The Vicky Series: Book 1: Chasing a Dream

Chapter 41

"And Mr. Alvarez and I," he bowed deeply, "thought you might need this."

He displayed a corked bottle of tequila with the theatrics of a waiter displaying fine wine. Jeremy chuckled and stepped aside to admit him. He gestured to the bed, the only available seating in the modest room, and returned to the basin to resume cleaning up.

Joe crossed to the little stand next to the bed and set down two glasses. After he poured an inch or so in each glass, he recorked the bottle and set it on the table. With a glass in each hand he turned to offer one to Jeremy.

"My God Man!" Joe exclaimed in surprise. He stopped so suddenly the liquid in the glasses sloshed a little over the side and dripped over his fingers.

"What?" Jeremy turned quickly, water running down his arms and dripping from his elbows making puddles on the floor.

"Your back! I knew you'd been in a fistfight, but that looks like..." He stepped forward and extended a glass to Jeremy, "Well, it looks more like a beating!"

Jeremy twisted to see his back in the looking glass over his shoulder. He sucked air sharply through his teeth; the move wasn't such a good idea. He swallowed the tequila in one big drink and blinked away the burn.

"Is it so bad then?" He asked, not looking forward to stitches.

"Turn around." Jeremy said, taking Jeremy's empty glass and giving him the other one. Again Jeremy drank it down quickly. This time the burn wasn't so intense. He handed the glass back to Joseph who set them both on the stand.

"I said turn around." He repeated as he reached past Jeremy and picked up the towel from the wash stand.

He dipped it in the water and began cleaning away the blood from the cuts on Jeremy's back. Jeremy didn't move away, or flinch. And to his credit, he only cursed twice. Only one of the cuts was very serious. And it wasn't that deep really, just long and at a funny angle. If it weren't covered, the skin would no doubt catch and tear open again.

"Must have been one hell of a fight." Joe said as he reached around and dipped the rag once more.

"I fell on a crate and broke it. At least I think it was a crate. I didn't exactly have time to stop and verify. That brute was on my again before I could catch my breath. And then when Victoria stepped into the fray..."

"She's only got a little skin off her knuckles. The ladies are making her rest and take a bath and all that other stuff they do."

Jeremy pulled away and went to the window. He felt...

"Are you embarrassed that she was fighting for you?"

"No...Yes...Oh Hell, I don't know!" He was a man who made his living with words and he couldn't find the right ones. "She makes me madder than a wet hen sometimes...and proud as an old banty rooster."

He turned and grinned at Joe.

"I was worried, quite frankly." He shrugged; embarrassed to be admitting this aloud, but then again, this was Joe.

"That she'd outgrow you?"

He nodded.

"You know, for a man as smart and observant as you are, you're pretty blind and stupid, you know that?"

Another nod, with a wince at the truth of the matter.

"She's never been one for molly-coddling. All of those suitors promising to take care of her and protect her and keep her safe...Did it ever occur to you to wonder why she chose you?"

"I thought it was because of her father. He..."

"I'm sure that helped a little, but she chose you. She put off all of the others her father chose. For three years!"