Completion Chapter 117

I survived my first week in Reed’s employ. I also passed my written and driving tests with little difficulty. I now had a driver’s license and not just a state issued identification card. The picture was awful, but I didn’t care. The three by four inch card gave a sense of freedom I’d never had.

Maggie was waiting at the house when I returned from the motor vehicle departnt. She handed a remote to one of Reed’s other cars. It was a black Cadillac Escaladebright, shiny, and new, worth more money than I’d made in my entire life. It was parked next to my old trailer and was in the garage when we moved in. I checked the registration just in case Reed pulled a fast one on , but he’d purchased it six months before I tried to burglarize his ho. I was afraid to drive it, but figured I needed to get over that fear.

I was just leaving the garage, forgoing the temptation to take it for a drive, when my phone sounded. Reading Reed’s text made smile.

Congratulations. I know you passed even without being told. Take Jon and Bitsy to get a pizza tonight and celebrate on . Be assured I bought the Cady before you ca into my world.

In three short weeks, Reed knew . He might not always play by my rules, but he took the ti to understand how my thought process worked. I quickly texted him back.

Pizza party on you is a deal. Miss you baby.

I blinked my eyes and his reply was on my phone.

Mutual.

Two hours later, I gave Jon and Bitsy their first ride in a car with driving.

"Buckle up."

"Where’s a harness strap when you need one?" Jon thought he was so funny.

"You get your license next and I’ll rember each insult." My hands were shaking, but it didn’t stop from smart-mouthing him back.

We went to the sa pizza joint Reed took us to, and I missed him even more.

"Can Reed co with us next ti, Jaycee?" Bitsy’s voice echoed my thoughts.

"I hope so, Bits, but he’s a busy man and doesn’t have much free ti now that baseball started."

The disappointnt showed on her face, but she ate another slice of pizza and gave a little smile.

"What if I take a picture and text it to Reed so he knows you’re thinking of him?" It was a horrible thing for to do, both to Reed and Bitsy. I shouldn’t enforce their attachnt, but Reed was paying for dinner and he deserved a picture. Bitsy smiled showing all her teeth and I managed to snap a pic with maximum pizza sauce on her face.

Bitsy misses you too, was my caption.

The restaurant was loud and I didn’t check my phone while we played a few more gas after finishing our al. When I did, I read the first part aloud to Bitsy and Jon.

The perfect saucy faced princess.

This I kept to myself.

Call when you’re in my bed!

Even with Reed’s thrilling final ssage, we left later than we should have. I was lucky that Bitsy was tired and went straight to bed.

"I’m heading to the main house to work on so accounting for Reed," I told Jon.

"Sure, sis, have fun." His smirk let know he didn’t believe a word of it and made think.

"Have you talked to Reed since he left?"

Jon looked away, acting like the television was the most important thing in the room. "A couple of tis."

I sat down on the couch. "And what do you talk about?"

He shrugged. "Just an update here and there."

"Joooon."

He finally looked at . "He wants to know how you’re doing and also that you’re not overworking."

"Was that so hard?" I tried to keep my voice even.

"Only because you’re mad now and you’ll take it out on Reed. He really likes you, Jaycee, and I don’t want you to blow this."

My words were no longer even. " blow it? The n in our life-well our mother’s-are the ones who blow it."

"Are you so sure, sis? You’re the one who said you weren’t like our mother. She made bad choices and expected the n to care for her and us. Her problems were solved as soon as a new guy was in her life. I think Reed’s the real deal and so far you haven’t screwed it up, but it doesn’t an you won’t."

His words hurt. "I don’t expect any man to take care of us. I take care of us."

"I take care of us too. I haven’t had any more of a life than you’ve had. If we’re honest, you know we both resent it every so often. Reed cares about you and I think he cares about Bitsy and too. Just give him a chance."

I felt deflated. "But what if he decides I’m not good enough, Jon? What then? We can’t let our guard down or it might destroy us. I’d like nothing more than to have Reed’s babies and live happily ever after, but that’s not how it works for the Shumways."

Jon gave a resigned look. "You’re missing the point. Maybe we need to change our luck and try taking so help. You let Michelle help by giving us the trailer. You let Dwaine help by accepting more work hours and taking his Christmas presents. You’re not taking advantage of those people, you’re letting them in. I think you need to let Reed in and tell him what’s behind burglarizing his house."

Now the real problem was out in the open. "You won’t forgive for that, will you?"

Jon gave the saddest look. "I already have. So has Reed, but he deserves the truth."

"Okay, I’ll tell him. But that doesn’t an we’ll live happily ever after."

He smiled. "No it doesn’t, but does relieved ever after or telling the truth ever after count?"

"You’re a goof." I pushed his shoulder and then stood up. "Now for that paperwork."

"Tell Reed I said hi, preferably before the heavy breathing starts."

Mortified anyone?

I refused to reply. I let myself inside the main house and went up to Reed’s room. He did deserve to know who wanted his baseballs and I should have told him before he left. I didn’t bother undressing, because I had a feeling this would not be that kind of phone call. Reed had programd his number in my speed dial list and I pushed the button.

"Hi, baby," he said in his sleepy voice.

"Umm, hi."

It was no longer sleepy. "What’s wrong, baby?"

"I need to talk to you." Silence was my answer, so I tried again. "There’s sothing I need to tell you."

"So tell ." He didn’t sound happy and it worried .

"It’s about your balls."

His nervous laughter sounded in my ear. "Please, baby, tell about my balls, but rember I’m a man and you need to be gentle with criticism."

"Your baseballs, Reed."

His voice went all husky, making my panties wet. "You’re no fun."

"Stop that. This is a serious conversation and I need to tell you the truth about breaking into your house. You’re not making it easier."

"Has this been worrying you?" Nope, he didn’t change his tone.

"Yes, but it’s also worrying my brother and he’s guilted into telling you the truth."

"Why don’t you tell the truth when you’re ready and you think you can trust ." A bit of censure ca through this ti.

I took a deep breath and tried starting over. "I am ready and I should have told you last week. I trust you."

"Then you don’t need to tell , because I already know. My cousin Derrick is a cop. I called him that first night. I had him tip off the detectives unit, without ntioning your na. They looked into it and Jim Pierson, the guy you know as Big Jim, is no longer on the street. Funny thing is I played college ball with him. He was just as big a scumbag back then as he is now and didn’t last past his first year. But he did visit my house once and he did have an eye for those balls. Do you feel better now?"

I didn’t know what to say. Reed had taken care of the problem that still worried in the back of my mind even after we moved above his garage. "When were you planning to tell all this?"

"I wasn’t. I wanted you to trust and I know it’s hard for you. I co with baggage, Jaycee, even if you don’t see it right now. We all do, but I’ll take everything you throw my way and still be here."

He was breaking my heart. "I miss you."

I heard his breath expel. "You have no idea. The guys won’t stop teasing . Even the coaches are giving a hard ti. I love my job and I love this ga, but I need you with . It’s not working with you so far away."

He was making nervous. "This is going too fast, Reed."

"No it’s not. Our life is in slow motion and you’re holding it up. If you really trust just let go. Let go of the past and let completely in."

"I’m trying." A tear ran down my face.

"I know you are and this would be so much easier if I was there and could hold you and prove that I’m in this for the long haul."

Reed stopped talking and gave a few monts to digest what he said. More tears ran down my face and I had no idea I made a sound until he said, "Oh, baby, don’t cry."

I laughed shakily and said, "I know you have a cara in here sowhere."

He gave his husky sex voice. "I can only wish, but next ti I’m ho I’ll take care of that problem. Maybe this would be easier if I could watch you co every night."

"You’re horrible."

"No, you just don’t get it. Your eyes go all soft and your lips part just a bit. It’s sexy as hell and I dream about watching you co. Hell, I even dream about the way your pussy slls. So far, I’ve managed to wake up before I embarrass myself on the sheets, but I’ve never jerked off in the shower so much in my life."

I knew exactly what he ant by sll, though my dreams were of his taste. I swear I could inhale at night and taste him on my lips. "Are we done talking, Reed?"

"Only if you’re naked."

"Damn."

"I’ll wait."

I turned the speaker on and tore off my clothes. I heard Reed’s laughter; he obviously knew what I was doing and how ridiculous I looked.

"You are so fucking sexy, baby."

"You wouldn’t say that if you knew my shoes were caught up in my pants and I was jumping around." Now I was breathing hard and it had nothing to do with sex.

"Just that picture makes harder."

"That’s because you’re a kinky fool."

"Only for you."