Page 56 of Jar of Hearts
They chat a few minutes more. Geo tells Cat a heavily edited version about how things have been at home so far, making no mention of the spray-painted messages on the garage doors, or her failed trip to the bank, or her conversation with Kaiser about the most recent dead bodies. Cat tells her one of the newbies just got her work assignment as the new hairstylist at the salon.
“Apparently she went to beauty school for a year.” Cat sounds dubious. “But I don’t know, she has blue-and-green hair. I wouldn’t go to a hairdresser with blue-and-green hair.”
“Of course you wouldn’t. You’re sixty-two.”
They say their good-byes. Geo hangs up the phone, feeling much better than she has the past couple of days. Cat’s release is now something she can look forward to. There hasn’t been another woman in the house since… well, since her mother died. Walt isn’t crazy about the idea of another ex-con in the house, especially one he’s never met before. But as an ER doctor, it’s not in his nature to not help someone if he has the ability. Geo doesn’t doubt they’ll get along famously.
She showers and gets ready for the day, blow-drying her hair, putting on a little makeup, even though she has nowhere to be. She still feels discombobulated. In prison she had a routine, things that needed to get done every day. Here, there’s almost too much freedom, too much choice, and it’s overwhelming.
She has too much time to think.
The doorbell rings as she’s making breakfast, and she pads down the hallway to see who it is. She opens the door to find Kaiser standing in her driveway, snapping pictures of her Range Rover with his phone. He didn’t take the unmarked today; a silver Acura is parked at the curb. He’s wearing a hoodie over a T-shirt, jeans, and Nikes, and he looks nothing like the police detective he is.
He looks goddamned adorable.
“Why are you taking pictures of my car?” she calls out, and he turns and glances her way.
“See for yourself,” he replies.
She slips into a pair of flip-flops and steps out. She sees it as soon as she steps off the porch, and stops.
“Fuck,” she says, deflating.
Across the side of her white Range Rover, in the same angry red paint, is the wordBITCH.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” She throws her hands up, staring at her SUV in frustration. “It’s like they knew I was going to sell it. Fuck.Fuck.”
Kaiser snaps another picture. “Let’s talk inside,” he says. He gives her the once-over. “Unless you have somewhere to be.”
She shakes her head, and he follows her back into the house. She catches a whiff of his cologne as he stands beside her unzipping his hoodie, which she takes and hangs in the closet. He smells great, and she’s annoyed at herself for even noticing. It’s been a long time since she’s been around a man who isn’t her father, her lawyer, or a corrections officer. And the last man she had sex with—actual sex, with penetration—was Andrew.
She mentally slaps herself.It’s Kaiser.Stop it.
“What brings you by? Something new with the case?” she asks, heading into the kitchen where her bagel has already popped out of the toaster. “Coffee? I know how to use the Nespresso now.”
“Coffee would be good, thanks.” He leans against the counter. “I guess I’m here because I didn’t like how we ended things the other day.”
“And how was that?”
“You know… awkwardly.” Running a hand through his hair, Kaiser sighs. “With you getting angry. With me feeling bad about it. I don’t know… it reminded me of being in high school. It felt shitty then, and it feels shitty now. I don’t enjoy upsetting you.”
“I wasn’t upset,” Geo says, although in hindsight, she supposes she was. They did argue about Calvin James, which ironically is the only thing they’ve ever argued about, even going all the way back to high school. “Anyway, why do you care?”
“Because I care about you,” he says, taking the cup of coffee she offers him. He sips it black. “I’ve always cared about you. You’re the girl who—” He stops abruptly, his cheeks flushing slightly, and looks away.
She looks up at him. “The girl who got away?”
“I was going to say that, but no, you’re not.” Kaiser meets her gaze. “Because that implies I once had you. We both know I never did.”
They stand in silence for a moment, Kaiser sipping his coffee, Geo ignoring the bagel that’s now cooling in the toaster. She notices he’s not wearing a wedding ring. “Did you ever get married, Kai?” she asks, her voice soft.
He seems surprised by the question. Nods. “Briefly. It wasn’t a good relationship. She’s married to someone else now, and they have a kid.”
“Andrew got married. They have twins. I saw him the other day, by accident. He was with his family.”
“How’d he look?”
“Terrible,” she says, and they both chuckle. “But it made me realize that he wasn’t for me. That I was chasing the wrong thing. I’ve always chased the wrong thing.”
