Beyond Layers: Layer Series Book Four (Layers Series 4) (8 page)

Wiping my useless tears away, I get up and walk back into the house. I need to move on from my past and from these stupid and unwarranted feelings I have for a man I barely know.
You have tons of work to do anyway, girlfriend,
I tell myself.

I set my coffee down and turn on my laptop. As I wait for it to boot up, my iPhone rings. I pick it up off the counter and look at the screen. “Hey, girlfriend.”

“Hey, yourself,” Jules says.

“What’s up?”

“You sound funny. Have you been crying?”

“Crying? Of course not,” I lie.

There’s a long pause and I know she doesn’t believe me, but thankfully, she lets it go.

“I’m at the courthouse waiting for the judge to show.”

“The judge? Does that happen often?”

“No. But it happens. I’m going to cut to the skinny because she could show at any time.”

“Okay,” I say, a little worried about the
skinny.

“Your sister. My good God, Sam. As soon as I get back to New York, I’m going to cut Jax’s balls off. Neuter the motherfuckerwad. Triplets!” she screeches.

I hold my iPhone away from my now ringing ear. I wanted to giggle but manage to hold it in, because I know she’s serious. And if I were Jaxson, I’d be watching my back and my balls. “I don’t think Jax can cause or has any control over the… situation, Jules. Even if he came, came, came.”

“Good God. Let’s not go down the
come
joke road again.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”

“I don’t give a fat fuck if he’s responsible or not. He wasn’t around when she was pregnant with the boys. It was hell.”

“I remember. But a lot of the hell was because she missed him so much.”

“I just can’t do triplets,” she whines.

What?
“You’re not the one
doing
triplets.”

“I know that. It’s just… I worry about her as it is. And now….”

“I get it. You know my sister means the world to me.”

“This conversation is depressing the shit out of me. Let’s move on to your
skinny.
Tell me about this hottie hockey player.”

“Lex told you?”

“Of course she did. Now spill it. Have you slapped his stick, sucked his puck, creamed on his ice?”

“Yuck.”

She laughs. “Oh, for shit sakes. You know you want to.”

“Okay, I so do, but I haven’t. We had dinner at his place last night.”

“And…?”

“And nothing. His ex-girlfriend showed up looking for a fight, I think.”

“Well, fuck that. Did you take her down?”

“No. I controlled the situation and split.”

“I’ve taught you well, young grasshopper.”

“Yes, you have.”

“So, what’s the deal with the ex?”

“I don’t know. Well, I know more than I probably should. I… well, I googled him last night.”

“You, google a guy? My good God, you’re so going to hell,” she teases.

“Ha, ha. We’ve agreed to a don’t-ask-don’t-tell hook-up.”

“In other words, you want a covert fuck.”

“Well… I guess you could use those words.”

“So what did you find out?”

“That he’s a major player on and off the ice.”

“He’s a single, hot professional athlete. Women stick to that shit like bee-paper. Major honey for the cooch.”

Bee-paper?
I laugh.

“I dated a professional basketball player a few years back.”

In other words, you fucked a basketball player a few years back.
“So then you know all about the honey cooch.”

“Yeah, I know all about the cooch.” I can all but see her roll her eyes. “I expected him to be a manwhore, but…”

“What happened?”

“I was leaving his apartment and bumped into his next hook-up exiting the elevator. I was the eight o’clock, she was the eight-thirty.”

“Ew!”

“Ew is right. I’m not sayin’ hottie puckerwad is like that. I’m just sayin’ it is what it is.”

“He told me this Janet was an ex-girlfriend, but apparently they were engaged.”

“You of all people know the majority of the shit you read online isn’t true. How many times have you been engaged or married in the last three years?”

“I lost count.”

“You sound kind of pissy about his past. You have no right to be, if he’s only a hook-up.”

“I know. I shouldn’t even care and I’m not playing fair. He doesn’t even know my last name.”

“Well, if you googled the guy, Sam, you must like him. Don’t let yourself do the
Grant
thing.”

“The
Grant
thing?”

“Overanalyzing everything. Picking it apart until there’s nothing left.”

“I hear ya.”

“How long are you staying?”

“Maybe another week, not long.”

“I had hoped to be moving back to New York soon. But it looks like Nick and I will be stuck in Miami for a while. He just landed a big consulting job.”

“You don’t sound happy about it.”

“I’m not. The consulting job is for a company Nick’s college girlfriend slash fuck buddy owns.”

“College? That’s a long time ago.”

“Yeah, well… he told me last night they were engaged. Apparently, she broke it off; and by the melancholy sound of his voice and look on his face, I don’t think he’s gotten over it. I think he still has feelings for her.”

“Not possible, Jules.”

“I thought so too, until I spoke with her.”

“You spoke with her?”

“She invited me to lunch. She wanted to ‘lay all her cards on the table,’ she said. So I’d know what was going on; and I wouldn’t have a problem with her and Nick working together. I didn’t have a problem until she told me I shouldn’t have a problem.”

“What did Nick say about it?”

“He said that’s just the way Kimber is. She likes everything open.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I haven’t a clue. Damn. Looks like the judge finally made it. I have to go. I’ll call you later.”

“You better. And, Jules, don’t worry about this Kimber. Nick loves you.”

“I know he does.”

“Hang in there.”

“I will. Love you.”

“Love you back.”

We disconnect.

I set my phone down and it rings. Looking at the screen, I smile.
You are one popular bitch, Samantha Grant—not!

“Please tell me you’re not calling me from yet
another
booty-call’s bed?”

He laughs. “No, my dear niece. I’m calling from my own bed.”

“And it’s not empty, is it?”

He chuckles. “Not yet, but it will be.”

I roll my eyes at my Uncle Dino. The friggin’ man is a bitch in heat. “One of these days dear
old
uncle, you’ll find the
one
and you’ll be kicking yourself in the nuts for all your manwhoring ways.”

He laughs. “Not going to happen, dear
young
niece. This man will never settle for just
one
woman warming his bed.”

“Keep telling yourself that. But one day the mighty Dr. Dino Coletti will fall. And when you do, it will be hard and brutal.”

He belly laughs. “You sound just like your sister.”

“Well, we are the wise and all-knowing Grant sisters.”

“Well, wise and all-knowing sister, I have indeed called you for some of your knowledge.”

“The answer is yes. You should change your sheets more often.”

“Ha.”

“So what’s up, Uncle Dino?”

“I know you went to college in Oregon, and I wanted to ask if you’d been to or knew of the small town of Pineville?”

“I went to school in Eugene and lived in Portland. Can’t say I’ve heard of it. Why?”

“I’m going to be moving there for two years.”

“Wow! How did this come about?”

“A friend I went to med school with is the head of ER at a small community hospital there. He’s going to Africa for two years and needed someone to fill in, and well… I told him I would.”

“Okay. I would be lying if I didn’t say… I’m just not seeing it.”

He laughs. “Me either …but I’m ready for a change.”

Running out of pussy in Manhattan, Uncle Dino?
“Do you have a place to stay?”

“Yeah, I contacted a realtor. He found me a nice place on a lake. Whisper Lake, population three thousand.”

“It sounds… quaint.”

“Is that your way of saying,
boring
?”

“No. I happen to like small towns. Oregon is beautiful, Dino. I think you’ll like it.”

“I hope so. I signed a contract so I’m there for two years regardless.”

“When are you leaving?”

“In two days.”

“Damn. I would have liked to see you before you left.”

“You can always visit.”

“I just might. What did your family say about all of this?”

“They’re your family too, Sam.”

Big sigh. “I know.” I’ve gotten close to my long-lost uncles, Carlo and Dino, and have grown to love them. Carlo is no longer working with the FBI, but our true connection to him and the Collettis remains hidden. Lex, Jax and Gram aren’t ready for it to be public knowledge. I’m not sure they will ever be ready.

“Carlo thinks it’s great. He’s the one who found me the realtor. When I get there, I’ll send you some pics.”

“Please do. And if you go into Portland, I’ve got several single friends who live there.”

He laughs. “You all but call me a manwhore, but you don’t have any problem setting me up with your friends.”

“I did call you a manwhore, Dino. But I still love you, and I know you have a big generous heart and you’re a great guy.”
And you’re hot as hell.

“Thanks Sam. How long do you plan on staying in North Carolina?”

“A week or two.”

“Dino,” a woman whines. “Come back to bed.”

“Okay, I don’t need to hear anymore. Call me when you get settled.”

“I will. Love you, Sam.”

“Love you,
old
uncle Dino.”

He chuckles, and we disconnect.

Two hours later the doorbell rings. Startled, and not quite sure it did indeed ring, I sit up and wait for it to ring again. It rings two more time. I get up off the sofa (that I wasn’t napping on) and peek out the peephole.

I smile. “Who is it?” I ask through the door.

“Land shark.”

“Oh my. I don’t know any land sharks.”

“Pizza man?”

“Sorry, didn’t order a pizza. I’m allergic to cheese.”

He chuckles. “Plumber?”

“Sorry, don’t need a plumber. My pipes are just fine. No clogged drains here. I’ve got myself a nice pink plunger if I run into any problems.”

“Well, I don’t have a plunger, but I do have a couple of Ding Dongs and a rather nice Twinkie.”

I giggle. “I’m not sure if I’d trust a plumber who doesn’t own a plunger, but I guess your extra
tools
come in handy.”

“You have no idea.”

“You’re right, I don’t, Mr. Plumber. And again, I’m sorry. I’m just not in need of your services at this time.”

“Hot hockey player with pie?”

I open the door. “Well, gawd dangit! Why didn’t you say so? I love hockey-playing men with pies. I’m all over that.”

He laughs. I step aside and he steps in, holding a pie in one hand, duffle in the other.

I raise a brow. “What’s with the duffle?”

He gives me a cheeky grin. “Yes, the duffle. I was hoping I could stay a few days. The glass box was inspected today; and the buyers want it painted inside and out before we close. Paint fumes and all that.”

I roll my eyes and shut the door. “Yes, paint fumes are the worst.”

He follows me into the kitchen area. “You don’t sound too happy about it. I could get a room.”

“No. I’m sorry. Just surprised, I guess.”

He frowns and puts the pie down on the counter. “You’re mad about Janet?”

“No. We just met, Logan. What you do or who you’re doing is none of my business.”

His frown deepens. “I haven’t
done
Janet in years.”

“Like I said. Not my business.” I take out two beers from the fridge, open them and hand him one.

He downs half of it. “It might not be, but I’d like to explain.”

I nod in faux indifference. I want to know, even though I have no right to.

He gives me a half smile.

He so knows. If I were a chameleon, I couldn’t even hide.
Dang it!

He leans back against the counter. “I met Janet the first year I was in Raleigh. Her dad is part owner of the Hurricanes. We dated on and off for a couple of years. Long story short, she wanted more than I could give her. Things got complicated, her being the daughter of the owner and all.”

“I can imagine. Probably not one of your… brightest moves.”

“No, it wasn’t. Her parents were pressuring her to get married, so she bought herself a ring and told them I asked her to marry me. I found out, of course, and confronted her, and… well, I agreed to let them think we were engaged until things cooled down.”

“But things never cooled down?”

He shakes his head. “No, they didn’t. I got caught with another woman, pictures and all. Her father confronted me and I told him the truth. It nearly got me traded, but we managed to get past it and became good friends.”

“But Janet?”

“It took her awhile, but she got over it. She’s engaged to be married to some doctor next summer.”

I sit down for the rest of the story. “Okay. Then what was last night all about?” I ask, and down half my beer.