Chapter 37: Chapter 37

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"Sorry." Jenson clicked his tongue and shook his head. "That was not... I shouldn't have done that. I'm really sorry."

Did he mean the supplements he'd been taking for his joint pain and headaches?

"Oh. Yeah," Jessi muttered, the memory quite hazy but not too old to recall. "I remember."

"What?" He stiffened up, his attentive green eyes squinting at her, his arms and shoulders still tense. "What else d'you remember?"

"Slept like a baby that night." She shrugged and used a calmer tone. What happened was still pretty fresh in her memory bank. Thanks to his and Darren's alarmingly brute fracas in Jenson's office, forgetting the events of that night was pretty much impossible. "I was out in like, a minute—which I thought was odd, 'cause usually it takes me an hour or so to fall asleep on a work night." Even longer after a long and hectic week—something he probably knew already.

"Oh. Okay." Jenson averted his eyes again and cleared his throat. He itched the back of his head. His dark brows stayed creased. "It's got some, er, sedatives in the formulation."

"Right."

"Sorry."

Ah... It all made sense now. He felt guilty because he thought he drugged her. Intentionally. As if his supplements were like roofies.

"Don't worry about it," she muttered, chuckling at the memory. "Actually I should thank you for helping me sleep early. Can I have some more?"

"No." He pulled a face. He seemed a bit pissed now. "Why?"

"I think I have insomnia. But it's just a mild sedative. Right?"

"No. You don't need pills." His timid smile faded. Jenson stepped away from her when she made a face. "Just turn off your phone before bedtime."

"Right. Whatevs..." Jessi sighed. "Tell Darren to hurry up. I'm starving."

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"Jess,  I'm just gonna check something in the garage."

"Yeah. Okay." Jessi put on a smile and glanced down at the meat sizzling on the pan.  She stood alone in the middle of the kitchen while Jenson walked out the front door with a red toolbox.

Okay, then. She'd stay here in his nice and big kitchen. Cooking. Keeping busy. Pretending everything was fine.

Where the heck's Darren? It had been 20 minutes since his last "On my way" text.  Even Jenson was no longer sure whether his friend would show up.

Using a spatula, she flipped the ribbed steak cuts while imagining her boss tinkering something in his truck.  Sweaty.  Greasy.  And probably shirtless again.  Oh dear.  If she saw him half-naked one more time, he would catch her checking him out—and it wouldn't be the first time.

Sheesh. The risks definitely outweighed the benefits. Or he could be hiding out in his garage, making important phone calls she should not overhear.  There had been quite a lot lately.  Although she had no problem with giving him  utmost privacy whenever he wanted and needed it, Jessi couldn't help thinking he was hiding more secrets lately.

"Hey, fam!"

Finally, the life of the party decided to grace them with his presence.  "Hi, D," she greeted with a big smile.

"Smells like heaven in here." A grinning and ponytail-wearing Darren sauntered into the kitchen with his phone in his hand.  His thick and dark beard covered his strong jaw, and his fitted gray shirt was paired with gym shorts and trainers.

"I thought you got stuck in traffic or something." Jessi stepped away from Jenson's induction stove.

"Yeah. After I dropped by a liquor store. Don't tell him." He chuckled and tossed his phone onto the counter beside her.

Uh-oh... Did he mean he's planning to get drunk by himself tonight?  Again?

"Hard liquor?"

"Just some plain ol' whiskey. What's this?" Darren pointed to the other dish she prepared.

"Stir-fry, and the steak's almost done."

"Perfect." He stroked his flat midsection.  "I'm done fasting. Let the feasting begin."

She giggled.  "You shouldn't break your fast with alcohol. Golden rule, dude. Surrender thy booze."

"Yeah. I know." Darren hugged her tight.  While she appreciated his warm, cozy scent with a few woody undertones, his bulked up arms suddenly lifted her off the floor. He snickered when she gasped and froze up in his arms.

"DJ!"

"Weird. You shed a few?" He put her down and squinted at her, his cute lips pouting. He looked healthier. His dark brown hair was shinier, his skin glowed with a nice tan, and he actually looked happy—a huge difference from the last time she saw him.

"What?"

"You're startin' to look like an Asian Gal Gadot."

"Huh?" Jessi suppressed another laugh.  "I really don't."

"You on a diet again? You lost weight." Darren leaned in and tilted her chin sidewards.

"Nah. I think it was the hospital food."

"Oh."

"And Israel is in West Asia. Just FYI."

"Right." He smirked and chuckled alongside her.  "Your cheeks look so pink."

"It's sunburn. I missed the sun. We drove by the beach before we went to the store."

"Ah. Just you and Joss?"

"Yeah." She glanced away after her cheeks warmed up at his question.  Jessi turned off the stove, minding the little lump that formed in her throat.  "Did you mean my face was chubby?" she murmured with a pout.

"Calm down." Darren snorted and rolled his eyes. "You're still hot." He grabbed a piece of carrot from the serving bowl.

She tried not to laugh.

"We missed you, Kinley."

"Yeah?" Another smile spread her lips as his words echoed in her head.  Although she appreciated his candor, what he said somewhat added to her anxiety, too.

Would he be sad if she told him she'd been thinking of leaving LA?  Did he think quitting this soon wasn't a good idea? Would he and Jenson try to convince her to stay?

"Missed you, too."

"The doctors and nurses were all nice to you?" Darren stood beside the dining table now and downed a glass of juice.

"Yeah. They were so helpful, and very hands-on." She glanced at the front door. It was left open.  "You talked to Joss?"

"Yep. He's out there workin' on his old carburetor again. The Mustang in his garage—his first car."  He grinned lopsidedly. "Dude's too sentimental for his own good."

"What's that?"  Frowning at the small scars on his forearms, she put the serving plate with the steak cuts on the dining table.

They looked like fresh scars. They weren't pale white yet.  Tiny.  Why did they form an arc?

"What? This?" Darren lifted his forearm, his thick brows creasing. "Just a workout injury," he muttered.  "I, er, got carried away in my gym few weeks ago."

"Oh really."

"Did you tell your parents? That you're out of the hospital now?"

"Yeah."

"Were they worried?"

"Yeah. But I called them every day. Mom kept saying she wanted to fly out. But I talked her out of it," she replied. "I just don't want her to leave Dad by himself."

"He's got health issues, too. Right?" Darren munched on an apple. They stood face-to-face  now, standing next to their semi-healthy dinner.

"Yeah. Hypertension and diabetes."

"Type I?"

"Yeah." She sighed. "They want me home for Thanksgiving. And the holidays."

"They miss you, of course. So you're going on leave?" He made a face.

"Maybe. Or I could just leave LA." She looked away to avoid his overly attentive gaze. "For good."

"What?" Darren snorted and sat on the chair beside her. "You're kidding."

Right.  Of course he wouldn't take it seriously.  But did it really sound unbelievable?

"You can't quit."

"Why not?"

"Joss wouldn't let you."  Darren held his glass, his muted laugh almost mocking.  "He's gonna lose his shit if you leave him.  I'm positive."

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After Darren brought up Jenson's possible reaction to her sudden resignation, something diverted their conversation to Jenson and Charmaine's questionable status.

Jessi shut her mouth and sat in silence. Although she didn't want to talk about the woman, her curiosity easily outmatched her anxious thoughts.

"He called her again. Four, five days ago. Asking how she's doing over there, blah blah blah. If she's healthy and all that," Darren droned on while munching on his green apple. "But, yeah. I think they're calling it off. For good."

Did he mean the engagement and everything?

"Not 100% confirmed yet, but, I know she doesn't wanna stay another year here in Cali." Darren made a face.

"That's...um...too bad."

"Bad?" He squinted, his smirk saying a lot.  "Come on..."  Darren huffed a laugh.  "Don't tell me you didn't see that comin'."

"N-No. I really didn't think they would..."

"Charm called me last night, y'know."

Jessi held her breath and looked him in the eye. "Why?"

"She asked about you and Joss."

"About?"

"If you two were dating, and all that..." Darren snickered.

Oh shit.  Her palms were sweating profusely now, the awkward pause only making her heart race.   "What did you tell her?"

"Told her to chill out. She was crying on the phone, I think, and she sounded kinda drunk. So I tried to calm her down. Told her you're just friends."

"Because it's true."  Jessi grunted and covered her face with both hands.

"Well, Charm will be Charm..."

"You think she believed you?"

"I guess." Darren shrugged and poured more juice into his glass.  "She never called or texted me again after that."

"Oh. Okay." Jessi reclined and bit on her lip, her brain scrambling for a different topic to segue into, something neutral to get rid of the awkwardness and guilt now making her sweat bullets.  "Did you ever meet Jenson's parents?"

"Just his mom." Darren grabbed his phone.

"What's her name again?"

"Odessa Roiz."

"You met her a long time ago?"

"Few years ago."  Darren drank some juice and belched.  "She's in a care facility, because of her condition.  I don't really know her that well. But we visit her once a year."

"You and Jenson? Here in LA?"

"Yep. Pretty expensive place. But they're takin' good care of her."

"Oh. Okay."

"Why? He talked to you about her?" Darren's glossy lips curved into another smirk.

"Not really. He just mentioned her two weeks ago, when we were in the office, quarantining."

"We come visit her on her birthday, and sometimes on his. She's not always coherent. Sometimes she just goes on and on about when they were living in Italy, and their old house back when Joss was a kid."

"She's gone senile?"

"I think so. Yeah." Darren sighed and crossed his arms.  "It's like she's self-soothing and dissociating at the same time, y'know?"

"She has a mental condition?"

"Yeah. Prolly runs in the blood."

"She and Jenson's dad got married in Italy?"

"Yeah. Odessa married his dad when she was 22—Gennaro was 30. I think."

Eight years?  Same as her and Jenson's age gap.  Hmm.  "Did Charm meet his parents?"

"Just his mom." Darren glanced away, grinning about something again.

"Yeah?"

"They met a couple times." He chuckled.  "But they don't like each other. Oil and water. It's hilarious. His Mamma would like you better."

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