Page 14 of Somebody's Watching Me
“Welcome home, baby.” Simone laid a kiss on top of her head. “How long have you been out here?”
Left motherless at a young age, Jamison thanked the universe for allowing this strong woman to raise her. “Not long.”
Simone came around to sit in the chair next to her. “I’ve been waiting all day.”
“I had to stay late and remind some men who was in charge.”
“That’s my girl.”
They rocked in time together, neither needing to speak. Simone’s presence was the calm in the storm, her ability to keep a level head second nature thanks to her own trauma.
Simone lost her husband the same night Jamison lost her mother. Both gunned down by a woman they considered family. Rebecca Miller’s rampage kicked off a chain of events none of them ever recovered from, the echoes of it felt to this day.
The mistress of Charlie Fairweather, Rebecca had come to Haven House like Simone, pregnant with a Fairweather baby. But during her decade here, Rebecca never flourished like the other women, falling into a dark place after suffering years of neglect and manipulation from the man she loved.
And unable to dig herself out of that dark place, Rebecca made the decision to end it all.
On July 4, 1999, the great love story of Jamison’s parents, Simone’s happily ever after with her husband Devon, Rebecca’s own life, and of the life of her eldest daughter, ended. Leaving those who remained mere shells of the people they once were.
In the distance, Abe rolled out of his cottage, waving to let them know he was coming over. A child at the time of Rebecca’s rampage, he had been caught in the crossfire, and remained partially paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. But where he once wallowed in his depression, Abe now embraced the world of botany—taking after his Uncle Ty—and was preparing to start a new job out in Texas.
The front door slammed shut, and Evie waddled out, balancing a bowl of ice cream on her gargantuan belly. “I have to hurry and eat this. The girls will be up from their nap soon.” She sat in a rocking chair, groaning as her butt connected with the seat. “This is all for me, so no one ask for any.”
“We don’t want your ice cream,” Simone said. “And watch your tone. The baby can hear.”
Simone had been their mother’s best friend, and when Laura Jean wasgone, she had taken it upon herself to raise them. Jamison’s father had wanted to, but he had been so lost in those first few years. It had taken him ages to pull himself together again.
At least that’s what she’d been told. Jamison was a toddler when it all happened and remembered nothing.
“Watch my tone?” Evie’s spoon clanged against the bowl as she scooped up a bite. “Samuel is way worse, especially when we’re having sex. That man has such a dirty mouth on him.”
“Thank goodness you’re home,” Simone said out the side of her mouth to Jamison. “Sex is all she talks about.”
“Oh, I know, and it’s freaking gross.”
The three of them continued to rock quietly, the cool afternoon breeze bringing the scent of gardenias closer. Abe appeared after a few minutes, rolling to a stop next to Jamison. “I went by the kitchen.” He handed her a glass of red wine. “Thought you might need this.”
“Evie’s talking about sex with Samuel, so yeah, I need it.”
Shuddering, Abe backed away. “I’m not sticking around for that. Thanks to Evie, I’ve been having nightmares about Samuel trying to seduce me.”
“You wish, big boy.” The deep voice had come from around the front of the house, and a second later Samuel appeared. “Welcome home, brat.”
Jamison tried to smile, wanting him to see how well she was doing. “Thanks.”
An out of breath Annabeth rushed around the corner next, obviously driven home from the bookstore by Samuel. “We stopped by the winery close to my shop.” She held up two bottles of wine. “And there’s more in Samuel’s car, so let’s get this party started.”
Chapter 4
“When are you going to have sex with Rowan?”
Samuel choked on his whiskey. “Excuse me?”
“I wasn’t asking you.” Evie snuggled in her husband’s lap, looking tiny even at eight months pregnant. “I was talking to Annabeth.”
“I would hope so.” Samuel shook his head, and then turned to Annabeth. “But seriously, when?”
Jamison smirked, glad not to be the one to bring it up. They were all in the parlor together talking while Simone gave Theo and Harper their baths. Evie had said she would do it, but sensing Jamison needed her sister near, Simone had offered.
