23 May, 2012

500 Word Challenge Chapter Thirty-One

500 WC Chapter 31
Word Count: 579

Renee’s parents arrival woke him up a second time mid afternoon.
Colton could hear the three of them laughing in the living room. He got up and took a another shower before going to face all that energy and enthusiasm for living.

“Colton!” Renee exclaimed as he walked in. “Great news!”

“What?” he asked.

“That detective guy; Moreno? Anyway he called and said they are going to question me and lift the house arrest order!”

“When? Where?”

“Tomorrow! Down at their office or headquarters or whatever you call it here.” Renee hugged her mother. “Yay! I can finally go out and do something! Not that I’ve been bored, sweetheart.” She added with a smile and a wink.

“Ooh, look at him blush!” Mrs. White crowed. They all laughed and Colton grudgingly joined in.

Mr. White sucked him into a conversation about what exactly his company did. Colton was more than willing to keep him talking about business and not about his and Renee’s relationship. The man had a gleam in his eye that Colton didn’t like.

Renee’s phone rang and she checked the screen. She looked up and met his eyes, her smile fixed. He glared at her, daring her to disobey him. She silenced it and set it back down.

“Colton?”

Colton blinked, jerking his attention back to his wife’s father.

“Sorry, Jake, “ he said. “What was your question?”

The man was smiling now and Colton fought down another blush. He hadn’t been staring at her. Just looking, while she laughed and talked with her mother. What did they find to talk about for hours on end? Her phone rang again.

She looked at it, no pretend smile on her face now.

“Renee?” he mother asked gently.

“Its nothing,” Renee said. She leaned over and held it out to Colton.

He took it and answered.

“Hello?”

“Where is Renee?”

“This is the last time I’m telling you. Stop calling.”

Colton hung up and fished through her settings. He set Stephen’s number to not ring and handed it back.

Her parents were watching them with surprise. Renee put it on the table next to her and turned back to her mother.

“So, you said Betty lost her job?”

Jake White was eying him closely. Colton stared back.

“Did you know that Stephen guy?” Colton asked finally.

“I did.” Jake admitted. “He and Renee went to high school together.”

“Did you like him?”

Jake shrugged. “As much as I liked any of her boyfriends.”

Colton snorted. “Anyway, I made that deal with Toyota last summer.”

The conversation stayed out of dangerous waters until Rosa came in to announce dinner. Colton grabbed Renee’s hand to hold her back. She waited, her back stiff and straight.

“Are you alright?” Colton asked softly.

“Fine.” Renee clipped.

“Renee,” Colton protested. “What happened between you?”

“Just what I said.”

“How long has this been going on?”

Renee shrugged. “A couple months.”

“Months?” Colton demanded. He grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. “Why?”

“I tried to be friends. I did still like him. Just not…like I might want to marry him.”

Colton scowled. “No more. He’s getting to be creepy. Understand? No more calls. At all.”

Her eyes narrowed and he tensed. Then she laughed softly.

“I did tell you to have more backbone,” she said softly.

Colton swore and pushed her away. “Go eat.” He snapped.

“Yes, dear.” She murmured, eyes twinkling. She slipped away, leaving him alone and very frustrated.

21 May, 2012

500 Word Challenge Chapter Thirty

500 WC Chapter 30
Word Count: 587

“Good morning, Mr. Savage.”
Colton groaned. “Not so loud,” he pleaded weakly.

Alice only laughed mercilessly. “How many I help you today?”

“I’m not coming in.”

“I guessed, since its ten thirty and you sound like you’ve been hit with a truck.”

“Not a truck,” Colton assured her. “Just a six pack.”

“And how is Mrs. Savage feeling after your imbibing?”

Colton glared at the phone. “How should I know?”

“Aren’t you lying next to her right now?”

Colton looked at the empty pillow. “She’s in the shower.” He lied. “But she seems fine.”

“I’m sure she is.” Alice purred at him.

“Shut up.” Colton threw his phone across the room. It beeped consolingly, telling him he had messages. He ignored it and put his head under his pillow.


Mrs. Savage was indeed fine. She was working out in the gym.

Colton halted mid-step as he passed the little room, backing up to watch her jog on the treadmill.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

She twisted to look at him. “Jogging,” she said with a smile. “Are you still drunk?”

“No.” Colton snapped. Unfortunately. He continued down to his office. After sitting and staring at his laptop screen for an hour and accomplishing nothing, he gave up. He went back to the kitchen. The sugar cookies made a mound of glistening, buttery goodness on a plate on the table. Colton rummaged through the refrigerator. Rosa rescued him from a bowl of cereal.

She had a steaming meal ready in moments. Colton ate slowly, his headache easing as filled his very empty stomach. Full, he went in search of Renee.

She was in her bedroom, standing with her back to the door.

“No.” She said, low and fierce. “No, I will not.”

Colton leaned against the door frame, willing to bet quite a bit of his money he knew whose caller id was lit up next to her ear.

“I’m not lying,” she said. “No, stop…no. Look, I’ve told you a million times- Will you let me finish?”

Colton scowled as Stephen’s voice rose on the other end of the phone. He marched over and yanked Renee’s cell from her hand.

“Is it him?” he asked, holding it out of reach.

She scowled, which he took for a yes. He held it to his ear.

“Stephen, right?”

“Who the-”

“Leave my wife alone. Stop calling her.”

“Hold on-”

“Do not call here again.” He ended the call. “How do I block a number on your phone?”

Renee blushed. “I don’t need to block it.”

“Then stop answering his calls.”

“I can take care of myself, Colton.”

“Don’t answer them.” He snapped, keeping her phone out of reach. “Promise me.”

She rocked back on her heels. “What?”

“Promise me you’ll stop answering his calls. Don’t call him.”

She glared at him. “Give me my phone back. Now.” She held out her hand.

Colton glared back. “Promise first.”

“I don’t need your-”

“Well, guess what, you get my help anyway. Stop talking to him. He has no right to yell at you or be mean to you.” He knocked her hands away. “Swear it, or I’m smashing your phone with a hammer.”

Renee huffed. “I promise.”

“If he calls again, ignore it. If he uses a different number, hang up. Or give it to me.”

Renee was looking at him oddly, almost bewildered. “Okay.” She said finally.

He grunted at her, handing the cell back. He left, ready to go back to sleep for another ten hours.

18 May, 2012

500 WC Chapter Twenty-Nine

500 WC Chapter 29
Word Count: 529

Colton came awake again when Renee did. She sat up suddenly, exclaiming. “What the-?” She bent her frown on him.
“Why am I in your bed?” she demanded.

He grunted, hung over and not particularly pleased with his actions either. “I don’t know.”

She scowled at him, untangling herself from the sheets, still fully dressed. As was he. That eased her frown a little.

She wrinkled her nose. “You’re drunk.”

“I was.” He growled. “Go away.”

She only rolled her eyes. “How many did you have?”

He shrugged. “Seven?” He winced as she flipped on the light next to the bed. “Turn that off!”

She ignored him, scrambling of the bed and making for the door.

“Stephen called.”

She stopped dead, turning back. “When?”

“Last night.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were sleeping.” He said, not adding that the idea of her talking to him made him furious.

“What did he want?”

“To talk to you.”

She threw up her hands. “I guessed as much.”

“He wouldn’t tell me what about, so he hung up.”

She growled under her breath and made to leave again.

“Why didn’t you tell him?”

She paused, her hand on the door handle. “Tell him what?”

“Don’t be stupid, Renee. Why didn’t you tell him you were married? To me.”

“It didn’t concern him.” She said stiffly.

“He seemed to think it did.”

Renee turned slowly to eye him. “What did you say to him?”

“Just the truth.”

She snorted. “Which is what, these days?”

“That we’re married.”

“Anything else?”

“What? Like I’m desperately in love with you and can’t live without you?” Colton’s stomach swooped as he said it, not making him feel any better.

“Basically.”

“No.” Colton admitted. “I didn’t tell him that. I think. I don’t really remember.”

She scowled. “Go to sleep.”

He winced at the slam of the door. She was back a moment later, blushing furiously.

“I need my blanket.” She said quietly.

“I don’t care.” Colton said with all his heart. Now that he was awake, he was feeling nauseous. He should have had some of her cookies, anything to help his stomach deal with the alcohol. At least he hadn’t cracked into the vodka.

She tugged it free from under him and left again, shutting the door much gentler this time.

Colton dragged himself to the bathroom, taking a quick shower. It helped him feel less sick. Unfortunately, it also cleared his head and he could think of all the very bad reasons he wanted Renee to sleep in his bed instead of hers.

He scowled at his reflection, his toothbrush sticking out of his mouth. Finished quickly, he turned off the lights and climbed back into bed.

His head hummed, still buzzed, but it was much better then the constant blinding ache behind his eyes. He tossed a few times, not liking that he could smell her shampoo on her side of the bed. His shampoo on the the other side of his bed. It wasn’t her side. She didn’t have a side; she slept in the other room.

“Oh, shut up.” Colton snarled at himself.

He shut his eyes and went to sleep.

16 May, 2012

500 Word Challenge Chapter Twenty-Eight

Had a fantastic weekend baby shower, with silly games a tons of super cute baby clothes.  There's this one newborn sleeper; I can't believe he's going to be so tiny!  Though, I do hope he's so tiny.  Anything bigger and...well, let's say ow!  5 more weeks to go!

This fast approaching due date has contributed to my lack of ambition in writing.  Why think when I could sleep or laze on the couch reading Georgette Heyer?  But here's the next bit of Colton's story.  He's being such a sport about all the shenanigans going on in his life.  If only he knew...

500 WC Chapter 28
Word Count: 596

He woke up slowly, uncomfortable, but too tired to do anything about it.
The television was still blaring, yet another football game. Colton groaned, muting it, his headache from drinking too many beers on an empty stomach rather than the explosion.

He checked his watch. It was late, almost midnight. He shifted carefully.

Renee grumbled at him, her head on his leg. He carefully scooted out from under her, blushing. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, with her falling asleep and he staring blankly at the screen, mostly drunk and very happy to be so. Now, he was having his doubts.

He stood, stiff. He gathered up the bottles and plates they had scattered around and put them in the kitchen. Rosa would take it out of him in spades if he left a mess all over her living room. Not much of a house-keeper.

Colton reached down to shake Renee’s shoulder.

“Time for bed.” He said. “Come on, get up.”

She made a face and wiggled away.

“Renee!” he said wearily. He should just leave her. He couldn’t. His groggy thoughts coalesced into one goal: get Renee in bed. “Renee, wake up.”

She opened her eyes to glare at him.

“What?” she demanded.

“Go to bed.”

She turned her face away. He sighed, giving up. So much for his noble intentions. He did go up to her room and drag her bedspread free. He tucked it around her carefully, making sure her bare feet were covered.

A noise from the kitchen drew his attention. A phone. Her phone.

He went and checked the screen.


Stephen.


He considered sending it through the garbage disposal. He answered instead.

“Hello?”

There was silence.

“Hello?” he said again, grinning unaccountably.

“Is Renee there?” a man asked, sounding very upset and flustered.

“She’s sleeping. Who is this?”

“Stephen. Who are you?”

“Colton Savage.”

“Who?”

Colton froze. She hadn’t told him. Why not?

“Hello?” Stephen said.

Colton’s brain and his mouth seemed to have disconnected, making him reckless. “I’m Renee’s husband.”

He counted ten full seconds of taut silence before the man spoke again. “Ha ha. Hand me to Renee would you?”

“She’s sleeping.” Colton said again, a little firmer. “What do you want?”

“Who the hell are you?”

“I’m Colton Savage. Renee’s husband.”

“Like hell you are.”

Colton sighed. “Look, either tell me what you want or hang up.”

“I want to talk-”

“You’re not going to wake her up. She has a hard enough time sleeping as it is.”

“And how would you know?”

“Are you deaf or something? I’m her husband.”

Stephen swore and the line died.

Colton rolled his eyes at it rang again immediately.

“She’s still sleeping.” He knew it was a bad idea, but he popped open another beer. It was good beer.

“I need to talk to her.”

“Call back in ten hours. It’s midnight here.”

“I need to talk to her now.”

“What about?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“It is now. Start talking.”

Stephen had a very rude suggestion and hung up again. Colton turned her phone off before he could call back.

He left it and his now empty bottle in the kitchen and went back to the living room.

“Come on.” He snapped, prodding his wife. “Get up.”

She complained weakly, yawning. He kept at her until she got to her feet, the blanket wrapped around her.

“Leave me alone!” she whined as he led her from the room. Her eyes were closed, so didn’t see that he steered past her open door to his.

09 May, 2012

Just dropping in! Plus 500WC Challenge

Sorry to be absent for so long.  Been busy being pregnant, sick, and swamped with some work stuff.  Here's another chapter for Renee and Colton.

500 WC Challenge
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Word Count: 551

Dr. Ferr felt Colton’s head carefully.
“No cracks or swelling.” He said slowly. “Perhaps you should try a chiropractor? Or massage. And sometimes symptoms can take time to develop after trauma. Are you under a lot of stress.”

Colton wanted to laugh, but he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to stop. “A little, I guess.”

Dr. Ferr nodded gravely. “You need to sleep. Take a vacation. Stay home.”

Colton scowled. Home was where Renee was with her loud, overly grateful parents.

“How is Mrs. Savage?” Ferr asked as he gathered his things off of Colton’s desk. Alice came and slipped a check into his hand with smile.

“She’s fine.” Colton said absently, doing up his shirt buttons.

“No headaches? Trouble sleeping?”

Colton shook his head. “Just me.”

“Perhaps because she was already on the ground,” Ferr mused. “The blast might not have affected her as badly.”

Colton shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Good day, Mr. Savage.”

Colton grunted at him, in a worse mood now that he knew there was nothing wrong with him. He had Alice schedule an appointment with a chiropractor and got back to work.

Renee was watching football in the living room when he got home.

“Where are your parents?” he asked.

“At the hotel, sleeping.” She said over her shoulder “They’re exhausted.”

Colton went to the kitchen. There were cookies covering everything again. He sighed, rubbing his face. Of course she would be upset. He had upset her, bringing up her ex-boyfriend. He paused before he went down to his office. Her phone was sitting on the counter.

He looked down the short hall. The crowd noise from the television rose; she wasn’t going to come in here for a few minutes.

He activated the screen and looked under her recent calls. He swore under his breath. Stephen’s number was listed three times today. No wonder there were sugar cookies everywhere.

“Oh, come on!” Renee yelled in the living room. “Dive!”

Colton put her phone down, his bag heavy with paper work and documents he had to go over. Just the thought made his head ache flare up.

He dropped his bag on the floor and went to the fridge. He grabbed a handful of beers and the bottle opener and went back to the living room.

Renee shot him a startled glance as he cracked one, setting the others within easy reach.

“Who's playing?” he asked after a long drink.

“Man-u and Chelsea. Chelsea’s getting creamed.”

He offered her one of the brown bottles.

“No, thanks.” She said, smiling. “What’s up? Don’t you have work to do?”

He shrugged. “Doctor said to take some time off.”

“Ah, yes, our honeymoon.” She said, snorting. “Sorry to ruin it by being an international terrorist.”

He had to grin. “No problem.”

It was a good game. Colton didn’t usually watch, but it was fun to listen to Renee complain at every call, scathing of the referee’s opinions about where exactly off-sides should be called.

Renee flitted out, coming back with a plate full of cookies at the half-time break. He waved it away when she offered it to him.

“Oh, like beer is healthier than cookies.” She scoffed.

He just grinned. He put his feet up on an ottoman, kicked off his shoes and settled back.