Hang Tough (29 page)

T
obin had spent the morning online looking for places to rent.

Jade said she'd be fine staying at his old trailer at the Split Rock since they both worked there, but he wanted them to start someplace new.

They were both a little on edge, not knowing when Miz G would return. Not knowing how she'd react to the news they were a couple in love, the head-over-heels-crazy-forever kind of love. Not knowing if she'd let them stay together in this house for one night, even if Tobin promised he'd ask Jade to be his wife.

He'd poured his third cup of coffee and was sorting through various screens on his laptop when he heard a rumble outside. Then he heard it again.

What the hell?

Jade came down the stairs at a good clip, muttering to herself.

She didn't even stop when he called her name; she just sailed out the door.

Tobin followed her and froze on the top porch step when he saw what had made that rumble.

A moving van.

He stomped down the steps.

Jade was already in the van driver's face. “—back this rig up now or I will call the sheriff and have you arrested for trespassing.”

“Lady, I don't give a damn what you think you're gonna do. I'm gonna do my job, which is to instruct my guys to pack up the rooms on this list.”

“By whose order?”

He spun the clipboard around. “Last name Evans. First name . . . starts with a G.”

“No. This can't be right!”

Tobin said, “Excuse us.” He took Jade's hand and towed her around the side of the house. “I thought you sent your dad an e-mail telling him that your grandma was fine to live on her own.”

“I did! It was two pages long. It had bullet points. I e-mailed a copy to his personal address and to his office e-mail. I texted him and attached the PDF. I've been completely transparent about this situation with you, Tobin. Nothing has changed.”

His eyes searched hers. “Then why is there a moving van in the goddamned driveway?”

“I don't know.”

“Why does that guy have a detailed fucking
list
of where to start boxing up?”

He wanted to stop yelling at Jade but he couldn't for some reason.

Take a moment and fucking breathe.

Tobin attempted to stay calm. “Your dad must have signed that document.”

She looked away and wiped her tears.

“When did you send the e-mails?”

“Over a week ago.”

“Is there even a slight chance he didn't get them?”

“No. I have a digital receipt from his secretary.”

“Well somebody fucked up.”

“And how nice that you assume it's me.” She whirled away from him and headed back to the front of the house.

Tobin closed his eyes and counted to ten. What had gone wrong here?

When he found Jade, she was pacing with her cell phone to her ear. Pacing but not talking. She dialed another number and started pacing again.

Then she stopped to watch the movers pull down the ramp at the back of the semi. Another couple of guys slid open the door on the side. Flat stacks of cardboard were unloaded and dragged into the house up another temporary ramp they'd assembled that stretched to the top of the porch steps.

Neither of them moved until the first loaded box marked
kitchen
rolled down the ramp and up in to the van.

“Who were you trying to call?” he asked her.

“My dad. My mom. My dad's office. GG.”

Tobin took out his phone.

He called Miz Maybelle.

No answer.

He called Tilda.

No answer.

He called Vivien.

No answer.

He called Bernice.

No answer.

No answer for either Miz G or Pearl's phone.

Just for shits and giggles he called Jade's phone.

It buzzed in her hand.

She frowned at the caller ID and then at Tobin. “What?”

“Since neither of us is able to get through to anyone, I wanted to rule out that we've fallen in some weird dead zone out here.”

“But my phone worked and disproved that theory,” she said dully.

“Yeah.”

“God. This sucks.”

“Short of chaining ourselves across the front and back doors, there's nothing we can do.”

“That first day I showed up here, you told me you'd do whatever it took to keep the movers out, including coming out swinging.”

“I was a fuckin' blowhard.” He exhaled. “I really don't need assault charges on my record either.”

“So we just sit here and watch them dismantle her life?”

“Fuck if I know, Jade.”

“I can't believe my dad would do this.”

I can't believe you thought he wouldn't.

More time passed in a silent void.

Eventually they both sat down in the shade.

Tobin hated that it was so fucking peaceful.

Jade cleared her throat. “Are we supposed to pack up our own stuff and get out?”

“I don't think so. I didn't see our bedrooms on the master list.”

She squinted at him. “You saw the master list?”

“Yeah.”

“How do you remember . . .” She briefly closed her eyes. “Right. That photographic memory. Did you see anything else?”

“Nope.”

She pulled her phone out and made another round of calls.

Nothing.

Tobin didn't bother.

Something fishy was going on here. Why couldn't they get a hold of anyone?

Needing to do something—anything—he stood.

“Where are you going?”

“To check on something. I'll be back.” He walked over to the driver. “Hey. Can I see that authorization paper again?”

“Sure. But it's all legit.”

“I believe you. It just sucks because this is not what we were expecting.”

“I hear ya. Glad this ain't a foreclosure. Those are the freakin' worst.” He passed Tobin the clipboard.

This time Tobin took his time flipping through the pages. Everything was laid out, exactly how it should be packed.

Nothing from the barn was on the list.

Nor the garage.

He reached the last page.

The signature and the date on the last page.

If he'd eaten anything he might be sick.

The moving van, the packing, everything had been set in motion . . . the day after Jade had arrived in Wyoming. The date? TBD. To be determined.

Miz G never had a chance.

But he knew Jade didn't have a damn thing to do with any of it.

Not only would she be upset for her grandmother, she'd have to deal with the fact her father had lied to her from the start. And in the end . . . he'd betrayed both his mother and his daughter.

Jade will need you more than ever.

Tobin's boots felt encased in cement as he crossed back over to her.

She scrambled to her feet. “What did you find?”

He wrapped his arms around her. “I love you. I am here for you today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year and the next decade. Please tell me you believe in us. That we'll get through this and not only be together, but be stronger together.”

“I promise. I love you. Now tell me.”

And he did.

Her tears were so silent he feared she'd stopped breathing.

He just held her.

Later, when they were sitting on the ground, Jade curled against his chest and lost in thought, the side doors on the moving van clanged shut. The ramps were loaded up in the back.

The driver ambled over. “We're done.”

Tobin and Jade got to their feet.

“You don't need to sign nothin'. We gotta git so we can unload before dark.”

Tobin almost asked where the stuff was being stored, but did it really matter?

They held hands as they walked into the house. It was hard not to stop and stare in shock at the bareness of the rooms in front of them that had been so full of stuff. Full of life.

Living room: empty of furniture.

Dining room: no table, no china cabinet.

Tobin clutched Jade's hand as they entered the kitchen together.

She made a soft gasp.

Not a dish. Not a towel. Not a knickknack. Not a cookbook.

Just the appliances.

And one lone jar of strawberry champagne preserves on the counter.

“Is this some kind of sick joke?” she demanded hoarsely.

Tobin kissed her forehead. “Let's get out of here. Go grab something to eat and figure out what to do next, okay?”

She nodded.

As they were walking out of the kitchen, the screen door slammed.

Miz G stormed in.

The three of them stood in the empty living room, staring at one another.

Then Miz G noticed Tobin had his arm around Jade. Her eyes narrowed. “Who can explain what in tarnation is goin' on here?”

Jade had wondered all day what she'd say to GG.

But now, standing in front of her, Jade's mind blanked, her vocal cords shorted out and she couldn't move away from Tobin's side.

He didn't miss a beat. He kissed Jade's forehead, knowing full well that GG watched. “We're wondering the same thing. The day started like any other, then the next thing we knew, a moving van showed up. Me'n Jade both looked at the paperwork, but there wasn't a damn thing we could do but stand outside and watch as they loaded everything. We tried calling your son, since it was his goddamned signature—”

GG held up her hand, stopping Tobin's flow of words before she turned away, toward the front door.

Jade could see she'd put her hand over her mouth. Probably to keep herself from crying.

Then GG slowly walked the width of the room and the length, down along the wall to the staircase, keeping her back to them the entire time. The floor squeaked more loudly in the empty space. Her footfalls faded as she headed into the sitting room. And then down the hallway. The doors to the bedrooms and closets were opened and closed.

Through it all, Tobin kept Jade wrapped in his arms. His big hands in constant motion as he tried to soothe her.

The footsteps returned and Jade's heart jumped into her throat. The saloon doors clattered—angrily?—as GG entered the kitchen.

Tobin kissed the top of Jade's head. “Come on, tiger. Let's face it head-on. Together.”

“Okay.” Clasping Tobin's hand, Jade led him into the kitchen.

GG had her hands on her hips as she stood in the spot where the small table and chairs used to be.

“GG?”

“Dadgummit. They were supposed to leave the table and chairs here.”

“Excuse me?”

“Shoot. It's probably too late for them to bring 'em back.”

She was babbling. Probably from shock. “Grandma. Can we talk about this?”

“Yep, because the time is finally right.” GG faced them. Her eyes were wet and her chin trembled.

Tobin's hands tightened on Jade's shoulders.

GG noticed. Then her enormous smile nearly swallowed her entire face. Tears still fell freely as she clapped her hands and cackled. “I knew it!” Then she bounced up and down as she repeated, “I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!”

“Miz G, you need to calm down.”

“I will not. I've been waiting for this moment for . . .” She tapped her chin. “Seems like it's been years, but it's prolly only been a couple of months. Anyway, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that I was
right
.”

“About?”

“About you two being perfect for each other.”

Jade hadn't moved but she still went completely motionless.

As did Tobin.

“You're in love, aren't you? The crazy, hot, ‘I'm wild for you, I can't live without you' kinda love. You're both there, aren't you?”

He cleared his throat. “Speaking for myself? Yep. That's exactly where I'm at.”

“And you, girlie-girl?” GG prompted.

“I'm right there too.”

GG dusted off her hands. “Then my work here is done.” She started to walk out of the kitchen.