Tommy
THE EVENING TURNED out much different from what I’d expected. It should have been a quiet dinner overlooking the Atlantic Ocean from Viv’s patio, though it ended up being a battle of wills between Jade and her ex-boyfriend’s dad, as well as Blaze and his son.
Once Reece and Damien Montgomery left, we all sat down to discuss what had just happened. Viv decided to question Jade and me on our new relationship.
“Feel free to tell us what’s going on with the two of you.” Viv resolved herself to the fact this was going to be a long story, so she pulled up a chair and was fully ready to listen.
“I’m sorry. None of this was Tommy’s idea. He just played along.” Jade admitted, and then apologetically looked in my direction. I smiled agreeably, letting Viv know there was no harm done.
“I gathered that this was your idea, Jade, but why?”
“Ever since Damien and I broke up, Reece would hint in one way or another that he wanted to help me get Damien back.”
“It’s my understanding that you and Damien have been apart for several years now. Why has Reece suddenly turned up the heat to get you both back together? Why didn’t he try to do that when you both first broke up?” Daniel spoke up.
“He did, but when he saw it wasn’t going anywhere he let it go. At least, that’s what I thought.”
“What happened now to make him start this all up again?” I asked Jade to see if I could get more of a clear picture of Reece’s motives.
“I can tell you why I think Reece is doing this,” Blaze said.
“Why?” Both Jade and I looked at each other when we realized we both asked the same question at the same time.
Blaze’s uncomfortable smile confirmed she discovered something about Reece’s motivations.
“Go on. I can tell I’m not going to like this,” Jade prompted.
“He had said he thought Damien was going to propose to Courtney. He wasn’t positive, but he said he couldn't let that happen.”
“Courtney is Damien’s girlfriend,” Jade explained, directly to me. I nodded as to acknowledge the information. Although, thanks to Daniel having explained everything to me when I brought him back here this afternoon, I already knew who Courtney was, yet I couldn’t let Jade know I was aware of the story. I didn’t want to cause any discord between her and Daniel.
“Do you think that Reece is trying to get Damien and Jade back together again on the slim chance that their old feelings will come back?” I asked.
“Yes, and I think he has convinced himself that if he can do that before Damien asks Courtney, then there is no chance that Courtney and his son will stay together. You have to understand, Tommy, when Jade and Damien were engaged Reece was thrilled. He loves Jade. I know that his little display tonight makes it tough to believe, but he truly does care about Jade and he loves his son more than anything.”
“That man has a terrible way of showing it,” Viv added.
“You know as well as I do, Reece was livid when he found out what Damien did to Jade, but I guess now that so much time has passed he feels the old wounds have healed and perhaps they could start over,” Blaze said to Viv.
“You know better than anyone I will never get back together with Damien. He cheated, that’s it, it’s over,” Jade was emphatic.
My immediate attraction to Jade was crushed by her words, without her knowing. Getting to know her better could end up being unattainable once she found out why I moved to LBI and what I left behind. She might never be able to get close enough to me to form more than a friendship, and even being friends was debatable. I knew my past indiscretions would drive any woman away; I wasn't delusional, but to hear Jade’s words bite, gave me a more vivid picture.
“Well, that explains Reece’s excuse, but it doesn't explain yours.” Viv scolded and was adamant to get Jade’s reason behind stating that I was her new boyfriend.
“Reece started to turn up the pressure when I went back to the city Thursday night.” Jade’s explanation made me realize why she left me on the dance floor at The Palm. Did she always run to Reece when he called for her? Maybe that was half the problem?
“You’ve lost me,” Viv said.
“I was at The Palm when my phone rang. It was Blaze. She sounded distraught and said she was at Mt. Sinai, so I assumed she was hurt and I headed back to the city, but as you know it turned out it was Reece in the ER. He had a mild heart attack when he was with Blaze, so she got him to the hospital,” Jade continued to explain, more for me and Daniel and less for Viv.
Hmmm…glad to see Jade isn't at Reece Montgomery’s beck and call, after all.
“I understand that. Yet, you’re still not telling me why you cooked up this scheme with Tommy. He just moved here and this is a horrendous way to become friends and neighbors,” Viv said.
“I was getting to that. At the hospital, Reece insisted I called Damien to get him to come back home. That was when I knew he was up to something. I mean he was physically able to call his son, but he pressed for me to do it. I wondered why he didn't ask Blaze, but then I came to find out they've been sleeping together for the past six months and…”
“Wait, you’ve been with Reece Montgomery for six months” Viv burst into laughter.
“It’s not that funny, Viv” Blaze tried to justify herself, while Viv, Jade, and even Daniel were amused. It was contagious. Blaze and I started to laugh as well. When we calmed down, Jade continued.
“Anyway, I could tell Reece wasn’t going to let up, so I decided to get a fake boyfriend. I never in a million years thought that he would call me out on it so soon. I had planned to tell him I was seeing someone, but I wasn’t prepared to elaborate on who it was. I thought telling him that I was in a relationship would make him back off.”
“So you pulled Tommy into this. Jade, you know better. You know Reece is the type of man who will go to great lengths to find out if you are telling the truth or not, especially when the outcome involves his son.” Viv’s tone showed her disappointment in Jade.
“Yes, I pulled Tommy into it. I apologize. I wasn’t thinking. I panicked,” Jade’s voice dimmed, somewhat ashamed.
“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to Tommy,” Viv directed with a stern tone, pointing her finger in my direction.
Jade turned to me with those beautiful doe eyes. I couldn’t possibly be angry with her. Reece Montgomery was nothing but a rich, self-absorbed asshole. I was happy to help.
“I’m sorry, Tommy. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen the way it did and in your first week here. I hope we can still be friends.” Jade was sincere.
I chuckled. “Sure, I was glad to help. He was being a real jerk. Hopefully, after what happened tonight, you won’t have to deal with him again.”
“Let’s hope not,” Jade agreed, but didn’t seem convinced of it.
We sat and talked for a while longer. I explained about the house and the repairs that I had decided to work on first. Viv seemed visibly relieved that I didn’t let on that I already owned the property. Jade appeared thrilled with my proposed changes. She explained that she was also dealing with a renovation of sorts. Her pastry shoppe would be moving at the end of August, down the street from the location she was at now, to a permanent building that she recently purchased. She was going to be neighbors with the club where we met. I understood her excitement. It was much like the way I felt when I purchased the beach house.
We called it a night at around eleven. Jade kissed her aunt and then said goodnight to me and Daniel before she left with Blaze. Daniel and I both thanked Viv before leaving to head home.
Home…it had a nice ring to it.
Once inside, Daniel expressed how tired he was and decided to head to bed. I grabbed a beer and went out onto the deck to settle down before I turned in. I couldn’t sleep. The excitement of the events of the day had me on edge.
I heard footsteps on the stairs and then along the deck on the side of the house that led to me. I looked over my shoulder to see Jade with a large bakery box in her hands. She was just about to knock on the sliding door near the side of my living room when she stopped herself and came to place the box she was holding on my patio table where I was standing. This was my opportunity to talk with her alone. I’d wanted to do that all night, now I had my chance.
“Hey, I thought I was the only one who couldn’t sleep.”
She looked up at me and smiled. The brightness that shone over the shore this evening illuminated Jade’s features and long dark hair.
“Hi, I thought I’d leave these here.” She tilted her head in the direction of the box.
“Would you like to come in for a nightcap?” I asked, as I came toward her and peeked in the box to briefly see what she brought to me.
“I don’t want to bother you. I just wanted to leave you and Daniel some desserts and breakfast treats for the holiday weekend. With everything that went on today, I forgot to give them to you,” she awkwardly explained.
“You’re definitely not bothering me. So, why don’t you come in and share a drink and some dessert with me? Since it was kind of your fault that I didn’t get to have any at your aunt’s house tonight.” I grinned playfully at Jade, hoping she would take me up on my offer.
She looked down at the drink in my hand and bit her lip. Shit! I wanted to kiss that mouth. Then she looked back at me and said, “Okay, one drink, being I owe you.”
I smiled and stepped to one side to let her in. I went to close the door and realized the box was still on the patio table. I went back and retrieved it, placing it on the center island, near where Jade was standing.
“Let’s take a closer look at what you've brought us,” I teased, as I reopened the box.
She appeared overly excited to see me open the box that contained mini desserts and scones of every variety. I placed it aside and smiled.
“I know what we need…Champagne. I have a bottle on ice,” I revealed, as I eagerly retrieved a bottle and two glasses. While I set everything down on the island, Jade grabbed a plate from one of the old cabinets to place the chocolate strawberries on, reminding me how at home she must have felt here.
I popped the cork and poured our drinks. “Let’s sit on the couch; it’s more comfortable in there.” She nodded and took the strawberries as she followed me into the living room where we toasted.
“Cheers,” she said.
“Here’s to new friends and neighbors,” I added, as our glasses and eyes met.
“Yes, to new friends, and less dramatic new neighbors” She was being funny, but continued to glimpse at the floor or look the other way. I quickly placed my glass down on the coffee table and sat closer to her.
“Hey, what’s wrong? Did I do something to make you feel uncomfortable?”
“No, no, it’s not you. I truly feel bad about tonight and what I involved you in. Aunt Viv was right. I should have never used you like that. It was childish and I shouldn't be playing games. It was inexcusable. I’m sorry.” Jade was extremely remorseful for her actions earlier this evening. She was being way too hard on herself.
“There are no apologies necessary, Jade. Like I said, Reece was being an asshole. You had to do what you had to do. I was glad that I was there to help.” I reassured her that what happened was no big deal.
She forced a smile and still didn’t seem convinced by what I said to her. Even though less than two days had passed since we met, something made me want to get through to Jade—to make her feel at ease. Maybe it was my feelings of guilt, which made me unable to tell her the truth about the house she grew up in and clearly loved so much, or maybe it was because for the first time in a long time I was intensely attracted to someone I wanted to get to know better, or maybe it was a combination of the two? I was drawn to her and felt wrong for having lied to her about the house. I really did understand how she felt about deceiving Reece. Whether he deserved it or not, Jade wasn’t at all comfortable with the recent decisions she had made concerning him, and I got that.
“You don’t seem convinced.” I gently pressed her for more.
She closed her eyes tightly and let out the breath she had been holding. She appeared to be conflicted about what to say to me. She got up with her drink in hand. She took a sip and leaned on the door jamb as she stared out at the surf. Her body briefly shuddered, as if she remembered some negative from the past, as she turned to face me.
“It’s not that. I thought everything that went on with me and Damien was over a long time ago.”
Fuck me. I always meet women who are unavailable, emotionally and otherwise.
“So, what you're saying is that Reece is right? You miss his son and want to get back with Damien, but perhaps pride wouldn't let you admit to it?”
“Hell, no. I don’t want Damien. That’s been over forever. I don’t want any man for that matter.” Jade was adamant.
“So if you don’t want Damien and you aren’t involved with anyone else, then you lost me.”
“It’s a very long story. How much time do you have?” A small nervous, suppressed laugh escaped from Jade’s lips, as she asked in an amused sort of way.
I was playful in my response, as I stretched my arms out across the back of the couch.
She smiled at my awkwardness, walked over, and settled next to me. She didn’t get too close, but she appeared more relaxed, more at home again.
“Are you sure you want to hear it?”
I refilled her glass and mine and got comfortable in my seat. I was ready for whatever she had to throw at me.
“Okay, I’m ready. Let’s have it.” I grinned. My actions got me a tension-free laugh, as Jade began her story.
“Damien and I knew each other since we were kids. At the time, he only stayed down here when school was out. You know, weekends, holidays, summer vacations. That sort of thing. I admit I had a crush on him and was always excited when I found out he was here.”
I nodded, and Jade continued.
“I, on the other hand, lived down here my whole life.” She stopped and looked around the room. A soft smile formed on her face, which suggested to me that another childhood memory invaded her thoughts.
“It’s funny,” she said. She stood and looked around the living room at the all of the boxes that still needed to be unpacked before her focus turned back to me.
“What is?” I wondered what she thought.
“This room seemed so much bigger when I was growing up.”
“You were smaller then.”
“I guess so. Yet it reminds me of when you get a craving for a chocolate bar or a cupcake that you loved when you were a kid, but haven’t had in a while, so you go buy it, only to find out it shrunk. You're probably right, though. I was smaller, so it seemed so large in my tiny hands back then. Maybe that’s how this room is now. I was smaller, care-free.”
“Or maybe your memories are larger than the room?” I grinned. Jade agreed with a slow nod.
“Perhaps you're right. Anyway, let me get back to my story so you can get to bed.”
“I can’t sleep, remember?” I whispered, and she blushed.
“Give it some time, my story may just do the trick,” she joked. Jade seemed more visibly relaxed with each passing moment. She took a sip of her drink and placed the glass on the table in front of us. Then she curled comfortably in her corner and continued with the story.
“You know, I forgot how much fun we had here. Even my parents were different when we lived here.” Jade stared intently into the room, taking in the invisible visions of her past. Her thoughts drifted again, but she quickly recovered to continue her tale.
“Anyway, in the beginning, we were just young kids having fun and taking in all that the island had to offer, paddle boarding, waterskiing, bike rides, and surfing.”
“You both surfed?” I asked.
“Yeah, but I was better at it than Damien.” A pleasing smirk covered Jade’s face.
I raised my eyebrows and laughed at her comment.
“No, seriously, I’m not being conceited. My brother Jimmy was an incredible surfer, so he taught me all his techniques. Besides, living down here year-round afforded me the opportunity to surf every day, even in the winter months. Damien didn’t have the same type of exposure to water as I did.”
“Your aunt mentioned that you surfed. She said you would be able to show me some of the best spots on the island.” I had hoped that maybe Jade would go with me at some point.
“I figured as much from your tattoos.”
“Yeah. I’m not a professional by any stretch.”
“What spots have you surfed?” Jade asked enthusiastically.
“I learned while growing up in Capri, at Licola Beach on Italy’s West Coast.”
“You grew up in Italy, yet you don’t have an accent. Why is that?” She wasn’t the first person to ask me that question.
“I thought tonight was about you?” I said, answering her question with a question.
Jade’s expression flattened.
That wasn’t the response I was going for.
“I’m joking; I’m joking.” I quickly replied, so that I could get the conversation back on track. She giggled. Good, my panic may have saved me.
“I was born here and grew up there with my friend Rain and her family, but came back and forth to the States and eventually moved back here permanently over ten years ago.”
“Your business partner?” she asked.
“Yes, I think I mentioned her before…we were childhood friends long before we were business partners.”
“I think that’s great,” She said in awe.
“What is?”
“That you have a friend like that for all these years. One that you can trust enough to be business partners with,” she added.
I didn't want to get into my friendship with Rain. To many, our story was strange at best and extremely complicated. For now, I decided not to elaborate on it, but Jade had a different idea.
“Is she excited that you moved down here?”
“Umm…” I didn’t know how to respond. Rain and her family were very close to me, but they didn’t know that I bought the beach house or even where I was at the moment.
“Did I say something wrong?” Jade appeared conflicted.
I reached over and took her hand to reassure her that her questions were fine. I realized how comfortable I was with her and yet couldn't believe it.
“No, No, not at all. She doesn’t know I moved down here, or what I’m doing. She thinks I’m traveling abroad right now.”
“But why?”
“Truth?” I asked.
“Always,” she definitively replied.
“In the last couple of years, my life hadn’t been going the way I thought it should,” I confessed.
“Join the club,” Jade blurted out.
I smiled and continued. “Some recent circumstances made me realize I needed to turn my life around. It was like I was waiting for happiness to find me, instead of going out to grab it. I had told Daniel what I was going through and he suggested a change. That’s when I met Viv. She had told Daniel’s parents your family was thinking of selling this place. I had become interested and the rest is history.” I stopped there because I feared I might slip up and reveal that I already owned the house.
“You're telling me no one except Daniel and his parents know where you are?”
“No, just Daniel knows,” I said, adding to the confusion.
“You just said…” She stopped as if she missed something.
“I told Daniel’s parents the house was too much for me to take on, and I also swore Viv to secrecy. I knew if everyone found out I was here, they would want to help and that’s not what I needed right now.”
“So your plan is to fix up this place and possibly buy it and then what?” Jade pressed forward.
“Sort of.”
“Sort of? I’m not understanding,” she stated.
“You have most of it right. I intend to fix it up and hopefully buy it and also raise a family here.” I knew that statement in and of itself could scare any woman away. I just met Jade and my gut was gnawing at me to get to know her better, but if she knew my plans before knowing me, this whole thing might not end well.
“I can tell you from experience there is no better place for a kid to grow up.” She sounded more alive, happy when she described the island.
“I can see that.”
“Sorry, I got off track. Now, where was I? Oh yes. After years of hanging out as friends, Damien had come down to stay for the summer after his college graduation. His parents were going through a divorce, and he was out of control. My brother Jimmy noticed it immediately, and he basically called Damien out on it. To make a long story short, they had become closer than they had ever been, and Damien decided to make amends with his parents and go to work for his dad in New York. I had finished school about a year after him and I was looking for a job as a pastry chef. Damien spoke with Reece because they needed a pastry chef for a restaurant Reece was going to open the following year. I was immediately hired.”
“Wow, they must have really had confidence in you. I mean, you were a new chef, straight out of school with little experience and they gave you a job.”
“Well, Reece did. Reece knew I was a good chef. I had catered private parties for him when I was home during the summer.”
“And Damien?”
“He just wanted to get me into his bed.”
Her honesty made me spit my drink out all over the place. My surprise reaction got me a huge belly laugh from Jade. “Thanks, thanks a lot.”
“You asked.”
“Okay, but you were engaged to him?” I inquired further because Jade definitely didn’t seem like the type the of girl to sleep with a man to thank him for a favor of a new job.
“After several years of trying to openly pursue me, I finally took pity on him, and we went out on a date. To my surprise, he was nothing like his dad, or so I thought at the time. We began to date, and everything was amazing between us. Or at least it seemed that way, so we decided we wanted to get married. Damien proposed, and I accepted. Everything was going great, but then the call came that Jimmy was injured in a devastating surfing accident out at The Mavericks. That was the beginning of the end,” Jade’s soft voice drifted away and changed into something eerily ominous.
“The Mavericks? That’s one of the most dangerous spots in Cali to surf.” I was in shock. As much as I loved to surf, I had never imagined I would want to take that on. If the massive waves didn’t kill you, the rocks nearby would saw you in half. I wondered what would make Jimmy attempt such a feat.
“My brother had become quite a skillful surfer. His dream was to surf The Mavericks, so he decided while he was out there on business for my dad, he would take a diversion and go to Northern California to check it out. We had no idea he would actually attempt it at that point. Then the authorities called the house to say he was badly injured and was rushed to Stanford Medical Center. My mom called my dad, who at the time was in New York with me. We met her at the airport and we all flew out there together.”
“How badly was he hurt?” I already knew the answer, but Jade didn’t know that, so the obvious thing to do was ask.
“His back was broken, but that wasn’t all of it. If it had just been his back, then more than likely he would have recovered. He had a spinal cord injury, which left him paralyzed from the waist down.”
“Jade, I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you.” Two small words that spoke volumes.
“That’s how you know Daniel?”
“Yes, Jimmy had months and months of therapy in California before he could be moved back here to Jersey. Once home, my dad found the Center just outside of Philly that made amazing strides in helping adults with spinal cord injuries. Jimmy was moved there. I can tell you at first he hated it. He was almost impossible to deal with. In fact, the head of the center wanted him discharged and moved elsewhere, but Daniel stood up for him and he was able to remain there until…” She stopped.
“Until?”
She took in a shallow, shaky breath, “Until his death almost three years ago on his 37th birthday.” Jade turned solemn. Darkness cloaked her. She’d obviously never recovered from the loss of her brother. I moved closer to her; I didn't think about the pushback of touching—there wasn’t any.
“Come here.” I took her arm and gently pulled her into my lap. She didn’t resist. “No more. It was never my intention for you to tell me a story that would do this to you. You barely know me, but I want you to know I never meant to bring up so much hurt in you. This is not how I wanted our friendship to start.” I felt her pain. Pain that may not have originated here, but a pain I stirred up. My thumb gently wiped away the sadness of the single tear that trickled down the warm skin of her face. She looked into my eyes searching for the comfort she needed. Or was it something else?
“It’s not your fault. I haven’t really talked about Jimmy’s accident since Damien and I broke up. Actually, no one ever likes to mention it around me. The truth is, they think I’ll break or something. I guess tonight I proved them right.” She seemed annoyed with herself for letting her bad memories of her brother get to her.
“Your secret is safe with me,” I said to reassure her that no one had to know what happened here tonight.
“Thank you, again.” She whispered, as she yawned and rested her head against my chest. She was weary and needed a safe place at the moment. This evening I was that for her. Holding her close to protect her from the intensity of what just happened between us and the awkward stillness in the room, coupled with the sound of Jade’s soft breaths, caused my eyes to become heavy. I knew I would be unable to fight it, so I laid Jade back and placed a blanket over her. Knowing she was resting, I watched her until sleep found her and went off to bed.