"The moving van’s coming tomorrow, but I have the pod for the week, so I'll just slowly unpack it; but if the big metal box out at the side of the house gets on your nerves, or my dear brother’s, just let me know. We'll move it out if it does." He pulled off his coat and tugged his scarf from his neck.
She did the same, dumping them in a pile on the couch before walking into the kitchen. "It’ll be fine. Take whatever time you need, and you don't have to come to the office until you're ready, Mark. You have a lot to do because of this transition. You should really take some time to just enjoy it."
"It's all good. I don't want to sit around and think about everything. I figured I’d be well into my career, with three kids and a wife who loves me by now. I don't have any of those things, but," he lifted his hand in the air as Jamie started to try to offer a rebuttal, "I will soon, I'm sure. This is a new life. A new beginning, and I'm going to live every minute of it with my eyes wide open."
"Eyes wide open." Jamie nodded. "I like that. A lot."
"Good. Now... let's get dinner rolling and then we can box up some of your stuff and carry it up to the house." He moved into the kitchen and opened the freezer. "We have mushroom ravioli. That sounds great. Got anything for a sauce, or something we can turn into a sauce?"
"Not down here, but let me run back up to the house and I'll get the stuff. I'll grab Jake, too, if you don't mind him being down here with us." She wondered if she should have checked with Alex if Murray was making them dinner tonight. She assumed he wouldn’t be cooking for Mark. None of that had been sorted or even discussed. Work kept getting in the way. She inhaled a deep breath and let it slowly out through her nose. She’d started working for Alex because she’d wanted the job, not him. She knew what commitments came with the job and she needed to stop moaning about it. She was beginning to sound like the rest of her family.
"Not at all. I'll start unpacking my suitcase, unless you need an extra set of hands." He turned on the sink and started to wash his hands as he looked over his shoulder at her.
He was going to make someone a great husband someday. Why his wife, Paula, hadn't been happy with him was a complete mystery. It made little to no sense, but it was hard to see behind closed doors. Maybe he was aggressive, demanding, and moody.
Jamie smirked at the thought and pulled her jacket back on. If he was any of those things, he'd be just like his older brother. "I’m good. I'll be right back." She walked out into the freezing evening air. It was the end of January, and spring was far off, but she was good with it. The only thing she hadn't done so far in the winter season was ice skate, and she would be righting that wrong sooner than later. There had been the attempt at Christmas, but she had been too distracted by the handsome man at her side.
Alex could take her, or she would drag Mark or Gina down to the rink to go with her. It's not like her sister, Christina, would go. The poor girl would be too terrified of getting a hair out of place, or breaking a nail. The time with her family at Christmas had been good, healing, but since then none of them had really spoken to her. It was almost like the door had opened to what could be, and was slowly closing as everyone got back to their normal, everyday lives.
"As long as they don't go back to being total bitches, I'm good." Jamie stopped at the back door as the sound of a little dog barking his head off caused her heart to warm. Jake was a good puppy, and was going to be a great dog.
"I'm coming, buddy. I'm coming." She unlocked the house and opened the door. She walked into the darkness and suddenly stopped. Something about not having the alarm on the house left her wrapped in fear that maybe someone was in the house. She flipped a few lights on; maybe if they started leaving some on, she would feel a little safer. The house was huge and Guard-Jake would play hide and go seek with anyone.
Jamie scooped up the puppy and walked to the kitchen to gather the supplies for dinner, as well as a bottle of wine. Alex might not be with them, but they needed to celebrate Mark's arrival. It was his first dinner in his new home. It needed to be as special as she could make it with such little preparation.
She trudged back down to the apartment while balancing the dog, who wouldn't walk on the half-frozen ground, two bags of groceries and a bottle of wine. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, but she ignored it.
After knocking with her elbow, her head and then her boot, Mark finally came to the door.
"Shit. I didn't know you were out here." He reached for the puppy. "I'm sorry, Jamie."
"It's okay." She shivered and walked into the kitchen. She's have to keep her coat on for a little while seeing as how she couldn't feel her cheeks or her fingers.
"Hey, little guy. You've gotten big. Yes, you have. Is Mommy feeding you the big boy chow?" Mark got on the floor with the puppy, rolling around and having a good time as Jamie worked on dinner in her small kitchen. After getting the oven and stove going, she started to defrost.
Slipping off her coat, she turned back to her task of making a quick cream sauce.
Mark took Jake out to pee and then came back in and sat down at the breakfast bar. He pressed his arms to the counter as he watched her. "I'm really glad you and Alex are together. I know he and I have had our differences, but he's still my brother. He deserves a good woman." He smiled and reached over, dipping his finger in the sauce and yelping at the temperature.
"It's bubbling, Mark. Be careful. Jeez." She smiled up at him, feeling incredibly comfortable when he was around. It was like having the brother she had always wanted with her. "You think I'm a good woman?"
"You're putting up with Alex. I wouldn't say good. I'd go for great." He chuckled and grabbed the bottle of wine. "Toss me an opener and I'll get the party started for us."
She found one in the drawer beside her and handed it to him. "I wish your brother could join us. I've asked him to work on finding some kind of balance until I'm blue in the face."
"Yeah, I bet that gets old." He worked on the wine, and she kept her struggles to herself. There was no reason for over-sharing. It would lead to a friendship that Alex wouldn't be comfortable with. Their personal issues did not need to be aired like dirty laundry. It wasn’t her style, and she hated that she was beginning to sound miserable and bitter about everything. That wasn’t who she was. She shrugged and plated up the pasta before setting it before him. "We make do. He's the man I fell in love with, and I'll be around until he forces me away."
"That isn't going to happen." Mark picked up his fork and breathed in deeply. "Damn... and you cook? I wish your sister was single, pretty like you, and not a complete bitch."
Jamie laughed and lifted her glass in the air. "To my mom and dad having more kids."
He laughed loudly and hit his glass to hers as the door behind him opened. "Here's to me finding a girl just like you. Except without your parents. Maybe not dating my brother either. And not look exactly like you, that would be weird. Should we toss in rich as well? She needs to drive a truck. Kick-ass super truck that fuckin’ rocks. Hell, let’s toss in a pair of Daisy-Dukes and maybe a General Lee."
Jamie burst out laughing. “Really? I think you’re setting that bar a little
high there, Mark.” A cold breeze caught her attention, followed by Jake barking excitedly. She turned around, and smiled when she saw Alex standing inside the door, his lips in a tight line. "Alex! Perfect timing! We just finished making dinner. Come take my seat and I'll split the plates back out so you can join us." She got off the stool, not thinking anything of her dinner with Mark.
Alex lifted his hands as his eyes moved between her and Mark. "Naw, I'm good. I don't want to interrupt anything."