Sparring Partners (16 page)

Reed didn't bother changing out of her gi
before asking Shay to drive her home. She thought about calling
Jordon to pick her up, but that would have just added salt to the
wound Shay seemed to already be feeling.

The trip back to Potters Woods seemed like
minutes spent in a dentist's chair, ten times reality. Shay didn't
say a word, and Reed didn't know how to get her best friend back.
She was sorry she forgot their weapons training session. She was
sorry she let him see her in a dress. She was sorry they didn't
click on the one date they actually did go on, but there was
nothing she could do about any of it. And if the truth be told, she
was sick to death of being sorry.

Shay didn't turn the engine off and he
didn't look at her as she tried to say good-bye.

"Thanks for the workout. See you next week
at the dojo." She said.

Shay just nodded, staring straight ahead.
Reed grabbed her gear and jumped out. She waved good-bye. Shay
didn't.

Things got worse from there.

As the dust from Shay's tires settled in the
early evening light, a pristine late model Cadillac she didn't
recognize pulled in right next to her, and an equally pristine
looking couple got out. Crisp, clean, and unwrinkled in the early
summer heat, they looked like they just stepped out from the glossy
pages of an issue of the
Robb Report
.

Reed lowered her head to her shoulder and
sniffed her underarms as unobtrusively as possible. Her head
immediately jerked up. She stunk to high heaven and the dried sweat
all over her body was making her itch. All she usually wanted after
a hard workout was a beer and a bath, in that order. Now, all she
wanted was the Gods to turn her into an ostrich. Her second choice
was to freeze time while she ran for the shower and dressed in the
one casual suit she still owned before she had to greet these two
unknown, uninvited perfect people.

The Gods weren't listening. What she got
instead of an answer to her prayers was an elegant couple staring
curiously at the weapons she held in her hands. Some days just
weren't made for getting out of bed, Reed thought, forcing herself
to breathe deeply. Slow, controlled breaths in and out of her
diaphragm, holding and releasing, in a measured rhythm designed to
bring inner peace.

It wasn't working. Reed kept at it while she
surveyed the two of them attempting to find a clue as to who they
were and why they were here.

The woman was about four or five inches
taller than Reed, elegant and regal, dressed in casual pants, a
silky knit top with no perspiration stains, and a scarf Reed was
willing to bet cost more than she made in a week. The man was just
as elegant and perfect, only much taller than the woman and a
little older. His hair was all gray, as opposed to the woman's.
What limited gray hair she had hung in tidy streaks at her temples,
doing nothing to detract from the thick brownish-black hair
underneath.

The gentleman looked oddly familiar, almost
as if she should know him, but Reed couldn't place him. Reed was
fairly certain she'd never seen the woman before.

Since she couldn't change the way she looked
or smelled, Reed pulled the only thing she could out of her bag of
tricks. Contrary to what Jordon might believe, she could be
gracious, charming even, when she wanted to be.

"May I help you?" She asked, in her best
lady-of-the-manor voice.

The gentleman entwined the lady's arm in his
and took a step closer. He was deferential in his manner, neither
walking too fast or too slow for the woman's heels to comfortably
carry her. The way he held the woman's arm spoke of long
acquaintance, but Reed thought there was more to it than that, at
least for the gentleman. He seemed to care for the woman on his
arm, deeply.

"Yes, you may. We're looking for Mrs. Reed
Bennett."

Reed's stomach revolted. Acid shot up her
esophagus, burning the back of her throat. Oh, God, what if these
were prospective clients? They couldn't have come at a worse time.
Heat rushed to her face as she swallowed hard and forced a smile
she didn't feel, hoping that fact didn't show on her face.

"That would be me, although I'm not really
sure about the whole 'Bennett' thing yet. The 'Mrs.' thing's a
little up in the air too. I'm not sure I'm cut out to be a wife,
but I'm Reed all right. Reed Mohr. At least that's how I remember
signing the marriage certificate." Sticking out her hands in
welcome, Reed fervently hoped her rambling didn't sound as inane to
them as it did to her.

They both took a step back and looked at her
extended hands as if she were holding poisonous snakes. Reed looked
at her hands and immediately saw why. She had a sai in each hand
extended toward each of their middles. Reed smiled like an idiot
and threw them one at a time into the grass at the edge of the
drive. They penetrated the ground perfectly, handle up, wavering
with not quite spent energy. They looked menacing as hell.

Strangely enough, that made her feel better.
Not more in control, just better. This was who she was, and she
wasn't willing to hide too far under the surface after the
emotional roller coaster her day had been. So she smiled as if
greeting strangers with weapons drawn was an every day occurrence
in her world. At least they weren't running for the Caddy.

"Weapons training." She said by way of
explanation. "I forgot I was still holding them. To tell you the
truth, I was so preoccupied with the stench coming off me that I
forgot I was armed."

The gentleman chuckled. "A useful skill. It
might just come in handy dealing with that 'Mrs.' thing of yours.
Although I'm sure you're perfect wife material. Even with a
troublesome subject as a husband."

The woman elbowed him in the ribs. "Really
William. The poor girl won't know how to take that at all."

Reed assumed she was the 'poor girl' in
question and may have taken offense to being called a girl and
poor, even though the later was true, but the woman smiled at her
before she could, radiating so much tangible warmth Reed couldn't
take offense no matter how hard she tried.

"What this oaf is trying to say is it's a
pleasure to meet you no matter what last name you use and no matter
what your marital status. Although, I too believe you will make a
perfect wife for Jordon."

The woman was obviously deluded, but sweet
and well spoken, so Reed didn't say so. She smiled instead, trying
to ignore the feeling that she was missing something vital, like
the fact that they knew her husband by name. She held out her hand
again, this time sans weapons.

"And you are?"

The man stepped forward and took Reed's hand
in both of his. She felt small and fragile next to him, and it
wasn't just his physical size, he had an aura of greatness about
him. "I'm William Bennett." She must have looked as confused as she
felt because the man added, "Jordon's uncle."

He looked down at the woman beside him. "And
this is Lily Bennett."

"Jordon's aunt?" Reed asked, looking into
William's eyes with hope. He smiled.

"No dear. His mother."

Oh God...Oh God
...and just in case
his counterpart was listening Reed added,
Oh Goddess...Oh
Goddess
...Help me. Before she could finish that prayer, she was
enveloped in the warm sensuous smelling arms of her mother-in-law
who held her tight despite the fact that she stunk and was covered
in dried salt. The woman didn't seem to notice or care.

"Welcome to the family, dear."

Could this day get any worse?

The answer to that question turned out to be
a big fat
Yes
.

...

Jordon, Henry and Irma were each on their
second martini. Since Charlie was pouring, they were doubles.
Jordon fed most of his to the juniper bush when no one was looking.
He was more of a beer or champagne kind of man. Occasionally he
drank scotch, though most of the time he preferred water or tea.
William got him hooked on tea at nineteen and the habit stuck. So
did too many others, some good, some not so good. Funny, he hadn't
questioned those habits before the elf invasion. Now he was
contemplating the dubious merits of consuming copious amounts of
alcohol. Or maybe he was just having adjustment issues.

Jesse leaned into him saving Jordon from
musing about the character flaws he did currently have and had no
intention of fixing.

"You keep watering those bushes with vodka
and they're going to turn brown." Jesse said.

Jordon was learning not to underestimate
this kid. He saw more than he should. "I'm trying to see if I can
get them to fall asleep before Charlie does." He said, making Jesse
laugh. The sound was like a precious gift given its rarity.

Jordon decided then and there that, so long
as he was at Potters Woods, he was going to make it his mission to
lighten the kid up. He would also help Jesse find an outlet for all
that leashed energy, one that could fund his way through school and
make him a fortune if he stuck with it.

"Charlie will be standing long after those
bushes give up the fight, especially if Henry keeps dumping his
drinks on them too. Why don't you both just tell Charlie you don't
drink?"

Jordon was beginning to wonder the same
thing. This wasn't some black tie event where he and Henry
pretended to drink so they could blend in while they evaluated
every shred of conversation for its future usefulness. This was a
family get together on the back patio. Cocktails and conversation
no more, no less. There were no secrets here worth hiding away like
acorns for the winter. At least none Jordon was interested in,
since no one was talking about Reed.

Jordon looked at his watch for the tenth
time in an hour, wondering when Shay was bringing her home. He
didn't like the idea of her with Shay, but she needed the time
away. He just wished she'd hurry the hell up and get back.

"If you keep running your hands through your
hair and checking your watch, even Irma's going to catch on."

Jordon narrowed his eyes and set his empty
glass on the lattice work cast iron table next to him. "Catch on to
what?"

"The fact that you don't know what to do
around here without Reed."

Jordon opened his mouth and closed it again
without saying a word. The kid was right. He didn't know what to do
without Reed shouting orders at him. He was out of his element
completely and he didn't have access to any of his files to pour
himself into acquiring for new businesses for B.H. He was just
going to have to find another way to productively spend his time.
Maybe he could talk Finn into letting him have a look at the
books.

Reed rounded the corner from the driveway at
that moment and headed straight for him. He wasn't buying her
blinding smile for a second. He stood, recognizing the tension
oozing from every pore of her body, as she ran toward him and
launched herself into his arms. It probably looked like a warm
greeting to the others. He might have thought so too if she hadn't
whispered in his ear.

"You, my dear husband, are a dead man."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Jordon watched speechlessly as his stinky
elf scampered away, making excuses about showering, wondering what
had her contemplating homicide, when a familiar female voice that
had no place being within five hundred miles of Potters Woods said,
"I'll take one of those, kind sir, if you're pouring."

He now knew what, or rather who, had Reed
contemplating death. He was contemplating the same thing. Without
turning to greet his mother, Jordon held out his glass to Charlie.
Charlie raised an eyebrow, but wisely said nothing as he filled
Jordon's glass to the brim with iced vodka. Jordon downed its
entire contents in one long swallow before setting the glass
carefully on the portable dry bar next to Charlie. He took a deep
breath, squared his shoulders and turned.

"Good evening, mother." Jordon said, his
gaze moving from Lily Bennett to William following a step behind.
Some people would have thought his uncle was being courteous,
others, that he was hesitant to engage. Neither would have been
correct. William was doing what came naturally to William, getting
the lay of the land, sizing up all the players before joining the
group. Jordon nodded toward his uncle with a stilted, "William",
before turning back to his mother.

Lily Bennett was the social opposite of
William. Open and warm, she engaged everyone in turn, as if it were
her job to make everyone around her, her best friend. All that
warmth came as naturally to Lily as breathing. Jordon loved his
mother, but it took more energy than he had at the moment to get
sucked into her view that all the world needed was more love, and
everyone would be happy. A vision of peace sign wearing hippies
holding hands singing Kumbayah flashed through Jordon's brain,
making him shudder in the evening heat.

Jordon decided vodka took too damn long to
kick in. He grabbed his glass, gesturing to Charlie to pour him
another. Jordon tried to ignore William's knowing smirk as his
uncle watched, taking up space away from the others.

Leaning against the railing of the deck,
second drink in hand, Jordon looked around. He had a clear view of
everyone, as well as the open window above that led to Reed's
bedroom and her bath with its oversized claw foot tub and tiny
shower stall. He barely fit in the shower. He hurt himself every
time he turned. Jordon hadn't been in the tub yet, but he'd
measured it. He and Reed would fit perfectly. The thought of
joining her in that tub, even with the death threat, was nearly
overwhelming. The thought of his mother listening through the open
window, had him gritting his teeth.

Jesse eased his way to Jordon's side without
drawing anyone's attention. The kid really was a master of fading
into the woodwork. His background explained most of that, although
the kid didn't capitalize on his history nor did he try to bury it,
he simply or not so simply, lived the life he had now to the best
of his ability. There was enough Jordon could learn from this kid
to make his stay at Potters Woods interesting, even without one
demonic elf.