Chapter 12: Love and Vengeance
*****Eli and Jazmin after Leaving Ice Cream Place*****
Jazmin couldn't later recall how she arrived at her brother and Eli's place. She almost couldn't believe that Eli had finally confessed how much he cared about her. Not only did he make it clear that he wanted them to be together, but he had told her that he loved her. She hadn't expected so much from him. The knowledge made the entire encounter at the ice cream parlor almost dreamlike for her.
For Eli, it was the opposite. Every moment was seared in his mind. Her joy at hearing him say the words he'd been holding inside was apparent for all to see. She was glowing. As they made it to his house, they walked up the steps holding hands. He only released her to unlock the door. Her brother was still out chasing Daisy.
He led her up to his room. Although he felt more desire for her than he had ever felt for a woman, he had no plans on rushing this moment. He wanted to savor every moment with her. He wanted her to forget ever man that came before him. Knowing she'd been with both Duncan and Wallace ate at him a bit. However, he was no saint; nor was he a hypocrite. He hadn't cared much for most of the women he'd been with. He liked the fact that Jazmin didn't share herself with a man unless she cared deeply.
He turned on the lamp by his bed, which cast a soft glow into the room. He wanted enough light to see every part of her. "We can wait if you aren't ready for this," Eli told her even though he wanted her desperately.
Jazmin smiled easily. "Haven't we been leading up to this for almost a year? I don't think it's too soon. I'm sure that you know I don't jump into bed right away with the guys I dated. I waited for months with Duncan. And with Wallace…well, you know what happened there," she said a bit awkwardly.
"I don't really want to talk about your exes right now," Eli said plainly.
Jazmin felt her face get hot in embarrassment. "I'm sorry!" she exclaimed.
Eli pulled her close and kissed her. "Don't be sorry. We both have a past. I'm only concerned about our future," he told her.
Jazmin flashed him a brilliant smile. She laid her head down on his chest; he hugged her close, savoring the feel of her in his arms. After a few moments, Jazmin raised her head and grabbed the hem of his shirt. Eli lifted his arms and helped her take off his shirt. The two of them slowly undressed the other—neither wanting to rush their first time together.
When Jazmin was finally standing before Eli naked, he savored the sight of her. "You take my breath away, Princess," he said. He ran his hand down her cheek, marveling at her beauty.
"You're pretty impressive yourself," she said, eying his own impressive state of arousal.
"I haven't so much as looked at another woman since I first saw you," Eli confessed. "So it's been a long time for me. But I promise to not rush this. I want tonight to be perfect."
"It already is. You've made me crazy since I first met you. I'm sorry I made things so difficult for you and made you wait so long," Jazmin said.
"I was the one who kept pushing you away," Eli said. He led her to his bed and pulled back the covers. Then he turned back to her, and they sat down on the bed. He began to kiss her. He could kiss her forever.
He pulled back to take a breath and slow down his racing heart. He wanted to make this memorable for her, and he needed to get himself under control.
Jazmin wouldn't let him, however. She lay down on the bed and pulled him down on top of her. "Don't make me wait any longer," she said with an impish grin.
Her boldness both surprised and aroused him. "I love you, Jazmin," he said to her. Now that he'd given her the words, he just wanted to say it over and over. Never had he felt like this before. For some reason, all the worry and doubt he'd had about the two of them had disappeared. Being with her was the most important thing. He wouldn't allow anything to come between them. She was the woman he'd dreamed about ever since he'd first discovered girls almost a decade earlier. "I have from the moment I first met you."
His words warmed her. She wanted to say the words back and opened her mouth. But she hesitated a moment, unsure. Could she love him so soon? She had thought she loved Wallace and Duncan. What if she messed things up again or they fell apart? She didn't know if her heart could take it. She was so tired of being disappointed.
Eli saw her indecision in her eyes. He edged off of her a bit, not wanting to crush her. He cupped her face. He gave her a slow smile, his eyes reflected his adoration. "Don't worry, Princess. I have the rest of our lives to make you fall hopelessly and completely in love with me," he said.
Her breath caught at his declaration. "Do you really believe in us that much?" she asked him, a bit in awe of his confidence.
"I do," he said without hesitation.
Jazmin's eyes filled with tears. His faith and love moved her so much. "Is this really happening?" she asked, hardly able to believe it was real.
"Actions speak louder than words," he replied with a grin. Then he began to show her with every touch and every kiss exactly how much he loved her.
******Saturday Morning at the Mars******
Although Keith and Alicia were happy to have Veronica stay the night, they were a bit surprised. She insisted that things were fine between her and Logan and that she just wanted some Daddy time. Keith, always glad to accommodate her, was happy to spend time with her. They all watched old movies, sharing their favorite parts with Alicia and Darrel. Even though Veronica seemed happy enough, it was apparent to her father that something was on her mind. After Alicia cooked them breakfast the next morning, she gave a silent signal to Keith to find out what was going on with Veronica.
Keith got her hint. "Why don't Veronica and I clean up?" Keith suggested.
"That'd be great. I need to take Darrel to get a haircut," Alicia said. "Go get ready to go, Darrel." She gave Keith a light kiss and Veronica a quick hug before exiting the room, leaving them to their privacy.
Veronica began clearing the table while Keith ran the dish water. "So sweetie, tell me what's going on. I'm glad that you decided to spend the night with your old man, but I can tell something's bothering you," Keith said.
Veronica gave him a half smile. "You know me too well," she said. "I'm just worried."
Keith grabbed the coffee cups off the table. "About Sorokin?" he asked.
"Yes, but that's not all," Veronica said. She took a deep breath and blurted out, "Dad, I'm pregnant."
Keith was so surprised by her unexpected announcement that he dropped one of the coffee cups. Veronica instinctively bent down to pick up the shards of glass.
"Don't worry about it now," Keith said. He turned off the water. Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Come sit down and talk to me." He led her to the kitchen table. He sat down in the chair next to her. "Are you okay?"
Veronica put her head down on the table for a minute. Then she looked up. "I don't know. I think so. I just can't believe this, Dad."
"I take it that you didn't plan this," her dad said, a question in his voice.
"Someday. But I'm on the pill. However, I was on antibiotics when I came back from Italy, and I guess that can interfere with the pill's effectiveness. I'm sure every girl in America knows this but me. I feel like an idiot!" she confessed. Then she put her face in her hands.
"Now don't be calling my daughter an idiot!" Keith chided. He rubbed her back. "I didn't know that either."
"With all that's been going on with Sean being in town, I've been so stressed out. I thought I was tired and sick due to stress," Veronica said.
"So you're sure?" Keith asked.
"I took two pregnancy tests, so I'm pretty sure," Veronica said.
"But you haven't been to the doctor yet?" Keith asked.
"No, not yet. I'm still in shock," Veronica said.
"What does Logan think? He's probably excited," Keith said.
"I haven't told him yet. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it. Logan is upset enough about the possibility of Trina giving up her baby for adoption. If I can't be as happy and excited about this baby as him, he'll be really hurt," Veronica said.
"Veronica, you and Logan are a couple now. You don't have to go through anything alone," Keith said.
"I know. I just want to get a doctor confirmation before I tell him," Veronica said.
"But you're happy, right?" Keith asked.
Veronica looked upset. "I want to be. I know this baby is a part of Logan and me, but do I want to bring a baby into our life with the threat of Sorokin hanging over our heads?" Veronica asked.
"Honey, there's always going to be things you can obsess about and worry about. Global warming, terrorist attacks, droughts, fires, robberies, or kidnappings. If all potential parents focused only on the bad things that could happen, no one would ever have a baby," Keith said.
"Logan almost died less than a year ago. Gory almost took him from me. I'm just so worried now that Gory's brother's in town. It's not a good time to be pregnant. How did I let this happen, Dad?" Veronica asked.
"Some things are meant to be. Be happy about this. It's sooner than Alicia and I would've wanted for you, but you can do this. Your mom was twenty when you were born. I wasn't much older. You'll have the support of all of us. I don't think you could find a better potential father than Logan," Keith said.
Veronica finally smiled. "I know. He'll be amazing," she said.
Keith smiled widely and got a bit teary-eyed, "My baby's having a baby! I'm going to be a grandpa!" he exclaimed. He reached over and pulled her in for a hug.
Veronica leaned into him, savoring the feel of her father's arms around her. He had always been her rock. No one could have possibly had a better dad than she had growing up. Veronica knew that Logan would be just as loving and protective to their child. Although she was still a bit overwhelmed at the thought of being a mother, she wasn't worried about breaking the news to Logan. He'd handle it better than she was.
She pulled back from her dad. "So you think I can really do this?" she asked him.
"I really do. You want a future with Logan, don't you?" Keith inquired.
"More than anything," Veronica replied.
"Well, sweetie, this is your future. Having a family with the man you love. Let me know when you tell him, so Alicia and I can start planning the wedding!" Keith said happily.
"Not so fast! Let's focus on one thing at a time. Don't tell Wallace or anyone but Alicia until I break the news to Logan. I'm about four weeks along, so we got plenty of time. I don't need any extra stress right now. Hopefully, the Sean situation will have resolved itself before our baby is born," Veronica said.
"It will. I'm going to call Wallace's dad and have him give us some background on Sean and let him know what's going on. I don't want you to worry about anything but taking care of yourself and focusing on your classes," Keith said.
"I love you, Dad," Veronica said. "Thanks."
"Thank you for making me a grandpa!" Keith said proudly.
Veronica laughed. She felt so much better after talking to her dad. Now she just had to find the best time to break the news to Logan.
******Later that Afternoon******
Duncan picked up Parker for their double date with Wallace and Julie. He was picking them up at the dorms. Even though this was just a casual lunch and matinee, he was still excited. It was their first date. He hoped that it would lead to many other outings together.
Parker was very nervous. This may not be a real date, but it felt like one to her. In many ways, Duncan was the kind of guy she'd always secretly dreamed about. However, his life was a lot more complicated than her fantasies. Not to mention, nothing ever seemed to turn out the way she hoped, so she was wary of expecting too much. She had thought Piz was the kind of guy that would never let her down, but he had surprised her by both letting her down and hurting her. Then again that was partly her fault. She had betrayed him first, so how could she truly blame him for giving up on them?
Duncan and Parker exchanged pleasantries and small talk until they reached the dorm to pick up Wallace and Julie. Having others join them caused Parker to immediately relax. She felt some of the pressure ease off of them. Wallace's enthusiasm was infectious. Julie seemed charmed by Wallace.
They agreed to grab a pizza at Cho's pizza. Julie was amused at the idea of eating at a pizza place that was obviously not run by Italians. Wallace assured her that the pizza was the best in town.
"So, Julie, tell us a little bit about yourself," Parker said after they gave the server their order. Julie seemed sweet, but she didn't really seem to be Wallace's normal type.
"Well, I'm not very interesting really," she said in a self-deprecating manner.
"I'll beg to differ," Wallace said flirtatiously.
Julie smiled. "I'm from Indianapolis originally. I'm an only child, but I have a lot of cousins so my childhood was pretty great. No childhood dramas to make me more interesting," she shared with a rueful smile.
"That's a relief. Most of Wallace's friends have enough childhood drama to last a life time," Duncan said with a grin.
"What made you choose Hearst?" Parker inquired.
"I've always wanted to live by the ocean. We went once to Virginia Beach when I was a kid, and I loved it. It's a favorite childhood memory. I went to a college fair and was charmed by a recruiter. I hadn't heard of Hearst before then. I was offered a great deal, and since the price was right, Hearst became my top choice," Julie shared. "My parents weren't happy, but they kind of liked the idea of visiting me in California."
"Well, hey, if you love the beach so much, we can skip the movies and go to the beach," Wallace suggested.
Duncan and Parker didn't mind, especially when Julie seemed very excited by the idea. They had all dressed casually, so no stops home to change were necessary. The beach became their next destination.
Duncan was secretly pleased by the change of venue because it'd give him time to spend with Parker that a movie would not. However, as they got in the car to go to the beach, Wallace said, "Hey, will you mind stopping by my dorm? If we're going to go the beach, I want to grab my airplane. I don't get much time to play with it."
"You play with a toy airplane?" Julie asked in surprise.
Duncan snickered. Wallace quickly explained, "Since I'm an aerospace engineer major, we had to design planes that could fly by remote control for a class I took. It's pretty cool."
"Oh, you created it? That is impressive," Julie said.
So Duncan made a quick stop by the dorms, and Wallace grabbed his plane. Luckily, Duncan's trunk was empty.
The weather was perfect for a day at the beach. "Lily would've liked to come. You've not shown her your plane yet, have you?" Duncan asked Wallace.
"No, but I will make a point of doing so very soon. She'll love it. I don't know why I hadn't thought of it before," Wallace said.
"We can go get her," Parker suggested.
Although Duncan loved the fact that Parker was so willing to spend time with his daughter, he wanted to be able to focus only on Parker. "Next time," he said with an easy smile.
They arrived at the beach in no time. Duncan and Parker allowed Wallace to show off his plane. When he began showing Julie how to fly the plane, Duncan and Parker took off by themselves for a stroll.
"Julie seems really sweet," Parker remarked.
"Yes, she is. I'm lucky because usually freshman don't work as hard as she does," Duncan remarked.
"I didn't know freshman could take upper level business classes," Parker observed.
"It's unusual. She told me that she'd gotten a business certificate at a vo-tech by the time she'd finished high school, so they made an exception for her," Duncan explained.
When they got a bit of distance from Wallace and Julie, Duncan stopped. "I'm really glad you decided to go out with me today. I know I said I wouldn't push, but I can't help but enjoy getting to spend time with you," he told Parker.
Parker smiled. "You're not being pushy. It's okay," she said.
"So have you heard from Piz?" Duncan asked. He didn't know if it was a good idea to mention her ex, but he didn't think they could really get much closer if Piz became the elephant in the room.
"No. He told me we needed some space, but he's not called or emailed me," Parker said.
"Have you called him?" Duncan inquired.
"Why should I? He's the one who decided at the last minute that our relationship wasn't that important to him. He decided to stay in New York," Parker replied, a note of bitterness tainting her voice.
Duncan knew she had a point, but he also didn't like to know that she was hurting and instinctively offered comfort. "If he's insecure about your feelings for him, he may be waiting for you to call him," Duncan suggested.
Parker realized that Duncan had a point, but she was a bit surprised that the suggestion came from him. "Are you supposed to be helping the competition?" she asked.
"I don't think you can really move on with me or anyone else if you're still hung up on him," Duncan said. "It always takes me a long time to move past a break-up. It took years with Veronica and months with Jazmin. How can I expect you to just suddenly be over Piz?"
Parker was impressed with his sensitivity. She couldn't help but like the fact that he cared so deeply for the girls he had dated. And she also liked the fact that there hadn't been all that many. Even though Duncan could probably have any girl he wanted, he respected women enough to not treat them like a piece of meat. And he respected her enough to take her feelings into consideration. She gave Duncan a warm smile. "It means a lot to me, Duncan, that you are so sensitive to my feelings," she said.
"I really like you, Parker, and I think things could be really great between us," Duncan told her. He grabbed her hand.
Parker's pulse raced. She found herself admitting, "I think so, too."
Duncan leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. He didn't attempt to deepen it but wanted her to know how he felt. When he pulled away, he said, "We'll take things slow."
"Slow's good," she replied. He kept hold of her hand, and they strolled hand in hand down the beach.
******Jason and Daisy******
Since coffee had gone so well with the two of them, Daisy had agreed to a dinner date the next night. Saturday morning, Jason paid one of the servers from Java Hut to drop her off a coffee, a chocolate donut, a blueberry muffin, and breakfast sandwich. It was accompanied by a note that read, "I look forward to learning which breakfast treat you prefer. Jay." Daisy had been totally surprised. Guys occasionally gave her flowers and even chocolates, but she had never had anyone order her breakfast, especially if they hadn't spent the night with her. A half hour later, he had called.
"So which do you prefer?" Jason asked.
Daisy couldn't disguise the smile in her voice. "I like all three things, but usually on weekends, I like something like an egg sandwich. You did a good job. Thanks," she said.
"I'd like to do an even better job tonight," Jason told her.
"Really? What do you have in mind?" she inquired, curious.
"I'd like to take you to dinner at some place really nice for our first official date. I want to drive up to L.A. if that's okay," he said.
Daisy was happy that he wanted to make their first date special, so she easily agreed.
"Wear something really nice. I've got reservations at seven, so I'll pick you up about four thirty," he said.
Daisy was surprised to realize that she was very excited about their date. Although she'd enjoyed torturing Jason since classes started, she was anticipating their date with pleasure. Somehow she just knew Jason would make it memorable. He wasn't the kind of guy to do things halfway. For her part, she wanted to knock his socks off, so she had to look amazing. She wanted to call Mac and ask her to come over, but she felt stupid. She never had girlfriends before, only female cousins. You never really had to worry about what family thought because they were your family. But Mac might think she was being silly. Barbie would probably enjoy helping her get ready, but she had enough on her mind these days. Since she really didn't have any other girlfriends at Hearst, she went ahead and called Mac.
Mac was pleasantly surprised to get a call from Daisy asking her to come by after lunch. Instead, Mac offered to bring over some lunch for them both. While they ate lunch, Mac told her that Dick had filled her in on his confrontation with Sean. Daisy, in turn, told her about her date with Sean. Mac was very happy to hear that Daisy had told Sean that she didn't want to see him if he was going to go around threatening her friends.
"That is for the best. Innocent bystanders often get hurt when a Sorokin is involved," Mac told her. "I got my head busted with a brick Gory threw through Logan and Dick's window. I wasn't involved in any way with the whole mess."
Daisy knew things had gotten bad last year, but she didn't like to hear that someone would hurt Mac. "Do you really think Sean is going to hurt someone?" Daisy asked.
"I hope not, but I am pragmatic. It's always best to prepare for the worst. I just hope Dick being in Sean's fraternity will protect him somehow," Mac said. "How about we talk about something less depressing?"
"Well, Jason was waiting at my door when Sean dropped me off," Daisy shared.
"Really? I want all the details!" Mac said eagerly. Veronica and Logan both frequently had Daisy-Jason stories to tell. Classes had only begun a few weeks, and Daisy's daily torture of Jason was vastly amusing to everyone. Daisy filled Mac in on what went down between her and Jason.
"Wow! Last night was a night for new romances. Eli finally put the moves on Jazmin in a very public way after the football game, and now you and Jason are going out!" Mac exclaimed happily.
"Well, don't go planning any double weddings or anything. It's our first date, and Jason may be pouring on the charm now, but I'm not hopeful for long term. This is Jason Jaleno we're talking about. He readily admitted to me that he's never really had a girlfriend," Daisy shared.
"You're talking to the girlfriend of Dick Casablancas, the biggest male tramp on campus. Or rather he used to be. I'm only the second girlfriend he's ever had. He was the king of one night stands," Mac said. "And Logan wasn't much better in between break-ups with Veronica. He even had a fling with Dick's stepmother when he was in high school."
"You're kidding!" Daisy said in disbelief.
"So don't think there's no hope for Jason," Mac assured her.
"It's not other women that really concern me. It's his other half," Daisy said.
"Jazmin? Why would you worry about her?" Mac asked, puzzled.
"Because I'm very possessive. Did you forget completely about when I dated Wallace? I don't like to share guys I'm with. Jazmin hates me, and I'm not too fond of her. They are like joined at the hips. I can't see getting around that particular road block," Daisy admitted.
Mac had put Daisy's short time with Wallace mostly out of her mind because she now knew Daisy. So she had forgotten how crazy Daisy could get about sharing. She also knew how close Jazmin and Jason were. She looked at Daisy and tried to be reassuring even though she knew Daisy had a point. "Why don't you put that out of your mind for tonight? Do not worry about that now. Focus on your first date. Things like that have a way of working out if the people involved really care about each other. Take it one date at a time. Let's just focus on tonight and how you're going to torture Jason with your hotness. Where are you guys going? What are you wearing?"
Mac's question served to distract Daisy from her concerns. The two talked clothes, and Daisy brought out some outfits she was considering.
Two hours later, she was ready. Mac grinned at the results. "Jason is going to go out of his mind when he sees you," Mac said. "Call me tomorrow and tell me all about it, please!"
Daisy examined the results in the mirror. They had agreed that her red dress would be the best for a first date. Daisy affectionately referred to the dress as her tramp dress. It was designed like a summer dress in that it left her shoulders and lower back bare since it fastened around her neck. The plunging neckline was guaranteed to make any man whimper. She wished that she could wear strapless dresses, but she never felt comfortable in them. Her breasts always seemed like they were going to fall out, and she didn't want to constantly be pulling up the bodice. This dress was a perfect alternative. It hugged her figure, stopping mid-thigh. It was backless. She decided to wear her hair up with a few strands of curls gracing her neckline. She had a matching black shawl and purse that accented the outfit perfectly.
She was putting on her red lipstick when there was a knock at her door.
Jason's face gave her the reaction she'd been shooting for. His eyes widened in surprise while his mouth hung open slightly as he took in the full effect of her outfit.
Jason had worn a suit and had expected that Daisy would dress up nicely as he requested. He was taking her to one of the hottest five star restaurants in Los Angeles. However, he was still stunned at how amazing she looked when she opened her bedroom door. Those beautiful breasts of hers were on prime display. She'd worn her hair up, and it was all he could do to keep himself from placing a kiss on the nape of her neck.
"You are absolutely stunning!" Jason said, admiration in his voice and expression. "You may cause a riot."
Daisy smiled in satisfaction at his reaction. "You look pretty nice yourself," she said. And he did. His dark Italian good looks were complimented nicely by the black suit he wore. His red tie caught the eye. "Your red tie and black suit go nicely with my outfit."
"I hope the man inside goes nicely with you," he said smoothly. He held out his hand and led her outside. She paused in her steps when she saw the stretch limo waiting for them.
"I don't like driving late at night, and it'll be dark when we head home, so I went and rented a car for us. We can focus on getting to know one another better on the drive there," Jason said.
"I hope you mean that and that you don't think we'll be getting close in the biblical sense," she told him pointedly.
"Actually, I meant exactly that. I want us to know each other. We haven't spent much time with just the two of us. Sex distracts and even though you're very distracting in that dress, I'll behave," he said with a smile. He walked to the car where the driver was waiting with the door opened for them.
The drive to L.A. went by quickly. Jason seemed determined to charm her. They conversed easily about nothing and everything. Daisy found herself surprised by how easy it was to be with him. She knew that they were compatible in bed, but she really hadn't thought they would mesh well outside of bed.
When they made it to the city, Daisy asked, "So where are we eating?"
"I got us reservations at Valentino's," he said.
Daisy's eyes widened in surprise. "The most famous Italian restaurant in Santa Monica? How did you get reservations on such short notice? Chip is always trying to get in there every time we come to L.A. and has never had any luck," Daisy said.
"It helps when you're grandfather supplies their wines. My grandparents own an Italian winery," Jason shared.
"Their wines are famous. I think they have over 100,000 wine bottles or something. I'm impressed," she said.
"Finally, you're impressed!" he said dramatically. The car stopped, and the valet opened the door for them. Jason stepped out and held out his hand to help Daisy get out of the car. "I'm sorry, I have to do this." He bent down and kissed her. He'd manage to keep his hands to himself the entire car ride. It was one of the hardest things he'd ever done. He kept the kiss light; he just wanted a taste.
When he pulled away, she said, "I guess I can let that slide. You've been quite the gentleman the entire drive."
"You are beyond tempting in that dress, as I'm sure you know. But regardless of how the rest of the night goes, I just had to taste you," Jason said, flashing her a charming smile.
His frankness was disarming, but she steeled her resolve. No matter how charming he was, she was not having sex with him at the end of the night. He had a long way to go before he earned the right to get back in her bed.
*****Sunday Afternoon at the Kanes'*****
Wallace went over to Duncan's house Sunday afternoon to pick up Julie. She was finishing up her project with Duncan. They'd had a great time yesterday at the beach. She wasn't as pushy as Jackie or as beautiful as Jazmin. Nor was she as bold and brassy as Daisy. Maybe this time things wouldn't end in a disaster.
Duncan opened the door and let him in. "Come on in. We're just finishing up. Julie told me you two were going to the movie we never went to yesterday," Duncan said.
"Yep," Wallace said with a satisfied grin.
Duncan laughed and led him into the kitchen where they were working. "Is your dad home? There seemed to be a lot of cars here," Wallace wondered.
"Yes, he's holed up in the library with CW. That's probably CW's car in the drive. I sent the driver to pick Julie up since she doesn't have her own car," Duncan said.
"Don't flaunt your wealth too much or she may find me less interesting," Wallace admonished him, only half-joking.
"Hey, who can resist your charm?" Duncan asked with a grin.
"True," Wallace said smugly.
Julie smiled when she saw Wallace. "Perfect timing. We're done. Let me run to the bathroom and freshen up, and then I'll be ready to go," Julie told Wallace.
Duncan finished picking up the materials they had scattered across the table. "So you really like Julie, huh?"
"Yes, she's great. She's different from other girls I've dated," Wallace said.
"Different good or different bad?" Duncan asked.
"Good. Change is good," Wallace said with a happy smile.
Duncan debated on whether or not to ask Wallace something. Then he decided to go for it. "I know this may be a bit awkward for you, but I was just wondering if you'd heard from Piz?" Duncan asked.
Wallace was surprised by the question. "A few emails. He really likes his job," Wallace said.
"Parker said that she hasn't heard from him. It really hurts her that he hasn't called. I suggested maybe he was waiting for her to call," Duncan said.
"Why would you do that? Do you want her to call him?" Wallace asked, curious.
Duncan shrugged. "I want them to be finished. There's not a lot of closure with the way things were left with them. She said he suggested they needed space. I got the feeling that it wasn't a break-up so much as he decided to take the job, which caught her by surprise," Duncan said.
"Piz does love Parker. He's just a bit messed up right now," Wallace said.
"Do you think he's coming back?" Duncan asked.
"I hope so," Wallace said. When Duncan looked a bit glum, Wallace continued, "Look, man, I know you really like Parker. I don't want to get in the middle of anything, but Piz is a close friend. If he wants to come back, I hope he will. I miss him. I like David, but Piz was a great roommate. We had a lot of fun together."
"I know. It's just that I really like Parker, and I'm tired of being disappointed in relationships. If Piz is planning on coming back, I'd like to know so I can be prepared," Duncan said.
"Would it really make that much difference? If Parker is the one for you, would Piz being here make all that much difference? Because l thought Jazmin was perfect for me. If she had been, I don't think Jackie's sudden appearance would've derailed us so easily, you know?" Wallace said.
Duncan thought that was a good point. Before he could say anything else, Julie reappeared. "Okay, I'm ready to go when you are," she said to Wallace.
"Thanks for working so hard. I know we're going to get an A," Duncan said to Julie.
"I hope so," she said, smiling. She and Wallace said their goodbyes.
Duncan thought about what Wallace said. If Piz reappeared at this early point, would it derail him and Parker? If they were meant to be, he liked to think they'd eventually find their way to one another. He was in no hurry. They were both just twenty.
He heard voices and headed out of the kitchen. CW was coming out of the library. His dad said goodbye and then turned to pick up the phone that rang. CW stopped to chat with Duncan.
"So have you found out anything about any chatter concerning Gory?" Duncan asked him after they stepped away from the closed library door.
"The family is pushing to have him declared legally dead, but a person has to be missing a full year to file a motion," CW shared.
"Anything else? Should we be worried?" Duncan asked.
CW looked grim. "We need to be on guard. The family is still convinced that you or Logan had Gory killed. Since Logan was in the hospital when Gory disappeared, you're their prime suspect," CW said.
"So what's our next move?" Duncan asked.
"Try not to antagonize the brother. We probably should create a false Gory trail in Mexico. I'm working on that now," CW told him. "Leave it to me." He said goodbye and turned to leave.
Duncan was relieved that CW had things in hand. He didn't know what he'd do without CW's guidance. Then he realized that he hadn't told CW about Sean's latest threat to Dick. Duncan figured he'd catch him before he drove off. He opened his front door and saw that CW was already getting into his car. Duncan stepped down the walkway, so he could get CW's attention by waving at him. CW had shut the car door and put the key in the ignition when he finally noticed Duncan coming down the walkway waving at him. Duncan was about to step onto his driveway when CW's car exploded. The fiery explosion knocked Duncan off his feet, and then he knew no more.
*****To Be Continued*****
