Chapter Twenty-Six
BECCA SET THE folder on Mrs. Nemecek’s desk. “I did it. The paper is longer than you requested. I added a couple of maps.” She paused. “I thought about pictures, but that seemed like too much.”
Her history teacher didn’t pick up the folder or even acknowledge it. Instead she asked, “What did you write about?”
“Germany’s decision to invade Russia. Why Hitler did it and what were the consequences.”
“Such as?”
“He couldn’t invade Russia and Great Britain at the same time. Even he didn’t have the resources. From our perspective, going into Russia is suicide—the land mass is too big and there are too many people. But back then, it made sense. Germany had resources and a trained army. The Russians had to draft people to protect their country. They didn’t know how to fight or have weapons.”
Mrs. Nemecek looked skeptical. “I asked you to make me feel something, Becca. You’re giving me information.”
Becca shifted her weight from foot to foot. “It’s in the paper. The fighting was awful. The Russian commanders had orders to kill any deserters. There wasn’t any food or weapons. Hundreds of thousands of people starved to death. In the Battle of Stalingrad, if you were a new private, you probably wouldn’t last more than a day and they were like my age. I can’t imagine what they went through and then they died and no one cared.”
Mrs. Nemecek gave her a rare smile. “I look forward to reading your paper. I’ll post your grade before the end of the semester.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that you gave me this chance.”
“You’re welcome, Becca. Try to remember that while you won’t enjoy every class you take, if you make an effort, you can always learn something.”
Becca nodded and left. Ashton was waiting for her in the hall.
“How did it go?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I hope she likes it.” She was about to say it was because she wanted the good grade so Lucas would help her finish her driving hours, but she realized it was more than that. She wanted to get a good grade because she’d worked hard and had something to prove.
Ashton took her hand and led her out of the building. “You did your best, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Then let it go. Feel the freedom of having turned in your last paper.”
“I still have finals.”
“But, for this afternoon, you’re young, you’re happy, you’re with me.”
She laughed. “I am with you.”
“Next up, agility equipment for Jazz.”
Becca’s good mood evaporated. “Yeah, I don’t think that’s gonna happen. It’s really expensive.”
“That’s why we’re going to explore used. You have the address?”
Becca pulled a small piece of paper out of her back pocket. She’d found someone selling agility equipment online. It looked a bit battered in the picture, but was so much cheaper than anything new. Becca had her savings and she would be working for Dean, so she would have some money, but no way could she afford the lessons and the equipment unless she could get a good deal.
They drove to the Culver City address the seller had given her. A fortysomething black-haired woman greeted them at the door and led them around to the backyard.
“I only used it for a couple of years. Hero, my dog, had some trouble with his hips, so we had to let the training go. It’s real good quality.”
Becca didn’t say anything. The ad had offered the equipment for five hundred dollars. She had two hundred in cash—it would clean her out, but be a really good start for Jazz. There were cheap kits online for less than that, but everything she’d read said not to waste her money. Jazz was too big, too strong and powerful and she would tear up the lightweight plastic in a few sessions.
As promised there were jumps, rings, weave poles, even a teeter-totter. The chute tunnel had a couple of tears, but otherwise was in good shape. But the price...
“How much?” Ashton asked.
“Five hundred and that’s firm.”
Becca’s heart sank. Saving to get five hundred dollars seemed impossible, especially with her car expenses and the cost of the training classes.
Ashton walked over to the weave poles. “I could make these out of PVC pipe. That’s the white plastic pipe. I could just cut it into poles and we’d stick them in the ground.”
Becca studied the poles and realized he was right. “We could make a chute tunnel,” she said slowly. “My mom can sew anything. I think she has special needles to work with plastic.” She smiled. “She makes all our seasonal outdoor flags out of waterproof material.”
Maybe she should look online for DIY instructions for making the rest of it. At least for now. Lucas would help, and Ashton. She was only going to be working about thirty hours a week. Even with Jazz’s classes and visiting the memory unit, she would have time to—
“I knew it,” the dark-haired women said. “You’re trying to get me to reduce the price.”
“I was hoping you would, but I only have two hundred dollars, so there’s no way we can make this work. Thank you for your time.”
Becca and Ashton started for his car.
“Wait!” The woman hurried after them. “Do you have it in cash?”
Becca pulled the bills out of her jeans front pocket. “Right here.”
“Dammit.”
The woman looked from the equipment to the cash, then sighed. “Fine. Just take it. I’m tired of looking at it anyway.”
Becca handed over the bills. The woman counted them.
“I’d like a receipt,” Becca told her.
“Of course you would. Fine. I’ll go write it up while you load everything in the car.”
Fifteen minutes later, they squeezed all the equipment in the car. Becca had to share the passenger space with the weave poles and flattened chute tunnel, but she didn’t mind.
“Mom and I never use the backyard anymore,” Becca said, hoping she didn’t sound too young in her excitement. “The patio sometimes, but never the grass. I can set all this up right away. Jazz is going to love it. She’s really smart and athletic. She doesn’t have a strong hunting drive like some breeds, but she’s a working dog, so she’ll do what she’s supposed to because it makes her feel good.”
Ashton grinned at her. “Someone’s been doing her homework on the topic.” Before she could decide if he liked or didn’t like that about her, he added, “I always wanted a smart girlfriend and now I have one.”
She laughed. “Let’s wait and see what Mrs. Nemecek gives me on my paper before we say if I’m smart or not.”
“I don’t need your teacher to tell me, Becca. I already know.”
Happy words that made her feel all squishy inside, she thought. Very happy words.
* * *
Harper knew it was a cliché, but she actually felt like a new species at a zoo exhibition. Everyone was friendly enough and there was lots of chatter, but the sense of being stared at would not go away.
Lucas had invited her to a barbecue at his partner’s house. Kirk Beldon was also a detective at the LAPD and he also lived in Mischief Bay with his wife and son. There were probably twenty or twenty-five people milling around in the backyard. Tables had been scattered around and the barbecue was on the patio. A few young kids ran around and played, chased by a very strange alien-looking dog with fluffy white hair and a pink T-shirt trimmed in rhinestones.
“This is Lulu,” Lucas said, scooping up the dog as she ran past. She immediately relaxed into his arms and gave his chin a quick lick. “She’s a Chinese crested with very delicate skin. So she wears clothes and sunscreen and probably has her own masseuse.” He gestured to a fiftysomething woman sitting with a familiar-looking man with gray hair and a trimmed beard.
“That’s Pam, her mom.” He frowned. “Pam is also Jen’s mom. Jen is Kirk’s wife. Their son Jack is the crazy toddler running around and talking up a storm.”
Harper tried to keep up. “Jen’s the one who’s pregnant?”
“They’re having a girl in a couple of months.” He pointed to a pretty dark-haired woman around thirty with a baby in her arms. “That’s Zoe. She’s Jen’s best friend. See the guy with Pam?”
“Yes.”
“That’s Miguel. He and Pam are a couple and Zoe is his daughter. She’s marrying Pam’s son Stephen in September. They have a little girl who’s about seven months old.”
Harper looked at him. “Jen’s best friend is married to Jen’s brother and Jen’s mother is dating her best friend’s father?”
“It’s kind of a soap opera.”
“There’s an understatement.” She watched everyone interact. “They seem lovely.”
“They are. After I was shot, Jen made me move in with her family while she took care of me.”
Because he didn’t have anyone else, Harper thought. Lucas didn’t have family and it wasn’t as if any of his girlfriends would have been capable.
“That was nice of her.”
Lucas watched Jen as she checked on her guests. “She’s special.”
There was something about the way he said the words. Harper wondered if there was more between Jen and Lucas than either of them wanted to let on. She had her chance to find out a few minutes later when Jen came over and smiled at Harper.
“I’m heading in to assemble salads. Want to help?”
A very innocent question, but Harper had a feeling there would be a test of who could grill the other better.
“I’d love to.” She turned to Lucas. “You going to be okay by yourself?”
“I’ll manage.”
Harper took her glass of white wine with her and followed Jen into the house.
The kitchen was large and well laid out. There was a small table for Jack and plenty of storage. Jen began pulling different ingredients out of the refrigerator. She was barefoot and pretty in cropped pants and a maternity T-shirt with an arrow pointing to her belly. The text on the shirt proclaimed Future Madam President.
“Thanks for inviting me,” Harper told her. “This is nice.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad to finally meet you. Lucas hasn’t said much so we’re all curious.”
“I’m sure you are.”
The two women looked at each other. Harper was still trying to figure out what she could ask without seeming rude when Jen drew in a breath and spoke.
“I’m going to address the elephant in the room,” she said. “You’re not his usual type.”
“You mean I’m not a twenty-year-old airhead? I mean it’s not like there aren’t plenty of intelligent pretty women in their twenties, but does he date those? Of course not. A lack of brainpower seems to be a prerequisite.”
“Right?” Jen laughed. “Although I like to think the smart ones aren’t interested in dating a guy about the same age as their dad.”
“Or older.”
“So true.”
They smiled at each other.
“I can’t explain it,” Harper admitted. “I’m a virtual assistant. Lucas hired me last year after he’d been shot in the line of duty. While he was in the hospital and living here, a lot of his bills went unpaid. He didn’t want that to happen again, so he has me manage that part of his life. We’ve been friends for a while and now we’re seeing each other.”
“So you knew about the girls he dates from the start?”
“He would bring them around, which makes him and me totally unexpected.”
“I’m glad he found someone normal,” Jen told her. “He’s a good guy.”
“He speaks highly of you, as well.” Harper let the words just hang there.
Jen’s eyes widened. “Oh, I just got that. No. He and I are friends. Good friends. He was brutally honest with me at a time when I needed to hear the truth, but that’s all. Kirk is the love of my life and I’m lucky to have him.”
Tension Harper hadn’t acknowledged eased. “It’s good to have friends.”
“It is. I hope you and Lucas make it work.”
Harper nodded, but otherwise didn’t respond. Her and Lucas? She had her doubts about it lasting. Yes, he was great and she really liked being with him. While the sex was fantastic, she enjoyed his company even more. He was funny, smart, kind and an all-around great guy. She couldn’t imagine...
No. No! Absolutely not. She would not, could not, fall for him. She was some pit stop as he made his way through a romantically uncommitted life. All his relationships came with a rapidly dwindling shelf life. She was many things but stupid wasn’t one of them. Lucas was not someone who stuck around. He never had. She would enjoy what they had while it lasted, and then happily move on. No matter what.
* * *
Becca finished her lunch, then pulled out her geometry book. If she did her final review now, she wouldn’t have to take her book home and do it later.
She worked through the first final practice problems fast enough, then stumbled over number nine. There was always one, she thought with a smile.
“What’s so funny?”
She looked up and saw Jordan standing by her table.
Becca had taken to sitting outside on the rear patio. None of the cool kids wanted to be there—it was quiet and sort of hidden. When you were popular, it was important to be seen. In the last few weeks, as Becca had found herself more and more ostracized from her friends, she’d taken refuge in the solitude. At least out here she didn’t have to worry about anyone noticing that she was alone. After a while, she’d discovered there were advantages to having an extra half hour to do her homework.
“Nothing much.” Becca closed her book and slid her homework into her folder.
Jordan surprised her by sitting down. “I never see you anymore. What have you been doing?”
Becca didn’t know how to answer that. The reason she and Jordan didn’t hang out was because Jordan’s boyfriend was a jerk and Jordan was a bad friend. Probably not what she should say, Becca told herself. She searched for a more politically correct truth and decided on, “I’m spending a lot of time with Jazz. We’re going to classes so she can be certified as a therapy dog.”
Jordan’s expression was blank.
“Jazz is the dog Great-Aunt Cheryl left me.”
“Uh-huh. So she’ll come to school with you and stuff?”
Becca did her best not to roll her eyes. “She’ll be a therapy dog, not an emotional support animal. I’m going to take her to the memory unit at a retirement community where she can hang out with the residents there. She had to complete a bunch of training, which is part of what I’ll be doing this summer. I’ve already talked to my counselor about making that my senior project.”
Jordan groaned. “That sounds great. I have no idea what I’m going to do. You know they love it when we volunteer. Ugh. I don’t want to hang out with a bunch of homeless people or sick kids or anything.” She winced. “That sounded meaner than I meant.”
“It’s okay. I got scared when I first went to the memory unit, but the lady who runs the service animal program says I’ll get used to it. Jazz needs to be busy and this is something that can help her and other people.”
Becca was surprised at how mature she sounded. It was kind of impressive.
Jordan played with the strap on her backpack. “I’ve seen you around. You were with some guy last weekend, getting ice cream. Who is he?”
“Ashton. He’s my uncle Kit’s nephew, the one we talked about before. He’s going to MIT in September.”
Jordan looked at her. “Are you two together?”
Becca nodded.
Jordan returned her attention to her backpack. “That’s nice. Nathan and I...” Her eyes filled with tears and her voice thickened. “He, ah, what he said to you, he said to Ella Powers only she said yes. I caught them together.”
Tears spilled onto her cheeks. “It was so horrible. He laughed at me and said I was stupid for trusting him like that. He said every guy is just out for what he can get and I’d better grow up.”
Becca didn’t know what to say so she got up and circled around the table, then sat next to Jordan and hugged her.
“I’m sorry. He’s a total dick. What a jerk. You deserve better than that.”
Jordan’s body shook with her sobs. “I was so sure he loved me. I thought he cared. Finally, finally someone was there for me. At least that’s what I thought, but he was only pretending so I’d have sex with him.”
Becca bit her lower lip as Jordan cried.
“Everyone is watching me. They’re all talking about me behind my back. A couple of girls have said I deserve it. They’re posting horrible stuff about me.”
“I haven’t seen it,” Becca admitted. “I don’t check any of that anymore.”
Jordan straightened and stared at her. “How can you not look?”
“I’m busy.” Plus, it wasn’t as if she had a ton of friends right now. Who was going to send her anything?
“I’m sorry,” Jordan told her. “I was so awful to you and you were the only one telling me the truth. I should have listened.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not, but I hope we can be friends again.”
“Sure.”
The reply was automatic, and was followed by a sense of uncertainty. Becca wanted to have friends in her life again, but she wasn’t sure if she could trust Jordan not to act like that again. Jordan had always been into drama and being the center of attention.
“So we can hang out?”
“Of course.”
Jordan smiled at her. “Thank you, Becca. I knew you’d understand.”
Becca smiled back even as she wondered if she’d found her way back to something important or if she’d just set herself up to be screwed a second time.