Clay pulls into the driveway shuts off his truck engine sits back in the seat and sighs heavily. The last place he wanted to be was back at his parents house. He hoped he could run in and get his tools without being seen he could kick himself for not leaving them in the truck. Felicia was right he should have stayed for reason number two he laughs to his self. He loved waking up in the morning and finding her there like this morning when he'd walked out of the bedroom into the kitchen and saw her standing by the sink with her back to him he couldn't help but smile. He'd walked behind her wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.
"Good morning!" Felicia smiles and turns in his arms.
"Good morning. Breakfast is on the table." Clay smiles and kisses her again then walks to the coffee pot and fills two mugs.
"Thank you but, you know you don't have to wait on me I can make my own breakfast." She laughs setting a plate down on the table for him then one for herself.
"I was hungry! I just figured since I was cooking for myself I'd make some for you too." She smirks enjoying the surprise on his face as he sets the mug in front of her.
"Besides I like cooking for you." She laughs leaning over and kissing his cheek.
"You know if you lived here you and I could take advantage of the delayed opening this morning." Clay smiles then reaches for the butter dish.
"I'd still have to go to work." He says ignoring her nodding her head towards the bedroom and wriggling her eyebrow as he slathered butter on his toast.
"True," She grins slyly "but you wouldn't have to go back to your parents and get your tools and," She says running her hand up his thigh.
"Reason number two I could make you late with one of the best excuses you could give your boss."
"Very true!" He leans in and kisses her. "But I really don't need to make excuses to myself just Bill." They laugh.
" You spend ninety percent of your time here besides, you hate living there." She reaches out laying her hand on his. He looks down at the table and sighs then picks up his cup and walks to the coffee pot.
"Staying there is the only way I can think of to keep the peace, but I'm afraid if I leave now he going to think I'm choosing sides. It would just make things worse." He finishes setting his cup down on the counter and leaning his palms against it. Felicia watches him a moment then goes to him wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her cheek against his back.
"I just want you to be happy and being there makes you miserable and I'm afraid if you stay some how it's going to eventually hurt us more." He turns around and holds her close smoothing her hair and kisses the top of her head..
"I'm never going to let that happen I promise you."
She was right being here made him miserable. He could feel the joy drain from him as soon as he pulled in the driveway. Jay's constant barge to be like him was suffocating! He would never be like him or Jake and he didn't want too. The constant pressure from his father only made him angry and more resolute that staying on the mountain was the best choice for his life.
He climbs out of the truck and closes the door walking across the lawn wishing he'd parked on the street and walked up the driveway it would have been less noisy. Hopefully knowing the direction things were going when he'd left last night, his mother would be in a wine induced coma till ten or so. Jay was another story. He slips through the front door closing it quietly. Stops a moment hearing Jay talking to someone if you could call it that in his office. Good. He runs up the steps taking care not to step on the ones that squeaked into his room retrieves his tools then back down hoping he can get out the door before anyone see's him. He stops again to listen for Jay then more intently when he hears who he's talking to.
"So what do you have for me boy and it had better be good!" Jay sits on the edge of his desk sipping his coffee staring down at his son sitting in the chair in front of him.
I think we might be able to stop him before he begins I just need you to call your friend in the state building and loose Van Dorns filing documents." Jay looks at him a moment and nods his head.
"That just might work at that. I can call Joe Jordan he could put just the monkey wrench we need. Ha!" He yelps leaning forward and slapping his son on the shoulder.
"Now you're thinking!" He chuckles.
"I knew you'd like it. It came to me last night.While I was talking to Toni." Jay nods his head in approval. "She likes my own little secret weapon." They laugh sounding pleased with their machinations. Clay shakes his head in disgust.
"See if you can get Ed Swift on the phone see what he knows." Jay say looking at his cup. "I'm getting some more coffee."
"Shit!" Clay mutters darting for the door. He needed to get out of here before he got caught. He reaches for the door knob just as Jay walks from his office and spots him halfway out the door.
"Where the hell have you been?" Clay grits his teeth silent wording "Dammit" wishing he'd hadn't stopped to eavesdrop.
"I told you last night I was going out. The only reason I'm here now is I forgot my tools." He turns around and closes the door.
"You missed our meeting this morning." His eyes drilling into Clays who glares back at him unwavering.
"Oh,"
"I left you two voice message and one of those Goddamn text message!" Clay smirks shifting his tool belt to the other hand.
"I got them." The muscle in Jay's jaw tightens his his lips disappear.
"Then you knew how important this was and you ignored it?" Clay shrugs keeping his demeanor cool. Jay swallows hard trying to keep his temper from exploding.
"From here on in you're going to have to become more involved in the business side of things. Especially now that we've found a way to stop that son of a bitch right dead in his tracks!" Jay eye gleam with malevolence and pride his feet practically tapping. Clay shakes his head smiling in disbelief.
"Told you last night and the night before that, and everyday for as long as I can remember! I'm not interested in this office stuff you keep pushing. I like where I am and what I do. I don't want any part of whatever it is you and Jake are cooking up. You know what I'm done! I'm not doing this anymore. I've made up my mind. Take a good look Dad because this is the last time I'm coming here! " Jay's jaw tightens his eye narrow as he steps closer to his son. Clay stands steadfast his nostrils flared his his spine ramrod straight.
"You were with that Van Dorn girl" He snarls scrutinizing him closely.
"Of course Dad! Clay shouts watching Jay face go white with rage too flustered to speak.
"Don't look so surprised! I'm a grown man you can't control me! I don't have to answer to you I can be with whomever I want, do whatever I want and there's not a damm thing you can do about it."
"She's turning you!" Jay sneers. Clays eyes open wide then narrow at the utter ridiculousness of his statement
"She not doing anything! She doesn't care about your feud and neither do I! The only thing she has ever cared about is me! I love her Dad! I've always loved her!" Jay shakes his head his laugh mocking.
"Oh, she cares! You better believe she cares! She's nothing more than the Van Dorns Delilah!"
"I told you leave her out of this! It's between you and me!" His fist clenching and unclenching as Jay bellows back.
"She's in this up to her pretty little neck!" Clay laughs bitterly shaking his head and finally lets go of all his pent up frustrations.
"It has nothing to do with Felicia, Chase or anyone else! I've never wanted this "Business" crap! ! Ever! Get it through your thick skull I don't want any part of your "business!" I'm leaving, I'm not coming back and you had better understand this." He says stepping closer to him filling the space between them his emotions at the break point he growls.
"You go anywhere near Felicia you hurt her in anyway and you won't have to worry about the Van Dorns you're going to deal with me!" He turns and walks toward the door. Jay lets out a bitter laugh calling after him.
"What the hell do you think you can do to me boy?" Clay spins back to face him. His lips curled back into a snarl the cold look in his eyes silencing whatever Jay had been about to say. When he spoke his words were succinct his tone deadly.
"I'm your worst nightmare, because you know deep down I'm not lying and if you keep pushing me or hurt her, I'll be just as much of a cold, cruel, heartless, bastard as you. Felicia is the best thing that ever happened to me and I'm not going to let you or anyone else come between us understand? If I see you anywhere near us or you get it into your head to screw with us with one of your schemes, I'll be coming for you." Clay stares at him a moment his jaw set his eyes unwavering then throws open the door letting it slam back against the wall. Jay slams the door shut behind him rattling the windows in their frames with the force door then turns back towards his office.
"Bravo Jay!" His head snaps to the sound of Alex clapping and laughing from the top of the stair.
"Brilliant just, brilliant!"
"Harbinger Falls" Copyright 2014
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