A Wild Ride (Jessica Brodie Diaries #3)(24)

“Cripes, it is a sentimental morning, huh?” I leaned out of the way so Joanna could put my breakfast in front of me.

“Jam?” she asked.

“No, thank you.” I got a nod before she walked away.

Then something occurred to me. “Adam,” I said slowly. He looked up at the change in my tone. “Why is it a sentimental morning?”

Adam’s face became guarded. “It’s nothin’.”

“Tell me. I will start crying if you make me wait for Lump.”

Guarded became slightly panicked. “Jess, it ain’t my place—“

Thinking the worst, I felt tears well up, which had Adam halfway out of his chair. Then, realizing he wouldn’t have to console me if he just told him, he sat back down.

“Gladis just had some pain in her chest—“

“What?” I interrupted in panic.

“Now hold on. She had some pain, and a little trouble breathing—“

I half stood up, tears free-falling. Adam stood up with me and moved around the table to grab hold and squeeze me to his chest in his default “stop Jessica from crying” mode.

I knew better than to struggle—he’d just squeeze harder and it’d hurt. The time I got a paper cut from Lump’s mail, then started crying in frustration because her finances were all messed up—PMS didn’t help that situation—Adam had crushed me and started freaking out, calling William in a dead panic. It took Lump pushing him away for my tears of anger to turn into manic laughter at the freaked out look on the big brute’s face—I had terrible, yet exciting, mood swings one day a month. Poor Adam still thinks I’m crazy.

Hence his current rib cracking hug.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh thank the Lord!” Adam sighed, releasing me and pushing me at Lump.

“What’s going on with Gladis?” I asked immediately, nearly sobbing.

“Adam! I told you you’d only upset her.”

“What the hell was I supposed to do? She started crying for Pete’s sakes!”

“Good thing I’m not a crier.” Lump sighed as she pushed me back toward the chair. “He’d probably hang himself once a month.”

“I don’t love your monthly temper, neither.” Adam looked back in forth from his unfinished breakfast and the door.

Lump sighed. “Jess, it’s not that big of a deal—“

“But Adam said chest pain and shortness of breath.”

Lump turned to Adam with a look of doom. “Are you serious?”

Getting lost won out. Except, Adam was smart—he grabbed his plate and headed into the kitchen. He’d probably need seconds, and would surely get some peace and quiet; Joanna didn’t bother you if you didn’t bother her.

Lump watched him flee sat in his seat. “Besides that first night, I cried once with him. I had to punch him in the stomach to get him to let me out of a bear hug. It’s because of the memories of his mother—“

“Lump, I know his history. What I need to know is about Gladis.”

“Oh right—sorry. Seriously, it’s not that bad. The chest pain was probably muscle related, not heart related, and the shortness of breath was just the way she was sitting. Which Gladis tried to say. She’d twisted wrong yesterday when she tried to hit me with a tennis ball, so that all makes sense. It was Lady and Adam that were freaking out. Lady took Gladis in to the doctor just to be sure.”

“You should probably stop that throwing game.”

“I suggested it, but I could tell it upset Gladis. Her spirits are low. She can’t move as liberally anymore.”

I nodded, feeling better. “Adam needs to learn how to break news to people a little better.”

“You think? Why’d you start crying? Just to get your way?”

“Shut up! I’m not that bad. No, he was getting all sentimental and it clicked that whatever you had to tell me about Gladis probably had something to do with it.”

“He’s a moron. I told him to keep his mouth shut on the whole deal until I saw you.”

“It was my fault. I asked what was troubling him.”

Lump snickered. “He’s too honest by half.”

“So anyway, what are you two up to? Wanna do something?”

“I’d prefer to have sex, actually.”

“Well, I’m not up for that. What about a little later? Movie? Shopping? Eating? Counting our toes?”

“Don’t you have any friends?” Lump laughed.

“Funny story, actually. I imported one of my very own. Found her a place to live, gave her some shopping money, introduced her to some really good people… We hung out a lot, but then she ditched me when she found a guy.”

“That’s because I’d finished using you, and you got too boring.”

“Yeah, I know. And now I have no friends again. I wonder if Jane is done with school.”

“One more year, actually, and she’d just hook up with Brad. She’s still talking to him.”

“What? She never told me that.”

“She didn’t want you to say anything.”

“Crap. Does that mean I can’t?”

Lump shrugged.

“Good. Then I will!”