He needed someone now. And Kayla was the only one available.
For better or worse, here she was.
Chapter 4
STUNNED AT JIM’S TOTAL lack of reaction to seeing her, Kayla wondered what to do. She stared into the dark interior since his back was to her and didn’t fail to notice that he’d changed into a t-shirt and a pair of dark, loose sweatpants. Kayla never saw Jim in any kind of dress except his Sunday wardrobe. Button-up shirt, pressed slacks and suit jacket. He and Kathy both dressed far too formally for their age group. No matter the occasion, or lack thereof. No matter the location either. A casual Monday to meet for coffee? Grocery shopping? A trip to the bank? Jim and Kathy were always dressed in what Kayla called their Sunday, goin’ ta church clothes. Always.
So seeing Jim so casually dressed now was a jolt to Kayla. His wide back tapered nicely down to his waist. He was tall and slender, but not lanky. He showed innate grace in his movements, like a panther. His long, slim legs and commanding stride were how she always pictured him.
Stepping inside what felt like the lion’s den, she shut the door behind her and turned around, blinking rapidly.
It was very small. Crowded. Too dark. Heavy drapes covered the front living room window, blocking out all the light. The small entry was filled with coats and shoes. Some were on the shelves, while others were thrown haphazardly. The carpet led to an open, but small living room and kitchen with a tiny, two-person table.
A black loveseat provided the only furniture to sit on. Books. Lots of them. There were books stacked on the floor, the table and even the kitchen counter.
The light over the stove emitted the only illumination, which softened the shabbiness of the place. Kathy never told Kayla about Jim’s living standards. But she wouldn’t have. Kathy was too kind-hearted to describe how Jim lived. However, this was much rougher than Kayla expected.
Jim flopped down on the black leather sofa and raised a glass to his mouth, taking a sip and sucking in a breath before he visibly winced.
“What do you want?”
“I just came by to check on you.”
“Why? Did you think my heart was broken? It wasn’t. I don’t have one, you see. But you already knew that. So, you may leave. You’re the last person I’d expect or want to check on me.”
Ah. There it was. That sounded more familiar. Much better and more Jim-like than he was at the hospital. Kayla slipped her left arm from her purse strap, setting it on the floor as she started to relax. His scowl deepened and he asked, “Did you hear me?”
“Yes. And I’m relieved to hear you sounding more like yourself.”
He blinked at her and his glasses were a bit askew. She stared harder at him before her gaze bounced around and she quickly spotted the open bottle of vodka. Startled by her discovery, she asked, “Are you drinking alcohol?”
He smirked. “Yeah. On the day you almost get shot in your own church, what else is there to do?”
“But you don’t drink.”
“No.” He enunciated his agreement so coldly and clearly that she could only wonder when the usual, know-it-all speech would arrive. “Kathy doesn’t drink. Or swear. Or have sex. Not me. I never said I didn’t drink. Or swear. Or—”
“Have sex? I didn’t think you did. Remember I was always Kathy’s confidante.”
Baring his teeth at her, he got up, grabbed the neck of the bottle and sloppily poured more inside his cup. Kayla took the moment to sit down while he was up. She had to sit next to him because there was nowhere else. The chairs to the small table were overloaded with books, papers and newspapers. Jim was a slob. A hoarder. But geez, all those books.
“Well, then, if you’re asking, get me a glass. I certainly like to drink.”
He scoffed, scowled and glared all at once at her. Pouring her some vodka in a coffee mug that was a complimentary gift from a bank that was now out of business, he handed her the mug.
She lifted it towards him as he stood there, seemingly unsure of himself. “Cheers.”
He perched on the edge of the couch arm. “Yeah. Fuckin’ cheers.” He lifted his glass and gulped it down liberally.
Kayla sipped hers and coughed. It was pretty strong as she didn’t usually drink hard liquor. She liked to mix in fruity, sweet, lovely concoctions that made it so easy to forget there was any alcohol involved. Her new reality wasn’t adding up. Jim drank hard alcohol? Liberally? And said fuck? Jim? Seeing Jim as he was now, all casual, sloppy and slouchy, was so unlike how she knew him to be. Stiff and starched, his posture nearly perfect with a ramrod straight back, and a direct, eye-staring gaze, Jim shook men’s hands vigorously and dipped his head towards women with old-fashioned reverence for acknowledgement. Not going quite so far as to take their hands and kiss the backs of them, Kayla would not have been surprised if he did.
She always regarded Jim and Kathy as being from a different time and era. Not sure when, but a more traditional time. When people always dressed up and spoke with polite manners. Formal speech and caring treatment of each other and anyone else. Kathy appreciated it and encouraged it with Jim’s influence. While Kayla laughed at him without making it a secret. She could be pretty blunt to his face.
But seeing Jim like this?
Brushing his hand under his glasses, he rubbed his right eye and stared down at his half empty cup.
“Repeating, what do you want from me, Kayla? Did you forget something about Kathy and Eric that I should hear to really rub the whole situation in?”
“I’m not a monster. I would never come here tonight of all nights and do that.”
He snorted and shot her a look that clearly said, yeah, right.
She conceded
