Page 5 of A Love So Wrong
"Of course you can help, and thank you, Jade. I bought the camera system offline last week, and I have been eager to get it up and running," she informed them as she walked towards a long table against the foyer wall containing two medium-sized brown boxes. "I will feel so much better when I can go out and keep an eye on my house from my phone.
"I understand," Jade smiled sympathetically as she and Taylor both took a box and began opening them.
Though Jade could understand the woman's fears, they were a bit unfounded. Stardust Cove didn't have much criminal activity, especially within the historical district where Mrs. Archuleta lived. Being only one street over from the police station, crime in this area was unheard of, though that didn't stop Mrs. Archuleta from seeking out crime reports and fanning the flames of worry within her close circles of other elderly friends. Every week Sheriff Grayson released a crime report that disclosed all criminal activity in the tri-city areas that covered Stardust Cove, Holter, and Fort Mason. A report he probably regretted doing since he was accosted by questions from Mrs. Archuleta every time he released it.
"Well, with these cameras, you should be able to rest easy," Taylor announced confidently as he handed Jade pieces of equipment.
Just like in school, where she was president of the Audio Visual and Engineering clubs, Taylor always happily deferred to her as the leader on every project despite being the vice president of each one himself. Setting her bag in the corner next to his, Jade sat on the floor and began reading the directions while examining each piece. It looked fairly simple, much easier than the wired system her and the AV club set up for Monica Jackson, the director of athletics at their high-school, last month. Wireless and only using batteries and some using solar panels to keep the batteries charged, the system was fairly simple.
After placing all the cameras inside the house, Jade and Taylor were standing outside, debating where exactly to place a camera when Mrs. Archuleta came out carrying two glasses of water. Accepting their glasses with thanks, they both took a sip as she spoke.
"So, how is Gideon doing?" Mrs. Archuleta asked politely.
At the sound of her brother's name, Jade thought of the image of him and that girl standing close together in front of Andy's shop, and her lip threatened to curl in disgust.
"He is fine," she mumbled.
"Yes," the older woman said in an almost dreamy voice. "Yes, he is indeed."
The sputtering sound of choking from Taylor hardly registered to Jade as she stared at the woman in shock. Dear Lord, was there no one unaffected by Gideon?!
Caramel colored skin, and amber brown eyes framed in long curling black lashes, Gideon was akin to a fallen angel walking around Stardust Cove, driving the citizens crazy with either lust or jealousy.
Not sure what to say to that, Jade warily continued. "Um yeah…he's playing for the Oakes football team on a partial scholarship."
"Oh yes, I know," Mrs. Archuleta said enthusiastically as she took a seat on the neatly kept wicker porch furniture. "Me and a few ladies at the church went to go see a game last Thursday. He sure is a good-looking boy."
Using the opportunity to escape, Taylor ignored the pleading look Jade threw his way as he half mumbled, half laughed something about going to get a ladder.
"Yes, well…" Jade honestly wasn't sure what else to say to that.
"It's amazing such a fine handsome boy like that doesn't have a girlfriend," the older woman said, and Jade looked up to see her eyes watching Jade like an eagle. It was as if she was just waiting and watching for Jade to say or do something.
Confused, Jade turned with relief at the sound of footsteps turning the corner of the house. The relief, however, disintegrated as she caught sight of the other person walking alongside Taylor. Carrying the tall ladder with one hand, Gideon's naturally narrowed eyes caught hers first and held them as he came around the corner and stopped in front of her.
"Look who I found," Taylor announced. "Or who found me, actually."
Automatically, Jade could feel herself shutter her expression at the penetrating stare. Ever since she was younger, even before moving in with the Lattimores and before she met Gideon, Jade developed a habit of hiding behind her emotions. A habit Gideon had learned to recognize and hate.
Like a flame being sparked and immediately extinguished, she watched him mask his annoyance before setting the ladder down and turning towards Mrs. Archuleta with his arms wide open and a dimpled smile in place.
As if she were a giddy schoolgirl, Mrs. Archuleta accepted Gideon's hug with a little laugh that bordered on a giggle allowing him to wrap his strong arms around her.
The grin forming on Jade's lips from the scene froze at Mrs. Archuleta's next words.
"Oh, we were just talking about you," Mrs. Archuleta remarked sweetly as Gideon released her and stepped back.
"Were you now?" Gideon raised one eyebrow and gave her a flirtatious smile. "I hope it was something good."
Unable to stand watching anymore and praying Mrs. Archuleta didn't mention their conversation any further, Jade turned to Taylor, who was watching the exchange with his normal cheerful expression. Everyone around her was all smiles and laughter while she felt like a dark spot standing off to the side. Her gut twisted in embarrassment at the thought of Mrs. Archuleta repeating any of what she said about Gideon. She didn't want him to know they had been talking about him. She didn't want him to somehow see the hurt still in her eyes from the scene she secretly witnessed earlier between him and that girl. Jade needed time alone to compose herself before she faced Gideon. If not, she knew he would find that one crack in her armor and rip it all away, forcing her to be truthful with him and herself.
"Come on," she told Taylor, capturing his attention and signaling towards the ladder. "Let's get these last few cameras up."
"Sure." Obediently, Taylor picked up the ladder and leaned it against the side of the house before securing it in place. "I can hold it up if you wanna go up first, or you can hold it, and I can go up."
Grabbing onto the side of the ladder, she put one foot on the metal step and looked up.
The hand that appeared just above hers on the ladder was her only forewarning before she felt Gideon gently nudge her out of the way. Silently, he held out his hand for the camera and cordless drill. Averting her eyes from his stony expression with a heavy sigh, she plopped the items in his hands and stepped back.
