The Storm (Fairhope) (33 page)

Playfully, he grabbed my breasts and massaged them in his hands. “I think I could take you right here and skip breakfast. Are you ready to make baby number two?”

Before I could tell him he was nuts, the phone rang. I hurriedly set his plate down and answered it. I expected to hear something from Jack any time now.

“Hello,” I said.

My greeting was met with silence on the other end of the line. “Hello?”

“Is … is this Jana Cook?” Something about the voice sounded familiar.

“Yes,” I said hesitantly, shooting Andrew a confused look. With a mouth overflowing with pancakes, he shrugged his shoulders.

“I need to talk to you. It’s important.”

A bit alarmed, I motioned to Andrew to come closer. “Who is this? About what?”

“I … uh … I … this is A—”

Click. Before I could respond, the woman hung up. I pulled away from the phone, confused. We never got prank calls.

I waited for her to call back, but she didn’t.

“Well, that was strange,” I told Andrew as I poured a glass of orange juice. “She sounded incredibly familiar and said she needed to talk to me.”

“Probably just a telemarketer, don’t worry about it.” He dismissed my concern with another huge bite of chocolate chips with a little dough.

The voice irked me, and I could not shake the air of familiarity. Who would call me and hang up? Was it the press? I gulped at the thought, my nerves awakening.

I checked the caller ID.
Unknown Caller.
Had she blocked her call?

I dismissed my concern. Andrew was right; the woman was likely a telemarketer.

“Oh. My. Gosh. You are stunning!” Stunning was barely fitting to describe Sadie. She was a knockout in jeans and a t-shirt, but standing under the soft lights in that mint, A-length gown accented with diamond jewelry, she was nothing less than drop dead gorgeous.

The blush that often accessorized Sadie matched the rosy tint of her hair. “You are too, Jana.” A little nervously, she fingered her clutch. She agreed to be my date for the charity ball when Andrew
suddenly
came down with food poisoning. The charity ball raised money for different types of children’s cancer, and Andrew’s company strongly encouraged employees to support the cause.

We wasted no time dipping into the elaborate display of appetizers, but I craved more than food to satiate me. My first
real
girls’ night, since Calla graced my life with her presence, was not going to waste. My old friend Chardonnay and I would meet again and enjoy a night of passionate reunion. For a hundred bucks a ticket, I might clean out their supply. Sadie, my sweet Baptist friend who kept her drinking hidden behind the Pier 1 curtains in her living room, would learn to live a little if I had anything to do with it.

Sadie understood my love for Fairhope after spending several teacher holidays here. Single and beautiful, she was the perfect accessory for the charity ball. I hoped her timeless looks would take my lawsuit out of the limelight. So far, it was working. Every single male acquaintance of Andrew’s and mine found an excuse to be in our presence, pining for an introduction to my gorgeous sidekick.

All except one.

Gavin was in attendance, but as a performer. This would be his first show since Grace’s death. I knew it would be difficult for him, though my heart smiled to see him fill his life with things he loved again.

After an awesome cover band from Florida stepped down for a break, hip-hop from my college years hit the air. A mischievous grin spread across my flushed face. I nudged Sadie, whose wine glass was still nearly full. I considered switching her to something like a Sex on the Beach where the liquor was masked by the other flavors. Break her in until a slight glaze masked her eyes…

“Let’s dance!” I grabbed her arm and steered her to the dance floor.

She protested, looking down at her sleek formal, as if she were scared of ripping it. “Jana, I’m not the best dancer.”

“Neither am I,” I lied, tossing back the rest of my wine like it was a cold beer. I spilled a little bit, but the evening gown I borrowed from Jessica was red, and a dry-cleaning would be necessary anyway. “We are a good match. Let’s do this!”

Within sixty seconds of tipsy floundering around drunken debutantes in tuxes, suits, and formals, we claimed a spot. I closed my eyes and followed the rhythm of the music, my body moving with the skill I thought I left at the nightclubs in Tuscaloosa. I motioned to Sadie to join in, and after a few minutes of shy effort, she got the hang of it and developed her own technique. As she lost herself in the music, her inhibitions gradually disappearing, I decided it was a good thing I didn’t switch her to liquor or I might have a problem on my hands.

“You’re a natural!” I shouted over the music. “Not the best dancer, my ass!” Keenly, I observed the throes of bloodshot-eyed men eyeing irresistible Sadie, undressing her with their eyes. I’d survived my teenage years with most of them, and they were unworthy of her conversation, much less her kiss (or anything further). My brow furrowed, thinking I would shield her from their playboy games.

We danced for nearly half an hour until the lights dimmed, signaling that someone new was taking the stage. Bubbled up happiness welled inside me, spilling out in fits of giggles. I was seriously having a blast. Laughing hysterically, Sadie and I finally stumbled off the dance floor and found chairs neighboring the wine station (in my opinion, the best spot in the room).

“That was so much fun!” Sadie shrieked, her red mane now wild and untamed. I had succeeded in cracking her timid shell. “This was the break I needed. The stress of teaching can drive you mad.”

“I bet.
One
kid can drive me mad. I’m glad you had fun. I needed this night, too.” Grace’s contagious laugh reverberated through my ears, and I felt overcome with physical pain at the memory. I glanced at the friendship bracelet on my wrist and reminded myself that she would
want
me to have fun.

“I love the music, Jana. I’ve been helping with the choir at school, and I’m in heaven.” She smiled sweetly as a friend of mine waved at us. “All of the musicians have been great so far.”

My eyes followed the final act as he took the stage. I whispered in Sadie’s ear, “Wait until you hear this one.”

The crowd hushed as Gavin adjusted the microphone. A few murmurs floated through the room but quickly ceased as his fantastic voice filled the air. As he belted out the first few notes of Bruno Mars’s “When I Was Your Man
,
”
every heart in the room felt the emotion bleeding through his words. Couples started slow dancing, lost in the romantic ambiance of the night.

I glanced at Sadie and bit my lip.

Spellbound, a sweet expression of innocent infatuation fell over her like a mist. Her mouth opened slightly, and she drew a breath with every impressive inflection of his voice, drinking in his unique, sexy tone. She had eyes for no one else in the room; her gaze glued to Gavin’s rock hard body and captivating brown eyes. If she leaned over any further, I would have to steady her to prevent her from falling face first on the hard floor.

“God, she’s beautiful.”
Mixed emotions swirled in my stomach as I remembered his spontaneous reaction to her picture on my refrigerator.

It’s no big deal,
I coached myself.
They’re both beautiful. Of course there’s physical attraction there.

Sadie remained silent until the song ended, slowly and beautifully. Over the crowd’s applause, she raised her voice as her jaw hit the floor. “Who is
that
, Jana? His voice is unbelievable … and gracious, he’s gorgeous.”

“Gavin Milton.” I waited for her reaction to the information I shared next. “Grace’s husband.”

Her hands flew to her mouth, her cheeks reddening. “I had no idea!”

The guilt on her face matched Gavin’s after he was taken with her beauty.

“He has been playing guitar and singing for years,” I replied. “He was good to Grace.”

Sadie clasped her hands together, as if to control her feelings. “I’m sure he was.”

I chased away memories of the four of us drinking and playing poker, of Gavin’s handwritten vows at their wedding, of him rushing out of the delivery room, proudly showing off Emma … I promised myself no sadness that night, only laughter and dancing.

I kept that promise, becoming the social butterfly that I was not, thanks to my old friend Chardonnay. I introduced Sadie to my friends, Holly (I’d dropped the Homemaker by then, feeling it was patronizing), Mary Ellen, and Trophy Wife (Tina, her title wasn’t going anywhere).

All went smoothly until I stepped over the obstinate shoe of Tina’s husband, Jimmy. In front of two hundred people, I hit the floor face first, my wine glass shattering behind me.

“Ouch,” I moaned, not sure what was worse: the crippling embarrassment or the searing pain tearing through my left shoulder. With hundreds of eyes on me, I managed to my feet with Sadie’s help, assuring everyone I was okay.

“Oh no,” Sadie said, pointing to my shoulder.

I followed her eyes and groaned. I had ripped the thin shoulder strap. I was lucky my breasts held my dress in place.

“We will take care of it, Jana,” Tina apologized, offering me a fresh glass of wine. Humiliated, I apologized to the staff rushing to the scene to clean up the glass.

Jimmy was drunk, unable to even stand up straight. “I’m sure Jana can handle it. I hear you’re about to hit the mother load, eh, Jana? Did your paw-in-law help you with that?”

His words slapped me like chunks of ice, upsetting me to the brink of speechlessness.

Tina’s mouth dropped in complete mortification. She slapped her husband’s arm. “Jimmy! I can’t believe you just said that!”

“What? I think she’s kicking ass and taking names. Hell, she’s fucking brilliant! Why don’t you get knocked up and get a job? Then sue your employer. Hell, we could get enough to buy another condo in the Carolinas.”

Sadie’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.

“Jimmy, shut up.” Tears of humiliation sprung to Tina’s eyes. “Jana, I’m so sorry.”

“What?” Jimmy slurred, steadying himself with Tina’s shoulder. “All this gender discrimination is such bullshit. With all the fucking discrimination shit going on, women have it easier than men. But if it works, go for it. That’s all I’m saying, baby…” The whites of his eyes were completely red.

Fighting tears, I stormed off with Sadie trailing behind me. We found our way outside and parked on a bench sheltered with glowing moonlight, our skin kissed by the cool night breeze.

“That’s what everyone thinks, isn’t it?” I cried as Sadie held me. “That I’m going to get rich, that I probably wanted this … they probably
all
think I’m full of shit. And Allen has had nothing to do with this!” Frantically, I dug in my purse for a tissue before loose mascara could further dirty Jessica’s dress.

“No!” Sadie was firm. “Look at me, Jana. No one, absolutely
no one
, who knows you would ever think you wanted to end up in this position.” Tenderly, she brushed damp hair out of my eyes. “Jana, you are thick-skinned. Don’t let them bother you.”

I looked up into the glowing moonlight as my strength slowly returned. “You’re right. I made a promise to myself to have fun tonight. I’m not going to let some fat old asshole ruin that.”

“Mean people suck!” Sadie pouted.

“Yes. They do. But on a different note, I’m hungry after all that dancing.” I smiled bravely, bracing myself to resume our night.

“On that note … I
really
want more of that bruschetta.” Sadie grinned. “I need to soak up that wine I’m not used to.”

Chuckling, I grabbed her hand. “Let’s do it. Fancy tomato sandwiches coming up.”

I wished Sadie lived in Fairhope so we could spend more time together. Never the most popular girl in the crowd, I’d leaned on Grace to navigate me through social events and life in general. Now that Grace was gone, I had to find out who I was without her. Where Grace would have beat the shit out of Jimmy for treating me that way, Sadie simply calmed me down and directed me back to the fun night we both deserved. Sadie’s friendship helped me to see that there were more chapters to be written. Different, but they could still be wonderful.