Eyes locked, we stare a little too long. Lollie clears her throat, sparking my attention away from the devilish man and back to the reality of where we are and who I’m here with.
“So, you’ve left this one out of your list of new acquaintances, I see.” She is looking at me with one eyebrow raised and a very knowing, amused look gracing her petite pixie face.
He is beautiful. I can admit that. Anyone who has two eyes can see that, but there is something else that pulls me toward him. One would think it would be carnal in nature—it is not. It is an intimate understanding. Every time I look at him, I can relate. But to what? I don’t know.
While Lollie seems intrigued with my reaction to this man, Ashton just stares daggers. If Que can feel this, he doesn’t let on. He stands up and stretches his back, as if he is in no hurry. I watch as a sliver of his midriff becomes exposed in his black shirt and fitted jacket. Looking away proves challenging, which Lollie notices.
I dart my eyes away, flipping them at her. Like she doesn’t drool at men who look like him on a regular basis. But not many look like him. In fact, as I think about this, I find it odd that she doesn’t seem the least bit interested. The Lollie I know would have already introduced herself to a man like that as well as wiggled her way into his nightly itinerary.
Que strolls toward Ashton, all the while his eyes glued to me. When he directs his attention to Ashton, he holds his hand out. A challenge Ashton accepts. A dual of wills on who will be the first to break their handshakes.
“Hello, you must be Jade’s best friends from Detroit. I’m Que.” Que directs his comment Ashton’s way. They both stare at each other. Not saying much with words, but they don’t need to. Finally, they let go of each other’s hands, and the standoff thankfully ends.
“I’m Ashton, and this is Lollie,” Ashton says, breaking the silence. The tension still buzzing in intensity.
“Hello, Que.” Lollie says with a tilt of the head. “It seems you’ve heard about us, but I can’t say we’ve heard about you.” And it is in that moment that I try to think back on the times I have talked about Ashton and Lollie to anyone here. Of those moments, I don’t recall being with Que at all. I must have mentioned them the other night when we were drinking wine, and maybe that is why I can’t seem to remember.
“That’s probably for the best,” Que says, in a deep tone that rattles my senses. And with that comment, he walks past us and out the door. Not even a glance back in our direction.
“Well, I can see why you didn’t mention him. Iwould hope to forget that kind of smug attitude too if I were you,” Ashton comments, exposing his annoyance at the whole interaction.
“He’s just really intense, but I barely know him,” I rush my words. “He came over for dinner just the once, and kind of uninvited at that.” I realize my mistake then, when they both snap their heads to look at me. My unfiltered mouth gets the very best of me.
“What!?” They exclaim, as if it’s a big deal. But things have changed in the last few months here.I’vechanged. Gone is the tame, calculated girl they knew back in Detroit.
“Oh yeah, I had Cher over, and she kind of brought him along. Just a harmless dinner. The company was a pleasant change since coming here. I don’t know many people yet.” I add while browsing one of the record crates on the table against the wall, hoping to make the entire dinner event seem more casual than it actually was. Especially between Que and me.
“Nothing about him says harmless,” Lollie says with eyes that say more. She isn’t wrong. “And who is this friend? I haven’t heard about this harmless man or this new friend until now. Wish you would’ve let me in on that information, Jade.” Lollie’s wariness shining through.
“I just met them, actually, so there has been little to tell. I had them over for dinner once, and that was it. But it was nice.” I say honestly. I look to Lollie, who I can tell is bummed it took so long for me to tell her about the people I’ve met here, but she smiles as she always does.
We both pull each other in for a hug. A habit we have always done when we’ve reached a mutual understanding after miscommunication. Lollie and I always bounce back. That’s just how we’re built.
Ashton is a different story. He’s been quiet. Too quiet. He is super protective of me, always has been since he moved across from Moon Shadow Collectibles all those years ago. He was just a young man himself, helping his dad stock the local food market shop.
When he is this quiet, it puts me on edge. Watching me while chewing his bottom lip deep in thought, I can tell he doesn’t know what to think of this whole situation. The truth is, neither do I, but that’s on me to figure out.
“Who is the new friend then?” He asks, and since he had already met the one person I was hoping they would not, I figure there is no harm in telling them now. She seems nice enough.
“Her name is Cher. She’s super friendly, and well, this is her shop.” And as if she heard us call her name, Cher appears from behind the back shop door, coffee in hand and a smile on her cheerful face. She spots us and makes her way over. There is no way to ease them into her now.
“Jade!” She says brightly, and pulls me into an embrace whether I wanted one or not. “How are you? I'm still nursing a hangover from dinner the other night, believe it or not. Please tell me you fared better than I did?” She asks and slowly looks around at Lollie and Ashton, who have stepped closer to me at this point. “Oh my, you have company. So sorry to invade. I am Cher!” she says in a way that gives no hint of her actually being sorry.
“Hi, Cher. This is Ashton and Lollie. Two of my dearest friends from Detroit,” I announce. This introduction being a lot more welcome than the last. Or at least I think it is. I notice Lollie has a stoic look on her face the whole time, like she will not let her guard down. Odd behavior for someone who befriends literally everyone she meets.
Cher invites us all out to dinner tonight, not caring about my friends’ reception of her. Both Ashton and Lollie agree to join with a bit of reluctance. After all, they’ve been dying to see everything about the town I’ve been calling my residence for the last few months. We all settle on meeting Cher at Tallulah’s Cajun Bar later tonight, and then promptly leave the scene of more thanonerather awkward encounter today.
The comfortable October air makes it idealto walk toThe Spanish Moss, our destination for brunch. I am lucky enough that the owners are nowhere in sight, and as I had predicted, Lollie and Ashton ate their way through tomorrow, leaving just enough time to check out more of the town. We drag a reluctant Ashton around, popping in and out of as many shops as we can for most of the afternoon, until he finally asks if we can spare him by going home.
“I need a nap if I plan to make it out tonight with you girls. We weren’t all born with loads of energy that allows us to look aimlessly at worthless trinkets all day.” He jokes, obviously referring to Lollie. She doesn’t miss a beat.
“Oh, don’t we know it, Grandpa.” She says back and bats her eyelashes in his direction. His expression heats.
Their constant backhanded remarks are normal expectations in their strained relationship. However, there is something that isn’t being said, and I’ve noticed strange subtleties between them since arriving here. Ashton is right, though. A small nap does sound rather nice.
Back at the estate, we all agree to go to our separate bedrooms. A welcome invitation of the rest our legs are begging for. I grab Carya, who is wandering the hall, scooping her warm frame up in my arms, and head to my room.
I make a quick go of taking off my brown suede skirt and throw on the sweats already bunched up on the end of my bed from this morning. Carya and I settle in, and I close my eyes, thinking how hard it will be to fall asleep with the excitement of my friends finally being here.
