HoneySuckle Love Read online

  “What is?”

  “This, us.” I gestured between the two of us for a few seconds.

  “It was sex, one night of great sex.”

  “No it isn’t Jessie and I know you’re just saying that so I feel better. You have my picture, framed, hanging on your wall. This isn’t just one night and I cannot handle that pressure right now. I just left Albert!”

  “Did I miss the part where I asked you to stop your life and move in with me? Merewyn what is wrong with you? We knew it was just sex yesterday. What changed?”

  “If it was just sex Jessie then why did you make the comment about how I could eat tonight? Huh?” I was starting to get angry, he was acting like this was all one sided and all in my head. Well the hell with this. “Forget it, we’re done.”

  “Done? We weren’t even started. Merewyn,”

  I didn’t want to hear any more. I opened the door and stormed out of the car and up to the front door of my parents place.

  “Merweyn wait a damn minute get back here!” Jessie yelled from his side of the car.

  Great now he was making a scene in the middle of the freaking early morning and the whole neighborhood would know about my walk of shame and my bad choices.

  “Just go Jessie I can’t handle you right now I can’t do this. Please, please just go.”

  “No, I am not going until you tell me what changed. How did we go from friendly and happy to,” he stopped and looked at me with the most confused face I’ve seen in a while. “To whatever the hell this is right now.”

  I sighed and wiped a couple tears from my eyes and looked over at him with a pleading look, “Please Jessie I just can’t do this. I told you I wasn’t okay. Please, just, go.”

  The front door started to open, I saw my dad there looking at me and I took the opening and escaped into my house.

  Jessie looked at Merewyn’s dad for a couple seconds and shrugged his shoulders then he turned around and walked back to his car. He was more confused than he had ever been in his life. How did a perfect night of fun turn into a medley of insanity? Just as he sat down on the front seat of his car he felt his cell phone vibrate. When he pulled it out to see who was texting him this early he groaned when he saw the name. He did not want to talk to her father, not at all. But when the messages just kept coming in he had no choice but to read them. Guilt would eat away at him.

  Mr. Smith: I’ll take care of her don’t worry

  Mr. Smith: When she is better I’ll let you know

  Mr. Smith: Oh and thanks for getting her out of the house

  Jessie looked at the three messages and just stared. What an odd man. He knew that if he had a daughter as beautiful and perfect as Merewyn he would kill anyone who dropped her off at six twenty seven in the morning crying and yelling. But maybe her dad could figure out what went wrong because lord knew what was going on in that pretty little head of hers. With a final look over at her house Jessie took in a deep breath and drove away. He had to get to work himself. And right now that was what he was going to focus on.

  But that was easier said than done.

  He had been in town just over a week. When he moved back he quickly moved into an apartment and had his movers unpack everything. He didn’t specify which pictures to hang on the walls and in retrospect maybe he should have. He didn’t even notice the one of him and Jessie hanging until after he had seen her that day at the gas station. Should he have told her that? Would that have calmed her down? No probably not. She would have taken it as some strange sign or some other mumbo jumbo and they would have ended up back in the same spot they were now.

  The sight of his new job as he approached in the car made him smile though. He loved animals. Merewyn hadn’t even asked him what he was doing now that he was back for good but that was fine. He would have plenty of time to tell her, or show her actually.

  Damnit, there he was doing it again thinking about her. His animals he has to focus on his animals. As he got out of his car he smiled and waved to the lady walking up the sidewalk heading in his direction.

  “Excuse me, are you Dr. Anderson?”

  “Yes ma’am I am.”

  “Great I have a sick dog and I was hoping you would take a look at her.”

  “I don’t open for another hour, Mrs.?”

  “Oh,” she smiled at him, “it is Miss Cannery and that’s fine I can wait in the waiting room I just need my poor Fluffy looked at.”

  Jessie sighed and smiled, it was only the first week he couldn’t make a bad impression on the new potential customers. “No problem Ms. Cannery that will be fine, I will make sure my aids know you are to be checked in first.”

  “My, you are as nice as they all are saying. Thank you so much!”

  He watched Miss Cannery rush back to her car and remove a poodle puppy from the back seat. Good God could this day get any worse? Who starts it with a sick poodle of all things?

  A soft knock at the door had me looking up from my computer. My mom was standing at the threshold of my office holding a tupperware container.

  “How about a lunch break?” she asked me.

  “Mom it’s ten in the morning, hardly a lunch break time.”

  She waved me off and came into the room and sat in the chair across from the desk and placed her containers on the hard wood of my work space.

  “What’s up mom?”

  “Just wanted to check on you sweetie, is that alright?” The look of concern she held on her face made me feel guilty.

  I lowered my eyes to look at the paper I was working on. I felt embarrassed too. After Jessie drove off this morning I sat in my room and cried for a solid ten minutes before my dad came in and talked with me. For some odd reason he seemed to really understand what I was going through and I am not quite sure how he could but he did. It helped me but to relive it all at work wasn’t something that I wanted to do.

  “I’m okay mom. I don’t really want to talk about it at work.”

  “I know but you were so quick to leave the house this morning that your dad had to fill me in on what happened. This just made me worry more.”

  “Seriously it’s okay don’t worry. I just had a freak out, okay?”

  “I haven’t heard you say okay so much in three minutes since the last time that boy hurt you.”

  “That boy has a name, and he didn’t hurt me. I am fairly sure today was my fault and I am going to have to apologize to him.”

  “Oh now isn’t that the worst!” Her mother said, almost in to cheery of a tone. “You never want to be the one apologizing, giving him the upper hand so soon.”

  I couldn’t help rolling my eyes, “Come on mom.” A slight laugh escaped me even as I tried to hold it in.

  “Well so long as you are okay that’s really all I care about you know that Merewyn.”

  “I do, thanks Mom.”

  “How’s the job going?”

  That brought a smile to my face, “You know I love it. Kemah is just booming with business and working with the small business bureau was the best job I could ever imagine getting. However did you find out about it just when I was looking for a new job was perfect?”

  Mom ignored my question and asked me one of her own. “Have you met the person who took over the veterinary shop yet? I heard he is going to probably end up needing a small business loan.”

  “No I haven’t and who did you hear that from?”

  “Sherry.”

  “Sherry Cannery? The town gossip?”

  “One in the same.” My mother said it with almost a hint of pride in her voice.

  “That poor sap already had his skin pricked by her? That isn’t a good sign mom.”

  “Oh I think this one will be. Let me know when he comes in I want to know all the details about him.”

  “Mom are you and Dad okay?”

  “Of course sweetie why would you ask me that?”

  “Because you are acting awful weird about a guy who you don’t even know.”

  She waved me off and stoo
d from her chair, “I am going to leave the lunch here for you. Maybe you can take it over to the park or something and enjoy watching the boats come into the harbor while you eat it. Or maybe you could call up that boy and share it with him.”

  “Thanks for the food Mom but I will eat alone today. See you tonight.”

  As my mom left my office it hit me, the first thing I need to do after work today is look for a place to move to. I can’t stay with my folks anymore, it is time I left the nest and experienced life on my own terms. I turned my head and looked outside of the window at the boats in the harbor. I did have a great view of Kemah.

  With a sigh and a smile I said out loud to myself, “The hell with it, and it’s noon somewhere.” I grabbed the food my mom left on my desk and walked out of my office.

  The park was just across the street and there couldn’t have been more perfect weather for a picnic. I found a nice tree and after looking around for any ant piles I sat down and kicked my feet out. The sun felt great against my skin and my mom was right. A picnic was just what I needed.

  The peace and tranquility that my mom had set up for me was suddenly put to a halt when I saw him walking toward me. Albert.

  “Go away I have nothing to say to you.”

  “I want the ring back or the money for it. Pick.”

  “Hell no Albert, how many times do I have to tell you to go away and leave me alone?”

  He was standing right next to me now. I hadn’t moved from my spot so he was towering over me and it almost made me want to feel frightened. But I refused to be intimidated by this low life. So I stood up and was now toe to toe with the bastard.

  “I’m warning you M,” Albert reached out and grabbed my arm, hard, “if you don’t give me what I want you will be very sorry.”

  “Let go of me Albert!” I tried to pull away but his grip was extremely firm. “I am done with you!”

  “Give me what’s mine!” Albert yelled back at me.

  “I believe Merewyn said to leave her alone, now remove your hand from her person.”

  My back stiffened. I knew that voice. That deep, hard voice. I didn’t need to turn my head to know Jessie had just walked up behind me.

  “This is your last warning if you do not remove your hand from her I will remove it, from your body.”

  Albert let out a laugh, “I heard you two had gotten back together. Good luck with her. She is a pain in the ass.”

  I started to protest but when Albert released my arm and pushed me into Jessie’s body I decided to just let the men deal with it. I had been mortified enough for one day, no need to make it worse.

  “If I see you around her again I will have her press charges. We will get a judge to tell you that you can’t harass her.”

  “Whatever, I’ll get my money one way or another. You can count on it M.”

  I watched Albert walk away and I turned around to look at Jessie. “Thank you.”

  “No problem Merewyn. That’s what friends are for.”

  He looked so stoic again. This made me feel worse about this morning. He hadn’t even done anything wrong. “I’m sorry Jessie. I’m very sorry.”

  “Water under the bridge. Your mom called me said you had some lunch for me.” He looked down at her picnic, “But it looks like you already ate it.”

  I brought my hands up to my face and put them over my eyes, dear god could my parents interfere anymore? “Well I have some more under that tub you’re welcome to it. My mom, she called you eh?”

  “Yeah mentioned something about a family history of mental illness too. Seems your parents are convinced your crazy.” He grinned at me and for some reason that made this whole event better.

  “Well just remember whatever I have got, it came from them. Come on, I’ll dish you up some food.”

  Chapter Seven

  Driving home from work had me thinking about all the events of the day. What started out as a traumatic morning was shaping up to be a good day. Jessie made lunch fun. We spent a majority of it laughing about our old times together. Then he told me about the movers and the photo on the wall. He’s right, I did immediately think that it was just more proof things are going too fast. But for today, I am okay with that. He had been there for me a few times since he moved back, when I really needed someone who I could trust.

  As I pulled into the drive way I saw both my parents’ vehicles in their assigned spots and something comforting washed over me. Yes I do want to move out, but there will never be anything more comforting than coming home to the two people in the world who have to love you no matter what. Instead of going in through the front door I walk around to the back of the house and sat on the porch swing. The swaying back and forth had my mind drifting back to more times with Jessie and the gang of friends we had. Specifically to the weekend after the one at the beach in my yellow bikini.

  “Aaron you get back here! That’s my car!” Becky screamed as she started chasing after Aaron down the dirt road. We all laughed hard at the two friends who constantly fought over who were best. But that was Aaron and Becky. We always though they would get together one day but they never did.

  “What you thinkin about M?” I heard Jessie say from behind me.

  “Oh you know this and that.” I smiled back at him as I spoke.

  “Are these ‘this and that’?” Jessie flexed his arm muscles for me and started to wiggle them, making the appearance of them dancing.

  “You wish stud.”

  “Keep calling me stud and you can daydream about anything that you want.”

  “I was just thinking about graduation. It’s right around the corner.”

  Jessie wrapped his large strong hands around me, pulling us closer to one another. “I can’t stop thinking about what’s going to happen after graduation.”

  Laughter came out quickly from my lips and then I felt my face flush red, I didn’t need him knowing I thought those dirty thoughts just as much as him. But I couldn’t help it. He did something to me and it was like scary magic.

  “You know I have my graduation party to go to right?” I kissed his nose, “And I can’t be with you until late that night maybe even the next day.”

  “I’d wait for you forever M, you know that.”

  I nodded because I didn’t know what else I was supposed to say. Jessie scared me in so many ways, not bad scare but scare as in I had no clue what was about to happen or what I should even do.

  “Hey you two come out with us we’re going snipe hunting.” Sherry yelled over to us.

  Sherry was always falling for someone’s pranks but she was easy to like. That’s why everyone was friends with her. “Should we tell her snipes aren’t real?” I whispered to Jessie.

  “Nah, let’s go and get a kick out of what happens.” Jessie’s hand moved to my lower back and started pushing me towards the edge of the woods where our friends had gathered.

  “You know Sherry is going to spread rumors and tell everyone we tricked her tomorrow, she’s such a gossip as you know.”

  “I know, but remember she invited us, we always have an out.” Jessie’s hand latched onto mine and we walked through the first layer of trees.

  Everyone in the group was laughing and playing along as Sherry lead the hunt for this mysterious animal.

  “Merewyn?”

  The sound of my mother’s voice pulled me back from my happy memory and forced my attention to her.

  “Hey match maker.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Don’t play innocent,” I said while standing up from the porch, “Jessie told me you informed him mental illness ran in our family. You’re the crazy one meddling in the middle of your daughters broken hearted love life.”

  “It is because my daughter is broken hearted that I am meddling. And you should thank me Merewyn, that boy is a catch.”

  “I specifically remember when you thought he was forbidden fruit form the Garden of Eden and I wasn’t to lay a hand near him.”

  “You were a teenager, n
ow you’re a woman ready to sew your own fruit.”

  “Gah!” I stormed to the back door, “I cannot have a serious conversation with you when you are going to talk about that kinda stuff to me. Mom! What are you doing?”

  “Just making sure my only daughter is happy and well taken care of. What happens if I die tonight, what would you do?” She gave me a long pity look that I tried to ignore but just couldn’t.

  “Fine, but no more match making okay? If me and Jessie work out great if not great too because I do not think I am ready for more than a good friend right now. I just ended things with Albert for Christ sake!”

  “Don’t cuss dear and that Albert was useless. We all knew it we just thought you were happy.”

  This conversation was pointless, I wasn’t going to win and she wasn’t going to budge so instead I turned the handle to the door and walked inside.

  Damnit to hell. “Mother!” I yelled out. I tossed an angry glare at both her and the man standing next to my dad. Jessie was in my house talking with my own father, like he belonged. “No one follow me.” I commanded.

  I marched off to my room like I was a teen in the midst of a temper tantrum. What made them want to push him and I together like this? They didn’t do any of this meddling with Albert and the certainly didn’t push Jessie and I together when we were teens. In fact I remember getting into yelling matches over him with my mother. And now she is practically forcing him onto me.

  “I’m living in the twilight zone.” I declared out loud.

  The soft knock on the door made me roll my head back in frustration, it was my dad, I was sure of it. Did no one get the memo, leave me alone!

  “Yes dad? I said as I swung the door open. “What do you,” the pause in my sentence caught in my throat when I looked into Jessie’s eyes.

  “I could be your dad,” the devilish grin on his face made me move my arm to shut the door in his face. But his hand pushed back against the wooden barrier and he walked inside of my room. I sighed and shut the door then moved to my bed and sat down. My head wanted to get buried in my hands but I wouldn’t let him see me so weak.