s a job.”

“But you actually liked your job.” He peeled her arms from his neck and looked into her eyes, “You and Kacey used to do the morning news in the tree house when you were seven. Pretty sure it was your dream.”

“I liked telling stories, I liked writing…” She shrugged. “I like you more. Sometimes in life, the things we really want are right in front of us.”

Jake laughed. “Wow, am I blushing? That was a damn sexy compliment. I’m so glad you like me… Can we maybe date and then get married? Oh wait.” He slapped his hand to his forehead. “Did it kind of backward.”

“Nah.” Char touched her head to his. “Sometimes what’s backward for some is forward for others.”

Jake gazed into her eyes, promising to never let her go. “I think I like backward.”

Char smiled, her blue eyes shining in the moonlight. “I do too.”

“I may die,” Travis swore. “Just so you know, I may actually die right now. It will be on the news, people will laugh; it could get ugly, Kace. I’m just saying that right now.”

“Just in case?” Kacey threw off her shirt.

Travis’s eyes went black. “Right, just in case.”

“I see.” She stepped out of her shorts and dropped them to the ground.

“Holy shit, it’s like I’m a kid.”

“Are you
trying
to kill the mood?” Kacey glared, putting her hands on her hips.

Travis looked away. “Yeah, so not what I meant.”

“Care explaining?”

“A youth.” Travis grinned. “Like the first time I saw you in your bathing suit.”

“Ah, the stories of your perverted teen years. Tell me, Satan—”

“Oohhh, dirty talk. I like it.”

Kacey rolled her eyes. “What was the color of my bathing suit?”

Travis licked his lips and stalked toward her. “Pink, it was hot pink, and it was a bikini.” He pulled her into his arms and licked her ear. “It was hot.”

“Oh yeah?” Kacey whispered pulling back. “Is that why you pushed me into the pool?”

“I did say hot.” Travis nipped at her lips. “You needed to cool off… I was being a gentleman.”

“You were being an ass.” Kacey said.

“That too.” Travis ran his hands through her hair. “Damn, you’re beautiful.”