Dade sat and glared at the phone. He’d said he wouldn’t call her again. But he had. He’d called every day for the past week since they got back. He’d gone to Owen’s only to realize she would be back at her apartment now. She hadn’t spoken to him in the morning or during the ride home. He’d avoided calls from Steven and Owen, letting his machine get them all week. He just wanted to talk to Cora.
Sighing, he put down the beer he’d just opened and grabbed his keys. Maybe if he kneeled on her doorstep, she’d open the door and speak to him.
He drove to her apartment and looked in the parking lot only to see her car wasn’t there. Maybe she was late coming home from work. He’d wait.
He was relaxing back in his seat when her car pulled up a few minutes later. Exhaling slowly, he got out of the van. He’d only taken one step when he saw a car pull up behind hers and stop. She turned around and waved at the person in it with a smile on her face.
Stopping, he watched as a man got out of the car and she went over and hugged him. When he turned for them to go into the building, he saw it was Kevin.
Kevin the medic had his arm around Cora, walking her into her apartment building.
He stuffed his hands in his pockets and watched the door close behind them. Turning, he got back in his van and drove back to his house.
The beer he’d left was still cold, so he picked it up and walked into the living room to sit down. Why was Kevin at her apartment? The phone rang and he sighed and reached over to pick it up.
“Dade. Where the hell have you been? I’ve been calling all week.”
“Been around, Owen, what’s up?” He took a drink.
“I wanted to get you into my place to do a few things.”
“Like?” he took another drink “I’ve sold it and wanted to get you to finish the bathroom in the basement I never did look at.”
He took another drink. “I can do that. When are they moving in?”
Owen sighed. “I don’t know the date yet.”
He took another drink suddenly not wanting to talk to anyone again. “Drop by a key and I’ll go over this weekend.”
“Are you coming to brunch? Chris said he never heard back.”
He looked at his phone on the table. “Didn’t know there was one planned.” He took a sip. “I’ll see if I can swing it, don’t know right now.”
“Hope so, the women are doing nothing but talking about the handfast and we could use all the male influence possible.”
Dade sighed. “I’ll let you know. Gotta go.” He hung up without waiting to see if Owen had finished speaking. Brunch. He honestly didn’t know if he could go and sit and pretend everything was fine.
What if Kevin was there with Cora? He knew he couldn’t handle that. He sat up when he realized he’d never seen Cora with another man. It was as if she had just told him again that she had waited. Ten Years.
The phone rang again. He grabbed it and debated on throwing, but answered it instead.
“What is this I hear, you’re not coming to brunch?”
Doc. “I have shit to do. How did you find out? I just hung up the damn phone.”
Steven sighed. “Owen told Leena, who called Rachel, who then called me at work and told me to talk to you.”
“Faster than a fax,” Dade muttered.
“Pretty much. What’s going on?”
“Just have a lot of work to do, you should understand that.” He went to take another drink and realized it was empty. He got up and went to grab another.
“I do. Well, try real hard to get there, even if you have to leave early, got to keep the women happy.”
“Yeah, good luck there, bro.” He tossed the cap into the sink and went back to the living room. “I gotta go, I’ll talk to you later.” He hung up again without waiting. The phone rang before he could set it on the table. Shaking his head, he put it down without answering. Probably Chris being instructed to call as well.
Owen sold his house and would be living with his soon to be wife. Steven was finally marrying Rachel and Chris finally had Kasey. Where did that leave him, exactly? The woman he wanted thought he was lower than pond scum right now. Truthfully, he almost agreed with her.
How could he not notice Cora wanting him? Well, she didn’t throw herself in his arms like some, but after a lot of thought, he realized she’d always smiled at him. Always stood or sat by him at the temple, how could he not notice?
Oh, he’d noticed her. Hadn’t been able to think clearly without her entering his thoughts for close to eight years now. Of course, he’d gone out with other women in that time, except these last two years.
Anytime he’d tried to get closer to Coralee Avery she’d slapped him back. He emptied the bottle down his throat then shook his head. Now he knew why he’d been slapped back, all those other women.
Well fuck. Now he thought of nothing but her, and she was with another man. Could he even call him a man? Kind of a boy, man. Didn’t matter, point was it wasn’t him.
He got up to get another beer.
Coming back in, he grabbed the phone and called the foreman from work. He was taking some time off. He deserved that. Other than a few weekends here and there he’d been working non-stop since he’d left school.
Take some time off and think about how to fix this mess...
Some time to come up with a plan …
He hung up the phone and saluted it with his bottle.
First step down, now what next? He looked at the phone. He could call her and interrupt…
Was he that low? No, as far down as he had dug, he wasn’t that low.
He took another drink and swore under his breath.
Yes, he was.
Picking up the phone he dialed her number, then lost count of the number of rings. Hanging up he tossed the phone down beside him.
Great plan. Now he had more images in his head. Like he needed more. Wasn’t it bad enough that every time he’d closed his eyes since the Lammas dance when Cora dropped that wrap and danced as close to naked as she could get in front of him? Those silver nipple rings shining at him like fucking beacons. “Fuck!” He spat loudly to himself. That helped. Not. At. All. He shook his head hoping to bury the images inside it.
Cora watched Steven come into the dining room. He grinned at her. “Let the brunch begin, I am starving.” He dropped down beside her for a change. “So, I hear you’re moving.”
She nodded. “Word spreads quickly. Owen and I just signed the paperwork yesterday.”
He chuckled. “Oh, I didn’t even hear it from anyone here. Kevin dropped by my office before I left yesterday. He’s pretty excited about your apartment and having a job in one location.”
Cora smiled. “He’s so cute sometimes, isn’t he?”
Steven lifted his brows at her. “I suppose.” With each person walking in he watched her eyes go to the door. Interesting.
Rachel walked in carrying the coffee urn. “Angel,” he winked at her, “what price will you take for a cup of that?”
She smiled at him. “What are you willing to pay, sir?”
Steven patted Cora’s hand and got up to walk around the table. “My heart and soul, my lady.” He bowed with his hand over his heart.
Rachel grinned at him. “Throw in your body and you can have as many cups as you like.” She set the coffee down quickly as he pulled her into his arms. “What about your coffee?” She laughed as he bit her neck.
“Who cares?” He growled against her throat.
Kasey slid to a stop beside them. “You two wear me out.” She said with a huff of breath then went and sat down.
Chris grinned at her. “I didn’t think anything could.” He leaned over and kissed her blushing cheeks.
Cora glanced at the door then smiled at Leena. “So how are the nerves so far? There’s only what, a little over three weeks to go until the big day.”
Leena smiled. “Who has time for nerves? There’s so much planning to be done. We want a good location, but one that will work in case it snows on us…”
Rachel gasped, “Don’t even say that! With the gowns we’ve chosen we’ll be Popsicles.”
“And finishing the gowns…” Leena continued. She sighed and sat back. “Gwen is helping with the location, she seemed to be the best at finding that sort of thing.”
She smiled at Cora for a moment. “I hoped Dade would be here so we could ask you both together but all of us want you and Dade to be our witnesses.”
Cora put a hand over her mouth for a second then smiled. “I would love to.” She laughed. “I’ll still be signing my name when the reception begins.” Rachel was up and around the table hugging her before she could stand up.
“This is great.” She straightened and looked at Steven. “You need to hunt him down and ask him, Doc, we can’t finalize plans without knowing who’s doing what.”
Chris leaned forward. “Actually, got a message from him about an hour ago, he had a plumbing emergency at the retirement home, so he doubted he’d make it.”
Leena nodded. “Well I guess the elderly having water is a bit more important than brunch.”
Kasey nodded. “Yeah, I guess we’ll have to forgive him huh?”
Rachel sat back down beside Steven. “Still you need to track him down later and get an answer from him.”
Steven pouted. “But, angel, I have the whole day off. I thought we could...”
She smiled at him. “After you talk to Dade.”
He huffed out a breath. “Fine. I’ll go around to his place after I take you home. Catching him on the phone is getting a bit tiresome.”
Rachel leaned over and kissed him running her tongue along his lips. “Thank you.”
Owen paused eating to look at Cora. “I’ve got Dade finishing the bathroom in the basement, I dropped the key off to him yesterday.”
She nodded. “Thank you. Do you want me to chip in towards the cost?”
He shook his head. “Nope. Sold you a finished home, so I thought I’d better have it finished.”
She smirked. “I still feel like I’m stealing it from you. I could have afforded more you know.”
“It’s enough. I bought it outright, did nothing but bump around for over ten years writing, never bought much of anything with the money. You just have to have a big dinner party and invite me once you’re settled.”
Cora clenched her hands excitedly. “I can’t wait. I bought a double oven that I’ve always wanted, but could never fit in the apartment. I can’t wait!” She grinned at everyone around the table. “I’ll be able to cook twice the amount in the same time.”
Steven laughed as he raised his coffee cup to Owen. “To Owen, who’s generosity has insured we never go hungry.”
Everyone raised their cup to him and laughed.
Cora sobered and looked at Owen again. “Do you know when Dade will be finished?”
He sipped his coffee then nodded. “Said he’d have it done by Wednesday. I’m going over Thursday to start packing my stuff up. Oh let me know if you want any of the furniture, Lee and I don’t really need much at her house.”
Leena leaned over and brushed a hand over his. “Our house,” she said softly.
Owen grinned. “Our house. So, if you want anything let me know.”
Steven leaned forward and grinned at Cora. “The kitchen table is mine.”
Cora rolled her eyes. “You’re welcome to it. Just please hide it somewhere at your place so I don’t have to see it.” She smiled at Owen. “I wouldn’t mind a few pieces. My whole apartment will fit in two rooms.”
He saluted her with his cup. “Whatever you want.”
Later when she was alone again at her apartment sorting through drawers Cora sighed, she wanted to call Dade but refused to let herself. She missed his presence in her life, and didn’t know how she’d ever get past that.
A feeling kept telling her he hadn’t been around the others because of her, and she didn’t want that. Sighing again, she closed the now empty drawer and bent to close the box. She’d just go by and speak to him on Thursday when she went to help Owen and Leena pack. Unless she saw him on Tuesday at the temple, it would be harder in front of others, but it was something she had to do.
Steven cursed him silently all the way to his house. The van was there, he grinned, well at least he wouldn’t have to make the trip a second time.
He knocked on the door, twice and Dade didn’t come. He listened, but didn’t hear any drumming. Trying the handle, he opened the door. “Jones!” He walked in bellowing.
“Doc!”
Closing the door, he walked in to see the sorriest sight ever. Dade was sprawled on the couch in his dirty work clothes. His feet were up on the table covered with empty beer bottles and chip bags. Dade held a beer towards him that he pulled from the case at his feet.
“Have a beer, not real cold didn’t put them in the fridge yet. Figured fuck it, I’m just gonna take ‘em out and drink ‘em anyway.” He laughed.
Steven walked over and stood looking down at him. “Hard day at the office, bro?”
Dade gave him a blank look. “I don’t work at an office, that’s you.”
Sighing, Steven sat on the arm of the chair across from him and shook his head when Dade offered the beer once more. “So, what’s new?”
“Fixed a tap today.” He took another drink.
“Well, that’s always good, isn’t it? Rachel sent me here.”
Dade looked at the door, then turned and looked behind him. “Where is she?”
Steven closed his eyes for a second. “She sent me. Didn’t come with me.”
“Ohh okay.” He offered a beer to Steven who shook his head again. “What for?”
Steven dropped down into the chair and studied him. “Because no one has seen or heard from you since Mabon.”
Dade motioned around the room with the bottle. “Bin right here—'cept this morning, fissed a tap for ol’ Sally.”
Steven leaned forward. “You haven’t been to work this past week?”
Dade shook his head vigorously. “Yep. Not nest week though, took my holidays. First ever.”
“To do what?”
Dade saluted him with the bottle again. “This.”
Steven pinched the bridge of his nose. “So, I was supposed to be asking you if you’d stand up for us three couples getting married in three weeks’ time…”
“Be a fuckin’ honor to do that.” He leaned to the front of the couch. “Yes.” He set the bottle on the table. “I’m goin’ to nap.”
Steven jumped up and grabbed the wobbly man’s arm. “Sounds like a damn good idea, friend, sleep it off.”
Dade nodded and took a few swerving steps. “So, that’s good.” He said trying to turn back to Steven. “You got sexy witch, gonna marry her.” He took a swing to tap Steven on the shoulder and missed, almost following his own hand to the floor.
Steven grabbed him and turned him towards the bedroom. “You give me a call later this week and we’ll get together.”
“S’good. After my nap.”
Steven guided him into the bedroom and watched him crawl on the bed. “I’m going to leave you a note to remind you that you agreed to stand up for us.”
Dade rolled half onto his side. “Oh ya. You’re getting married.” He grinned in the direction of the door.
“Talk to you later.” Steven mumbled to the already sleeping man. Going back out he went to the table with the phone base, looking around he didn’t see the phone anywhere. Grabbing a pen, he wrote a note to Dade reminding him, and walked over opened the door and flipping the lock, he closed it behind himself.
Better not tell Rachel the condition he found Dade in. He pursed his lips as he got in the car. Well, not if she didn’t outright ask ‘was Dade completely wasted?’ It would just be better until he could get back to Dade and see what was eating away at him. He had an idea, nothing drove a man to drink faster than women problems.
He grinned. Why was that? Why did we think the solution to any hitch in the symmetry of a relationship sat at the bottom of a bottle? All the intelligence in the world didn’t improve our abilities when it involved women.
He smiled recalling a few trips back from school holidays trying to drown Rachel from his brain. Of course, it only worked for a few moments and she’d been right back in his mind as soon as the fog cleared.
Pretty simple people men were, pretty dumb at times too.