Chapter 37
I have let Oso in and checked doors. The news is on when my landline rings. I see it is Jeff and let it continue to ring. It is late and I am tired but I promise myself I am going to call him tomorrow. We tell the kids all the time to use their words when they are angry or frustrated instead of acting out so I am going to follow this same advice. Tomorrow I am going to use my words. I don’t know what to say now but tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow I can…
My cell phone rings interrupting my thoughts. Why not tonight I think picking up the phone without identifying the caller.
“Miss Irene this is Jackie Towns. Forgive me for calling so late but I need to talk to you about a very personal matter.”
“How did you get my number Ms. Towns?” I ask surprised and thinking we are not in high school and I won’t play games with this young woman.
“Please call me Jackie. I got your number from your business card your daughter was kind enough to give me.”
“It’s late Jackie and I have an early day. Can we cut to the chase?”
“Yes ma’am. I’m a real estate broker. I am working with Jeff to market and sell his Lindell property. He is thinking about getting married and wants to sell. I’m kind of nosey which helps in my business. Anyway, I figured out he is planning to marry you so I wanted to know if you have a house you need to sell too? I could sell your house and help you both find another property when the time comes. Please.” She said without seeming to take a breath.
“You have been at his house because you are trying to sell his property?”
“Yes Ma’am. Look I can call tomorrow and make an appointment to look at your house and do a marketing analysis.”
I am quiet for a few seconds not sure what to say. I feel foolish and worried. Jeffery has not called for a few days until tonight. Maybe she is right about why he wants to sell the property but wrong about who he wants to marry.
“Hello Miss Jefferson?”
“Yes Jackie. Let me call you tomorrow…But my bell is ringing now. Good-bye.
Oso jumps up and runs to the door making little bark-like noises. At the door he sniffs and wags his tail.
“Irene,” Jeff calls from the other side of the door. “Baby, can I talk to you for just a few minutes?”
I start to open the door then remember my satin bonnet. Rushing back down the hall to my bathroom mirror, I remove the bonnet, fluff my curls then apply lip gloss. The bell starts to ring again, a very long and insistent ring.
I open the door then step back to allow entrance. Jeffery closes and leans against the door as Oso jumps all over his legs. Without taking his eyes from mine, Jeffery leans down and pats Oso’s head which only encourages him to jump more.
“Go sit Oso” I command and walk to the kitchen and take a seat. Jeffery follows but stands against the kitchen wall. He stands back in his legs while folding his arms across his chest seeming to be deep in thought.
“Irene, I am so sorry. I had a client go to prison years ago for a crime I never believed he committed. He got life without the possibility of parole. I never gave up and we have gotten a retrial date. With my other cases it was more than I can handle. I have hired two attorneys because I was stretched to my limits. I am also looking for larger space for my office. My unit may be on the market as early as next month. I have new staff and Summers Investigations will share a space with us.
Please believe I was missing you and interested in Jamey and everything that was going on with you but I have been working eighteen to twenty hour days. I am throwing away my superman cape.”
I cannot use my words. I cannot tell him the real reason I have been upset and distant. He respects my maturity and self control and that conversation would have been so shallow.
Listening to him I realize our relationship has been very one-sided. Everything has been about me or the shelter. I have not asked about his cases and assumed he was happy in his office/apartment property. Maybe I even assumed he was happy with his career track and had no plans to expand. When we are together it is always about me and A Sister’s Place. I feel embarrassed when I think of how supportive he has been of me while I carved out small pieces of my time by allowing him to spend time doing something for me or the shelter.
“I feel bad about tonight. I invited you out but you had to spend most of the night without me. I wanted to sit next to you and hold your hand if you would let me in such a public setting. I also wanted to take pictures with you for us and for the newspapers. But we discovered an important piece of evidence and yesterday I drove to the prison in Potosi, Missouri. The visit with my client ran longer than I had planned. I know I have been very distracted but my client’s freedom depends on me being diligent.”
Jeff has been looking down at the floor but now he looks at me. He seems to be searching my face to see how I am responding to what he is telling me.
“I am worried because you have started to call me Jeffery again. Not Jeff but Jeffery so I must have lost some ground with you. I’m sorry but if you will give me a few weeks, I promise I will make tonight up to you. I remember you like musical plays and concerts so you name the show or play you want to see and I will take you no matter what city or country for that matter.”
“I’m sorry too,” I say softly trying to smile. “You have been my best friend during one of the most trying times in my life. I promise to take more interest in what you are doing and help you for a change if that is possible.”
I stand up, give him a brief hug then head down the hall to the front door. My disappointment is going to show and any tears would be too hard to explain. I would not only feel foolish but look foolish to someone I would like to continue to respect me. I am trying not to rush to the door but I need some quiet time. I also need to put some space between us until I have been able to put some emotional boundaries back in place.
We reach the door and he kisses me on the forehead and opens the door to leave. I feel much better. Jackie has misunderstood his intentions but the tension between us is gone. I will take this one step at a time and see where it leads. If nothing else he makes a wonderful friend but I must admit I feel a little disappointment. Tonight the possibility of being Mrs. Jeffery Evans had started to feel good again.
“Good night Jeff and thank you. I really did enjoy the dinner and Angela Winbush tonight,” I say as he opens the door. He pauses, closes the door and turns around to face me.
“Irene, twenty-five years ago we were on a good track. You can never understand how much I regret being so young and full of myself. I hurt you very deeply and hurting you then now hurts me. It was my fault we got off track. I can’t undo the past but I can spend every day, going forward, showing you how much I love and appreciate you. I want to be part of the wonderful work you are doing or, if you rather, be in our bed with open arms when you get home from saving the world.” Jeff says all this without taking a breath or taking his eyes from mine.
“Jeff, excuse me but, is this leading to the question?” I ask with the emphasis on the. Jeff looks at me very puzzled for a whole minute then the understanding light shines in his eyes causing his gentle, sexy smile to touch his perfect and very kissable mouth. Oh God, how I love, love, love this man. Admitting that I love him and hearing that he loves me creates feelings so strong and overwhelming my legs begin to feel a little weak. I lean forward and rest my head on his shoulder. I know his automatic response will be to hold me and I will not fall. Mission accomplished I think as his arms circle me. Kissing the side of my face several times and holding me tighter, he says with a catch in his voice, “Irene will you marry me as soon as we can work it in our schedules? No booty calls and no condoms. Just us back on track forever.”
I can’t speak right now but I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him with a kiss full of my answer. Yes! Yes! Yes! Stepping back a half step, he looks at me for a second then pulls me to him holding me very tight. Kissing me deeply again until we both are breathless, he places his face next to mine with his mouth against my ear and tells me to think about what I want to do. How soon can we get married? Where? Where do I want to live? He assures me that whatever makes me happy will make him happy too. Jeff kisses me oh so gently on my mouth, turns and opens the door. Stepping outside he stops and wipes his forehead with a sparkling white handkerchief. “Baby, I love you but I promise you I can’t do many more of these good-byes and waking up in separate bedrooms.”
I laugh and promise it will not be long because what pleases him pleases me. He walks away. I laugh again because truth is I do not want to do any more good-byes either. I close, lock and stand against the door. Wow. What a night!
My telephone rings and I hurry to the bedroom. It is Jeff! I pick up the phone and say, “Hi Honey. I love you too and it will be my pleasure to marry you.”