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“Yes, Judith loves only those that she reproduces.”
“Yeah, right,” Bea stated, and her face went red at her answer. “Some moms are better than others.”
“Yours is probably the best.”
“Amazing. I lucked out completely. Well, all my sisters did actually,” Bea said.
“How many are ‘all’?”
“Seven.”
“Are they all as gorgeous as you are?”
“Um, no. I mean, yes, they are all pretty … I guess.” She shook her head and added, “How am I supposed to answer that?”
“By saying, ‘No, Jonas, I am the most gorgeous of them all. They all say it to me all the time.’”
She laughed at him and let her guard down, but not enough that she wasn’t keeping the island between them. It seemed her resolve to keep them apart was strong this morning.
Since he had to go to work that day, he would let her keep her space. Tonight, however, he would try a little harder. No matter what, she was still going to be on his mind.
Harrison had said he should try and go in every day like normal this week since neither of them knew when the feds were coming. Jonas hoped it was soon. He was tired of being on edge.
By evening when she served them chicken in a sauce with baby red potatoes, she looked more tired than happy with her excellent meal. Any excitement he had surrounding her new job was completely gone.
Tonight, it was a full table, meaning the entire six from the household since the boys had chosen to stay in. Brett and Louisa kept looking at each other, which was awkward since Jonas sat between them. Ross seemed more interested in his phone than those in the room.
Conversation was left to Judith, and Jonas was completely ignoring her that night. All he knew was that she was going from person to person, trying to get information from them, but only getting one-word answers. Even Louisa wasn’t talking too much to her mom. George was completely silent again tonight. This meal couldn’t get done soon enough.
Bea spent the meal flittering in and out of the room with more dishes or things that people had requested. From butter to more beverages. She was nothing but fake smiles; he had seen the real thing, and this was not it.
He tried to touch her when she was close, but she kept her distance from him. Though he had caught Ross grabbing her butt as she took his empty plate from him, and she had pushed him away and then avoided him even more than she was avoiding Jonas. At least he knew she wanted his touches.
Maybe he could interest her in a nightcap that evening. Maybe one in his room; then she wouldn’t have to waste her time going home.
“Jonas, how was work today?” George actually spoke.
Surprised, he looked at the old man and smiled. “Good, like always.”
“Boring, though, right?” Judith asked. She always said that.
“No, I love my job. Just because you haven’t worked in years doesn’t mean others haven’t.”
“I’ve been raising my children,” Judith defended herself.
“Who are all adults. Maybe you should go back to work. What was it you did again?” He saw Bea crack a smile as she poured his father more water. She liked his joke.
“I have a doctorate, Jonas. I can get a job at any moment.”
“I would like to see that. Have you regaled Bea on your accomplishments? Or Brett and Ross? I think they would be hard-pressed to be interested in your forty-year-old doctorate.”
“Quit talking to the staff, Jonas. And it is only half that old!” Judith stated, and Bea headed for the kitchen, her expression unreadable.
“I can talk to anyone I want to.”
“Just leave the staff alone. Bea is on thin ice after yesterday as it is.” Judith watched her go as well.
“What happened yesterday?” George looked up and asked.
“She was flirting with Jonas. It was sickening,” Judith told her husband but shot Jonas daggers.
“She wasn’t flirting with me; I was flirting with her,” Jonas argued. It had been him flirting; even he knew that.
“Don’t flirt with the staff, Jonas,” George said and turned back to his plate.
“You too?” he demanded of his father and got up and left the room. He was tired of the entire thing.
Not to be deterred, he went back downstairs an hour later, the back ones that ended in the kitchen this time. No need for his dad or stepmom to see him. But when he got there, the kitchen was completely clean, and she was gone. Outside, her vehicle was gone as well. He had missed her. Now he had to wait another day, but maybe she would have lost her control by then. Bea not in control was what he wanted.
