The following is another excerpt from my work in progress, Jen McDowell—Private Eye; Business is Booming, a Jen McDowell Series. This is a draft. If you want to catch up, order the novella The Throuple Private Eye—Hate Crimes, on Amazon ($2.99). The link is https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084LTTHGN. Enjoy.
MARTY AND NAVADA (Part 2)
Molly kissed Jen on the cheek and started to leave holding hands with Marty. On the way out, She turned and winked at Jen. Navada then sat down to talk with Jen. Jen thought he was very charming although she felt as if he was just being polite and keeping her company.
As long as they had food or drinks, they could take off their facemasks. Navada got up and returned with a plate full of French fries for them to nibble on. He then when over to the bar a returned with two beers. Jen kept a close watch her drink as the bartender filled the glasses. It was habit she developed on the police force. A girl can’t be too careful.
When they both removed their facemasks, Jen got a good look at Navada. She already had noticed his piercing blue eyes. Now she saw his eyelashes. He had beautiful, long eyelashes; the kind that a woman would kill to have. He also had a beautiful smile. He explained how he was Marty’s best friend and roommate from Georgia Tech. They also took ROTC together. When they were commissioned, he was commissioned in the infantry while Marty, with his high GPA was commissioned in the Engineers. Navada was still on active duty, stationed at Fort Stewart, in Savanna, Georgia with the 188th Infantry Brigade. He drove up from Savanna to spend the weekend with his parents.
Jen couldn’t take her eyes off his eyes. On his part, he held her gaze while talking. Despite herself, she was attracted to him. She decided she should slow down her drinking. She was two beers short of going home with him. She started nursing her beer. As Navada talked, Jen played with her hair—twisting and twirling it. Eventually, she moved her fingers down to the top button of her blouse and fiddled with it. She fantasized a little. He was funny. He made her laugh ever few minutes.
Soon she was convinced that Navada was flirting with her. She also realized that she was flirting with him. On the one hand she felt guilty because she had two live-in boyfriends at home. She felt like she was cheating even though everything was innocent enough. On the other hand, she was excited to find out she could still attract a hot guy like Navada. After she lost her legs, she thought no guy would be interested in her. Doc was an exception.
At one point, Navada lightly touched her hand. He pulled his hand back quickly and apologized. Jen liked it. She had noticed his arms earlier. He obviously worked out and was in good shape. She imagined that he had six pack abs.
Finally, the bartender called last call. It was time to go. Jen said good night and started toward the door. Navada followed. Once outside, Jen stopped. “My car is just over there,” she said as she pointed.
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Jen said. Truth is, she didn’t trust herself not to jump into bed with him. “Listen, Navada,” she started to explain. “You’re a nice guy and all, but I’m in a committed relationship.” She decided not to say ‘two’ committed relationships. “Let’s not start something we can’t finish.” It didn’t sound like herself.
“Oh, I see,” Navada said. “I understand—we just met. I was being polite. Can I kiss you goodnight?”
Jen shook her head. “Like I said, let’s not start something.” She turned and walked away. On the drive home, she kept kicking herself. Afterall, she thought. One hook up wouldn’t hurt would it? Jen already knew the answer to her question. She began to review her conversation with Navada. The entire time she talked to him, he never once looked at another woman. Lord knows there were plenty of hot woman there with two good legs, she thought. So, what does that make him? Is he gay? A trans? A captain in the infantry—not likely. So, what is it? Maybe he’s a sociopath, or a serial killer. Nobody’s perfect.
Something else seems a little off to her. She felt the same about Marty. Then it struck her. Navada and Marty were born and raised in Atlanta and yet hardly had an accent. She knew from her experience on the police force, that most people in Atlanta don’t have a distinct Southern accent. The accent was more Midland. In these guys’ case, Jen figured after four years of college and a few years in the Army where everyone from all the over country was thrown together, the guys lost most of their accent. They hardly ever dropped a ‘fixing to’ or a ‘y’all’.
Later that night, as Jen was working late in her office, Molly texted her. Attached to her text was a selfie of Molly grinning with Marty in the background removing his artificial leg. The picture wasn’t too clear, but Jen was certain that Marty was naked. Now she regretted not kissing Navada.
Jen couldn’t sleep, so she decided to do a background check on Marty. It was easy enough to find information on him. He was searching for work, so he had a large social media presence. After a few clicks, Jen found what she was looking for.
Marty earned a BS in engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, also known as Georgia Tech, here in Atlanta. He had a full ROTC scholarship and was commissioned a lieutenant in the Engineers upon graduation. He served one tour in Iraq and was wounded twice. He later volunteered for a tour in Afghanistan where he was seriously wounded and lost his leg. He was awarded the silver star for his actions. Jen was impressed. She decided not to do a background check on Nevada. She wasn’t planning on seeing him again.
Prada crawled over to Jen and whined. “Shit, girl, “Jen said. “I almost forgot about you.” Jen figured she was stuck with feeding Prada and walking her before going to bed. Jonah joined her on the walked but didn’t ask her about going out that nightg. Doc was watching a football game, actually a rerun, because of the pandemic. Jen couldn’t get Navada out of her mind. It was one of those ‘coulda, shoulda, woulda’ situations. She decided that if she had sex with Doc and Jonah simultaneously that night, she’d forget about Navada. It was not the first time she lied to herself.
Prada slept in bed with Jen, squeezed in between her and Doc with Jonah on the other side of Jen. It was a bit crowded, but Jen thought it was sweet of the boys to let Prada share the bed. The next morning, Jen got up early and gave Prada some kibble for breakfast. She then made a cheese omelet with bacon for herself. She left the omelet on the table as she made herself a cup of coffee. When she returned, the omelet and bacon were gone. She looked at Prada’s bowl. She hadn’t touched the kibble.
“WTF? Young lady,” she half shouted at Prada. “Did you eat my omelet?” Prada tried to look innocent, but the bacon and cheese on her lips gave her away. Jen just laughed and made another omelet and bacon.
MARTY AND NAVADA (Part 2)
Molly kissed Jen on the cheek and started to leave holding hands with Marty. On the way out, She turned and winked at Jen. Navada then sat down to talk with Jen. Jen thought he was very charming although she felt as if he was just being polite and keeping her company.
As long as they had food or drinks, they could take off their facemasks. Navada got up and returned with a plate full of French fries for them to nibble on. He then when over to the bar a returned with two beers. Jen kept a close watch her drink as the bartender filled the glasses. It was habit she developed on the police force. A girl can’t be too careful.
When they both removed their facemasks, Jen got a good look at Navada. She already had noticed his piercing blue eyes. Now she saw his eyelashes. He had beautiful, long eyelashes; the kind that a woman would kill to have. He also had a beautiful smile. He explained how he was Marty’s best friend and roommate from Georgia Tech. They also took ROTC together. When they were commissioned, he was commissioned in the infantry while Marty, with his high GPA was commissioned in the Engineers. Navada was still on active duty, stationed at Fort Stewart, in Savanna, Georgia with the 188th Infantry Brigade. He drove up from Savanna to spend the weekend with his parents.
Jen couldn’t take her eyes off his eyes. On his part, he held her gaze while talking. Despite herself, she was attracted to him. She decided she should slow down her drinking. She was two beers short of going home with him. She started nursing her beer. As Navada talked, Jen played with her hair—twisting and twirling it. Eventually, she moved her fingers down to the top button of her blouse and fiddled with it. She fantasized a little. He was funny. He made her laugh ever few minutes.
Soon she was convinced that Navada was flirting with her. She also realized that she was flirting with him. On the one hand she felt guilty because she had two live-in boyfriends at home. She felt like she was cheating even though everything was innocent enough. On the other hand, she was excited to find out she could still attract a hot guy like Navada. After she lost her legs, she thought no guy would be interested in her. Doc was an exception.
At one point, Navada lightly touched her hand. He pulled his hand back quickly and apologized. Jen liked it. She had noticed his arms earlier. He obviously worked out and was in good shape. She imagined that he had six pack abs.
Finally, the bartender called last call. It was time to go. Jen said good night and started toward the door. Navada followed. Once outside, Jen stopped. “My car is just over there,” she said as she pointed.
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Jen said. Truth is, she didn’t trust herself not to jump into bed with him. “Listen, Navada,” she started to explain. “You’re a nice guy and all, but I’m in a committed relationship.” She decided not to say ‘two’ committed relationships. “Let’s not start something we can’t finish.” It didn’t sound like herself.
“Oh, I see,” Navada said. “I understand—we just met. I was being polite. Can I kiss you goodnight?”
Jen shook her head. “Like I said, let’s not start something.” She turned and walked away. On the drive home, she kept kicking herself. Afterall, she thought. One hook up wouldn’t hurt would it? Jen already knew the answer to her question. She began to review her conversation with Navada. The entire time she talked to him, he never once looked at another woman. Lord knows there were plenty of hot woman there with two good legs, she thought. So, what does that make him? Is he gay? A trans? A captain in the infantry—not likely. So, what is it? Maybe he’s a sociopath, or a serial killer. Nobody’s perfect.
Something else seems a little off to her. She felt the same about Marty. Then it struck her. Navada and Marty were born and raised in Atlanta and yet hardly had an accent. She knew from her experience on the police force, that most people in Atlanta don’t have a distinct Southern accent. The accent was more Midland. In these guys’ case, Jen figured after four years of college and a few years in the Army where everyone from all the over country was thrown together, the guys lost most of their accent. They hardly ever dropped a ‘fixing to’ or a ‘y’all’.
Later that night, as Jen was working late in her office, Molly texted her. Attached to her text was a selfie of Molly grinning with Marty in the background removing his artificial leg. The picture wasn’t too clear, but Jen was certain that Marty was naked. Now she regretted not kissing Navada.
Jen couldn’t sleep, so she decided to do a background check on Marty. It was easy enough to find information on him. He was searching for work, so he had a large social media presence. After a few clicks, Jen found what she was looking for.
Marty earned a BS in engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, also known as Georgia Tech, here in Atlanta. He had a full ROTC scholarship and was commissioned a lieutenant in the Engineers upon graduation. He served one tour in Iraq and was wounded twice. He later volunteered for a tour in Afghanistan where he was seriously wounded and lost his leg. He was awarded the silver star for his actions. Jen was impressed. She decided not to do a background check on Nevada. She wasn’t planning on seeing him again.
Prada crawled over to Jen and whined. “Shit, girl, “Jen said. “I almost forgot about you.” Jen figured she was stuck with feeding Prada and walking her before going to bed. Jonah joined her on the walked but didn’t ask her about going out that nightg. Doc was watching a football game, actually a rerun, because of the pandemic. Jen couldn’t get Navada out of her mind. It was one of those ‘coulda, shoulda, woulda’ situations. She decided that if she had sex with Doc and Jonah simultaneously that night, she’d forget about Navada. It was not the first time she lied to herself.
Prada slept in bed with Jen, squeezed in between her and Doc with Jonah on the other side of Jen. It was a bit crowded, but Jen thought it was sweet of the boys to let Prada share the bed. The next morning, Jen got up early and gave Prada some kibble for breakfast. She then made a cheese omelet with bacon for herself. She left the omelet on the table as she made herself a cup of coffee. When she returned, the omelet and bacon were gone. She looked at Prada’s bowl. She hadn’t touched the kibble.
“WTF? Young lady,” she half shouted at Prada. “Did you eat my omelet?” Prada tried to look innocent, but the bacon and cheese on her lips gave her away. Jen just laughed and made another omelet and bacon.
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