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My Recent Comments
JanaBelle's post signature
Age : 29 years old
Location : Mississippi
Sex : Female
Interest : Reading, writing, goofing off
Member since : January 2008
Friends : 41
Posts : 43
- Amina05/16/2008 - 12:54
Bravo, girl! You're a champ. ;) One thing, though, Delsin's mother isn't dead. We just haven't ever met her-yet. hehehehehe
Congrats on the dd's graduations, too!
Pet~Great posty, girl. That rawked.
Hey Kelly and Barbara!
Oh, in case you haven't read my blog, I'm moving. I signed the lease on a duplex apartment yesterday. So we shall see how that works out. I'm praying it's just the change I needed. Pray with me? Please?
- 05/16/2008 - 11:28
Nah. I loved 'em when I was 10. I'm over 'em now.
I'm going to be packing this weekend. I did find a place to rent. It's a duplex. Not as great as I'd hoped it would be but I'm only committed for a year if it doesn't work out.
- 05/16/2008 - 08:01
hehehe
I'll go ahead and say "Motion passed."
So, Rafe Sutton it is.
- 05/15/2008 - 14:12
You know, I don't think Rafe was ever given a last name. Back in the beginning we didn't have last names to our characters for some reason. LOL Since Jami's last name is Sutton and they have the same Dad, how about Rafe Sutton?
All those in favor post a smiley.
hehehehehe
- 05/15/2008 - 09:19Working on more eventually but this little activity that I get paid for takes precedence for a few hours. Sowwy.
- 05/15/2008 - 09:15“Russell,” Gina called impatiently. She could feel her blood pressure rising. The day had started off a little rocky anyway and it was only getting worse. Bella had woken well before dawn with a low grade temperature and a runny nose. As kids do when they're sick, she’d clung to her mama and Gina had a million and ten things to do. Then she’d gotten that call from Jana about Jami. “I’ll kill her,” she muttered under her breath as she tried to finish gathering all the supplies she needed to take to the ranch. A difficult task when you’ve only one free arm. “Russell Avery Redleaf,” she called again and winced at the loud thump that answered her. He limped down the hall cursing under his breath. “D@mmit, Gina.” “You can nurse your foot later. I need you to take her so I can finish getting all this junk in the car. I’ve got a little less than four hours to get it all to the ranch and set up and now Jami goes and pulls this. I swear,” she handed a wailing Bella to her daddy. “I’m going to kill her. You’d help me hide her body, wouldn’t you?” He grimaced and jiggled Bella against his bare chest. She noticed for the first time that he was wearing only his jeans and his hair was damp. Darnit. He’d told her he was going to get in the shower and she’d completely forgotten. She’d have to make it up to him later. “I’m sorry, love. I forgot you were in the shower. Do you think you could get Bella some juice or something? Maybe that would settle her down a bit. She’s still got that low grade temp. We don’t need to get her dehydrated or Jana will kill me.” “Sweetness, please. Just calm down. Everything’s going to be fine. Blake’s out there already and Delsin already called to say that he’s gone out there to help get the gazebo set up as soon as Jacey can get Jana out of the house.” “Fat chance of that,” Gina muttered. “I can’t believe Jami would pull something like this on Jana’s wedding day. She knows how important today is to Jana and Blake. Heck, she should know better than me since she’s the one that got them together. I’m going to strangle her.” Russell passed her on the way to the kitchen but didn’t say anything. “Don’t shake your head at me, Russell Redleaf.” When he came back a few moments later, Bella was sucking noisily on a sippy cup of juice, her tear streaked face still flushed from her crying. At that moment, she felt like the worst mother ever. Her baby was sick and all she could think about was giving her sister the perfect day. “Gina, come on,” Russell sighed. “You don’t really think Jami chose to have her heart broken on today of all days.” Pausing in her task to kiss Bella’s cheek, she narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re right. I’m going to kill Ryder instead. I never liked him anyway. No man can look that good in a pair of jeans and not be pure evil.” “Hey,” Russell protested and mock pouted making her grin. “What can I say?” she teased, feeling some of the pressure lift from her chest. Even when he wasn’t trying, Russell was good for her. “I like bad boys.” She purred playfully at him and gathered a load of items in her arms. Russell and Bella followed her to watch from the door as she loaded the items into the car and headed back. Bella lunged for her as she entered the door but Gina merely kissed her little hands and returned to her task. She knew if she took the baby now, she’d never get anything done. And Russell, bless his heart, was a man. A good man, sure. But a man nonetheless. If she left the loading up to him everything would be wrinkled and out of sorts. “Stay with Daddy, baby,” she crooned to the whining baby as she stepped outside once more. Once that load was deposited and she was back inside, she mentally ticked off her list of things she had yet to load. Her dress and shoes. Can’t forget undergarments, she added. The other girls’ dresses. She hoped they fit since they hadn’t had time for a fitting. Things had been so insane the past week or so. She supposed she could take her sewing kit just in case. With that on her mind, she went to the sewing room and gathered her kit stopping by her bedroom for the dresses on the way back. “Do you need any help?” Russell called as she passed through the living room again. He and Bella had settled down on the couch with Bella snuggled into his chest, her big blue eyes blinking wetly at Gina. “You’re doing a huge favor already. I’m almost done loading and then hopefully Aunt Libby or Aunt Jilly will be at the ranch to entertain her later.” His brow wrinkled as he studied her. “You don’t need me at the ranch?” “Of course,” she chided. “Blake’s going to need you there. Shoot,” she muttered and raced back down the hall. “I almost forgot your suit.” “My boots, too. I don’t want to wear my dress boots out there if I’m going to be working.” “Darnit, I should have made a list besides the one in my head,” Gina sighed and raced back down the hall. She was starting to sweat. If the rest of the day followed as it had begun, she was going to be too exhausted to enjoy the actual wedding.
- 05/15/2008 - 09:00D@mn fools, Rafe mentally yelled in the general direction of his baby sister and that stupid lump of a fella she was in love with. “What crawled up your butt,” Shady smirked when he passed her as he stalked into Drifter’s and stomped behind the bar. He almost never drank but the morning called for something a little stronger than coffee. Pulling a couple of shot glasses from the shelf, he grabbed the bottle of Jack and slammed them both on the bar. “I’m not drinking alone,” he barked and poured two shots, passing one to Shady. She didn’t say a thing. Merely lifted an eyebrow and tossed back the whiskey. Slapping the glass back onto the bar she eyed him. Rafe ignored the silent question, instead pouring two more shots. His throat still burned like a sonofabi*** from the first one but he needed the edge taken off now. “Okay, I’ll humor you,” Shady half laughed and downed the second shot. When she slapped her glass back onto the bar this time, she grabbed the bottle and put it back in its spot. “Now, what’s eatin’ you? Trouble in paradise?” Snorting, Rafe gathered the two shot glasses and put them in the tub beneath the bar. “If by paradise you mean Margie, no. No trouble there. The woman’s a saint.” “Good to know,” Shady drolled and continued the chores she’d been performing before he’d stormed in. She was a stickler for keeping the bar immaculate. He’d always figure her work ethic made up for the prickly attitude some customers were treated to. “It’s family stuff,” he waved it off. “You wouldn’t want to hear it. I know you dislike the idea of family and couldn’t care less about mine.” Shaking her long black hair over her shoulder, she replaced the cleaning supplies in their cabinet before vaulting up to sit on the bar. She stared down at him, her arms crossed and an eyebrow cocked. “Okay, fine. My baby sister is insane, her fiancé stupidly broke up with her and Jana’s getting married in a matter of hours and I still have to get all the catering done for that. Which, by the way, Drifter’s is closed today. You’ve got the day off.” “I know,” she shrugged. “Figured you could use an extra pair of hands. I mean, hell, I can’t cook but I can sure as sh** load a freakin’ van. Or whatever. And why is your baby sister’s love life your problem?” He blinked at her a moment trying to come up with an answer she wouldn’t scoff at. He knew Shady didn’t have siblings so she wouldn’t understand. He told her the truth anyway. “Because I can’t stand to see any of them unhappy.” “And their happiness is your problem why?” She tapped her fingers against her arms, her eyes narrowed as though she were deep in concentration. There wasn’t any other answer than, “Because I love them.” “Uh-huh. I’m sure as hell glad I’m an only child. So what, you gonna beat the sh** out of this fiancé or what? I could do it for you if you want me to. I’m a bit out of practice but—“ she grinned and waggled her eyebrows. Laughing, Rafe popped her lightly on the thigh before tugging her arm to get her to her feet. She dropped to the floor with a light thump and quirked her lips at him. “I fully intended to do that. That’s where I was coming from.” Following him into the kitchen, Shady grimaced at Cookie who grunted and muttered under his breath. He’d have to do something about that one of these days. Antipathy wasn’t healthy among employees. “So? Why didn’t you?” Shady called when he didn’t continue. Rafe shrugged and started pulling pans and bowls from their cupboards, lining them along the counter with the pile of ingredients Cookie had already pulled. He’d made a list the night before of all the dishes they needed to make. All Jana and Blake’s favorites. He hoped the guests liked chocolate, raspberries and beef. Oh, yeah. And bacon. Lots and lots of bacon. “It’s not my style to kick a man who’s already bleeding out. Pass me the pastry dough, will ya?”
- 05/15/2008 - 08:57Wiping the steam from the bathroom mirror, Ryder winced at the bleary-eyed man staring back at him. A hot shower hadn’t worked the wonders he’d hoped it would. Maybe nothing ever would. He’d forever look the way he felt—the walking wounded. He hadn’t slept worth a d@mn. He’d known he wouldn’t. He never did when he slept away from her. He didn’t know why he’d even bothered getting a hotel room. He should have just drove straight through town and on toward home. But something held him there. Hadn’t let him leave. He’d stood outside the Crowely for nearly an hour, knowing he was a coward to not go in. But the Crowely reminded him of her. He’d taken her there when he’d kidnapped her all those years ago. He’d fallen in love with her there. In the end, he hadn’t gone in. Instead he’d checked in at the Reeder. He’d never stayed there before. Would probably never stay there again. It was a great hotel but without Jami, he hated it. It had taken him a moment to realize where he was when he’d wakened. Blinking at his surroundings, he’d blindly reached to her side of the bed only to find it empty. Now, hitching his towel around his waist, he stalked from the bathroom. He had to get out of Reeder. As far away from Harley County as humanly possible. He didn’t have a home here. Not without Jami, and no reason to stay. He swore at the pounding on the door. He hadn’t ordered room service and he was pretty sure he remembered hanging the ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door the night before. Stalking over to it, he swung it open and scowled at the man on the other side. “What the hell did you do to my sister?” Rafe barked and shoved past him. Shutting the door behind him, Ryder grunted, “Good morning, Rafe. I’m sh***y, how are you?” “Cut the bull, Ryder,” Rafe barked, storming angrily around the room. “You know what today is, right? It’s my sister’s freakin’ wedding day. She called me all worried about Jami because apparently she can’t stop crying. All Jana can get out of her is that it has to do with you. So to recap, you’ve not only potentially ruined one sister’s wedding but you’ve made my baby sister cry. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t put a cap in your skull.” “I love her, Rafe. Do you have any idea what it’s like to love someone who can’t or won’t love you back?” Rafe glared at him, arms crossed and Ryder wondered if he’d soon be sporting a black eye. He knew better than most how protective Rafe was of his sisters. Especially Jami. Ryder couldn’t even say that he’d blame his friend if Rafe did punch him. On a heavy sigh, Rafe dropped his arms to his side and shook his head. “I know you love her, Ryder. That’s why I didn’t think you’d ever bail on her. And what’s this BS about her not loving you back?” Shrugging, Ryder edged around Rafe to the bed where his jeans were laid out. Tugging them on before ditching the towel, he turned again, hitching his hands on his hips. “I mean, buddy, your sister is incapable of loving me back. She tried. I know she did. She just doesn’t. So I let her go.” “That’s bullsh**, Ryder, and you know it. You’re the longest relationship she’s ever had.” Scowling, Ryder tugged a shirt over his head and started tossing his things in his duffel. “Doesn’t mean she loves me. Means she felt safe with me. I wasn’t a threat to her and I kept the real threats away.” Slinging the bag against the headboard in frustration, he turned back to his friend. “Hell, man. How would you feel if you kissed Margie and she acted like you were doing little more than shaking her hand? It wouldn’t feel so great, would it? Or every time you mentioned getting married she made some excuse as to why it was a bad idea.” He began mindlessly tossing the bedspread up and fluffing the pillows because he needed something to do with his hands. Something to keep him from slamming his fist into the wall. Or worse. He suddenly felt like a caged animal, ready to tear the walls down from around him. “The timing was off, her hair wasn’t the right length. The elastic was shot in her pantyhose. Something, anything, to keep us from saying ‘I do.’ And then I come here for her because some stupid part of me thought she might, I don’t know, need me and she acts like I’ve invaded France or something. She may as well have blasted a big ol’ ‘Not Welcome Here’ sign on her forehead because I got the message loud and clear.” Chest feeling as though it might burst from his chest, Ryder sank to the edge of the bed. He was losing it. He was honest to God losing his mind. Ranting like a lunatic in front of her brother—friend or not—was unacceptable. Especially since the person he really wanted to rail at was apparently crying incoherently to her sister. “Well d@mn, boy, that’s rough. But I thought you were a man. Not a pansy. You’re supposed to know what an insecure headcase my sister is,” Rafe snorted and leaned against the wall, arms crossed to glare at Ryder. Glaring back at his friend, Ryder snorted. “You did warn me, didn’t you.” He rubbed his hands over his face, wishing Rafe had punched him. At least then he could blame the ache on that and not the woman he’d left the night before. “Get your @ss back to the ranch and make it right, Ryder, or so help me God I’ll string you both up and we’ll have ourselves a good ol’ fashioned hanging party. Because I’m warning you,” Rafe got in his face, his voice low, “you two screw up Jana’s wedding and you’ll wish your deaths were as simple as a hanging. And that’s not an idle threat. You think Jami’s a terror? You ain’t seen nothin’, yet.” With that, Rafe stalked out the door, slamming it behind him. Ryder stared at it long enough that the grains of the wood were imprinted on his eyeballs. But he wasn’t seeing the door. He was seeing Jami. He said she’d been crying. Jami never cried. Jami—his Jami—was a boulder. Solid, cool to the touch, and unmovable. Well hell. Maybe she did love him a little bit after all. D@mn his fool hide.
- 05/15/2008 - 08:52Reaching across the bed, Jami’s eyes flew open when she encountered empty space. She hadn’t even realized she’d been reaching for Ryder until she hadn’t found him. That’s right, she thought with a sigh, I sent him away. Pushing herself to sitting up, she hugged her legs and rested her cheek on her knees so that she faced the vast empty space of the bed beside her. She’d slept alone plenty throughout the years. Even after she and Ryder had started sharing a bed. There’d been plenty of times when he’d been out on jobs that kept him away overnight. It shouldn’t feel so empty waking alone, his side of the bed undisturbed. But somehow it felt achingly lonely. Don’t cry, the voice in her head mocked. You spilled the milk, now you gotta live with it. Like always. “Shut up,” she told the voice and turned her head to rest her forehead on her knees. Closing her eyes, she tried not to think about him. Tried not to picture his face the way it had been set in stone when he’d left. Resisted the urge to replay his words—both his parting shots as well as the ones he’d whispered months ago. The one’s he’d whispered about forever. You shot that all to hell, didn’t you, the voice laughed cruelly and Jami covered her ears as she fell sideways onto the bed. “Stop it. I didn’t have a choice. It’s for the best.” Not best for him, the voice mocked. Certainly not best for you. You’re alone again. Surprise, surprise. “Not alone,” she whispered. “I’m not alone. I have my family. My sisters. Blake. They’re here and they love me.” For how long? How long will it take to run them off just like you did Ryder? And Fynn. And Sean. Face it. You’ll always be alone. “No,” she sobbed and pulled the pillow over her head. “Shut up.” “James?” she heard the soft rap on the door, her sister calling from the other side. “You in there?” Struggling to sit up, Jami wiped her wet face with the sheet and cleared her tear clogged throat. “Yeah, you need something?” “Ya’ll decent?” Jana called, teasing in her voice. Ya’ll, the word reverberated around her skull. Jana didn’t know Ryder had left. When they’d returned from the hospital she’d found she couldn’t bring herself to tell them. For one, Jana was too worried about her friend’s wife. For another, she didn’t want her crap interfering with the lovely day ahead of them. Jana deserved her big day without any of Jami’s drama mucking it up. “It’s fine. Ryder’s already up and gone. It’s just me,” she called, hopping from the bed to study her reflection in the vanity as the door swung open. D@mn, her eyes and nose were red. Jana would know she’d been crying. “Whatsamatter?” Jana came to stand behind her. Grabbing her by the shoulders, Jana pulled Jami around to face her, though Jami did her best not to look her sister in the eye. It wouldn’t do for Jana to find out now. She’d want to stay and talk. Help Jami hash over it. Maybe let her cry. All those sisterly support type things one did when a sister got dumped. Or, as in Jami’s case, dumped a guy. Blake would kill her if Jana refused to go with Jacey or worse, insisted on cancelling the supposed shower. “I think I’m coming down with something. I knew my throat felt scratchy and my eyes were watery. Just figures I look like crap, too,” she laughed and hugged her sister. “You look amazing. You must have slept like a champ.” Noting her sister’s glowing skin and glittering eyes she realized she was speaking the truth. Love looked good on her sister. “Not sleep. Blake. The man’s a god in cowboy clothing. I think I’ll hafta keep him,” she sighed dramatically before giggling. “Anyway, I won’t bother you if you’re not feeling good. You should get some rest. I’ll ask Blake to bring you some juice or something.” Resting a staying hand on Jana’s arm, Jami shook her head. Perhaps she’d overplayed the whole “sick” thing. “No, I’m fine. I’ll grab a shower and some tea and I’ll be good as new. What did you need?” Jana studied her for a moment and Jami feared her sister was reading far too much. Jana had that knack, especially when it came to her family. It was scary. But Jana merely shook her head slightly and tsked before replying. Offering a hair clip and a brush, she whined, “I can’t get my hair fastened right. Help?” Chuckling, Jami took the proffered items and guided Jana to sitting at the vanity. Brushing through the dark silky tresses, Jami studied her sister in the mirror. She truly did look amazing for a woman carrying fifty pounds of water, babies and excess weight. No, scratch that. She looked amazing, period. Her skin glowed healthily, her hair shone, her eyes sparkled and her lips seemed curved in a continuously contented smile. Amazing. It was almost as though she knew her dreams were coming true today, considering that the past couple of days she’d been grumpier than a ten dollar hooker working a church corner. Envy, white hot, zipped through Jami so hard that her hands shook as she wrested Jana’s tresses into the clip. That’s what I want, her thoughts crystallized. That glow, that contentment. That assuredness that she was loved deeply and completely. And you shoved it right out the door, the voice in her head laughed. Idiot. Idiot, she agreed and leaned down to kiss her sister’s cheek. “Is this okay?” she asked, hoping the tremble in her voice had gone unnoticed. “It’s perfect,” Jana smiled sadly and turned on the vanity bench to face Jami. “He’s not coming back, is he?” Biting her lip, Jami tried to smile. Tried to lie. In the end, she could only nod and let her sister hug her.
- 05/15/2008 - 08:44“Ugh,” Blake heard her grunt and finished tugging his boots on before he turned to find Jana struggling to sit up in bed. Her hair was matted against her head and her face was slightly puffy as it usually was first thing in the morning. Her nightshirt rode high over her belly, revealing the mound where their children rested beneath her breasts. In all the ways he’d imagined the morning of their wedding—and he’d thought about it often—he’d always assumed it would be romantic and sexy. Something like they’d seen on all those chick flicks she made him watch. This was a million times better. This was Jana. His Jana. The woman he loved. “Ugh, to you too, darlin’” he grinned and leaned over the bed to kiss her hard and fast. Before she could waken enough to grab him to her, he pulled away and searched under the bed for his hat. He’d accidentally kicked it under there the night before when he’d carried Jana to bed. He had too much to do if he was going to pull this off for her and he knew she’d distract him if he gave her half a chance. Jana was good at distracting him. Too good. “Lord have mercy, what a view,” she whistled and finding his hat, he pulled it out as he straightened. Planting it on his head, he grinned. “Behave,” he playfully shook a finger at her. “Doctor said we had to cool it and you’ve got to get ready for your date with Jace, besides. Crossing her arms over her belly, she pouted. “How is it fair that you look good enough to eat and I look like a beached whale? You had a little something to do with this whole baby makin’ thing too, ya know.” Laughing, almost feeling giddy, Blake ambled over to her side of the bed and perched on the edge of the mattress. He brushed her hair from her face and kissed her soundly. “You don’t look like a beached whale. You look like the woman I love, mother of my children.” “A prized heifer,” she rolled her eyes and winced. “They’re evil,” she poked at her protruding belly. “E. Vil. Must take after you,” her grin broke off on a growl. “Mommy’s ribs are not toys, kids,” she told her belly. “Their mother’s children,” he laughed and kissed first her lips and then the top of her belly, his lips curving against her when he was rewarded with a strong kick. “Good morning to ya’ll, too,” he told the foot shaped impression on her taught skin. “They’re definitely awake, then, huh?” “I don’t think they slept much at all. I swear, if you could see me from the inside I’d be black and blue. Like true Hunters, they were wrestling all night. At least one of ‘em must be a girl, ‘cause I swear one of the punches felt just like a Pet.” Laughing heartily at the image of one of his children taking after his cousin, Blake shook his head. “God help us, then. But you know, I’ve heard tell that the Pennington women are no picnic to deal with.” She narrowed her eyes at him and poked one finger into his chest. “You’d better be talking about my aunts, buddy, or I won’t need doctor’s orders to ‘cool it’ with you.” Biting back his laughter, he raised one hand in a boy scout salute. “Of course I meant your aunts, darlin’. You’re an angel. Sweet as honey, you are.” “You hear that kids?” she poked at her belly, “That’s how daddy shovels bull. You’ll need to know that little trick once you’re on the outside.” Chuckling, Blake kissed her again, this time letting his lips linger on hers until her fingers were wrapped firmly in his hair and their breathing became shallow. His hat toppled off of his head and he distantly registered it falling to the floor. Though Uncle Cutty and half the town had been calling her his wife for months, he couldn’t wait until he could call her that and have it be true. In his heart she’d been his from the first time he’d laid eyes on her. But after today, though she didn’t know it yet, the whole world would know what he already did. She was his and he was hers. Finally finding the strength to pull away, he rested his forehead against hers for a moment while they both tried to catch their breaths. “Nope,” she panted lightly. “They definitely get their evilness from their father. That was just plain mean.” “Trust me, I know,” he panted back and kissed her quickly again before springing from the bed. “Need some help getting to the shower?” He held his hand out. “No, but you could practice your evilness and help me soap up,” she batted her eyes at him. Grinning, he shook his head as he helped her from the bed, tugging her into his arms. She’d always been an armful with her lush curves but with their babies pressed between them she was two armfuls. He’d miss this when the babies arrived, he thought. He’d miss embracing his family this way. Knowing she kept their babies safe within her body. Mentally slapping himself for his sappiness, he helped her to the bathroom and started the shower for her. Becoming a father was making him soft, he mused. Soft in the head as well as the heart. “You sure you won’t stay and help?” she smiled, dropping her nightgown to the floor. He sighed, drinking in the sight of her and knew he was going to be late. Maybe the hands would get started without him, he mused and tugged his boots off.
