Triple Diamonds (Mystic Nights Book 2) (19 page)

His eyes lit up like a boy at Christmas. “Oh great, how much longer before you get the green light?” His eyes looked hungry even though she’d just thoroughly satisfied him.

“She said a week was safe, but I wasn’t sure how to bring it up.” She looked suddenly shy, nervous. He loved her innocence, yet she was such a strong woman.

He pretended to be aghast though he couldn’t wait to get her alone again. “For a week, you’ve been holding that secret. If I would have known that before you gave me my reward, well . . .,” he left the thought unfinished. Even though his day at
The Mystic
was nearly over, hers had just begun. Sinking into her sweet heat would have to wait.

Jewel just laughed as she found the lock on his door, and unlocked it. He’d followed her to the exit.

“Tonight,” she winked and opened the door, making a promise she was looking forward to keeping. She didn’t want there to be any barriers between them either. Not anymore.

‡

B
y the weekend,
Joseph was ready for a night out. He’d spent much of the week knocking on doors and talking to people. Last night, he’d gone to the convention. Senator Silver had been in attendance, and he’d been happy to see him. He’d wished him luck on his current senatorial race and the two had drinks later that evening. The man was a good family friend, and someone he had worked for, respected, and admired while growing up.

But two weeks of hitting the reserve hard each night, he knew he’d done all that he could do. On Saturday, he hit the docks one more time, but by evening, he was ready to relax with his girl. Jewel. Every day she was becoming more and more important to him.

He was anxious to spend some quality time with her, and the boys were sleeping over at a friend’s house.

They had the entire night.

After working two long nights for the convention, she switched a shift with another sous chef to have the evening free when her brothers had announced they would be sleeping at their friend Steve’s.

Leaving the dock around four, Joseph got into his car to head home to shower, change, and relax a bit before picking up Jewel. But once more he saw Lesley and Wesley’s truck pulling up to a diner across the street from the docks. He was about to call a greeting when something stopped him. Three young men got out, and then another man, a bit older came out of the diner to greet them. Something about that man stopped him cold. He looked vaguely familiar.

The older guy, somewhere in his mid to late twenties handed them a roll of bills. Wesley pocketed the cash, and then all four went inside together laughing.

Seeing the three young man head into the restaurant and slide into a booth by the window, he continued to watch them as he headed to his car. He could see through the plate glass windows, and all four of them were discussing something very animatedly. The young boy who had gotten out of the twins’ truck was shaking his head vehemently, and left abruptly. He looked upset, too. He came back outside, pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, and lit one up. He took several puffs and rocked on his heels. He was clearly agitated.

Joseph felt guilty watching them, but his hackles had been raised once more. He had been young, and their behavior was just all too familiarly suspicious. They were teens, well, all of them except the one who greeted them. They could be trying to score some beer, maybe a friendly bet, but still he was curious to see how the situation panned out. He didn’t want them getting into some kind of trouble, serious trouble. They were just about to start their college experience. He hoped it was nothing that would put that at risk.

When Lesley came out, he saw the more serious of the twins place his hand on the other youth’s shoulder. The kid tried to shrug it off. But then, Lesley kept talking, clapped him on the back, and the shorter fellow glanced over his shoulder and looked inside. Wesley was beckoning him to come back inside. Maybe that was their friend, Steve. But he was short. Too short for being a serious track and field star. But he couldn’t be sure.

When the two went back inside, Joseph started his car, and once again wondered if he should mention it to Jewel. But he decided against it. He wasn’t going that route again. Not wanting to ruin their evening together, and remembering how defensive she had gotten the last time, he decided to keep this one to himself. For now. But he would continue to watch out for her brothers for her. Both were fabulous athletes, and he didn’t want them to screw it up. Maybe he might get them alone some time, offer them some words of wisdom and advice. Man to man.

Feeling good about his decision, he headed home for a shower and a bit of down time before he headed to pick up Jewel. He was very much looking forward to having a real date, and then a relaxing time at home. And their first actual sleepover. He felt like a schoolboy thinking about it. She had wedged herself into his heart.

He grimaced to himself at those word. Yes, it might just be time to introduce her to his mom. And bring her around to a family dinner. His mom was still hinting. Earlier today she’d mentioned that she wanted everyone to come over next weekend. On Sunday. He even confided in her about his growing feelings. He hadn’t said he loved her, but he had admitted that he hoped this relationship would last. He was considering his mother’s proposal. They hadn’t had all of the family together in a few weeks. Yes, it just might be time to introduce her to his family. And the twins.

*

When Joseph knocked
on Jewel’s door at precisely seven, she looked phenomenal. She had her hair down, and he loved it that way. It hung across her shoulders like a wave of black silk. He’d told her to be comfortable and warm. She had on jeans and a sweater. For the end of April, the days were warm, but the nights still got a tad chilly.

She gave him a bright smile and clasping his hand, she carefully maneuvered down the rickety porch stairs. She was glad to be leaving the run down trailer. She’d already started to pack. The small house on the reserve would be available the first of May. May Day. And that was just days away.

“So, where are we going?” she asked. “One of the other casinos? You said dinner, but there isn’t many places nearby unless we’re heading into Mystic.”

“
The Oyster Club
. In Mystic,” he confirmed to her bright smile.

He opened the door to his car for her, and she slid inside fastening her own seatbelt. He quickly made his way to his side and got in.

“I haven’t been there in eight years,” she confessed. “I love that place. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to be a chef.”

All the locals loved
The Oyster Club
. He was glad he’d chosen it. He somehow knew she would appreciate the casual and quaint atmosphere, along with the local fair that boasted New England’s best seafood. “Really? The food is great though. But why that place? How did it inspire your desire to be a chef?” He loved learning new things about her every time they spent time together.

“Well, I love seafood. It’s my favorite. My parents took me there on my eighth birthday. We got all dressed up, and I felt so grown up. They told me that night they were having the twins. Triple diamonds they called us. We brought them luck.” She recalled the special memory. She had wanted a baby brother or sister for so long, and the news that she was getting two had thrilled her.

Joseph watched her from the side, seeing her reminisce about her past made him cherish getting to know her even more. She was all about her family. He loved that about her. “What else made you want to become a chef?”

“Ah, that’s easy. My dad. He loved to cook. He started teaching me when mom was pregnant. We’d make her favorite things. Then, after the boys were born it got a tad crazy. I’d always help him while mom took care of the twins. It was special, just the two of us cooking in the kitchen, telling him about my day. He was a cook, too. And when I told him I was going to culinary school because of him, he was so proud. He took me to
The Oyster Club
again for my high school graduation, and then again when I graduated from culinary school. That was the last time I was there.” Her voice had gotten softer as she explained the motivations behind her becoming a chef. It made him glad he’d picked the place even more. Tonight, they would make their own special memory to share there.

He gave her another moment to recover before asking his next question. “You were close with your father?”

Jewel looked at Joseph. She heard just a hint of envy in his voice. She wondered about that. How he had done it, grown up with just the love of his mother. Jewel nodded, “I was.”

She kept her answer short. She had a feeling Joseph didn’t like talking about his father, whom he didn’t remember meeting. It’s probably why he was so involved at the youth center. He’d hinted at that on several occasions.

He cleared his voice before speaking, and then asked yet another question. An important one. To him. “Do you want a family of your own someday, Jewel? Kids? Lantern Hill?” His gaze cut across the car.

She knew her answer was important. Her heart stilled for just a beat as she thought about settling down someday. With this man. Having his children. Her breath hitched. With him the answer was a resounding yes. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted. My people. My roots are here. And I want my kids to have that.” She met his questioning look, and when he smiled at her that way it sent a flurry of flutters that burst into a frenzy in her stomach. He was her dream come true. She would love to have his children someday.

She was his dream come true. His dream.
The evening was brighter already.

‡

W
hen they arrived
at
The Oyster Club
, Jewel and Joseph were seated immediately. They had eight o’clock dinner reservations. It wasn’t a fancy restaurant, but very popular so the reservations were necessary. And the place closed at ten. They had a seat in the second level. It was known as the tree house, and in fact had a large tree in the middle of the restaurant. The owners had built the extension thirty years ago around the majestic elm tree that was estimated to be over four hundred years old. The view from the tree house provided an amazing vista of the river. And this time of year with the snow from the mountains still melting, the river was moving fast providing the perfect backdrop.

Both Jewel and Joseph thoroughly enjoyed the locally caught fish and oysters, and they lingered over drinks before leaving. It was just such an amazing atmosphere, both were reluctant to leave although Joseph knew the rest of the night was full of promise as well. “Shall we take a walk along the river,” Joseph suggested. It was cool but mild.

“That sounds wonderful.” Jewel was thoroughly enjoying herself. Their easy banter over dinner had put her even more at ease with Joseph. The more time she spent with him, the more she got to know him, she knew she was falling in love with the man. She hoped he was feeling the same way, but it was still too soon to express those feelings.

Taking her hand in his, they walked slowly along the old ancient paths made by his people hundreds of years before Europeans arrived in the new world. “Our people were one then,” he reflected referring to the Pequot nation before they became divided into two distinct tribes. “United. Now, not so much.”