My footsteps briefly falter as we enter a massive chef’s kitchen. Except for the backsplash tiling and stainless-steel appliances, it’s also all white. There’s a huge wall of windows and French doors that catch my attention. The view out into the back courtyard garden is breathtaking.
Jordan pulls out a bar stool for me at the counter island, then walks around it and taps the kitchen faucet with the side of his hand. Water comes out in a gentle stream. I dip my finger into a glass bowl and touch one of the floating rose buds. Before we even entered the kitchen, I could smell their subtle fragrance.
Jordan looks up at me while he washes his hands. “From Mom’s garden. It’s a way for me to remember her.”
The fact he has a decorative bowl of his mother’s favorite flower is incredibly charming.
“She was a wonderful woman and always so kind to me when she would come over and visit Natalie.”
Jordan taps the faucet again, and it shuts off. He opens what I deduce is the refrigerator disguised to match the cabinetry and takes out a fruit and cheese platter filled with strawberries, red grapes, and white and yellow cheese cubes. The sight of it makes me hungry, but the thought of eating in front of him curls my stomach. I place my hands out of sight in my lap and rub the scar on my wrist.It’s only fruit and cheese, Douglass.
“Hope you don’t mind sparkling water. I don’t keep alcohol on the premises anymore.”
Douglass, I was black-out drunk that night. I don’t remember a goddamn thing.
I believed him when he said it, but the soul-deep truth of it really concerns me. How bad did his drinking get, and why didn’t I see it that night? He acted just fine. Maybe a little buzzed, but not overly inebriated as far as I could tell. I rack my brain for the terminology I heard once. High-functioning alcoholic. Is that what he was?
“Water is fine,” I reply and accept the green bottle he hands me and take a swallow. “Thank you for the hospitality, but I’m not hungry.”
Jordan pops a grape into his mouth. “You had half a piece of toast. Don’t think I didn’t notice the eggs you didn’t touch and threw away.” He pushes the platter at me like a challenge. “Can I ask you something?”
Seeing as the day can’t get any weirder, “Ask away.”
“Did you know Natalie and my mom were in a relationship?”
I splutter on the fizzy water I just sipped.
“You didn’t know?”
It’s not like it was a secret. Was it?
He slumps forward, face-first into his crossed arms that are resting on the countertop. “No. Natalie told me last night.”
“So?” I ask a little angrily.
I never knew Jordan to be prejudiced, but then again, what do I really know about him? It’s not like we’ve ever had deep, meaningful conversations before. He was a crush who I made the huge mistake of sleeping with.
He props his chin up on his forearms. “Natalie should’ve been in Mom’s will. Mom should have taken better care of her. That’s what people who love one another do.”
“Oh,” I say, my ire retreating. I grab a strawberry. “Natalie doesn’t care about money. You know that.”
“Douglass, her house is falling apart. It’s unacceptable.”
My hackles rise again. “Iknow.”
I’m trying to fix things, but it’s hard to do when I don’t have a job, and what money I could send to Natalie over the years went right into my sister’s pocket.
Jordan’s blue eyes narrow. “I wasn’t blaming or accusing you, Douglass, so I don’t need the attitude.”
I turn in my stool and look out the windows. “I’m sorry. You’re right. It’s a touchy subject for me right now.”
“She told me yesterday that she was selling the house.”
I take a deep breath. He may as well know. Sooner or later, everyone will know. You can’t hide a disease like hers forever, especially in a town like this.
“Natalie’s got a lot on her plate.”
Jordan pushes up from the countertop, his arm muscles stretching the short sleeves of the soft cotton fabric of his T-shirt. My casual undereye swipe to catch the lone runaway tear doesn’t go unnoticed.
