While watching everyone else in the restaurant, I don’t even notice at first the way his brother looks at me when Greg introduces us to each other. “This is my much older brother, Jed.” He says as he jabs him in the side and gives him a weary look. “And this is Hope.” he adds with a sense of finality that puts me on edge.
I don’t know why, but I can already tell that I do not like the much older brother by the way he is staring at me in judgement.
“May I presume that she is your latest?” Jed asks quietly while he turns to Greg and then nods towards me.
When Greg begins to laugh nervously, I feel put out before he even replies loudly, “Oh, no. No, no. I picked her up at the bus station. Charlotte had just texted me that she was a no show right before this one literally fell into my arms as she slipped on the snow.”
“Wow. I guess you couldn’t have asked for better timing then. Huh?” He asks Greg as he glances over at me in judgement before smirking and leaning down to whisper something in Greg’s ear so I could not hear.
Cocking his head, Greg rolls his eyes and then agrees by nodding, and smiling back at him.
“Yes, I guess you could say that. After all, she is perfect for it.” Greg says so softly that I barely can hear the conversation.
As soon as they both return their gaze to me, I feel naked in all my clothes and can’t help but to wrap my arms around my chest before furrowing my brow. The moment that Jed leans over to my side, I can tell that he has less than the best intentions for me by the way he stares down my blouse at my cleavage.
“This will be so fun!” He exclaims before asking professionally, “What would the two of you like to eat tonight? The special is beef tips with mashed potatoes and gravy? Or are you a soup kind of girl?”
Hesitating, I wager that no matter what I say he probably will come to his own conclusions, so I state defensively, “I am hungry so I will have the beef tips, thank you very much. After all, they sound scrumptious.”
While I sit back, I watch the two of them stare at each other again before Greg states restlessly, “I might as well have the same and give us a bottle of Chateau Francois. I do believe that is one of your finest, is it not?”
Nodding, Jed smirks again before heading off to the kitchen. As soon as he is out of site, Greg’s eyes land on my chest and ask quietly, “I might have some clothes in your size at home. That is if you would like to change into something more comfortable when we get back.”
Realizing that he is already quickly working out a way to get me out of my clothes, I wrap my arms more tightly around my chest before I look down and see that it is only making matters worse. Now, my cleavage is so tightly pushed together that I am bursting from the top of my blouse.
“Shit.” I murmur under my breath as I unwrap my arms and stare down at the pristine, white tablecloth in front of me.
As I run my fingertips across the cotton, it reminds me of my mother because she always starched and pressed our tablecloths as well when I was a small child. She would also say harshly, “Now make sure you don’t spill anything on it, because otherwise I will be forced to take it out of your allowance.”
That was never one of my favorite memories of my mother because it was when she was trying to be mean to me after daddy left her. She had always blamed it on me, stating hurtfully, “Hope, if you weren’t such a bother, your father would have never left us for a younger woman.”
I had always suspected that he really left us because my mom had cheated on him. Of course, I didn’t find this out until a few years later when a man came to live with us. One night when he was drunk, he approached me and said quietly, “You are as pretty as your mother. It is just a shame that she didn’t know how to keep her legs together or your father would still be here.”
That was the beginning of the end for me. My innocence lost and the time of Barbie dolls and playsets were gone. Not only was I forced to grow up fast, but I began to find that I loved books more and more. They didn’t betray your trust and you could disappear into them for long periods of time.
“Sure, that will work. I don’t require much to sleep in. Maybe just a big t-shirt or something like that.” I say shyly as I continue to stare at the table.
When I feel his finger brush mine softly, I glance up at his eyes and force a smile. Then, I look over to where Jed is advancing on us with a big platter and two wine glasses in his other hand. There is a young woman with brilliant red hair walking up behind him carrying a fancy bottle of wine and a corkscrew is sticking out of her front pocket.
“Here you go.” Jed says sweetly as he smiles and then puts down the platter in the middle of the table before he places one glass in front of me and the other in front of Greg.
“Ah, that looks wonderful.” Greg comments while he licks his lips.
I on the other hand don’t say a single word as I watch the two of them skeptically. There is something going on and I don’t like being in the middle of it. I would much rather eat my meal, go to his house, and get a good night’s sleep, then in the morning find a good place to stay until I figure out what to do next. However, I doubt that once I am there, it will be as easy to leave without concrete plans on my end. He does not seem to be the type who would let a female in distress go on without him.
While staring at the food in front of me, I hear Jed state in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, “I know damn well you both will enjoy this.” before he sighs and then adds as an afterthought, “So, how long are you staying?”
After clearing my throat, I glance up at him and say softly, “Just the night. He so graciously offered to help me out, but I don’t intend to outstay my welcome.”
Greg reaches over and rubs the top of my hand with his thumb and replies, “You can stay as long as you need to. I don’t mind the company in the least. After all, it gets quite lonely out there in the middle of the woods.”
Swallowing hard, I do a double take as I hear him say that and wonder exactly where he lives. I don’t like the fact that we will be in the deep woods all alone. There are so many things that can happen it is not funny and not to mention there are so many scary stories that start out with a house in the middle of the woods.
While rolling my eyes, I hear him begin to laugh and he must surely be thinking the same thing because he quickly adds nervously, “By the way, I am not some freak who is going to cut you up into little bits and eat you for breakfast.”
Once he is done laughing nervously, he states, “Let’s eat, then we should get going home before it gets too dark. The deer like to jump out when it is a full moon, and I don’t feel like hitting one tonight on the way home.”
So, while feeling a bit strange about this whole thing, I eat quickly and almost finish before he does. When he says sarcastically, “Don’t forget to come up for air.” I look up and realize that he is already finished with his meal.
A few minutes later, after he gives Jed a hug, we head out the door and he drives me back to his house which is at the end of a long dirt road.