Tommy
JADE AND THE beach house were literally twenty minutes south on LBI from Dominick and Rain’s shore estate in the town of Loveladies. Having to pass the Montgomery compound to get to Rain left a boiling pit of anger in my stomach. Yet, once I reached her driveway adorned with wild roses of every variety, my heart returned to my childhood in Capri…my heart returned to Rain.
The crackling swoosh of the sandstone pebbles that blanketed the drive alerted my friend to my entrance. It was late, seeing the massive two-story, shingle style estate lit from every room baked its warmth into my tired body. I sat there, enjoyed it, soaked in the quiet until Rain opened the door, leaned into the frame, arms crossed; her body tanned, her hair loose and flowing…her smile, yeah, her smile.
“Well, don't just sit there and admire the view, Tommy. Get over here.”
Rain ran the steps, as I stretched out of the car bracing myself for her loving welcome. Into my arms, she jumped. It was good to be back with her.
“Oh, Tommy, I missed you so, so much.” Snug and muffled, Rain held on hard.
“Baby, I missed you more.”
“Liar,” she stated with a crooked smile.
“Hey, what you mean liar?”
“Give me a break, Tommy, this is me you're talking to, and I repeat this has a woman written all over it.”
My head shaking eye roll was my only response.
“Okay, tell me I’m wrong?” She said, waiting for my rebuttal with crossed arms and a saucy shoulder shake.
“You’re not wrong, Rain.” It hurt to whisper it.
“All joking aside, let’s go in the house. I want to hear all of it,” Taking my hand and pulling me toward the house, I barely had time to grab my bag from the backseat, as she yanked me onto the porch, to a familiar annoying grimace I knew so well…Kane.
“Conte.”
“Kane.”
“Trouble in paradise?”
“Mr. Kane, we had a discussion mere moments ago. Would you like me to repeat myself? It appears you've forgotten my warning.” Rain kissed her menace, I mean the father of her children, teasingly cautioning his behavior.
“No, angel, I didn't forget. Yet, I humbly stand corrected.”
“Good…” She continued to pull me inside and then swiftly turned to block Kane and me from entering, as she swung around and slammed her hands on each side of the doorjamb.
“Let me make myself very clear. I love you and I love you. Now, that being noted and received, I expect both of you to cool it, because I have two impressionable babies in this house that will learn from your antics and I don't want them near any part of it. So, let’s leave the bullshit at the door…hmm?” We both nodded and grinned.
Rain was feisty as always.
Once inside, we went directly to the kitchen. Growing up, Rain and I always sat at the island in the kitchen in Capri. It seemed so long ago—our talks there.
“Coffee?” She asked.
“Stronger?” Dominick interrupted, holding up brandy and two snifters.
“No offense, baby, but I like what Kane’s pushing.”
“Suit yourself. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night and coffee will keep up the momentum.”
“I can do both.”
“Do you love her?” Rain, bluntly sympathetic, wanted more than yes or no. She wanted, no, she deserved an explanation after I lied to her in reference to my whereabouts the last few months. Her husband grinned proudly at his wife’s directness.
“Yeah, I love her, but…”
Rain’s inquisition would begin with numerous interruptions. “But what…why is there always a ‘but’ with you men?”
“Angel, to be fair you haven’t let him finish.” Rain’s husband established.
“Or start, if you want to get technical about it,” And I added.
“Finished? Started? You didn't even tell me you were doing any of this shit, and both of you are griping about me asking a few questions? That’s rich…before we go any further, why don’t you explain to me why you never said a word about what you were up to all of these months? Better yet, explain why you kept me in the dark…me, your best friend of all people?”
Dominick and I looked at each other with raised brows, pursed lips, while deeply exhaling, because it was easy to see this talk was not going to go as originally planned.
“I’m waiting,” Rain demanded with arms crossed and foot tapping. It made me regret calling her.
Dominick wasn't about to be trapped with me in this mess, so he did the only thing a husband who wanted to remain in his wife’s good graces could do…he bailed.
“I’ll leave you to this. I need to get Daniel.” He said, kissing her goodbye before heading out to get his brother.
I stopped him to ask both he and Rain a favor.
“I’m not sure if this would be a good time to ask, but I had to leave my dog Lucky at the house. Viv said she would watch her, but it’s not sitting right with me. When you pick up Daniel, can she come with you?”
They looked at each other and then to me, “Sure, Conte, I’ll get her. Is she friendly?”
“Very, and she loves other dogs, so I don't think there will be a concern if she’s around Max.” Max was Rain and Dominick’s lab. Lucky was largely dog-friendly, so this arrangement was going to work out fine, what a relief. It was probably going to fair better for Lucky than for me. If Rain even lets me stay at this point.
“Now, my babies are asleep, and my Mr. Kane is on his way get his brother and your dog, so tell me, what’s been going on?”
“I’ll give you the shortened version and add the details in if you feel you're missing something.”
“Go on.”
“I wasn't surfing the globe this whole time.”
“No shit.” Rain’s response bit through me.
“I deserved that.”
“What did you expect? Why lie? There wasn't any reason to hide this from me.”
“Are you joking? You are always trying to fix things, especially things that are not your job to fix. That’s why I hid this from you. That and the fact that I needed this time to think.”
“Yet, in this time you met someone?”
“Yeah, but as of tonight, no matter what went on between us, it’s over.”
“Wow…giving up that easily, huh?”
“I didn’t give up on her. She gave up on me.”
“Why?”
“Jade found out about Mike and Raven.”
“I see.”
“Yeah, she was cheated on by her fiancé, Damien Montgomery.”
“Reece Montgomery’s son?”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
“Why do you keep saying, ‘I see’?”
“Now that you’ve mentioned the key players in all of this, it explains the phone calls.”
“What phone calls?”
“Reece Montgomery called a few times inquiring about hiring us again, but was specifically interested in having you do the work.”
“I see.” I stated, which won me a whimsically annoyed look for my ‘I see.’
“Listen, to me. I love you very, very much and you can stay here for as long as you like. You know we have to head back to Italy at the end of the week, so the house is yours and Lucky’s to do with as you like, but, and yes, there is a but, you have to try to work this out with…?”
“Jade.”
“Okay, you have to try to work this out with Jade. You can’t fall in love this quickly and in this short a time and expect it to be rosy and easy for you. You are only just starting to date, but if you are already in love with her then your emotions are in high gear and I would suspect so are hers.”
“I appreciate that. I think I’m going to take you up on this. Listen, Rain, I don't want to be far from her, but I can't go back to the beach house right now and work on it with her when she is in the state she's in. There won't be anything left between us if I press the issue. At least I can monitor things without her knowing if I stay here.”
“You love her very much. I can see that,” she said as her tears formed.
“I told you I did. More than I thought I could have loved another person.” I admitted.
“It’s not over, trust me. You’ll get her back, but be careful with monitoring her even from afar. Take it from me, she won't be too thrilled if she finds out.” Rain’s resolve was stern. I wish I had the confidence she did with this, but I wasn't seeing it. I wished, I hoped, but my faith eroded with each passing minute.
“Come…let’s get you settled in before the boys return with Lucky. In the meantime, I have something that will make you feel better.”
“What’s that?”
“Angel and Joseph, watching the twins sleep always puts things into perspective for me.”