Page 62 of Tucker
Westep into a dimly lit living room. “Really? You had to break the fucking lock?”Jeremy gripes.
He’ssitting on the couch, his feet propped on the coffee table like all of this isjust normal.
“Wouldn’thave had to if you’d answer the fucking door.”
Crossinghis feet, he stares up at us, his face impassive. “I would’ve thought movingthree hundred miles away would discourage company.”
“Nowyou know better,” Justus says, walking around and turning on lights. “Damn,this place is nice. Whose is it?”
“Mine.”
Returningfrom his little tour, Justus stands in front of Jeremy, glaring at him. “Whatthe fuck, Jer?”
Jeremyjust stares back, stone faced.
“Wedrive all night to find your ass, and you have nothing to say.”
“Ididn’t want to be found. Get the fuck out and leave me alone.”
Darechuckles. “Not going to happen. Why did you run? You knew we could find you.”
Jeremygets to his feet and opens the curtains overlooking the lake. The sun is justbreaking the horizon and Landon slips out the door to get his suit. “You foundme because I wasn’t hiding. I just want to be left alone. I don’t have anyprojects started for ISH. Seemed like a good time to get away for a while.”
Justussits on his couch. “Getting away for a while generally doesn’t include movingall your shit.”
“Thisplace wasn’t furnished. And I like my shit.” Jeremy paces the room. “Now, youcan all see I haven’t been kidnapped and murdered, so you can go.”
“Youdon’t even know anyone here,” Landon says, stepping back inside.
Jeremyruns his hands through his hair. “That’s the fucking point!” He turns to me.“You should be able to understand.”
He’sright. I do. He’s dealing with a loss and feels overwhelmed by people watchinghim grieve. “I do understand. You have to understand why we’d want to make sureyou haven’t jumped off the deep end.”
“Yeah,”he grumbles. His gaze meets Dare’s in a challenging look. “I’m not coming back.Not until I’m ready.”
Aftera few moments of silence, Dare speaks up, “Fine. If that’s what you want. Youneed a break. We get it. You didn’t have to go about it so…dramatically, butit’s your choice.”
“Thankyou!” Jeremy flops into a recliner. “Shut the door behind you.”
“But,”Dare continues, drawing another glare from Jeremy. “We still want to knowyou’re okay. You’d do the same damn thing if you were in our shoes. So, we’llleave, but you need to keep in touch.”
Jeremyshakes his head, and I add, “We’re not talking about long heart to heart talkswhile we paint our fingernails for fuck’s sake. Just answer a text or messageeach week. Let us know you’re alive and we won’t show back up to haunt you.” Ilook around at the other guys to see if they agree with the arrangement.
Aftera few moments, Jeremy nods. “I may work on a few things from here as well. I’mnot leaving ISH.”
“Damnright you’re not,” Justus says. “Shit is just getting good. Tucker is totallynailing Dare’s sister.”
Asnort of laughter leaps from Jeremy and he grins for the first time since wearrived. “You’re going to end up fed to your own pigs,” he tells me.
“Wehave an understanding.”
Jeremyglances at Dare who is glaring at me. “Yeah, I can see that.”
Landonstands in front of the window, looking out over the lake. “Zoe is devastatedtoo. There’s going to be a memorial outside the mall next week to honor thetwenty-two people who were killed. They’re releasing balloons with the victim’snames on them.” He turns to Jeremy. “It might be good for you to join us.”
“Nofucking balloon is going to bring her back,” he snaps. “This is the shit I wantto avoid. Everyone wants to talk about it or do something. There’s nothinganyone can do and I don’t want to talk about her.”
Hegets to his feet. “I said I’d keep in touch. Now, please, get the fuck out so Ican go back to sleep.”
