Nine-tenths of the Law

Chapter Twenty-six

The next morning, while Nathan was in the shower, I went into the kitchen to put the coffee on. I could barely think or see straight enough to do that simple task, but between yawning and rubbing my eyes, I managed. It didn’t help that my cats were doing figure eights around my feet, voicing their demands to be fed right now.

“If you trip me and break my neck, you’re going to starve,” I muttered as I pulled their food out of the cabinet. They ignored my logic and continued squawking while I spent a few minutes searching for the can opener before I realized that these cans didn’t require one.

Cursing to myself, I opened the cans and fed the relentless little beasts. I couldn’t remember the last time I was this tired.

I was exhausted, but last night was worth it. Well worth it. Nathan and I had settled everything in the projector room, then spent all night in my bed making sure we were on the same page. Sleep wasn’t high on the priority list. I knew I’d be paying for it today, but didn’t care at all.

Something beeped and caught my attention. I looked around, trying to figure out where the sound came from. It sounded distant, muffled even, but familiar.

Another beep. This time it sounded like it came from the living room. I wandered in there, craning my neck as I listened for it again. As I did, I picked up some of the clothing scattered between the front door and the bedroom, smiling to myself as the memories gave me pleasant chills.

A shirt slung haphazardly over the back of the couch made me shiver. I was surprised one of us hadn’t ended up bent over that couch.

The lone button on the carpet didn’t surprise me. I couldn’t say whose shirt it was from, but it probably wasn’t the only one that wound up separated from its stitches.

When I picked up a pair of jeans that had almost made it into the bedroom before being discarded, the beep caught my attention again. I dug into the pocket and pulled out my cell phone. Tossing the clothes on the foot of the bed, I flipped my phone open.

Three missed calls. One voice message.

Who the hell called me that late? I glanced at the alarm clock. It was a little past nine. Or that early?

In the instant I pressed the key to show the missed calls, before the LCD screen changed, I knew. I was halfway through muttering “you son of a bitch” when Jake’s number appeared on the screen. He was long since deleted from my contacts, but the all too familiar sequence of numbers may as well have spelled out his name.

I debated listening to the voice message, but really didn’t care to hear what he had to say. However, he was going to hear what I had to say.

The shower stopped. Nathan would be out shortly, so I took the phone into the kitchen and out of earshot before I hit “send” and made what I swore had better be my last contact with Jake.

The phone rang on the other end. Then again. And again.

“Don’t you dare ignore me,” I said through grinding teeth. “You called me, don’t even-”

“’Ello?” He sounded groggy. Disoriented. I hope I woke you up.

“What the fuck do you want?” I said.

“I-what? What is-oh.”

I could almost see him blinking himself awake, then freezing as he figured out who was calling and why.

“Oh, did I wake you up?” I said, laying the sarcasm on as thick as I could. “Terribly sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Zach, it’s never too early for you to call.” He sounded so smug, the words almost sing-songed across the line. “Did you get my voice message?”

“I got it,” I said. “I didn’t listen to it, though. In fact, I have no intention of listening to it.”

“But, Zach-”

“No, shut up.”

He fell so silent I thought the line had gone dead, but there was just enough movement and faint breathing on the other end to tell me I still had him on the line.

I took a deep breath to bring my temper back under control. “I don’t know why you called, and I don’t care. All I know is that you tried to play Nathan and me against-”

“Hey, I did no such thing,” he said. “All I-”

“Did I not just say ‘shut up’?” I snapped. “I saw the messages and photos you sent him. I saw the way you tried to make it look like you and I had been up to something in the projector room when you left yesterday. If you weren’t trying to play us against each other, then what were you doing?”

He said nothing. For a moment, I thought he’d been stunned into silence, but then he said, “Oh, am I allowed to speak now?”

“Don’t play games, Jake. I know what you were up to. I know-”

“If you know, then why are you asking?”

I mouthed a silent string of profanity into the air. Just stay calm. Don’t let him think he’s getting to you.

“Zach, honestly-”

“I’m really not interested, Jake,” I said. “You have no business-”

“I have no business doing what?” The sudden hostility in his voice surprised and amused me. “And what about the two of you? You two have a lot of nerve fucking each other just to rub it in my face.”

“Are you serious?” I said with a sharp burst of laughter. “You think this is about you?”

“Oh, come on, why wouldn’t it be?” he said. “Why else would the two of you get together?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe we have some common ground.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Me.”

“Get over yourself. You may be the reason we met, but trust me, the only time we ever did a thing to get back at you was the first night.”

“What?” His voice was suddenly almost shrill with fury. “So you admit it, then. You’re fucking him just to fuck with me.”

“The first night, yes,” I said, trying to keep my grin from reaching my voice. “That was all about you, my friend.”

“So it-”

“Every night thereafter has been about us, though,” I said, the humor leaving my tone. “ Me. Nathan. Nothing more, nothing less. You don’t even fit into the equation except when you come sauntering in and try to pull a stunt like you did yesterday.”

“You should be thanking me,” he said. “You don’t know what you’re getting into with him.”

“Oh, please,” I said. “And I suppose you fed him the same line when you tried to convince him that I was still fooling around with you behind his back? Christ, Jake, you did a perfectly fine job of fucking up whatever it was we had. I don’t need you throwing a wrench into this relationship, too.”

“Your relationship?” He sniffed sarcastically. “Right. Is that what you call it?”

“Going by Webster’s definition, yes,” I said. “In fact-” Hands on my hips made me jump. I turned my head and Nathan met my lips with a gentle kiss.

“In fact what?” Jake snapped.

“Look, I don’t have time for this,” I said. Nathan wrapped his arms around my waist and I put my hand over his as he nuzzled my neck. “I really don’t have time for you. That’s why I called.”

“You called to tell me you don’t have time to talk to me?” He snorted.

“I called to tell you that if you show up at my theatre again, I’ll call the cops.”

He snickered and I was sure he was rolling his eyes. “Oh, please, you wouldn’t-”

“Try me,” I growled.

Nathan kissed the side of my neck and whispered, “I’d love to.”

I pressed my lips together to smother a laugh. He kissed me again, then released me and went to the counter to pour himself some coffee.

On the other end of the line, Jake exhaled hard. “Whatever. I didn’t think you were the type, I really didn’t. Going after another man’s ex like that? That’s cold.”

“What? Jesus, who the fuck do you think you are, anyway?” I snarled. “If you had any claim to either of us, you lost it the day you decided to cheat. We’re both done with you, and it’s none of your goddamned business what-or who-we decide to do now.”

“You have no right to-”

“Save it,” I said. “I have every right to date anyone I damn well please without your permission.”

“Not when-”

“Look, you’re the idiot that let him go.” I looked at Nathan, and he smiled at me over his coffee cup as I went on. “And that’s why he’s standing here in my kitchen instead of yours.”

Jake was silent for a moment. Then, “What? He’s there now?”

“Yes,” I said matter-of-factly. “Standing right here in front of me, drinking coffee, after getting out of a shower. Don’t know why he bothered taking one, considering I’m nowhere near done with-”

“Fuck you, Zach.” The line went dead.

I shook my head and put the phone on the counter. “What is that man’s damage, anyway?”

Nathan kissed me lightly. “What did he want?”

I shrugged. “Hell if I know. He left a message that I have no intention of listening to. When I called him back, he started trying to make me feel guilty for having the audacity to get involved with you.”

He clicked his tongue and shook his head, a disapproving look on his face. “Jesus, Zach, you’re such a bastard. Picking up and moving on after he cheated on you.” Another click of his tongue. “How could you?”

I grinned and put my hands on his waist. “It’s not my fault. You’re the one that showed up at my theatre and kissed me like that.”

Obviously trying not to smile, he said, “Kissed you like what?”

“Like this.”