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Devil In The Waters, Book 3, Chapter 1b (complete)
🕑 Added 2020-02-15 21:43:31 +0000 UTCAt a table for four situated in the centre of the Martinique’s dining floor, Josh sat with Meyer and Sophie waiting for their fourth diner to arrive who swore she wouldn’t be late, but was. Above their head hung an upside down birdcage interwoven with fake ivy, but it was the re-purposed yellow traffic stoplight with a flashing green light that had Sophie’s attention, his little niece laughing and pointing at it occasionally but without saying her reasons for amusement, expecting her dad and uncle to just know exactly what it was so dazzling.
The Martinique was a family restaurant, kid friendly, every table filled with families and a handful of kids; the place was loud but clean and air conditioned, dim and nicely decorated, sun bright out in the strip mall’s parking lot early evening sun still bright enough to end up sparks off chrome and clean windshields. They were waiting for Kimmy but had ordered appetizers when she said she might be a little late (twenty minutes ago), the basket of mozzarella sticks reduced to crumbs and grease stains on the checkerboard wax paper. He was on his second Diet Coke, Meyer on a second iced tea, Sophie with a glass of water after her milk was done.
Only one thing on Josh’s mind right now, and he passed that thing to Meyer under the table so Sophie wouldn’t see, looking to get a second opinion. Meyer took it, frowning at him, not understanding.
Josh whispered. “Her card. Look at it.”
Still frowning, not understanding the need for spy craft, Meyer read the card. “What . . .?”
“Look at it again.”
His cousin’s frown deepened and he re-read Kimmy’s business card, still not seeing it. Meyer’d known Kimmy for years before they were married so it wasn’t obvious.
Josh hissed, “Jesus, Meyer, read it slow—”
Meyer got it now, head nodding, eyes widening. Then the brow went down again, this time lowered with concern. “Chang?” He gave Josh a scrunched what-the-fuck? face.
Sophie was bored and attentive, watching them saying, “What is it?”
Meyer said, “Daddy stuff, Soph,” then to Josh, “Why? Like why would she . . .”
“Her boss wants her to have a Chinese name so his Chinese clients will feel at ease, I guess . . .”
Meyer passed the card back, going under the table like he’d done. “Feels . . . I don’t know, kind of—” he leaned closer and whispered “—racist.”
“I don’t think it is,” Josh said, looking down in his lap where he held Kimmy Waters’s new business card. Kimmy Chang, Stone Brokerage LLC, underneath: Attorney At Law. But he wished he could convince Kimmy it was—just as a way to reel this thing back because it was feeling like he was losing control. Why had he agreed to it with all that was going on behind the scenes? Why would he risk his marriage? Up front he knew he would never stand in his wife’s way of anything—he wasn’t that kind of man—but on the back burner was something he feared: a dark curiosity that tickled him when he thought of Devlin and his wife. There was no truth to Devlin’s claims he’d asked for the man to fuck her (there was just no way), but he couldn’t deny that sinking feeling he liked low in his belly when he felt unsure of his wife and imagined a secret desire she might have for the man who made his youth unbearable.
A flash of white light raced back and forth across the restaurant and the faces of the diners across from him as the front door opened, sunlight reflected from its glass inset. Kimmy had arrived, his wife coming into the restaurant in a rush, eyes scanning the patrons quickly, pinpointing where he sat and heading their way. She was at the table before he had a chance to rise, and he watched as Meyer looked up and didn’t recognize her. It was a seconds-long moment his cousin stared quizzically at the woman he’d known about as long as Josh had. Then he shook his head and laughed, and his mouth fell open. He half rose from his chair saying, “Kimmy, I didn’t even recognize you, I was looking at you thinking who’s this and why’s she at our table? . . . Look at you, the suit and everything—and your hair . . .”
“Yeah, yeah,” Kimmy said, waving Meyer off, moving widdershins around the table behind Sophie who was wide-eyed, head oscillating around to follow her favorite auntie as Kimmy came to the chair next to Josh. She slung her purse over the seat back, sat then scooted forward. She leaned and he leaned to meet her. They kissed. Then Kimmy was laughing seeing Sophie staring incredulously. “What is it, Pumpkin—don’t you recognize me either?”
“Look at your hair,” Sophie whispered.
Kimmy leaned forward, tilting her head down, and Sophie patted the top of Kimmy’s head, her little hands moving over the rounded shape of Kimmy’s bun. Then she batted at her combed bangs. “Look at your hair,” Sophie whispered again.
Kimmy sat up. “Do you like it?”
“You’re so pretty.”
Kimmy made an affected expression (her niece’s words warming her), and tucked her chin down then held out her hands to Sophie saying, “Come sit in my lap for a minute. Come see me.”
As Sophie got out of her chair to climb up in Kimmy’s lap, Kimmy said to Meyer, “Did you guys order yet? Sorry, I’m late, it’s bumper-to-bumper all the way out of the city.”
“Get used to it,” Meyer said. “Josh says you stole his car.”
“We bought a new one. We’re up to two cars again, but Josh gave me his for a week before we pick up the new. Thanks for picking him up.”
“No prob. We didn’t order. We just had some mozzarella sticks.”
Kimmy made a face because she didn’t like cheese sticks, and Sophie got comfortable in Kimmy’s lap saying, “I like cheese sticks.”
Kimmy said, “Well I hope they didn’t eat them all on you.”
“I got some,” Sophie sang for Kimmy, putting on the cute act and still admiring her aunt’s hair.
Kimmy kissed Sophie’s forehead, then asked her, “Would you undo my hair for me?”
Sophie’s expression went to gleeful, and Kimmy leaned her ear toward Sophie who began trying to figure out how to get Kimmy’s bun to come apart. Her face was to him, and as Sophie worked the bun apart his wife made quiet but pained faces at him.
He said, “How was your first day?”
“Good,” she said, wincing, head jerking as Sophie tugged.
And like a dick, he went right to it. “How’s your buddy Devlin?”
She made an irritated sound but hid any chagrin from her expression. It should have been a sound expressed over Devlin but it sounded like his question was what bothered her. She said, “I hardly saw him. He was in for a few minutes.”
There were terrible words on his tongue but he kept them at bay. I’m sure you were disappointed . . . The words of the disgruntled, passive-aggressive, and resentful. If he didn’t keep himself in check he could put up a barrier between them before even realizing it.
He said nothing. Kimmy closed her eyes. Sophie saved the day. “Who’s the devil in?”
“Creepy, Soph,” Josh said.
Josh said, “You don’t want to know,” made devil horns with wiggling index fingers held up at his temples and loomed nearer his niece who hid behind the mane of Kimmy’s untied hair.
Sophie cupped a hand to Kimmy’s ear and whispered. kimmy nodded, then looked his way. She said, “Sophie thinks you guys were talking about me.”
Josh said, “When?”
Meyer laughed, said, “Oh yeah, we were definitely talking about you.”
Kimmy side-eyed Josh.
“Only good things,” Josh said.
Kimmy said to Sophie, “What do you think. Were they saying good things?”
“Yes. Something about racing.”
Kimmy showed Soph a perplexed face. “That’s all you’ve got for me?”
Sophie shrugged then smiled.
“Well, thanks for looking out for me, Sophie.”
Kimmy looked his way, but instead of any irritation Kimmy only showed him warmth and affection. With Soph braced in a hugging arm, she leaned toward him again and he leaned closer. She gave him a long sighing kiss against his cheek.
The touch of her lips healed whatever irritable angst scratched at his heart. Her lips slipped away and she met his eyes. Then she chuckled and wiped at his cheek where she must have left a mark with her lipstick. Sophie giggled. Kimmy looked at her point blank. Put a lipstick mark on Sophie’s forehead while Sophie squealed.
Comments
RCH
It's the classic advice to deal with a bully (if you don't have the option of eliminating him) is ignore him don't let him know he is getting to ya. Josh isn't dealing with any physical bulling from Devlin at the moment. It's up to Josh believe and give power to Devlin's taunts. By cutting off communications and ignoring Devlin he has lessened Devlin's enjoyment he got out of bulling Josh. Devlin is currently focused on Kimmy. His corrupting of Kimmy is a win whether Josh knows or not. He may get tired of the situation later and start taunting Josh again. For now he will enjoy sending Kimmy home to Josh with a changed perspective on what sex is. Devlin needs to work on sending her home to Josh with sloppy seconds.
Chinookfan72
Hey Glauc I know you are interested in the Josh/Devlin back story. I just re-read chapter 5 of the last book and It seems like whatever happened between Josh and Devlin, Kimmy doesn’t know because Josh kept it to himself.. I missed that originally.
Chinookfan72
Per KT we are supposed to get some more back story on the Josh/Devlin front in this book as well, which should help explain Josh’s hold up.
Chinookfan72
Josh asked Kimmy about the business card in chapter 4 of book 2. He doesn’t believe her explanation, but comes up with his own explanation in chapter 5 which is Josh came over to apologize and offered her a job and left the card to fuck with Josh. He then surmises that Devlin is doing all this cause he has the hots for Kimmy, but Josh doesn’t want to confront Kimmy with what Devlin has told him, because of personal pride issues. He says to himself he doesn’t want to look weak to Kimmy as an adult, and that he’s holding onto a bunch of trauma that Devlin afflicted as a kid that he never shared with Kimmy.
MTO
Clearly,Josh cannot confront Kimmy . But with all the circumstantial evidence of an "affair", how can Josh ignore Devlin directing him to the business card ?
Chinookfan72
I don’t know Tim, Devlin has an alibi for the whole day, and I’d imagine if nothing has happened between the three weeks between book 2 and book 3, then nothing probably happened in the couple hours between part 1a and 1b... probably :).
Chinookfan72
It’s been 4 weeks in the story since Devlin and Josh had any communication, not sure how much more time he needs to give to let things settle.. Heck Devlin hasn’t even tried anything with Kimmy in 3 weeks. If he slows down any further the game would be comatose. And I’m worried the story is going to get repetitive if Josh isn’t somehow keyed into the things that are going on between Kimmy and Devlin once they start back up again. Sure Josh can get tweaked, but these petty grievances aren’t going to inspire Josh to snoop. Instead what we’ll get is more of the same with this chapter, just some internal dialogue. Furthermore, she works in Toronto he works in Ajax, I can’t imagine he’d be able to snoop all that well, and Josh doesn’t seem like his job would allow for multiple hour absences in the middle of the work day. To me the only thing that is going to get Josh to go on his journey is more prodding from Devlin. I’m be surprised if Kimmy’s behavior towards Josh doesn’t change, once her and Devlin start hooking up in the regular, until then though I think she’s going to be able to continue to act the way she has been. As for the historical stuff, personally I hope it’s brief. Half the fun is filling in the details yourself.. As for Kimmy attraction to Devlin what more is needed? He’s physically attractive, rich, confident, and is intelligent enough. Not to mention Kimmy watching Amy and Devlin go at it on at least one occasion in high school so I’m sure she’s had at least some fantasies about Devlin in the past.
DavidnDaria
A LOT!
Tim ziegler
A lot missing between job discussions and restaurant.
RCH
I think that Kimmy still believes she can control the situation. We'll see how well she does with that. She still thinks she hasn't cheated on Josh, just fooled around! She's still on that river in Egypt. I still think Devlin needs to stop with Josh for awhile let things settle. He has Kimmy working for him and we'll see how thing progress at the office. Josh will have plenty of things that will tweak his paranoia. Will there be changes in Kimmy's behavior towards Josh? We've already see her step up her oral game in the last book! A guilt BJ? Things like this could correlated with working late at the office. Josh may start putting the two together. His guilt in fantasizing about Devlin and Kimmy together while getting a BJ from Kimmy will further mess with his head. Why does Kimmy not want Josh to reciprocate after the fantastic BJ? Patterns, will make him suspicious, he doesn't need Devlin taunting to motivate him to snoop? KT indicated in the comments section for 1a she 'll be uncovering more history in this book. Looking forward to that, it'll possible uncover some of Kimmy motivations and her attraction to Devlin.
Glaucon
One quick note - Kimmy isn't capitalized in "kimmy nodded, then looked his way."
Chinookfan72
KT, I’m not buying Kimmy is a timid bunny... She might look like that on the outside, but I think, as Devlin has rightly pointed out, she is a killer.. She just needs the right person and opportunities to draw that out of her. Though I do agree she needs to be lead slowly.. She does still love Josh so she isn’t going to disrespect her marriage too much publicly. That being said I’m looking forward to tomorrow, hopefully Devlin and Kimmy can fit some time in, and fit something else in well. Also, I hope Devlin renews his humiliation efforts on Josh because Josh needs some new evidence to help him along in his journey.
JamesIsAsleep
When Josh said that Kimmy got back on the pill I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. So when Kimmy gets so enamored with Sophie, the Mr. Burns conspiratorial fingers start involuntarily tenting themselves, "Excellent ..."
DavidnDaria
So, it's all normal, just a little tension at the table... interesting. Kimmy's slick.
