Delicious - Page 53

“This is getting ridiculous, Saylor.” Brenda’s voice is like a whip. “I’m trying to plan your father’s birthday dinner, but you’re acting like it’s not at all a priority to you. Can you?—”

“I’m really sorry.” Jed’s voice is charming, apologetic, and sweeter than honey when he smoothly cuts her off. “But Saylor is asleep right now. We were out late last night, and she’s exhausted.” When he stops, Brenda is silent. Probably floored that someone has the audacity to cut her off or tell her anything she doesn’t want to hear.

“Who is this?” she asks at last, her voice full of suspicion. “I don’t recognize your voice.”

“I’m sorry. I’m Jed. Saylor’s boyfriend.” His explanation is still in that same, sweet voice that I don’t think she can argue with if she tries. How can she, when he sounds as if his heart will break at the first sign of confrontation? It’s fake, of course. I can see it in the glint from his blue eyes. It’s all an act for Brenda. “She’s asleep.” He repeats that part more firmly, solely for Brenda’s benefit. “Can I have her call you later?”

“Oh.Saylor hadn’t mentioned a boyfriend.”Brenda sounds almost put out by that. As if she would ever be the first to know. “Will you be coming to her dad’s birthday dinner?” God, she really never quits.

Jed looks up at me, brows raised, and I nod vigorously. I don’t mind if he wants to meet my parents. I’m just not sure if I’ll ever be up for the same with his family. “Yes,” he says, when I’ve nodded for maybe the hundredth time. “She asked if I’d want to go. But only if it’s not an inconvenience to your plans.”

“No, it’s fine.”She huffs a sigh.“I just need her to actually tell me these things. What did you say your name was again? Jade?”

His smile twitches on his lips. “Jed,” he corrects easily. “Just J-E-D.”

“Is that short for something?” Naturally, she’s going to start prying now.

“Maybe,” he chuckles. “But I prefer just Jed. Could I let you go? I want to get lunch going before Saylor’s awake.”

I canfeelher surprise like a wave through the phone, and sure enough, her next words are, “You cook?”

“I cook,” Jed assures her. “I’d be glad to help out if you ever need anything in that department.”

I shake my head ruefully, a grimace on my lips. He’s asking for it now by offering to help her. She’ll definitely take advantage of him if she gets half a chance.

“I’ll have to consider that. Just make sure Saylor calls me? Today?”Her voice is whip sharp, and I roll my eyes at how typically Brenda it is. She can’t let anyone forget who’s on top, after all. At least in her own mind.

“Sure.” He hangs up on her with a polite dismissal and slides the phone back into the console. “She sounds lovely.”

“Oh, she’s a peach,” I agree, sucking in another deep breath. At least her call has given me some time to get myself under control, and while I still feel shaky, I don’t feel like I’m going to toss my cookies everywhere.

“Are you ready?” His hand grazes over mine, and he clasps my fingers lightly. “If you’re still sure you want to go in.”

I’m not, but I nod my head a couple of times in jerky, singular motions. “Yeah. I’m uh, so ready.” To prove it, I open the door of the Jeep and slide down to land on my feed, blinking up at the old, broken-down barn.

It certainly looks like a place to commit a murder. It’s clearly abandoned, and the wood has turned gray with age. The building leans in on itself, with panels missing from the roof and large, rusted nails sticking out on all sides.

“Are we sure it isn’t going to collapse?” I mutter, following Jed to the back of the SUV. “Like, I’d rather not die today from a barn falling on my head.”

Jed chuckles and opens the back of the SUV, exposing a tarp-lined interior and his chainsaw. Today, the blood has been mostly scrubbed off of it, and he picks it up like it weighs nothing. When he awkwardly reaches for the tarps, I reach out to help, though I have no intention of carrying the tarps.

Which he realizes, when I point at the weapon in his hands. “Oh, Saylor,” he sighs, shaking his head. “You just never giveup. Fine.” Easily he hefts it in my direction, lifting it higher so I can more easily grab the handle he’s holding onto. “Just don’t drop it,” he requests, and picks up the tarps in his other hand to bundle them in his arms. With his elbow he closes the hatch, and I follow him to the barn, trying to pretend that the chainsaw isn’t the heaviest thing I’ve ever carried.

“I don’t get how you swing this around,” I admit, nearly dropping it on my foot when I have to step over a small pile of boards. “Don’t you worry about dropping it?”

I can feel his grin, even if I can’t see it. “No,” he assures me easily. “I’ve been using them since I was ten, give or take, but with supervision back then, of course. It’s not that heavy to me.”

“You’re insane.” My voice is sweet, and he cackles out a laugh.

“Yeah, I most definitely am.” He pushes open the rickety door with one shoulder, and it falls back on its hinges like it’s going to hit the floor at any moment. Frankly, I’m surprised the hinges have held on this long. Clearly the barn was made with superior craftsmanship to anything that could be found around here today.

The scene inside nearly sends me scurrying back out the door, however. I’d known based on the call Jed got that Wren and Virgil had picked up Gary Miller, Tyson’s brother. I’d expected him to be here, obviously.

But to see him tied to a metal chair, on top of more tarps and looking dazed is something that I know will be seared into my brain for the rest of my life. He isn’t bleeding, thankfully. Though he still sports a black eye and busted nose from Jed the night before.

Unfortunately for him, he’s about to be in much worse shape than this. And by the look on his face, he knows it too.

“Well, well, look who showed up.” Wren’s head tilts to the side, his eyes dancing as he watches me struggle with thechainsaw. “Don’t tell me she’s going to be your little protégé, Jed? She looks like she can barely lift that.”