on your ass,” Jack slurred, bumping his head on the door frame of Rory’s tiny Honda. He sunk into the plush velour backseat and circled the palm of his free hand over the surface, trying to get a handle on the light-headed feeling that was threatening to overwhelm him. His injured shoulder throbbed distantly under the haze of narcotics while his arm hung in a sling across his diaphragm. All he wanted to do was sleep, for an eternity if he could.
“Is there someone we should call? Someone who might be worried about you?” Rory asked as she helped Spencer into the car.
Jack grimaced. He’d have to call his father eventually. Just not tonight. “I just want to put this day to bed. I’ll face the world tomorrow.”
Rory turned toward him with a look of understanding. “Don’t worry. Our place is the perfect hideout.” She put the car in drive. “And I make great pancakes. A few of those and you’ll feel like you can do anything.”
Jack smiled. “Not exactly modest is she, Spencer?” As soon as the words came out he wondered if he’d been too forward and shook his head at how impish he sounded.
“Modest? Rory?” Spencer said with a chuckle. “Nah, never modest.”
Rory poked him in the ribs. “Just because you’re hurt, don’t think that you can’t get it.”
Spencer acquiesced with a wink tossed to the backseat. “Okay, okay. Sorry, baby. You are the picture of modesty.”
Rory threw back her head with exaggeration. “Oh yes, and don’t you forget that, mister.” She shot him a surly grin.
Jack sat back, amused with their jaunty back-and-forth. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander over them. Together they made a good-looking couple, paired perfectly in so many ways. Spencer was tall and muscular at around 6’2” and Rory’s shiny reddish-brown bangs fell just short of his chin.
She was a sturdy woman who looked like she could keep up with any of Spencer’s adventures up the mountain. Jack had to wonder if she shared his passion for climbing. The thought interested him—two people sharing something that made their heart skip a beat. Something other than sex, that is. The concept was foreign to Jack, having saved all his thrills aboard his little racing skiff for himself. Sex, on the other hand, he shared readily. He was far more selective about who he invited onto his baby girl than who he invited into his bed.
They spent an hour making their way to Spencer and Rory’s fifties-style ranch house at the base of the Shawangunk Ridge. Rory might not be modest about her pancakes, but the home she kept with Spencer was quietly unassuming, nestled against a sea of black at the end of a sleepy looking cul-de-sac.
At the door Rory shrugged with a sudden insecurity that caught Jack by surprise. “I didn’t know we were having company, so…” Her keys jangled as she tried to slip the right one into the lock.
Jack stopped her from finishing. “You don’t need to… I mean, I’m really grateful that you invited me to stay with you guys.” Suddenly he was the one sounding humbled.
Behind them, Spencer hobbled up the path with his crutches. “Babe, I’m sure Jack won’t mind sharing the room with your piles and piles of books.”
“I’ve kind of made the guest bedroom into my study cave,” Rory explained. “But right now it’s finals on my summer semester so the whole place is kind of a disaster.”
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Jack said, trying his best to put her at ease. She’d left the lights on inside in her haste to leave, along with a gang of books and papers everywhere.
“I have a big test at the end of the week,” Rory said. She went about scurrying after the mess.
Jack was curious. “What are you studying?”
“Working on my master’s in psychology.”
“Rory wants to make a difference in the world.” Spencer said with a proud nod.
“Nothing wrong with that.” Jack smiled, and shifted uncomfortably in place.
“Oh, jeez. What am I thinking?
“Is there someone we should call? Someone who might be worried about you?” Rory asked as she helped Spencer into the car.
Jack grimaced. He’d have to call his father eventually. Just not tonight. “I just want to put this day to bed. I’ll face the world tomorrow.”
Rory turned toward him with a look of understanding. “Don’t worry. Our place is the perfect hideout.” She put the car in drive. “And I make great pancakes. A few of those and you’ll feel like you can do anything.”
Jack smiled. “Not exactly modest is she, Spencer?” As soon as the words came out he wondered if he’d been too forward and shook his head at how impish he sounded.
“Modest? Rory?” Spencer said with a chuckle. “Nah, never modest.”
Rory poked him in the ribs. “Just because you’re hurt, don’t think that you can’t get it.”
Spencer acquiesced with a wink tossed to the backseat. “Okay, okay. Sorry, baby. You are the picture of modesty.”
Rory threw back her head with exaggeration. “Oh yes, and don’t you forget that, mister.” She shot him a surly grin.
Jack sat back, amused with their jaunty back-and-forth. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander over them. Together they made a good-looking couple, paired perfectly in so many ways. Spencer was tall and muscular at around 6’2” and Rory’s shiny reddish-brown bangs fell just short of his chin.
She was a sturdy woman who looked like she could keep up with any of Spencer’s adventures up the mountain. Jack had to wonder if she shared his passion for climbing. The thought interested him—two people sharing something that made their heart skip a beat. Something other than sex, that is. The concept was foreign to Jack, having saved all his thrills aboard his little racing skiff for himself. Sex, on the other hand, he shared readily. He was far more selective about who he invited onto his baby girl than who he invited into his bed.
They spent an hour making their way to Spencer and Rory’s fifties-style ranch house at the base of the Shawangunk Ridge. Rory might not be modest about her pancakes, but the home she kept with Spencer was quietly unassuming, nestled against a sea of black at the end of a sleepy looking cul-de-sac.
At the door Rory shrugged with a sudden insecurity that caught Jack by surprise. “I didn’t know we were having company, so…” Her keys jangled as she tried to slip the right one into the lock.
Jack stopped her from finishing. “You don’t need to… I mean, I’m really grateful that you invited me to stay with you guys.” Suddenly he was the one sounding humbled.
Behind them, Spencer hobbled up the path with his crutches. “Babe, I’m sure Jack won’t mind sharing the room with your piles and piles of books.”
“I’ve kind of made the guest bedroom into my study cave,” Rory explained. “But right now it’s finals on my summer semester so the whole place is kind of a disaster.”
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Jack said, trying his best to put her at ease. She’d left the lights on inside in her haste to leave, along with a gang of books and papers everywhere.
“I have a big test at the end of the week,” Rory said. She went about scurrying after the mess.
Jack was curious. “What are you studying?”
“Working on my master’s in psychology.”
“Rory wants to make a difference in the world.” Spencer said with a proud nod.
“Nothing wrong with that.” Jack smiled, and shifted uncomfortably in place.
“Oh, jeez. What am I thinking?
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