Love Takes Time Chapter 2
Jordan and Garrett had been going seeing each other for a few weeks now. They would meet at a coffee shop or have dinner after work. Sometimes they would catch a movie if there was something they both wanted to see. Garrett smiled more at work and Jordan appeared to be more grounded. Every one had noticed. Especially Woody in his self absorbed way.
"Hey Jordan, how's it going?" Woody asked one morning on his way to see Devan.
"Not bad. Things are looking good." Jordan replied casually.
"Really that's good. How is your dad?" Woody knew as soon as he asked that he should have kept his mouth shut. The look on Jordan's face was all he needed to tell him that he had stepped in it.
"I guess he's ok, I wouldn't know as I haven't heard from him since he left." Jordan answered with quiet sarcasm. Woody felt even worse.
"I'm sorry Jordan, I didn't mean to bring it up to hurt you. I like your dad and respect him." Jordan stared at Woody for a moment noting that he was genuinely sorry and felt guilty for bring up a sore subject. She would let I slide this time, because that's what friends do.
"Hey its ok. I understand, but I'm not sure Devan will. You better go see her before she gets impatient."
"So we're still friends then?"
"Of course Woody. Just because we didn't work out doesn't mean that we aren't going to be friends. Truth is I don't think I was ever able to look past us being friends. To be something more. I like you Woody but you're just to bright a cheerful for me to have around 24/7."
"I will take that as a compliment and be on my way then. Talk to you later Jordan." With that Woody walked down the hall and around the corner to visit Devan. Jordan stood in the hallway for a moment before heading back to her office. She was happy that Woody wanted to still be friends and that she hadn't damaged things between them. It was one less thing to worry about. Jordan sat down at her desk and spied a photo taken of her and Garrett. It was from Bug and Lily's engagement party the week before. Nigel had been camera happy and had caught her and Garrett laughing in a loving embrace. Jordan was smiling with her arms around Garrett's neck and he had a look of contentment on his face as he wrapped his arms around her waist. They looked like a perfect, happy couple. Jordan smiled at the memory, lost in sunny daydreams, when her phone rang.
"Cavenaugh." Jordan answered professionally.
"Jordan…" the voice on the other end said quietly.
"Dad. How are you? Where are you? When are you coming home? I miss you." Jordan asked all at once.
"Slow down. One thing at a time. I'm good. I'm in Virginia. That little place we went to when you were about 13. I don't know when I'm going to come back. I miss you too Jordan, but I think things need to settle down a little more. How are things with you? How's Woody?" Max asked.
"I'm doing pretty good. Bug and Lily got engaged last week. Nigel was camera happy as usual. Woody wasn't there. He and Devan were out. Not that either were invited. Woody and I talked today. We decided to just be friends and he's seeing Devan now. Nigel's doing good. He found someone just as odd as himself, to be with. Garrett's good too. Everything is fine at the bar. I check in every other night or so to make sure everything is running smoothly." Jordan answered.
"How are you dealing with things?" Max pressed for more.
"You mean about James. I wish I'd had more time to get to know him. I wish I had told him that I loved him before he jumped just so he would have known. I slept in my office for 2 days because my apartment was the last place I saw him with his guard down, just a little. When I finally did go home, I found a sweater on my bed. It smelled like him. I guess he forgot it when we ran out of there. I wear it almost every night. Garrett helped. He set aside the fact that he was furious with me and let me cry on his shoulder." Jordan paused, staring at the photo of her and Garrett again.
"I'm sorry Jordan. I should have been there for you. But you only briefly mentioned Garrett. How are things?" Max pressed, knowing Jordan was leaving something out.
"He's good. He and Walcott argue every other day about this, that and the other. She hate me. Garrett sticks up for me. He thinks she's jealous of me. Life goes on."
"What aren't you telling me Jordan?"
"Garrett and I got together. He told me he loves me."
"And you haven't run yet. I'm proud of you. Now did you tell him you loved him?"
"No. I cant say those words yet. I'm not ready. I want to be sure that I really mean them. I refuse to hurt Garrett by saying it and not meaning what I say." "That sounds like you love him to me."
"Maybe so but I need to know for sure and tell him when I know I mean it."
"Good girl. Take things slow. But I wouldn't wait too long. Garrett is a patient man but a man just the same."
"Thanks dad. I love you."
"I love you too Jordan. I'll talk to you again soon."
"Bye Dad." Jordan ended the call and wandered down the hall to Garrett's office. She knocked on the door and went in almost immediately. Rene was there.
"Sorry. Was I interrupting something?" Jordan asked looking at their faces. Garrett looked relieved and Walcott look even more irritated that usual.
"No." "Yes" Garrett and Rene said at the same time.
"Well I'll let you guys finish your discussion. Garrett, when you have a moment." Jordan said from the door way. Garrett nodded. She closed the door behind here and went back to her office. She sat down at her desk and realized that she didn't have any paperwork to do. For once she was caught up with everything. Not to mention, it had been a slow day at the morgue. Only one body had come in and the was with Bug and Nigel. Jordan moved to her couch and stretched out. She didn't plan on sleeping but that was how Garret found her 20 minutes later, when he walked in to her office.
Garrett figured that whatever Jordan wanted to tell would have been important enough to stay awake. Why else would she have interrupted a conversation with Rene? Of course any distraction from that woman these days was welcome. He sat down next to her on the couch, well as much as possible when her body was stretched out on it. Garrett stared for a moment. She looked so innocent when she slept, like she had never seen all the hardships and lived through such trying family things. Garrett reached up and brushed a stray curl away, that had fallen across her face. The movement woke Jordan from her nap.
"Hey. Did I fall asleep?" Jordan asked.
"Yeah. What did you want to talk about?" Garrett questioned.
"Oh, right. Dad called. He's in Virginia waiting things out. He wanted to know what was going with everyone."
"Did you tell him about us?" Garrett asked as Jordan sat up to make more room for him. Garrett leaned back and she put her head on his shoulder.
"Yeah I did." Jordan answered softly.
"What did he say?"
"That he was happy for us and to take things slow."
"Don't we always take things slow?" Garrett asked as he leaned in to kiss Jordan on the forehead. He checked his watch. "Lets get out of here. We can grab a bite to eat and a beer and I can tell you what Rene's latest rampage was about."
"Ok. Let's go." Jordan picked up all her things and Garrett went to do the same thing. They met outside his office and wandered down to the parking lot.
"My car or yours?" Jordan asked.
"Up to you." Garrett answered.
"Yours" Garrett nodded and opened the door for her. They ended up at the Pogue for dinner and beers.
Another week passed without incident. Jordan and Garrett would meet up at one or the others apartment. Garrett loved being at Jordan's and Jordan loved being Garrett's. It was something to laugh over. Slowly but surely some of Jordan's clothes had migrated to Garrett's closets and a few of Garrett's shirts found themselves worn by Jordan, instead of their original owner, and Garrett loved it. He thought Jordan looked best when she was tousled with sleep filled eyes wearing only his shirt. They would spend nights together and they were comfortable with each other without sex and neither were in a hurry to take things to the next level. They had spent last night apart and Jordan, who had gotten used to being curled up next to Garrett, had slept in her shirt and hugged his pillow all night. She wandered into work early with dark circles under her eyes. She had tossed and turned and not slept much. She made her way to her office, navigating by memory and blind luck. Garrett saw her come in and headed toward her office.
"Hey." Garrett said as he looked around the door.
"Hey." Jordan answered without much enthusiasm.
"You look like hell. Did you sleep at all last night?" Garrett asked.
"Thanks and no I didn't." Jordan answered.
"Why not?"
"I don't know. I just couldn't fall asleep." Jordan lied while thinking You weren't there to snuggle against. Garrett looked at her suspiciously.
"Are you sure there isn't something else bothering you?"
"No I'm just tired." Jordan masked her emotions and looked Garrett in the eye. Garrett knew there was something else going on right then and he had the distinct impression that Jordan was getting ready to run and there was nothing her could do.
"Ok. We don't have any autopsies to do today, so if you're caught up on your paperwork, then you can take the day off."
"I have a few things to do but that's it." Jordan studied Garrett, wondering if she should tell him what was wrong. Garrett didn't give her a chance to make a decision.
"Go home when you're done." with that Garrett walked out and went back to his office. Jordan stared at the door for a moment before heading for Nigel's office.
"Hey Nige." Jordan said. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, love. What is it?" Nigel answered.
"Would you mind terribly if I asked you to find my dad?" Jordan asked.
"Jordan…" Nigel sighted.
"Never mind. I'm sorry Nigel. Forget I asked." Jordan said quickly and walked out.
"Jordan!" Nigel called after her, but she was gone. He checked her office and Garrett's before giving up.
Jordan took the cargo elevator down to the parking lot and jumped into her car and drove home. She grabbed clothes and then went to fill up her tank. She hit the interstate and raced down the highway, speeding her way toward Virginia. Her father had said he was at the beach house they staid at when she was 13. She only hoped he was still there. About halfway through West Virginia, her cell phone rang. It was Garrett. She ignored it, knowing full well that she was running from him. She made Virginia about 3 in the afternoon and made her way toward the little town of Sea Crest. She navigated her way toward the office that controlled the houses.
"Good afternoon ma'am, may I help you?" The woman at the front desk asked..
"Yeah. I'm looking for my dad. He's not expecting me. I came to surprise him. His name's Max." Jordan said.
"And what is his last name?" the receptionist asked.
"Cavenaugh." Jordan answered.
"It looks like he's in house 4."
"Thank you so much." Jordan said as she dashed out the door and hopped into her car. She raced toward the beach house and saw her dad sitting on the porch. She quickly parked and jumped out.
"Dad." Jordan called, near crying.
"Jordan…" Whatever else he was going to say, was cut off by Jordan's hug.
"I've missed you so much." Jordan said against his shoulder.
"I've missed you too. Come inside and we'll talk." Jordan nodded and they went inside. "Now what's going on? Everything was fine when we talked last week."
"I don't know. Last night I couldn't sleep. Garrett wasn't there for me to snuggle against. I woke up this morning and realized I needed him and I wasn't ready to face it. I love Garrett and I cant live without him and it scares me so much. I don't know how to tell him or that I even want to tell him. What if her decides I'm not worth it and realizes he could have someone normal, without problems. Then what will I do? I cant handle it."
"Jordan, you need to talk to him. Garrett deserves to know. You need to stop running. I love you Jordan, but you need to go back to Boston." Max hated to do that to her, but its what she needed. Jordan looked at her father in disbelief and it finally sank in. She loved Garrett and he loved her. She didn't need to run anymore. Jordan hugged and kissed her father and headed back to Boston as fast as she could.
It was nearing 2 am when she made it to Garrett's apartment. She knocked on the door and Garrett answered the door sleepily.
"Garrett." Jordan said breathlessly.
"Yes, Jordan." Garrett answered slightly irritated.
"I love you Garrett. I'm sorry I ran today. I realized that you're everything I want and need." Garrett looked surprised.
"I love you too Jordan. Come on. Lets get some sleep, you look like hell." Jordan laughed as she joined him in his apartment and he shut the door behind them.
Please tell me what you think. Should I stop there or should I continue? Let me know.