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"One day," I agree
We enjoy our s that don't revolve around bribes and murder We talk like friends, and this I like a lot There's no doubt that once this period ofinto the distance, Dennis Flaherty will reain, because he deserves to have what I've found
The day is half over and it's been productive so far I have et JT out ofcare of the payoff to VanZant And this evening, Caroline and Ally are co to take Ally out to dinner and Caroline and Sela are going to talk over wine and cheese Or maybe pizza and beer, who knows
This was Sela's idea She wants Caroline to knohat happened to her and that she now has someone she can talk to about it Someone who understands the pain, humiliation, and self-hatred I have no idea how much Sela will tell her She's not sure herself and said she'd play it by ear, but whatever she chooses to reveal, I'ht amount Caroline is someone I trust with my life, and Sela knows her secrets and can be trusted with her as well
And then all that's left to do is to wait and see what JT decides to do
Beck calls h to voice o and I didn't answer, knowing he would hear the tension inthat I wouldn't be able to lie to him when he asked where I was I listened to his first voicehi in JT's driveway right now
I have no business being here It's stupid and illogical, but I can't fucking help myself Maybe I need to stand in his presence one oes down, or ht decision Whatever the insanity of my reason, here I am and here I will remain until I hear what he has to say
Beck's first voice mail to me was simple and sweet
"Hey babejust finished lunch with Dennis and onwhile I was out Call me if you do, otherwise see you in about fifteen, twenty minutes"
That was half an hour ago, and I would betwhere the hell I am I'm sure he's at the condo now, flummoxed that I'm not there when I should be and didn't leave a note as to when I'd be back Not that he keeps track of , but it's just a co together If I' out, I'll leave him a note He does the same for me
I didn't do it this time, not because I was afraid of the lie, but hts of JT and what he could possibly want to talk to me about, I just didn't think about it as I left the condo and locked up behind me
But that's done and Beck is just going to have to wait forHe's going to go nuts, and I expect it will lead to a ht This is unfortunate, because Caroline's co to suck if Beck's pissed at et over it eventually
JT's ho habits It's three levels done in a dark gray plank siding with brown trim The driveway is paved in cobblestone and curves past a raised garden bed filled with bushes and slimpse the bay between his house and the one next to it
Sucking in a lungful of oxygen, I turn the car off and exhale slowly before exiting I grab my purse, hitch it over my shoulder, and nervously tuck , not at the prospect of seeing JT, but of hi me, and I suppose that will happen within the first fewme
I step onto the front porch, but before I can even raisethe bell, theface-to-face with JT Although Beck described his appearance to es of green covers most of his face, and his jaw is swollen and bruised A cut is sutured on one cheek and his lower lip is scabbed His left arainst his ribs
I take all of this in even as I watch JT exa my new hair color His eyebrows raise a tad in surprise, but otherwise he doesn't seeo In fact, he doesn't com me inside
"Thanks for co, but it sounds hollow and wooden
I step into his house, which ireat rooe s The floors are covered in blond wood polished to a high sheen His furniture is contemporary, done in silver, mauve, and black with chrome accents
JT turns his back on o back in my den The furniture's more comfortable in there"
Clutching hter to me, I follow JT He moves slowly and there's no doubt he's in pain fro his me a small measure of joy
He enters another large rooe s to take in the beauty of the bay and the San Francisco skyline, but here the furniture is a bitJT's clearly been spending ti couch because there's a pillow and a blanket lying there
As I take in lass of what appears to be bourbon He doesn't look atto drink?"