13

 

Sleep wouldn’t come. Cali stroked the cool aluminum. How many times had she fantasized about bashing Benny’s head in with the trusty lime and black Easton? Pointing the bat to the ceiling, she studied it in the moonlight. Her fingers whitened on the handle. Seeing the asshole leaning against Jarek’s truck this afternoon had been a kick in the gut. The rush of rage and betrayal had left her shaking and seeing red. She’d wanted to hurt him, to see him bleed. She bared her teeth. It was a good thing Jarek was as levelheaded as he was.

She lowered the bat. She hadn’t thanked him for that, but probably should. Benny’s taunts had seemed to bother her more than him. He was good at letting shit roll off. Regardless of what the bastard said, that didn’t make Jarek weak, just smart. She closed her eyes and let the barrel of the bat rest against her forehead. Benny had said that they weren’t done. What twisted fantasies danced in the pervert’s pea brain? Smoothing the frown wrinkles with the cool metal she tried to remember every word. One more word and I’ll be back. Her eyes popped open.

He’d mentioned Amy and seemed pissed she hadn’t kept her mouth shut. Had her warning been enough for DCFS to do something? Was Mindy safe? She pressed her pursed lips against the bat. Mrs. Romano could find out if she didn’t know already. There wasn’t a lot that happened in the neighborhood the older woman missed. A few things she’d said told Cali that she suspected what went on at the Johnson’s or at least had a bad feeling about Benny. She believed the Italian woman would’ve helped her if she’d have asked but Cali had never forgotten, it can always get worse.

 

 

Sleep deprived and grouchy, she was in no mood to go to Walmart the next morning. After breakfast, Jarek patiently handed her a travel mug of coffee and shoved her out the door. At the store, she commandeered the list and left him to deal with the crash up derby of pushing the cart. His muttered comments about the other shoppers actually had her smiling by the time they made it to the checkout.

Figuring her half of the bill, she stopped at the ATM to withdraw cash and check her balance. Besides the air mattress and helping with groceries last week she hadn’t had to dip into her funds. She’d splurged today and bought a pair of sandals to replace the ones she’d left at the Johnson’s and a phone. Jarek had voiced his concerns about her being alone at the house without a phone in case Benny came back. The thought had been one of many that had kept her up last night. It made sense, besides if she was going to be putting in applications she needed to be able to provide a contact number.

Jarek pocketed the cash she handed him without counting it. They stopped in the entrance area to gather the bags and ditch the cart.

“Cali!”

Her head jerked up at her name. Her manager from the restaurant waved wildly. She looked up at Jarek and he motioned for her to put the bags back in the cart.

“I’ll get this in the truck. Take your time.”

She watched him for a moment as he stepped out into the sunshine and pulled his sunglasses from their perch atop his tousled brown hair. He gave a harried mother a friendly smile as she snatched one of her darting kids out from in front of his cart.

“New boyfriend?”

Serena’s teasing purr made Cali smile as she stepped into the other woman’s hug.

“If you mean he’s male and a friend, sure.”

“Uh huh, girl,” she said looking after Jarek’s retreating form. “The views not bad from here. Does he treat you well?”

“Very well, but we’re just friends, roommates.”

“Roommates? How many bedrooms?”

“Four,” she said trying for a stern face but failing under the older woman’s playful pout.

“At least you’re free from the leeches.”

“Amen!”

“I called there, looking for you after the tornado. That foster mother of yours is a real bitch.”

“I didn’t end up leaving under real good circumstances. It got ugly.”

“The point is that you’re free of them,” Serena said. “Find another job yet?”

“Not yet, but I haven’t put any applications in either. I just got a phone today. I’ve been priming and painting while he’s at work, then helping him with the trim and stuff at night. He’s not charging me rent until we get the place done so I have a little leeway.”

“Good. I have a job for you if you’re willing to work for me again that is. How do more money and better tips sound?”

“It sounds great and worth putting up with you again,” Cali said with a laugh as the older woman feigned a backhand.

“You’re lucky you’re such a hard worker.”

Listening to the details, she squinted through the glass doors trying to spot Jarek’s truck. She remembered Carol calling the house looking for her asshole husband after Benny had left her at the store when she stopped to talk to someone. While take your time was a far cry from Benny’s normal snarled, hurry your ass up, she didn’t want to push it.

“Go on back to your man then. You have my number. I’ll be expecting you Monday if I don’t hear from you,” Serena said finally.

“I’ll be there,” she promised. “And thanks again.”

“You’re welcome. Get out of here and let me get my shopping done.”

Jogging across the parking lot she was relieved to see the truck still there and Jarek in the driver’s seat, head lolled back and listening to the radio. His fingers drummed on the steering wheel to the beat.     

“Sorry,” she said, sliding into the passenger seat.

“No problem. A friend?” he asked, starting the truck.

“My former manager. She has already landed a new gig and is looking to shake the waitstaff up. It’s down here by the Marriott. She can start me out at more than I was making at the other place and she said the tips are good.”

“Congratulations. It says something that she sought you out.”

“She said I’m a hard worker and we’ve always gotten along. I need to find out which bus stop is closest,” she said, craning her neck to look down the avenue as he prepared to turn out of the shopping center.

Jarek hadn’t mentioned an actual dollar amount or discussed a deposit when they’d talked about rent. She frowned. The main floor, the part she’d be living in, was finished and mostly furnished. Starting Monday at more money and better tips meant most of her savings would be intact. Maybe her luck was turning.

“Do you have a driver’s license?”

Jarek’s voice as much as the question startled her, making the side of her head bounce off the passenger window. She glared at him rubbing above her ear. His eyebrows crawled up his forehead but she couldn’t be sure if he was waiting for an answer or mocking her grace. She made a face at him.

“Yeah. Carol took me to get it so I could run errands and taxi the kids around when she didn’t want to.”

“After everything I spent this weekend I don’t have the cash to put a new top on it, but the Jeep runs. If you pay the insurance, you’re welcome to use it. I have some clear tape that should seal the back window temporarily.”

Cali looked at him, mouth opening in delighted surprise. “Really?”

The blurted question came out almost a squeal. Jarek shot her a sidelong look and burst into laughter as the truck accelerated into traffic.

“Yeah, really.”

She could feel the heat in her cheeks, but also the stretch of a smile that just wouldn’t quit. Her breath was jittery. God, that would make everything so much easier. Things were falling together. When was the last time she’d been this happy? She bit her lip. Maybe never.

“That’s really nice of you,” she said, the words sounding lame.

“There you go with the really again,” he said still chuckling.

“Why would you do that for me? Any of this?” she asked, swallowing desperately against the emotions swelling in her throat.

“It’s just sitting there,” he said with a small shrug. “Strays like us need to stick together.”

Glancing out the window, Cali rolled her eyes heavenward to ward off the tears. Strays, mutts, lost souls no one wanted. She sniffed and swallowed hard. The title was perfect.

“Thanks,” she croaked. “And yes, we do.”

His hand covered hers, startling her. She looked over at him and he just smiled, giving it a squeeze. She smiled back and turned her hand over to lace her fingers through his. 

 

 

After they put away groceries, she sat down to mess with her new phone and Jarek headed outside. She was texting with Nat when she heard a vehicle start. It didn’t have the throaty rumble of Jarek’s truck. Slipping off the bar stool she hurried to look out the window over the sink. A thrill of excitement raced through her when Jarek revved the Jeep’s engine a couple of times before climbing back out and leaning under the hood. It sounded healthy to her, but what did she know about cars? Shoving her feet in her new sandals she hurried outside.

“What’re you doing?” she asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Just finishing checking the fluids,” he said pushing a metal stick in and wiping his hands on a rag.

“Everything okay?”

“Yep. Everything’s full except the gas tank,” he said with a wry grin and dropped the hood. “Air’s good in the tires and I taped the cracked plastic in the back window. It’s low enough that with the clear tape it shouldn’t obstruct your vision too much.”

Climbing behind the wheel, Cali fumbled around to slide the seat forward.

“No short jokes,” she warned the man standing at the open door.

Jarek just grinned again. She adjusted the mirrors.

“The crack’s not bad at all. You can hardly tell unless you’re looking for it.”

He nodded and picked up a jug she hadn’t seen on the ground.

“What’s that?”

“Window washer fluid,” he said, swirling the blue liquid. “Have you ever checked fluids in a vehicle before?”  

She shook her head.

“Shut it off and come here. If you’re going to be driving you should know how to do this.”

She was surprised when he led her over to his truck. She glanced back at the Jeep.

“You have to park the vehicle on level ground and should let it cool down for at least twenty minutes before checking the fluids,” he explained, reaching under the front of the hood and popping it open. “The hood latch on the Jeep is inside under the dashboard. I’ll show you. This is the valve cover, this is the dipstick to check your oil. Pull it out, wipe it off and then put it back in, making sure to slide it all the way in, then pull it out and check the markings.”

Cali listened and watched as Jarek went over the finer points of vehicle maintenance, showing her where all the fluids went, how to clean the battery posts or jumpstart it if needed. He was confident, sure of his knowledge, neither talking over her head nor treating her like she was stupid.

“You would’ve made a good teacher.”

He looked up in surprise as he latched the hood on the Jeep now.

“Thanks, but I don’t think so. I always got nervous when I had to talk in front of a group in school. You’re easy. I’m comfortable with you. I couldn’t have done this with Alyssa.”

“Not smart enough or did she make you nervous?”

“A person has to want to be taught. Besides, she thought she was smarter than me.” He raised an eyebrow. “College graduate you know.”

Cali laughed. “Don’t you love how a piece of paper makes all the difference? Book smart and street stupid.”

“The old man used to grumble about the white shirts on a construction site, architects, engineers, and the like. He always said their kind had the book smarts to build a skyscraper, but not the common sense to pour piss out of a boot without instructions on the heel.”

“With or without instructions, don’t you ever wonder who pissed in the boot to begin with?”

Jarek looked at her for a moment and then started to laugh. It was infectious. By the time they pulled their shit together they were both sitting in the grass. He leaned his head back against the Jeep’s bumper and blew out a breath.

“I never thought of that and I haven’t laughed that hard … ever.”

Cali giggled. “Every time I hear someone say that I wonder.”

“You’re not right,” Jarek muttered, shaking his head and still grinning.

“I’m not right? I’m not the one that pissed in a boot.”

He threw the greasy rag at her. Grimacing, she tossed it back with two fingers.

“You’re such a girl,” he said with a snort of amusement.

“And you’re such a guy,” she said with a smirk.

He stood up and offered his hand. “Sandwiches for lunch and chicken on the grill for dinner?”

“Sounds good,” she said as she popped to her feet at his tug. “Thanks. Not just for the help up. For taking the time to show me all that and for letting me borrow your Jeep. For everything.”

She shut her mouth before she kept rambling. Jarek shrugged it off, tossing the now empty window washer fluid jug into the trash can. 

“No big deal. I appreciate all the help with the house. We make a good team.”

“I guess we do. I’d have hated to see such a beautiful paint job wasted on bachelor décor.”

“You know I picked the paint, flooring, and all of the interior without you.”

“Maybe. But you went safe with the gray walls and the dark floors.”

“At least I didn’t go with benign beige from top to bottom.”

“Benign?” she said, offering him a high-five. “Nice word, and I’ll give you that. You didn’t go with the boring browns. I’m proud of you. The gray leaves us wide open to add color. I do like the pale blue in the couch cushions and rug, but that cobalt chair is gorgeous and really pops. The set of dishes in my gift tote are that same bright blue. They’ll look good with your plain white ones.”

“Blue works. I like blue.”

Cali shook her head at Jarek’s response.

“I thought you might,” she said, tapping her fingernail on the small glass backsplash tiles.

Jarek smirked and put lunch meat and condiments on the counter. “I told you I wasn’t completely without taste.”

“Says the man with two Bears towels hanging in his bathroom.”

“Hey! The navy goes with the décor and the orange is a pop of color,” Jarek said, trying to sound serious as his shoulders shook with laughter.

“And your ex took the others when she split.”

“There is that.” He agreed and pulled out the small notepad she’d seen him scribble material lists and dimensions in. Adding a note and crossing off a few things, he tucked it back in his pocket. “Bath towels added to the list.”

Her lips twitched. “I can make that list longer for you.”

“Oh, I have no doubt of that, little girl. Let’s keep the need and want lists separate, shall we?”

“Don’t!”

He turned from the counter his grin slipping away. She could see the wheels turning as he tried to figure out what he’d done. Ridiculous or not, she couldn’t smother the rage boiling up in her.

“My name is Cali. Don’t call me little girl,” she hissed between gritted teeth. 

She watched understanding dawn on his face. He nodded and spun the butter knife in his fingers. 

“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Unable to push further words past the clench of her jaw, she nodded stiffly and walked out before she blew.