Let sleeping dogs die, p.8
Let Sleeping Dogs Die, page 8
Mom chattered as I drove to Bobbi Jo’s. Mostly I nodded and thought about the next day’s shoot. I still had one more shot with cats and dogs and I wasn’t looking forward to it. If Connie hadn’t been on her honeymoon, I could ask her if she had an alternative idea. I wasn’t even sure Miss Kitty would agree to try it again. She’d been pretty upset. There were still six shots with dogs and seven with cats left to be done. Miss Kitty had agreed to have her cats and kittens there at ten and I was hoping I could get all the cat shots finished.
Lily answered the door and waved us toward the living room. “Bobbi Jo’s lying down in the living room. She’s been swelling lately and I’m trying to keep her off her feet as much as possible.”
“Is she all right?” I asked.
“I’m sure she’s fine. She just saw the doctor a couple of days ago. You remember how it is at the end. Your ankles swell to twice their normal size if you stand for any time at all.”
I nodded. “Lily, this is my mother, Ruby Lee.”
“Hi, Ruby Lee. Oh, I see you brought the bread.” Lily took the bread from Mom and wrapped her arms around Mom’s shoulders. “I’m so delighted to meet you. Skye and I have been friends for years. Goodness, this bread smells wonderful.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I needed something to do while I was all alone at Skye’s apartment anyway.”
“It’ll be perfect for the stew I made. Go on into the living room and say hello to Bobbi Jo. The stew won’t be ready for a while.”
I guided Mom to the living room where Bobbi Jo was lying on the sofa. She struggled to get up and finally got an elbow under her, pushing her into a half-sitting position.
“How are you feeling, Bobbi Jo?” I asked.
“Oh, about the usual. Oh, you must be Skye’s mama. I’m so happy to meet you.”
“Now, you just lie back and get some rest,” Mom said. “I know what it’s like at the end of a pregnancy. Why, I was so big with Skye I thought I was just going to explode. I could hardly get around.” Mom settled herself on the ottoman next to the sofa. “And the heartburn! I almost thought it would be worth starving to death to avoid that.”
“Oh, my gawd, I know what you mean. I have it every time I eat anything, Mrs. Donovan.”
“Oh, just call me Ruby Lee. No sense in being so formal. Now, tell me how the pregnancy has been going.”
It looked like Mom and Bobbi Jo were going to get along just fine, and I’d already heard about how the pregnancy was going, so I slipped back into the kitchen to help Lily.
“What can I do to help, Lily?”
“Take Bobbi Jo home with you,” she said, then shook her head. “I’m sorry. I know she’s uncomfortable, but really. I told her to lie down just so I could get away from her. Skye, she’s driving me insane.”
“I can only imagine, Lily. You’ve been a saint through this pregnancy.”
“No, you don’t understand. You can’t because you aren’t going through it. I really don’t know how much more I can take. I need some kind of respite care for her. They do that for people taking care of relatives with Alzheimer’s or cancer or mental illness.”
“Calm down, Lily. Listen, I have to shoot the cats tomorrow, but it might be a while before I can finish with the dogs, so I’ll come over and give you some relief.”
“May the Goddess bless you, Skye. I think she’s terrified to be left alone for even a minute. And I need to see Chase about the remodeling on my apartment. Sometimes when I mention the apartment, Bobbi Jo gets all excited about how wonderful it will be and other times, she acts like I’m about to abandon her.”
“How is the remodeling coming?” I asked.
“Slowly.” Lily laughed. “That’s probably because I’m so anxious. You know, it’s only two thirty and the stew won’t be ready before five. Do you want to go over there with me and have a look at it?”
“I’d love to.” I headed to the living room to tell Bobbi Jo and my mother that Lily and I were going out for a bit. They were laughing and chattering like old friends and didn’t seem to mind a bit that I was abandoning them.
The drive to Lily’s shop and apartment-to-be took less than half an hour and we spent most of it talking about the apartment.
“I’m spending a lot of money on it, but I figured this is my chance to have something exactly the way I want it.”
“Oh, I understand. I felt the same way when I rented the loft after I left Craig. It made me feel free somehow.”
Lily nodded. “I feel empowered. Like I’m finally taking control of my own life.”
“Absolutely,” I said.
“It’s not that I wasn’t happy when I was married to Grant and when we brought Kyle into the relationship. I really love both of them. But I think I ended up forcing my life to fit the relationship.”
“That’s hard enough with one man. I can’t imagine it with two.” We both laughed at that.
“And for the past seven months, I’ve been living with Bobbi Jo. And, again, I’m happy—even if she does drive me nuts—but I just want to be on my own. In my own place, doing what I want, when I want. Holy Goddess, I sound selfish.”
“No, you don’t. You sound like a woman who knows what she needs and is determined to get it. And you’ve put in enough time with Bobbi Jo and her pregnancy. I know it hasn’t been easy, even if you love her.”
“No, it hasn’t been easy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
We parked in front of her shop and went inside to find Jasmine helping a customer choose some incense and candles. We waved at Jasmine and made our way through the crowded store to a door in the back. The door opened into a small foyer with a door on one side and a wide stairway leading up to the apartment.
“Chase, are you up here?” Lily called.
“Over here,” he answered. He turned around and I was surprised to see that he was an incredibly good-looking man. He was well over six feet with broad shoulders covered by a snug white T-shirt tucked into worn carpenter jeans.
“Chase, this is my friend, Skye. I wanted her to see what we’re doing here.”
“Nice to meet you.” His biceps bulged and I noticed he even had muscles in his forearms when he shook my hand.
“Looks like you have a lot of work to do.” I looked around at the spacious room that was bare except for a workbench, sawhorses, tools, and building supplies.
Chase raked a hand through his sandy hair and grinned, showing even white teeth. I couldn’t imagine why he was doing construction work when he had the looks to be a movie star.
“Yep, it’s a mess right now, but soon it’ll be gorgeous.”
Lily showed me the other room and the room that would become her bath but right now contained only an old toilet and a sink that hung on the wall.
“I’m going to have one of those old claw-foot tubs in here and a separate shower. And Chase said it’s big enough to have a double vanity if I want one, but what would I do with two sinks?”
“Well, you might not be single forever, Lily.” Chase stood in the doorway watching us. “And if you have a man around, it’s nice to each have your own sink.”
“I never thought of that. Grant and Kyle never seemed to mind sharing a sink.” Lily looked at the wall the vanity would go on. “If I don’t have the two sinks, I’d have more room for extra storage.”
“True. But if I was the man in your life, I’d prefer the two sinks,” Chase said.
“Skye, come tell me what you think about the kitchen area.” Lily slipped by Chase and he extended a hand to touch her back as she passed.
“I want to keep this whole area open,” she said. “I was thinking of a bar to separate the kitchen from the living area. Then I could put a small table and chairs over by the window. I really like the idea of an open floor plan.”
“I think it’s a great idea,” I said. “I kept everything as open as possible in the loft. The only separate areas are our bedrooms and baths.”
“And I want one of those sofas with a chaise so I can stretch out on it. And maybe a couple of oversized chairs. Or maybe a love seat.” Lily walked around the room then pointed to the ceiling. “Chase is going to drywall the exposed ceiling and insulate it and he’s putting a skylight right there. I’ll be able to lie on the sofa and look at the moon and stars.”
“Sounds romantic,” Chase said from the area that would become the kitchen. “But not if you’re all alone.”
“So what do you think, Skye?” Lily asked.
“I think it’s wonderful. How are you going to arrange the kitchen?”
Lily took me over to the kitchen area and pointed out where she wanted the appliances and where the bar would separate the two areas. Chase went back to work in the living area, but I noticed he kept looking over at us.
“I’m going to run down and see how Jasmine’s doing. Chase, would you show Skye the granite and cabinets we picked out for the kitchen?” Lily went down the stairs and Chase waved me over to the workbench.
“This is the granite.” He handed me a small piece of green granite streaked with a reddish brown and a darker green. “And the cabinets will be like these but in a rosewood finish.” He handed me a photograph of kitchen cabinets that were simple and sleek looking. I’d always figured Lily for the traditional or antique look, which is what she’d had in the house when she was married.
“These are beautiful,” I said. “I think Lily will be very happy with the space you’re creating.”
“I hope so. She’s a special woman and she deserves a place as nice as she is.”
“Yes, she’s very special.” I knew why I thought Lily was special and I had to wonder why she was special to Chase. Lily had mentioned that he was a friend of Jasmine’s so it was possible he’d known her for some time.
“Skye? Are you ready to go?” Lily called up from the bottom of the stairs. “It’s after four and I told Bobbi Jo and your mother that dinner would be at five.”
“Sure, I’ll be right down.” I turned to Chase. “It was nice to meet you. I can’t wait to see how the place turns out.”
“Stop by anytime and check it out,” he invited.
“Thanks.” I joined Lily downstairs and we headed back to Bobbi Jo’s house.
“So, what did you think?” Lily asked.
“It’s going to be beautiful.”
“No, I meant about Chase.”
“You mean, did I notice that he’s one of the most gorgeous men on the planet? It’s kind of hard to not notice.”
“He is that, but what did you think about the way he was with me?”
“What do you mean exactly, Lily?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s all in my head, but it seems like he’s almost too attentive to me. He’s always putting a hand on my back or shoulder and making little jokes that are a bit suggestive.” Lily glanced at me. “Am I crazy or what?”
“I don’t think you’re crazy. I mean, I noticed that he was attentive to you but it’s hard to say what that means. When we were alone he told me you’re very special.”
“Oh, crap. I don’t want this to happen, Skye.”
“Well, you’re a big girl. If he suggests anything, just tell him you’re not interested.”
“I’m not really good at that,” Lily said.
“At saying no?” I asked.
“Well, I’ve never been very good at saying no. That’s why I end up volunteering all over the place. But I’m especially not good at saying no to a man.”
“You mean sexually?” I asked.
“Not that. But anytime a man has been interested in a relationship with me, I just kind of let it happen. I don’t want to do that again.”
“I see. Well, maybe he’s not interested in you in that way. Maybe it’s just a friendship thing. How well do you know him? Have he and Jasmine been friends very long?”
“Oh, a couple of years, I guess. I saw him a few times, but this is the first time we’ve spent more than a few minutes together. I thought maybe I’d just not be at the apartment when he’s working on it. Maybe I should have him come over to Bobbi Jo’s when we have to talk about anything. Or I could have you come with me if I have to go to the apartment.”
“My time’s kind of tight right now, but I’ll do what I can. And if you want to meet with him at Bobbi Jo’s, I think that’s a good idea, too.”
Lily seemed relieved that she had a plan to avoid too much alone time with Chase, and the rest of the trip was filled with talk of Jasmine and her pregnancy.
Mom and Bobbi Jo were still talking about her pregnancy when we arrived. Lily went to the kitchen to get dinner together and I took a seat in the living room and tried not to listen to the pregnancy discussion.
“I swear, I’ve never been so uncomfortable in my life,” Bobbi Jo said. “And now Lily wants me to lie down all the time because my ankles are swollen.”
Mom leaned over and patted Bobbi Jo’s knee. “I know, honey, but it looks like you don’t have much longer to go.”
“Gawd, I hope not. The doctor said first babies can be late, and I’m still several weeks from my due date.”
“Oh, I doubt you’ll be late. And with any luck, I’ll be here to greet the little thing.”
I tried not to cringe at the thought of two weeks or more of sleeping on my sofa and having Mom organize my home.
“Oh, that would be so nice. I’d love you to be here.”
“Well, anything I can do to help.” Mom got up from the ottoman she’d perched on. “I’m going to see if Lily needs any help with dinner.”
I listened to Bobbi Jo whine and complain until my cell phone rang. I looked at the display, which showed a string of numbers I didn’t recognize. I almost didn’t answer it until I realized it might be Connie. I had a lot to tell my art director.
“Hold on, Bobbi Jo. I think this is Connie, and I need to update her on the shoot.”
“Oh, sure, darlin’. And don’t forget to tell her about the murder.”
Like I could forget it.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Skye. How’s the photography going?”
“Connie, it’s good to hear from you. We’ve had a few problems on the shoot.”
“Like what?”
I’ll admit her voice carried some concern. Maybe it was a good sign that she would dump this wild idea of marrying some guy she’d just met and come home to help me.
“First of all, the owner of the doggie talent was murdered the first day of the shoot.”
“Oh, my God! What happened?”
“We don’t really know yet other than he was strangled in his bed. The police are investigating. Actually, Scott is the detective.”
“Isn’t Frank’s house in Hillsdale? Why is Scott investigating?”
“Yes, his house is in Hillsdale, but the Portland Police Bureau loans out their detectives to the small towns that don’t have large police forces.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I mean about Frank. Not about Scott.”
“Well, other than that, this shoot is a bitch. I was almost in the middle of a dog and cat fight today and every shot is taking forever.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’re doing a great job. That’s why I’ve decided to stay a few days longer.”
“Longer? No, you can’t do that!” Had the woman completely lost her mind? I was in trouble here. I needed her to be on the set while I was shooting this mess. I needed her to run interference for me with Miss Kitty. She should be the one worrying about how to turn sheets into seamless and helping Lionel make party hats. Not me.
“I think I can, Skye.” Connie laughed. “You’re doing a great job and I don’t have to have the art boards ready for the client for another month. I have plenty of time. Besides, Tyreese wants more time with me.”
“Did you get married?” I swallowed hard, hoping she’d somehow come to her senses and realized that a brief affair with someone totally unsuitable was one thing but tying yourself to that person was another.
“Oh, not yet. He’s making plans. Isn’t that romantic? He said he wants everything to be just right. We’re getting married on the beach, and I’m having my wedding gown made by one of the local women here. It’s going to be beautiful.”
“Connie, really, what do you know about this man? What does he do for a living? Is he going to move back here with you?” Yikes, I hadn’t even considered that until this moment. What if Connie decided to stay in the Bahamas?
“Skye, you’re such a worrywart. You need to let go and just let life happen to you. Oh, I’ve got to run. The men caught a bunch of fish and we’re having a traditional dinner on the beach, and the women are teaching me to make some of their traditional dishes.”
Dial tone. Again. Connie’s habit of hanging up on me midconversation was getting annoying. I closed the phone and dropped it into my pocket. Between Connie’s affair with some Jamaican beach bum and Bobbi Jo’s cascading hormones, Lily seemed to be my only sane friend.
At that moment, my only sane friend came in to tell us dinner was ready. Bobbi Jo struggled to sit up and I remembered how difficult it was with abdominal muscles stretched to their limit. I stood and held out a hand, but that wasn’t enough, so Mom came in and between us we got her off the sofa. Mom put a plump arm around Bobbi Jo’s back and walked her into the dining room.
“Ruby Lee, you are the soul of kindness. I hate to be a bother, but it’s just so damn hard to get around these days.”
“Oh, bless your little heart, Bobbi Jo. You’re going to be fine. Once you hold this little bundle in your arms, you won’t even remember any of this.”
“Bullshit,” Lily mumbled to me. “I remember every single moment of discomfort with both of mine.”
I stifled a giggle and jabbed her with an elbow. But I had to agree with her. I remembered the discomfort of being pregnant with Sheridan. And the labor and delivery. Even the soreness later. I wouldn’t trade them for the world. But Mom was partially right. Once Bobbi Jo held her baby, she might not forget the discomfort, but she would know that it was all worth it. There simply isn’t anything to compare with holding your baby for the first time.
