New Girl in Town Pt. 24

Jake got to his feet and reached for his glass but Staci stopped him.

"Leave it, Jake," she told him. "I'll wash it with mine and Jess's."

"Staci, I can..." he started to argue but she stopped him.

"Nope, you cannot," she said. "Now give me a kiss then I'll help Jess get your stuff from upstairs so you don't have to climb the stairs again."

"Am I going to get more punishment if I do?" Jake asked Jessica with a wink.

"Oh you loved most of it," Jessica stated with a giggle. "And Staci gets a pass as long she doesn't use tongue that is."

"I meant on the cheek, you slut," Staci said. "Now I'm going to demand it be lips to lips and I'll suck his tongue like it's my favorite lollipop. Jake?"

"Leave me out of this," Jake laughed. "I want to survive this weekend."

"Oh fine," Staci said then pointed to her right cheek. "Kiss here then please."

Jake leaned in. He half expected Staci to turn her head quickly so he caught her lips just to tease Jessica so he hesitated for a moment before he moved closer. Staci didn't move however and accepted her kiss on her cheek with a smile.

"Now sit back down and Jess and I will be back with your bags," she told him.

She and Jessica got up and started out the door when Jessica looked back over her shoulder at him.

"And don't even think about washing those cups, Jake," she warned him. "Otherwise I'll turn Staci loose on you and who knows what she'll do to you."

"It's true, Jake," Staci called out. "I have plans and I know things. Naughty things! So don't tempt me!"

****

It was late afternoon when Ray and Staci along with Bobby and Mary Beth arrived at Mr. Fishel's lot. They parked behind Jake and Jessica's parent's vehicles and got out. They saw Jake and Jessica along with their parent's, Sarah, Jake's grandpa and Mr. Fishel as they chatted beside Mr. Fishel's flatbed. Sarah heard them arrive and ran over to them as they got out of their respective cars.

"There she is!" Staci exclaimed as she picked up Sarah in a hug and swung her around. "My flyin' lil Sar-bear!"

Sarah squealed in delight as she was passed to Ray who lifted her up onto his shoulders and started to carry her to where Jake, Jessica and their parents waited.

"How was the museum, Sarah?" Staci asked as they walked along.

"It was pretty neat," she answered. "I was bored at first because it was a lot of old buildings and such but then Jake's grandpa showed me the trains and told me about them. That was really cool! Plus it was fun to climb onto the ones that we could."

"It sure looked cool," Staci agreed. "Jess sent me pics of you on those trains. It looked like you were having a really fun time!"

"I was! Do you wanna come with us when we go back in April for Jake's grandpa's birthday?" Sarah asked. "They're gonna let him drive a train and I get to ride with him! He promised didn't you, grandpa?"

"That I did," Jake's grandpa chuckled. "As long as you make sure that I get the biggest slice of birthday cake that is. Think you can do that for me?"

"Yep," Sarah nodded as Ray put her back on her own two feet. "As long as I get the second biggest slice."

"Where did you learn to be such a shrewd negotiator, Little Miss?" Jake's grandpa asked her. "It wasn't from your big sis was it?"

"Yep," Sarah answered then shrugged. "At least I think it was."

She turned and tugged on Jessica's jacket sleeve to get her attention.

"Sissy, are you a shrew new goat and tater?" she asked.

"Am I a what?" Jessica asked as she looked at Jake for an explanation.

"A shrewd negotiator," Jake said. "Someone wangled herself the second biggest slice of grandpa's birthday cake. You don't know who that could possibly be do you?"

"Or where she learned how to do such a thing either," Jake's grandpa asked with a grin.

"I have no idea where she got that from," Jessica shook her head then pointed to the garage they stood in front of. "Are you guys ready to see Jake's new beast?"

"You mean the thing that he's going to have us working on after school for the next six months?" Bobby sighed as he punched Jake's arm playfully.

"She's not gonna take six months," Jake stated.

"I should hope not," he said. "You know I kinda thought that you'd be getting a more road ready car with the Greene's insurance payout."

"I thought about getting one kind of like Jess's but then Mr. Fishel found this one. He showed dad who showed grandpa then they all showed me so here we are," Jake said. "Besides, she's a classic."

Bobby nudged Ray and nodded toward the closed garage.

"That means that it's going to take a lot of work to..." he started to say but Jake stopped him.

"That's not what that means at all," Jake stated. "Why don't you go over and take a look at her then you can complain to your hearts content."

"You all heard him," Bobby chuckled. "I can complain all I want. You're all witnesses."

"Bobby, come on," Mary Beth said and pulled him toward the garage. "I want to see Jake's beast before he bans you from her forever."

"Time for the unveiling, kids?" Mr. Fishel asked.

"Yes please," Staci said. "Before Jake kicks Bobby out."

"Jake won't kick me out," Bobby stated confidently. "Jake loves me."

Mr. Fishel shook his head as he opened the garage door. Jessica's hand tightened on Jake's arm almost involuntarily which made Jake smile.

"Still expecting the ax murderer to show up huh?" he whispered to her.

"Oh shush," she playfully slapped his arm. "I blame those horror movies that I've watched with you. The hot blonde always gets killed first."

"If that's the case then I had better be the one to watch out," Staci giggled. "Cheerleaders never survive those movies. Also, why is it that the makers of these movies think that we wear our cheerleader outfits all the time?"

"Sex sells," Ray suggested with a laugh that garnered him a slap on his arm from his girlfriend. "I'm just sayin'."

The light above the car flickered to life and illuminated the car below.

"Whoa," Bobby said as the Mustang was revealed. "She's not half the wreck I was thinking she was. Looks like a hood, door and a good wash will have her back on the streets."

"We need to look over all her hoses, seals and such too," Mr. Fishel said. "She's been sitting in an old out building for near on twenty years or more."

"Still," Bobby said as he leaned in to look at the interior. "She could be in a lot worse shape than this. What year is she"

"She's a seventy," Jake answered. "A Boss 302 edition."

"Are you going to paint her?" Staci asked as she ran her finger over the side which removed the dust. "This blue looks like it could have been pretty but I know that you have a thing for black."

Jake couldn't help but glance at Jessica and blush as his mind immediately pictured the black lingerie she had bought.

"He does have a thing for black," Jessica jumped in. "It depends on how she looks after a wash."

"Or three," Ray commented.

"Or three," Jessica agreed. "He might keep the original blue. I'll pull it up and show you what color that is, Staci. It'll definitely fit in with California if he decides to keep it the same color."

"How long do you figure it will take to get her up and running, Mr. Fishel?" Ray asked.

"Depends on what we find once we get a good look at her," he answered. "From the once over that we gave her I'm thinking a few weeks at best so Miss Jessica will still be driving him around until March at the earliest."

"That's not a problem," she said. "Jake likes to be chauffeured around by me don't ya, handsome?"

"I don't mind it at all, gorgeous," Jake said and leaned in to kiss her.

Jessica met his lips with hers until Mr. Fishel cleared his throat.

"Don't make me turn the hose on you two," He called out. "That water is mighty cold this time of year."

"We'll be good, Mr. Fishel," Jessica assured him with a giggle.

"When do you think that we'll get started?" Bobby asked.

"Tomorrow," Mr. Fishel answered. "I'd say that we would get her on the lift right now but we've all had a long day and I do believe that we are way past Miss Sarah's nap time."

"Am not," Sarah stated though the yawn between the words betrayed her.

"Oh I think so, Sar-Bear," Staci said as she picked up a yawning Sarah.

"Are you okay to take her to the car while I go wrangle up the folks, Staci?" Jessica asked. "I think they all went to look at Phoebe while we were talking. I think that Dad is ready to make an offer and I need to keep mom from killing him."

"She'll be fine with me, Jess," Staci assured her then started to tickle Sarah. "You'll be fine with me won't you Sar Bear? Won't you, giggle box?"

"Staci, Stop!" Sarah scream laughed then when Staci obeyed she shouted, "Again!"

"Again huh?" Staci laughed. "You're lucky that you're adorable, Sar-bear!"

****

"Do you think it's about the crash?" Jake's mom asked Jessica's dad as the kids approached them.

"I have an idea of what it's about and it's not that," he answered then noticed Jake and Jessica's arrival. "I'll tell you both about it later. I don't want to upset the kids with this. Are you two about ready to go?"

"Yes, we need to go save Staci from Sarah," Jessica laughed. "Or maybe the other way around from the sound of things. Are you done drooling over Phoebe, dad?"

"I still think there is room in our garage for her, Val," her dad answered with a smile.

"We don't even have a garage, Tim," Dr. Golden pointed out.

"I guess that we'll have to build one first," he said. "I can draw up some plans and..."

"I am not losing my husband to a car named after his celebrity crush from high school," Dr. Golden laughed.

"Speaking of that," Mr. Golden said then looked at Jake. "Given any thought on what you're going to name your new car, Jake?"

"He's going to have to do a computer search on eighties actresses and get Mr. Fishel's okay before he can make it official," Jake's dad said with a chuckle as they walked back to their cars.

"Now if she was a 'seventy six we could've called her Farrah or Cheryl," Mr. Fishel said having overheard them. "You would like either of them, Jake. Both are blondes and you have a weakness."

"He totally does," Jessica nodded then kissed Jake's cheek. "I can just see the smile on C.C.'s face if you name your new beast Cheryl."

"I was thinking of just calling her Catherine Two or something," Jake suggested. "I guess that I don't have to decide until she's road ready though. Right, Mr. Fishel?"

"Right you are, Jake," he nodded. "There will be plenty of time for you to name her once you and Miss Jess get back from California."

"I still say that I should be the one to chaperon you two," Staci stated as she made sure that Sarah had buckled herself in. "I mean me and California just seem like a total match, right?"

"Nuh uh," Sarah argued from the car. "I'm their shampoo ronie and you know it, Staci."

"That I do, Sar-bear," Staci smiled. "Now shampoo them home because we've all got school tomorrow and we need our beauty sleep."

****

Monday

Mr. Golden looked over the latest changes on the marina when he heard a car door slam shut. He looked up and saw Buck Greene headed his way.

"I thought we were meeting at your dealership in a few hours," Mr. Golden called out.

"Why delay the inevitable I always say," Mr. Greene stated as he walked over. "I assume you know why I called this meeting?"

"I have a pretty good idea," Mr. Golden stated.

"That's good," he nodded. "Makes things easier for all involved. Now I've had my lawyer look over the contract I have with your company and he assures me that I do have an out clause should I not feel this is working out. It's not working out as you well know."

"Agreed," Mr. Golden nodded. "I can have my crew packed up and out of here by this afternoon at the latest. I trust that you have the plans that I've drawn up with you?"

"No," Mr. Greene said. "Why would I have brought those? They are my property. I paid you for them."

"Since your lawyer looked over our contract then I suggest that you ask him about the intellectual property clause that states that our plans are ours until the project is completed and signed off on as completed," Mr. Golden told him. "That way we don't draw up a set of plans, get fired from a job then have our plans done half-assed by another contractor."

"Now look here, Golden, I..." Mr. Greene started but Mr. Golden had turned his back on him.

He waved dismissively over his shoulder as he walked toward his crew.

"I'll see you at your office with my companies plans later this morning, Mr. Greene," he said. "You'll understand if I don't thank you."

As Buck Greene fumed Mr. Golden went to his crew and gathered them together.

"He's not changing the plans again," one of the workers groaned.

"It's no longer our problem," Mr. Golden told them. "We've been told to shut it down. Mark, I want you to go through and get a list of the materials that we've used on this job. Get whoever else you need to get that done while the rest of us pack up."

"Are we putting it back like we found it?" another of the workers asked with a chuckle.

"I don't think we have that much trash with us," Mr. Golden stated as he looked around the site. "Let's try and leave the place in a better state than we found it and see if we can get home by lunchtime."

****

"So we're meeting after school to work on Jake's beast two, right?" Bobby asked as the group ate lunch.

"Make it like five or so," Ray answered. "Jake is back in the gym after school today. That means that you and I will be the ones to have to do any heavy lifting."

"I heard that Tank is going to work him til his arms are nothing but limp noodles," Staci giggled. "Jess, you might have to feed him like a little baby."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Jessica laughed. "Thankfully I'll be there with my team so his boys don't work him too hard."

"Someone wants to make sure that Jake is available for rub downs afterwards is what that sounds like to me," Roxie joked. "He can't use those magic hands of his if he can't raise his arms."

"Roxie, I would never," Jessica gasped dramatically. "Now that you mention it however."

She raised her hands to Jake and nodded toward them.

"You had your cast off once already in Ms. Simpson's class," he pointed out. "I think having it off again so soon wouldn't be a great idea."

That set off a barrage, mostly from Staci but Shelly, Jody, Roxie and the others joined in as well as they scolded Jessica.

"I had an itch," Jessica defended. "Guys, Jake was there. Do you seriously think that he let me move even an inch once I was out of this thing?"

"I dunno, Jess," Ray laughed. "You bat those eyes of yours at Jake and he'll let you do just about anything you want."

"Not just her eyes," Staci grinned slyly. "Right, Jess?"

"Staci!" Jessica exclaimed.

"Come on, we all know it's true, Jessica," Mary Beth laughed.

"Well yeah but you don't have to say it," Jessica stated. "The whole school doesn't need to know."

"That ship sailed a long time ago, Jess," Shelly pointed out.

"Everyone has seen Jake drool over your butt," Staci said. "If it was a secret it would be the worst kept one of all time."

Jessica sighed and shook her head as she looked at Jake.

"What started all this again?" she asked him.

"You wanted to take your cast off again," he answered.

"Oh yeah, that was it," she nodded then held her hand out again. "Rub?"

"Tonight," Jake stated. "If I can raise my arms that is."

"I'll be right there working out with you, sweetie," Jessica assured him. "I'll make sure that Tank and all your football buddies know that you need use of your arms afterwards."

"Certain other parts too," Staci added with a grin.

"STACI!"

****

Mr. Golden looked over the now cleaned up worksite then checked the tally sheet again to be sure that it was accurate. As he read over it a car pulled up next to his and parked. A woman got out, pulled her raven colored hair back into a ponytail and walked toward him.

"Is this your worksite?" she asked as she adjusted her glasses.

"It isn't any longer," Mr. Golden answered. "Can I help you?"

"Gwendolyn Watkins. I'm from the EPA," she answered him.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Watkins," he offered his hand. "I'm Tim Golden."

He produced his card from his pocket and handed it to her. She glanced over it then nodded as she slipped it into her pocket.

"Nice to meet you as well, Mr. Golden," she smiled. "I've heard of your firm. You all are doing a lot of environmentally friendly construction in and around Charlotte. Fascinating stuff. You're a little far from home here though."

"Several months ago I might have agreed with you but this place kind of grows on you," he told her.

Her eyes drifted over the serene lake and she nodded.

"I can certainly see why," she agreed. "You know, most people are usually surprised to see us poking around. You, on the other hand, didn't even bat an eye. Almost like you know why I'm here."

"Let's just say that I have a pretty good idea," he smiled. "Best of luck on finding whatever it is you're looking for."

"I don't suppose you could point out a place or two I should start my search could you?" she smiled.

"As much as I would love to help you out, I'm not sure how ethical that would be," Mr. Golden answered. "Even though he fired my firm I'm not looking to fend off a lawsuit from Mr. Greene if he somehow found out that I directed you to, say the boat launch area and just to the left of the marina offices."

She grinned and made a mental note to check those areas first.

"Well if the levels that I saw on the report are anywhere close to what I find out here today Mr. Greene will have a lot more to worry about," she told him. "Besides, I don't plan to tell him so unless you're feeling chatty with him?"

"That definitely won't be a problem," Mr. Golden laughed. "I have to see him once I leave here and hopefully it will be the last conversation that I have with Buck Greene."

"Difficult client huh?" she asked.

"That and more, believe it or not," he answered. "That, however, is a long story and you have samples to collect. I wish you the best of luck with that."

"Thank you," she nodded. "Good luck with your conversation with Mr. Greene. Hope that it's as painless as possible."

"I can tell that you haven't met Buck Greene before," he laughed, "but I do appreciate the sentiment. You have a nice day out here."

****

"Come on, Jake," Tank said as he spotted for him while Jake worked out on one of the school's weight benches. "Show me five more. Let's push it."

Jake grunted as he lifted the weighted bar from the bench and lowered it toward his chest. He blew out a breath as he extended the bar back up.

"Five," Tank counted. "Four more. Come on!"

Jake's arms shook as he held the weight a moment.

"Four more, Jake," Ray encouraged from the leg press machine that he used. "You got this!"

"Yeah," Jake grunted as he lowered the bar to his chest.

"That's right," Tank said. "Let's see four more just like that."

"You mean... three," Jake said through his gritted teeth.

"Nah, I mean four," Tank grinned at him.

"Antoine, are you trying to hurt my man over there?" Jessica shouted from the cardio side of the workout room.

"Either that or he's flunking math," Jake stated.

"Flunking math am I?" Tank asked. "That just earned you five more now let's see'em!"

"You might want to rethink that, Antoine," Jessica said. "Because if he can't use his crutches then it's on you to carry him out to my car."

"All right, Wildcat!" Antoine laughed as he shook his head. "Jake, push out these last three so I'm not on the receiving end of her claws."

"Wait a sec," she said as she walked over to Jake's side. "Jake, are you sure that you're okay to do this? No overdoing it."