A/N – Thanks for the comments! It's really hard to write about all this food in the next few chapters when I'm on Keto and intermittent fasting. The things I do for you. Lol.
Chapter 20
Jason hurried to the Hardy residence, so he wasn't too late for dinner. Before he can even knock, the door is thrown open and Audrey is giving him hug.
"I'm so glad that you could make it."
"Thanks! Sorry I'm late."
"It's okay. Come in." She leads him to the living room where Liz and Sarah are as thick as thieves.
Liz's eyes lock on him and a smile lights up her face. "Hey." She gets up and he gives her a hug and kiss.
"Something smells really good," he murmured against her lips.
"I take it you're not talking about me?"
He grinned. "You always smell delicious, but I was actually talking about the food."
Sarah chuckled.
"Is Johnny coming?"
"No, he had to handle something."
Jason's brow went up. "That sounds ominous."
She shrugged since Johnny had sworn her to secrecy.
"Dinner is ready," Audrey said.
Surprising her, Jason pushed Liz towards the couch and made a run for it as Sarah caught her sister as she laughed.
"He is so going to pay for that."
"No he won't, because you like his goodies too much."
Liz shook her head. "You couldn't think of a better word?"
Sarah tapped her lip. "Do you really want me to answer that?"
"No! I'm starving."
They ran into the dining room to find Jason seated next to Audrey.
"You're late."
Liz's mouth dropped open. "You know perfectly well I was in the living room."
"Jason is very hungry. You shouldn't keep him waiting."
Sarah bit her tongue and Jason struggled not to smile.
"I forgive you, just don't let it happen again," Jason said receiving a scowl from Liz.
"Gram, I love your chicken and dumplings," Sarah said passing her plate so Audrey could dish it out.
"Jason first…"
Sarah crooked her neck and Liz laughed.
Once Jason was served, their plates were filled.
"This looks delicious," he said.
"Thank you. Dig in…"
They started to eat and everyone is in heaven as they savored bite after bite.
"Did you hear that Lila found a new cook?" Audrey said.
"No, I hadn't. Who?" Jason asked.
"Apparently, she is Epiphany's cousin. Her name is Rochelle."
"Has she cooked anything yet?" Liz asked.
"Yes. She is very accomplished, but wanted a more relaxed job."
"Is she anything like Piph?" Jason asked.
Audrey grinned. "She has a big personality and has no problem telling Edward to hush. Lila loves her and Rochelle feels the same way."
"Does she know about Tracy?"
"Yes, and she has already kicked her out of the kitchen. In fact, Alice escorted her."
Liz chuckled. "I can't wait to meet her."
"Well, you're in luck because we're invited to dinner tomorrow night," Jason said.
"Sounds good to me…"
They finished up and then helped Audrey clean before returning to the living room.
The house jerks and they momentarily froze.
"I really hate earthquakes," Liz said.
"They have been settling down," Jason added.
"I'm just glad they aren't really big anymore," Sarah said.
"If it breaks my new dishes, I'm going to have to have a talk with somebody," Audrey said.
Jason smiled. "Do you need any help with anything?"
"No. I had a handy man come over and he fixed some things. I'm still working on the upstairs, but I didn't lose too much up there, just a lamp and an old television."
"Well, if you need any brawn, just let me know."
She smiled. "Who is ready for dessert?"
Liz and Sarah raised their hands and seeing their exuberance, Jason followed.
She came back with an apple pie that made Jason's mouth water.
"I know Elizabeth likes chocolate, but you mentioned apple pie before, so I wanted to surprise you."
He glanced at Liz to see if she is mad.
"You can make it up to me later, but her pie is the best I've ever tasted."
Sarah dished it out and they happily ate.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI
Johnny moved into Anthony's office. "You rang?"
"Sit down."
He tentatively obeyed. "Why did you want to see me?"
Anthony let him squirm for a minute as he stared. "You need to stay away from my daughter."
Johnny sighed. "We are not together, but we are friends."
"She doesn't need you in her life."
"I think she can decide that. Look, I have already moved on and I'm grateful that Claudia and I were able to part amicably."
Anthony's hand hit the desk. "You don't think I know what you are doing? You let her go to Boston and she was depressed after she got there because she missed you. It took months before she finally started to come around."
Johnny is surprised. "I didn't know." Claudia had seemed like she was okay with it.
"You know she has been hurt before and hides her feelings, but she was hoping it would be a little more with you. Just because she pretends that she just wants a good time doesn't mean it's true. You know her history."
"I'm not a mind reader. I took her for her word."
"I see the way she looks at you. She still wants you and you'll just stomp all of her heart."
Johnny stood, having enough of the conversation. "What the hell do you expect from me? I rarely see her."
Anthony rose. "Just stay away from her and don't jerk her around anymore."
"I'm out of here."
He stormed out of the office pissed that he let the old man get to him. Clearly, he is stalking his daughter so he pulled out his phone and called Claudia and asked her to meet him at Jake's and make sure that she isn't followed.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI
Elizabeth sat in Jason's lap on the porch. She kissed him languidly and then laid her head on his shoulder. "I have something to tell you."
"Okay."
"I agreed to have dinner with Patrick because he wants to thank me for my friendship and forgiveness. He wanted it next Friday, but I couldn't because of my schedule, so it will be in two days. Is that okay with you?"
Jason sighed. "If it's what you want, then I'm not going to tell you no. I start back up on my twenty-four-hour shifts, so I will be working that night. Can I ask where you're going?"
"He is house-sitting for Dr. Ford while he is on vacation, so it will be at his place."
Jason nodded. "I've been there before. He held a charity barbecue at his house a few years ago."
"So, you're not mad?"
"I'm not happy about it, but I'm not upset with you."
She held his face. "You are the only man I want to be with. I hope you know that."
He answered by grabbing the back of her head and then kissing her wantonly.
"You make me turn to mush."
His brow raised. "That doesn't sound good at all. Have you seen mush?"
She laughed. "Shut up and kiss me."
"Bossy…"
"And here I thought you like my assertiveness." She smiled wickedly.
"Don't make me throw you over my shoulder again."
Her laughter filled the air.
Audrey stepped onto the porch. "I'm going to go to bed, but I wanted to say goodnight."
Liz hopped up and gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek. "Thank for you everything."
Audrey smiled. "You're welcome."
Jason embraced her. "Me and my stomach thank you too."
She giggled. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."
"Always…"
"Don't be a stranger."
"I won't."
She disappeared back into the house.
"You are such a playa."
He turned to face her. "If your gram was thirty years younger, you might be in trouble."
Liz scowled. "Traitor…"
"Never—not even good food would make me give you up."
She is still pouting, so he leans down and captures her lips between his and soon is making her moan as he ravishes her mouth.
"Damn, Jason. That was totally hot."
Their gaze snaps to Sarah who is grinning in the doorway.
"Don't mind me, I'm leaving. I'll call you tomorrow, if there is anything left of you."
Liz glares and Sarah takes off. "I'm changing my relatives."
"I would miss them."
Her attention goes back to him. "You would miss Sarah?"
"Yes, because I love the way you tease each other and you would miss her too."
"Whatever…"
"Come here." He yanks her against him and then kisses her until her knees are weak.
"You make me ache."
He smirks. "Where?"
She takes his hand and drags it down her body until it's between her legs and Jason growls and lifts her, making her have to wrap her legs around his waist. He sensuously kisses her and then moves them into the house where he locks the back door and turns off the kitchen light. After locking down the house, he heads to his truck and places her inside and then smiles as he navigates around it. Making love to her never gets old and he looks forward to the next round.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI
Claudia slips into Jake's and goes to a booth in the far corner. About five minutes later, Johnny does the same thing.
"What's going on?" she asked curiously.
"You're father is an asshole."
She sighed. "Tell me something I don't already know. What happened? Please tell me that he didn't approach you."
"He did. I went to his office."
Her eyes grew big. "Are you crazy?"
"He wouldn't stop calling me if I didn't. Anyway, he basically wanted to warn me to stay away from you."
She is livid. "I wish that he'd mind his own business."
"He's convinced that you are still hung up on me and that every time I see you, I'm leading you on."
"Idiot... I already told him to step off."
"I walked out before I strangled him."
"Johnny, please tell me that you'll stay away from him. In fact, maybe this was a bad idea. He could have someone planted here." No one had followed her there, but now that she thinks of it, she wouldn't put it pass her father to have put a GPS device on her car.
'I'm not scared of your father. He's blowing smoke."
Claudia's eyes teared a little.
"Hey, talk to me," he said before gripping her hand.
"I never told you, but after the rape, he kind of took care of the person who did it."
Johnny let go of her and leaned back. "Really?"
"Yes."
"I guess I can't blame him. The guy deserved it."
"And suppose he thinks you deserve it?"
He frowned. "But I haven't done anything remotely like that."
"I know, but there is something else."
He leaned forward. "What is it?"
"When I went to Boston, it was hard being away from here and you especially. I was miserable and one night, I got drunk and I kind of spilled some things to my guard. I think he might have been reporting back to my father. Anyway, I had faced some hard truths that you meant more to me than I had admitted, and I was depressed for a while because of it. I know you didn't feel the same way, but I had been falling in love you." It had taken her a while to get beyond and then she had returned, and the feelings had started again.
Johnny closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I did miss you too, but I just focused on work and moved on. I love Sarah now and I can't walk away from her."
"If you hadn't met her, would you be willing to take it further with me?"
"I can't answer that. Even if you had confessed, you didn't seem like you want the marriage and picket fence. Hell, I didn't think I did until I met Sarah."
Claudia cringed. "I get it and you're right, I wasn't the type, but when I was finally honest about my feelings, I started letting myself think about those kinds of things and I liked what I saw."
He is floored. "Maybe we really never knew each other."
"I think we hid behind our issues and weren't honest with ourselves. I guess I'm just too late."
Across the room, a man took several pictures and when they hugged, he smiled. Anthony is going to have a cow.
"I'm going to go. Are you going to be alright?" Johnny said letting her go.
"Yes. I'm glad we set everything straight even though it did hurt a little."
"I hope you find someone who will give you everything you want. We've both grown a lot and I think we helped each other in that."
"We did, but Johnny, no more contact for a while. I don't want my father to hurt you."
"Okay. Take care."
They hugged one last time and then he left.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI
A guard tentatively pushed open Anthony's office which now looks like another hurricane hit it.
When Anthony looked up, the anger almost took the guard's breath away.
"He went to her after I told him to stay away and then hugged her and left. She was crying. I can't let it go. You need to finish it."
He nodded. "It will take a couple of days. Get it done by Thursday morning."
"That doesn't give me a lot of time to set it up."
"You'll manage. I want an explosive ending too."
"What are you going to do about Claudia?"
"I'm not sure, but I'll talk to her before everything goes to hell, so I'll have an alibi."
"I'll get right on it."
Anthony watched him leave and then laid his head against the back of the chair. Once Johnny is gone, he can mend his relationship with Claudia. He should have just finished it before instead of taunting the man. That mistake won't happen again.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI
Sarah stood when Johnny entered his apartment and he is a sight for sore eyes. "Hey."
He rushed into her arms and kissed her passionately, grateful to have her in his life; a safe haven from his crazy job and life.
"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?" She eyed him curiously, finally realizing that he looks upset.
"I need you to be very aware of your surroundings."
It was not even close to what she had expected him to say. "Why?"
"I think Anthony Zacchara might try to hurt me or you to get back at me."
She frowned. "But you aren't with her anymore."
"I know, but he's been spying on her and making more out of our few meetings than they were. He thinks that I'm toying with her and hurting her because she wants me."
Sarah dropped her arms as jealously starts to consume her. "So, she still wants to be with you?"
"Yes, but she knows that I love you."
She gasps and then jumps on him and he stumbles to get his balance as he grips her ass and then she kisses him torridly. Quickly, he moves to the bedroom and presses her to the bed and they finally pause to breathe.
"I love you too."
"You are everything to me, Sarah Webber."
"Make love to me, Johnny."
And he did twice before they finally slept.
