Jealous Storm by Jack Stroke (book recommendations .txt) 📕

disappear like this?

Of course it didn’t matter if she couldn’t find the silly animal. She would see him tomorrow. And yet, at that moment, it mattered more than anything in the world. Where the heck could he be?

“Lion!”

As the day slowly vanished around her, Amber spotted a figure on a bench outside the owner’s cabin. Ellis. The only sensible choice of action was to ignore him and walk away. Except Ellis wasn’t alone. A ball of orange fluff sat on his knee. Amber’s heart launched into her throat.

“Hi there, Amber. Nice night.”

Should she belt that self-satisfied look off his face? Sure was tempting.

“Put the cat down, Ellis.”

Ellis glanced at Lion, then back to Amber.

“Why? He’s happy here.”

Was he? Traitor. Except it wasn’t clear. Lion wasn’t squirming or anything. Did Ellis have the cat pinned with his right arm? The very idea sent a chill down Amber’s spine.

“Ellis, put him down.”

“He’ll get down when he wants to.”

Red-hot bugs crawled under Amber’s skin, willing her to do… something.

“Ellis…”

“It’s lovely up here, isn’t it? Paradise Cove? I think I might move up here permanently.”

“I don’t think that such a good idea.”

“Why not? You’re obviously enjoying it.”

“It’s just not.”

It must’ve been her fury clouding Amber’s brain, denying her anything even half intelligent to say. ‘Jump down’, she willed Lion. ‘Jump down or scratch him in the face and run’.

“No, I think it would be a good idea if I stayed, to be close to my family.”

“They’re not your family anymore.”

“Oh, don’t be silly. I’ve made some mistakes, sure, but they will always be my family. Ben will always be my son. Blood. You’re right though. Maybe you need to give me some lessons.”

“Lessons?”

“Sure. On how to be like you. Just be and not worry what everyone is thinking. I really admire you, Amber. You’re so… tenacious. Is that the right word? You just worm your way into situations…”

“You’re the worm,” Amber said, and instantly regretted it. Of all the times to come up with a terrible comeback. Ellis’ smirk suggested he was thinking much the same thing.

“I don’t mean it rudely. It’s great. You just wriggle your way in and never care what people think. Especially somewhere like this. I couldn’t do it. I’d be worried all the time that no one wanted me here. That I was intruding. It’s like, you know, back in the day, when Joan and Megan used to complain that they’d never be rid of you. But you never took the hint. You always hung around. And here you are now. Still. Good for you.”

He patted Lion with his left hand, still holding him in place with his right.

“I swear, Ellis,” Amber said, her voice getting steadily louder. “Put Lion down right now.”

“Why?”

“Because if you don’t, I will hurt you. Seriously hurt you.”

“Amber!” Joan’s voice cut through the dark from inside the owner’s cottage.

Amber felt twelve-years-old again, aware she was about to get into some serious strife.

40

Joan waddled out of the owner’s cottage and stood between them. “What are you two doing out here?”

“Nothing,” Ellis said, straightening like he was the one in strife. “We’re just having a friendly chat, aren’t we, Amber?”

“It didn’t sound that way to me.” She observed them both. “Ellis, go to your cabin, please.”

“Joan, I’m sure Amber didn’t mean anything by —”

“Ellis, go.”

“But, Joan —”

“Now.”

Ellis pulled a face, which angered Amber all the more. Faux sympathetic, like he was on her side. Like he wanted nothing more than to prevent her getting in trouble. He stood. Lion dropped to the ground and bounded away.

“What on earth are you doing, Amber?” Joan asked.

“What, me? Nothing.”

“I heard you. You threatened him. Over what? That stupid cat?”

“He wouldn’t put Lion down.”

Joan flashed her a look Amber didn’t care for. “Lion is not your cat, Amber. And even if he was —”

“He’s not Ellis’ cat either. You didn’t hear what he was saying.”

“I heard what both of you were saying.”

Amber glared at her. “Why are you here, Joan?”

“I live here.”

“Yeah, but you just happened to overhear us? He set me up, didn’t he? Again.”

“Amber…”

“Don’t you see? He got you to listen. And then he —”

“What is wrong with you? Why do you always act like this when he’s around?”

“I’m not acting like anything. Don’t you get it? It’s him.”

Ellis stopped and glanced back as he reached the door of his cabin.

“Look at him. Smirking at us.”

“Oh, don’t be silly, Amber. You can see no such thing.”

“No, I can feel it. He’s gloating like he won.”

“I think you need to take a long hard look in the mirror. He and Megan are back together. And that’s a good thing.”

“A good thing? What is wrong with you, Joan?”

“Amber!”

“Don’t you remember what he was like?”

“I remember what you were like. Quite frankly, you were a nightmare.”

“No, no. It was him.”

“Besides, people change. Ellis has been nothing but a perfect gentleman since he returned. You on the other hand…”

“Me what?”

“He’s scared of you, Amber. And quite frankly, given that business with Ted on his boat, I can see why.”

That wasn’t fair. Amber had saved Joan’s life. She opened her mouth, but Joan beat her to it.

“He said you threatened to kill him.”

“What? That’s a lie.”

“In some hotel room. You pulled a gun on him.”

Actually, Amber had done that.

“Well, okay… yeah, but that was a long time ago.”

“Oh, that makes it all right, does it?”

Amber realised she’d better be careful. Going into the specifics of that incident could be trouble, no matter what her intentions at the time had been.

“Joan, the guy is bad news.”

“Are you sure, Amber? You don’t like him. Never have. Maybe you don’t want Megan to be happy.”

“What? That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it? You have always had this infantile ‘it’s him or me’ attitude with Ellis. Like Megan is yours and you don’t want to share. Need I remind you Ellis is Ben’s father?”

“Yeah, and what a great job he’s done of that.”

“Everyone deserves a second chance. Better late than never. You need to stop this craziness. Grow up.