A Place to Rest Part 14

"Sure." Jori entered the house and pa.s.sed through the living room to the family room. While Paige kept the rest of her home meticulously clean and organized, she seemed to have given up the cause in here. An a.s.sortment of toy guns, blocks, and cars and trucks of all sizes spilled out of a camoufl age toy box and across the fl oor. Under the plasma television mounted on the far wall, a * 117 *

low table held a video-game console. This was clearly the room where the family played.

Erica reclined on a large dark green sofa leafi ng listlessly through a Gourmet magazine. A stack of crossword-puzzle books and other publications sat on one corner of the coffee table in front of her.

"Hey," Jori said from the doorway.

Erica laid the magazine down in her lap. "Hi. Thank you for the tarts."

"I'm glad you enjoyed them." Jori settled into the nearby chair.

"Very much." Erica barely paused before changing gears.

"So, how's Sawyer really doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"At the restaurant. She tells me everything's under control.

And here I sit, not allowed to do anything but ring this d.a.m.n thing when I want something." Erica pointed at a small bell sitting nearby.

"She comes in early and she's still there when we close. She does the paperwork and works the dining room all night. She's amazing."

"Yes. She can be quite impressive."

Jori felt her face fl ush. She'd been raving about Sawyer and Erica seemed amused. She knew Sawyer was only doing what Erica had been doing for years. "I didn't mean-well, of course we miss you. I only meant she's really stepping up."

"I'm not offended, Jori. I just hope she sticks with it."

"What do you mean?"

"Time has always been Sawyer's enemy." Erica shifted and adjusted the mound of pillows behind her back.

"Maybe this time is different."

Erica smiled. "I'll bet Sawyer would appreciate your optimism, but I've known her longer than you have. Trust me, she'll leave. It's just a question of when. She's been doing it since * 118 *

she got out of college. She hops from one job to the next as soon as she gets bored."

"I hope you're wrong." After Jori spoke, she realized how telling her words must be.

"Jori, I know you work for me, but I'd like to think we're friends, too."

"We are."

"Ah-this is awkward. I don't know that much about your lifestyle, but I get the feeling I should warn you. Sawyer isn't known for her longevity." Erica watched Jori's earlier blush deepen.

"If you're trying not to ask if I'm a lesbian, the answer is yes. I am."

"I know you're a private person, Jori. And I'm not trying to pry into your life. But I don't want to see you get hurt." Erica wasn't certain if Jori would think she was b.u.t.ting in, but she was genuinely concerned. Sawyer was her sister and she loved her, but more than once, she'd seen Sawyer run away without worrying about what kind of mess she left behind. In fact, it was her signature move-rather similar to that of the men Erica usually dated, come to think of it.

"If it makes you feel any better, I've already turned her down."

"Oh." Erica would have been impressed if Sawyer had stood fi rm when Jori rejected her. But she now understood that Jori's refusal had likely been part of the reason she'd quit her job.

Typical.

"What about you? How are you doing? Going stir-crazy?"

Erica easily accepted the subject change. "Absolutely. I'm not used to this much inactivity. Watching so much daytime television makes my brain feel like mush. Do you have any idea how many semicelebrities have their own talk shows now?"

Jori laughed. "I have no idea."

"I really don't know how I'll stand it." She couldn't keep the * 119 *

crankiness out of her voice. She hated to unload her frustration on everyone she talked to, but they all kept asking how she was doing, and sometimes she was too exhausted to pretend.

"It'll all be worth it when you're holding your child. Don't you think?"

"That's what everyone keeps telling me."

"Is something wrong?"

"Sometimes I wonder if keeping this baby is the right thing.

Maybe I should have thought more about adoption."

Erica couldn't have known the emotions her words brought up for Jori. She was relieved that at least Erica hadn't been contemplating abortion. Jori's stance on that particular subject was solid and not the least bit politically based. Her most vivid memories included her mother screaming at her more than once that she wished Jori had never been born. She shivered and shoved the image aside. "Is that still an option?"

"I guess it is. But I'm past that point." Erica rested her hand gently on her rounded belly. "I just don't know if I'll be a good mother. I want her to have the best."

"She will."

"But am I being selfi sh to try to raise her alone? Doesn't she deserve a mother and a father?"

Jori could hear the indecision tearing at Erica. She slid to the edge of the chair and covered Erica's hand with hers. "Do you love this baby?"

Erica slipped her hand from beneath Jori's and caressed her stomach. "I really do. It's amazing how much."

"That's all she needs. Besides, you're not alone. She'll have lots of family around her-Sawyer, Brady, Paige, and the boys."

The jolt against her palm surprised her and she quickly sought Erica's eyes.

Erica smiled. "Did you feel it?"

"Was that a kick?"

"Yeah. She's an active girl."

* 120 *

"That's amazing." Until then Jori hadn't considered what it might feel like for a child to grow inside her. She'd always known she wanted a large family, but she didn't feel ready for children yet. Because of her own screwed-up childhood she'd often thought she shouldn't have kids. But the movement beneath her hand happened again and she suddenly imagined the tiny foot that caused it.

"Come on, Sawyer. We're going to be late," Brady said for the third time in fi fteen minutes.

Drake's was packed with patrons, every table in the dimly lit dining room fi lled to capacity, and several small cl.u.s.ters of people waited near the front door. Sawyer strode through the dining room to the bar and picked up a tray full of drinks. Brady trailed her, stepping quickly out of her way as she spun and headed for a nearby table. He took the tray from her and held it while she served the drinks. "Maybe you guys should go on without me," she said and nodded politely in response to each murmured "thank you" as she placed the gla.s.ses in front of the diners.

"No way. Paige is waiting in the kitchen and Jori is getting ready. You're going with us." He slid the empty tray onto the bar, then, taking her shoulders, directed her toward the kitchen.

"We're slammed, Brady. I can't leave them like this." Sawyer was pleased that they'd been getting a lot of traffi c the past two nights, which she attributed to their advertis.e.m.e.nt at the music festival.

"Wendy has handled worse."

"I know."Their shift manager was competent and smart. She didn't often get as much responsibility as she'd earned because Erica wouldn't relinquish much control.

"Besides, the rush has already started to ease. They're * 121 *

catching up. And in an hour when the concert starts, it'll be even slower." He pushed her through the swinging door. "Now go get dressed."

"All right, all right. Give me ten minutes."

"You have fi ve," he called as she headed for the small locker room.

"Geez. Impatient," she grumbled as she rounded the corner of a row of rusty gray lockers, already unb.u.t.toning her shirt. She jerked to a stop as she saw Jori, bare from the waist up, standing near her locker. "Uh-sorry, I-" Jesus, I should have gone to the offi ce to change. Sawyer had only that one rational thought before her brain slid out of focus. She knew she was staring but couldn't drag her eyes from smooth shoulders and ridges of collarbones that met in a hollow at the base of Jori's neck. She thought she might lose her mind as she roamed lower to Jori's b.r.e.a.s.t.s and the rose tips that tightened beneath her gaze.

"Sawyer, you have to stop looking at me like that." Jori's voice was gravelly and, Sawyer thought, a bit beseeching.

Jori clutched her T-shirt to her chest, and the dark blue cotton obscuring Sawyer's view was enough to break the thread that held her attention. But when she raised her eyes guiltily to Jori's face, she discovered fl ushed skin and eyes round and liquid with...was that desire?

"Why?" Sawyer stepped closer. Another two seconds and she would have to touch her.

"Because Brady and Paige are waiting for us." Jori blinked once, then again, and the heat faded slowly from her eyes.

Brady and Paige are waiting. She didn't say because she didn't want me to.

"Of course."

With some effort, Sawyer turned away, opened her locker, and pulled out a pair of jeans and a plaid camp shirt. Keeping her back to Jori, she quickly stripped off her slacks and blouse and dressed in the more casual clothes. She swung her locker closed, * 122 *

turned around, and saw Jori now completely covered, leaning against the door watching her with unguarded l.u.s.t. Arousal slammed into Sawyer's stomach, and the air in the small room grew heavy and so hot it seemed to sear her lungs as she dragged it in.

Jori quickly straightened. "Sorry," she mumbled, averting her eyes, and pulled her lower lip between her teeth.

"Don't be." Unable to ignore her thudding heart, Sawyer crossed the room in three quick strides. Before Jori had time to react, she pinned her against the door and shoved one hand into her hair, holding her captive. She allowed her mouth to hover a whisper from Jori's for several seconds, enjoying the antic.i.p.ation of the kiss, the refl exive grasp of Jori's hand on her forearm, and her unsteadily indrawn breath.

When she couldn't stand it anymore, she closed the distance between them and met Jori's unexpectedly hungry mouth. Jori matched each stroke of her tongue and nip of teeth against her lip. Sawyer drank her in, infused with thrumming pleasure and the sweet exhilaration of a fi rst kiss.

When she fi nally registered Jori's hands pushing against her shoulders, she drew back.

"Something wrong?" she asked softly. It certainly felt right to me.

"We should go." Jori stared at the fl oor between them.

Sawyer touched Jori's chin, drawing her head up so she could see her face. Her eyes were soft and hazy, her lips dark pink.

Sawyer longed to kiss them again, and having felt the abandon in Jori's response, she knew she could. But she wouldn't want to stop, and Brady was waiting. So instead, she said, "We have a minute. Did I upset you?"

"No. I-um, it was nice."

"Nice?" Sawyer chuckled. Such an inane word to describe the exchange that had left her breathless and nearly shaking.

"Very nice."

* 123 *

"Okay." Sawyer smiled to herself and took another step away from her. She picked up her light jacket from the nearby bench. "Let's go."

As they came down the hallway Sawyer heard Paige say, "Sweetheart, we have plenty of time. The concert doesn't start for another hour."

Brady was unconvinced. "Well, how long does it take to change clothes?"

"Hey, it takes time to look this good," Sawyer called out as she strutted into the kitchen, purposely calling attention to herself and away from Jori's fl ushed face and freshly kissed appearance.

"About time," Brady grumbled. He hated to be late for anything, so much so that it actually stressed him out if he wasn't early. He hadn't inherited the trait. Unless it pertained to Drake's, both their parents were more likely to be tardy. Sawyer wondered if Brady's obsession with being on time stemmed from growing up with their lax idea of schedules.

As Brady headed for the back door, Sawyer let Jori precede her. She touched her lower back lightly as they stepped outside, but Jori's continued avoidance of eye contact worried her.

"It's a nice night. Would you like to walk?" Brady asked.

Sawyer knew he would relax now they were on the way. She briefl y wondered if twins were more complex than singles like her.

The sidewalk was still damp from a brief shower earlier, but the clouds had pa.s.sed quickly and the clear, orange-tinged sky was streaked with red as the sun set behind the skyline.

Countryfest drew over a hundred thousand fans to Nashville each year, so the sidewalks were more crowded than usual and they were swept along in the rhythm of the throng. As dusk approached, neon glowed in the windows of the bars lining Broadway. Live music and the smell of fried food emanated from open doors, but nothing could entice the fl ock. Aside from the occasional stragglers who ventured inside, most of them * 124 *

continued to fl ow toward the Sommet Center seeking big-name country stars.

Sawyer smothered a curse as a particularly zealous fan rushed past, slamming his shoulder into hers. "When you live here, it's easy to forget people actually come here on vacation, isn't it?"

"This is the fi rst thing I've done that is remotely touristy,"

Jori said.

"Really? But didn't you grow up here?" Paige asked.

Jori shrugged. "I guess I've never had the time."