Page 4 of A Love So Wrong
Chapter 3
Leaning one shoulder against the building's brick wall, Jade stood in the shadow of the alley as she stared across the street at her brother.
Wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt, he looked up and gave Andy a sharp look at the man's statement. Both men were standing in front of the open hood of Gideon's white pickup truck at Andy's garage. The old beat-up truck Gideon bought in cash off of a man two towns over was always in the shop for one thing or another. She swore it would have been easier for him to just buy a new car instead, but the look of horror he gave her when she suggested it after the third mechanic visit told her the suggestion was not welcome. Smiling to herself, Jade had realized it was the sense of accomplishment and pride Gideon liked when it came to restoring that stupid truck.
The sound of Gideon's name being called out brought her and his attention to two girls walking down the sidewalk. Jade watched with a leaden heart as a short, curvy blonde waved enthusiastically at Gideon. Leaning over to tell Andy something first, Gideon walked out from behind the truck and met the girls halfway up the drive to the shop. It was hot out today. The Texas sun bounced perfectly off the three as they stood and talked. Jade wanted to believe the beautiful girl only wanted to talk to Gideon, maybe about their classes they might share at the university or just to stop by and give a friendly hi-and-bye as she and her girlfriend walked home from classes, but Jade knew her hopes were in vain. Like a good wingman, the second girl that had walked with the blonde gracefully made a gesture to across the street, most likely towards the café that was popular with all the Oakes University students before giving them both a knowing smile and taking her leave. Alone now, the blonde looked up at Gideon with a whole new light. Jade could see from her shadowy spot in the alley next to the dry cleaner's building the hungry gleam of ambition in the girl's eyes. She wanted him, of course, just as every girl in Stardust Cove did. The blonde looked at Gideon as an ultimate achievement. And why wouldn't she, Jade thought sourly as she stared at the girl smiling sweetly up at him. Gideon was kind, intelligent, extremely respectful, tall, good looking, and so much more. Dubbed Mr. Perfect in his high-school yearbook, there was absolutely no one in Stardust Cove that wasn't bowled over by his overly bright excellence.
Too bad he refused to use an ounce of that quiet charm when Jade wanted him to.
Tearing her eyes away from the talking couple, Jade thought of dinner the other night. She hadn't spoken to Gideon in two days since that night. She had been so angry with him. Why couldn't he just be quiet? Why did he have to purposely upset Sandra like that? From the moment Sandra and Henry brought them both into their home, Jade had worked tirelessly to keep their new parents happy. She had realized early on that Sandra needed special attention and that Henry only wanted to see his wife happy. Although it had never been discussed, Jade always suspected Sandra had asked Henry about adopting a child after their own son had turned to drugs and left, and as Henry did with everything with his wife, he obliged her request. She and Gideon had been lucky when they were taken into the Lattimores’ home, Jade knew that from the moment she crossed through the threshold, and because of that, she would do everything in her power to never let the Lattimores regret their decision.
But lately, Gideon was not helping in that mission.
No longer willing to oblige Sandra's eccentricities, what Gideon termed selfishness, arguments between the two were becoming more and more frequent, much to Jade's dismay.
Annoyed at her thoughts and at the scene in front of her, Jade turned away and walked back down the alley to the next street over. She needed to stop by the pharmacy for some cough syrup for Henry before she went home. Stepping out onto Main street that ran through the center of town and across the river to the university, she walked past the historic, red-brick courthouse. Stardust Cove wasn't a large town in comparison to other cities in Texas, but what it lacked in size it made up in sheer beauty. Located about five miles off the Gulf coast, the sprawling town had an impressive population of nearly twenty thousand people. Passing the newly renovated hospital, Jade turned down another street, which led her through an older historic residential district, which would inevitably lead her to the pharmacy.
"Jade!"
Turning at the sound of her name, she looked up to see a familiar face on the porch of the house to her left. With an excited smile, Taylor Beans waved at her from the pale blue and white Victorian house. Stopping, she gave him a confused smirk as he loped down the steps with his long lanky legs and stopped in front of her. This close to him, she could smell the heavy scent of his usual teen-boy body-spray mixed with his sweat.
Jade cocked her head in question. "What are you doing in Mrs. Archuleta's house?"
Pushing back one of his dark brown curls from his forehead, he gave her a rueful grin. "Well, it certainly wasn't by choice. My dad left me a message saying when I got out of class I was to stop by and offer to help her put up her security system."
Glancing past him towards the house, Jade spotted a shift in one of the lacy white curtains near the door. Pretending as if she didn't see it, she nodded at Taylor while her eyes sparkled with restrained laughter.
Reading her expression perfectly, Taylor let out a groan as he glanced back up at the house and back to her. "You have no idea," he grumbled. "It took me nearly thirty minutes to even convince her to let me in, and that included having my dad on speaker-phone confirming he did send me and reminding her of the conversation they had together about this at the store."
Pressing her lips even harder together, Jade did all she could to keep from outright laughing at the situation. She could just picture it so vividly in her head, especially since she knew she was being watched.
"So, with that said…" Taylor let the words linger in the air as he gave her a suddenly hopeful look that immediately made her wary. "Will you come in and help me? I am sure you being there will assure Mrs. Archuleta that I am not trying to steal her pearls or something."
Toying with the braided strap of her bag, Jade considered it. They had been let out of class early today, and she did feel a little sorry for poor Taylor. Sandra had once told her that Mrs. Archuleta sewed her valuables into her curtains because she thought people would break in and steal them while she was at church. A little reassurance probably would help out Taylor and Mrs. Archuleta.
"Ok, but just for a little bit. I have to go to the pharmacy and then go home and cook dinner," Jade said, stepping forward towards the house.
With an extra pep in his step at her agreement, Taylor folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes with a deep appreciative hum. "Mmmm food, whatcha making?"
Laughing, she said. "Chicken stuffed pasta shells and greens."
Reaching for the door, Taylor pushed it open for her. Leaning his long body into the open doorway, he held open the door while giving her a look of pure starving hunger. "Oh my God, that sounds amazing," he whispered as they both entered the quiet foyer of the old house.
Keeping herself from laughing, Jade reminded herself to bring her eternally hungry friend some leftovers tomorrow at lunch.
"Mrs. Archuleta?" Taylor called out.
They were both standing respectfully in the foyer, waiting as the French doors to the parlor room opened.
Dressed in a dated blue dress with white embroidered birds sprinkled across it, Mrs. Archuleta stepped out into the foyer and gave both of the students a hard-suspicious stare. With her long gray hair pulled into a regal looking bun at the nape of her neck and her posture straight as a board Mrs. Archuleta could be a bit intimidating.
Taylor cleared his throat. "Umm, I saw Jade walking home and flagged her down, figuring she could help me out. It would make the job faster, and you know since she's a girl and all…"
His words faded as he looked back between both Jade's and Mrs. Archuleta's withering expression at his statement.
Stiffening, Taylor tried to recover, but it was useless. "I mean…I was just thinking it may be better if…"
Amusement glittered in Mrs. Archuleta's black eyes, dampening the look of suspicion as she watched the boy flounder. Turning to Jade, Mrs. Archuleta gave her a soft smile.
