Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

V ince was looking over the course directive for the next session when there was a knock at his door. He welcomed the interruption. He wasn't getting anything done thanks to daydreaming about Jules.

"Come."

The door opened to reveal Jesse Johnson. He was in civilian clothes.

"Are you busy?" he asked.

"Not really, come on in. Have a seat."

Before MJ and Leo married, he knew Jesse by reputation and now he knew him just a bit better. Of the three brothers, he was the hardest to read. He was the oldest and reminded Vince of the General more than the others. There was already talk that he would make a star early and from everything Vince had seen, he was definitely on track to do it.

Jesse settled in a seat in front of Vince's desk. "I guess you're wondering what I'm doing here."

Vince nodded trying not to reveal his irritation. If the man thought he could warn him away from Jules, he better think twice. After the night he'd just had with her, he refused to let anyone get in the way, even if he was family in a round about way.

"I sort of feel responsible for Jules. I was the one who started the paperwork to kick Mike out of the service."

"He said he decided to get out."

Jesse shook his head. "No. He was lucky he lasted as long as he did. He had a lot of problems from the very first. He barely made it out of basic."

Vince didn't know what to say to that. They hadn't really talked after the wedding. Truth was, he dreaded each call. He didn't want to hear how happy Jules and Mike had been in their marriage. Vince wasn't too sure how he would have handled them having children.

And in that instant, he realized that's what he wanted. In his head, he had seen the two of them together, but now, he knew what he wanted for sure. He wanted that marriage, kids, the whole thing. And he only wanted it with Jules.

"Earth to Santini."

He shook his head and focused on Jesse. "So, you're saying he was a shit Marine."

Jesse shrugged. "I could handle it if he at least tried. He didn't though. He expected to succeed without trying."

The memories of high school came back to him: Mike quitting the basketball season, quitting his job, ditching school. Without the happy haze of high school friendship clouding his thought process, Vince realized his former friend hadn't been good at sticking it out.

"Yeah, he had a history of it."

Jesse nodded. "You know some guys. They're losers, can't get their shit together. They get in the military and it seems to all come together for them. Then they're the best in the unit. That didn't happen with Mike."

"So what happened?"

He shrugged. "Truthfully, he didn't give a fuck. As I said, he wanted the reward without even trying. Subsequently, when he failed, he blamed everyone else. Including Jules. And, well, I know after he got Article Fifteen, he just never recovered."

For a moment, he said nothing. "Are you telling me he was court martialed?"

He nodded looking confused. "Yeah. He'd had all kinds of issues. Insubordination, dereliction of duty. When he started drinking, he was lost to the Marines."

"He'd said he got out because of Jules."

And that had always bothered him. Not that he thought he had a chance with her, but the truth was, he had never met a woman more ready to be a Marine spouse than Jules was. She loved being a brat, loved the lifestyle. It had always niggled at him that Mike claimed she'd been a dismal failure. When she had told him Mike had been kicked out, it hadn't really registered. Mainly because he hated hearing anything about her time with Mike.

"Nope. In fact, he held it together longer thanks to her in my opinion. If you know Jules, you know that she's one for organizing anything and she did it for Mike, for a while at least. But, he started to resist. Then…the drinking and the women."

"Women?"

"Yeah, your friend was a real bastard. He couldn't keep it in his pants. I think that was what drove Jules completely away. She put up with a lot from the bastard, but when he started cheating on her…not to mention messing with their money, she walked away."

It was hard to think of Mike that way. Of course, Mike had had his faults just like anyone else. But these things…Vince would have never expected the cheating. Of course, he'd lied to him about sleeping with Jules when they were in high school, so now Vince wondered what else his friend lied about.

"I just wanted you to know there was a lot in their relationship and I want to make sure you don't hurt her. That's one woman who doesn't need any more pain."

"You aren't interested in her otherwise?"

Jesse shook his head. "Naw. I kind of see her as a sister. Of course, if Mike hadn't had that wreck, I probably would have killed him myself. Their marriage, in the end, was a living hell for Jules. There was more than one night I felt I failed protecting her."

At the moment he had much of the same feelings.

"And I'm assuming you're going out with her soon."

"In a way. We went out last night."

Which wasn't exactly a lie. He just didn't feel right outing their relationship in front of Jesse. Truth was that Vince wanted to keep it between them for the next little while. It was something he wanted to share with only her.

Jesse chuckled. "And here I thought you were committed to your title of Last Santini Standing."

He shrugged. "I guess we'll see."

He gave him a look that told Vince he didn't believe him.

"So, I take it you went out to see MJ again."

He smiled. Vince might not like the man sniffing around his business, but it was nice to see another military family as close as the Santinis, mainly because it prepared MJ for the intrusive life of a Santini.

"Lord, yeah. I think she's bigger today than she was last night."

"You didn't tell her that, did you?" Vince asked.

Jesse rolled his eyes. It was so like the same expression MJ had when she was irritated that Vince laughed.

"I'm not stupid." He sighed and stood. "I just wanted you to know there's nothing going on between MJ and me. And, know if you do anything to her, I will hunt you down and make you pay."

Vince studied him for a moment then nodded.

Once he was alone, Vince sat back and looked outside. He had been ready to live alone the rest of his life. He'd always thought that he'd never meet a woman like Jules. He didn't feel comfortable settling for someone who just didn't have his whole heart. It wasn't the Santini way. And, he couldn't do that to another woman.

She'd been back for a while and Vince knew that his mother had been spending time with her. He'd avoided the shop even though he drove by it at least once a week. Which did not make him a stalker. Really.

Okay, a little bit, but his mother had been so worried about her, Vince felt the need to make sure she was alright. Of course, he never stopped, but that didn't mean anything.

He scrubbed his face with both his hands. He had to ask Jules about her relationship, but he was worried about pushing her. Last night had been more than he ever expected. Waking up with her in his bed had been a memory he would never forget.

He needed to know what went on at some point, but he didn't want to lose her. Vince knew without a doubt, this was his last chance with her and he wasn't about to screw that up.

Now, if he could just remember that, he'd be fine.

Jules was just stepping out of the shower when she heard the roar of a Harley. She dressed as fast as she could knowing that Vince would probably stop over. They hadn't made any plans, but she had a feeling he would want to stop by.

As she pulled her top on, she admitted that she had hoped he would stop by. Last night had proven that she wasn't a complete failure in the bedroom. And sadly, she had been daydreaming all day about another night with Vince. Being preoccupied with sex was something that she didn't have to deal with since her high school days.

Her doorbell rang and she rushed out, her hair still damp. She peeked out and saw Vince on her doorstep, a pizza box in his hands.

She opened the door smiling. "Hey, I was going to call you after I got out of the shower."

One eyebrow rose in typical Santini fashion. "Really? After? Why would you wait for that?"

For a second she didn't get his meaning, but it hit her and she felt her face heat. "Oh get in here."

He stepped through the door and Rufus came shuffling out. He gave a happy bark and moved over to Vince.

"I thought you said he didn't like men."

"He only likes you because you brought pizza. You know men just want to be fed."

He laughed and set the pizza on the table. He bent down and gave Rufus a scratch behind the ears. Vince straightened, grabbed her by the hand and in the next instant, he was kissing her breathless.

"I've been waiting to do that all day," he said giving her a little kiss on the nose.

"Yeah?" She couldn't stop the grin. Having someone preoccupied with her was a new feeling. "I had the same problem."

"Do you have any paper plates?" She nodded and retrieved them from the kitchen. When she returned, she found Vince pulling off a piece of his pizza slice and about to throw it to Rufus.

"Don't you even dare. That dog cannot handle pizza. Especially with pepperoni on it."

And then she realized it had pepperoni and mushrooms. Her favorite pizza. Well, half of it was. The other just had the pepperoni. She looked up at Vince.

"You remember my favorite pizza?"

He looked a little sheepish and nodded. How could she resist a man who remembered things like that? It was useless in her opinion.

"Why don't we eat this in the living room?"

He nodded and grabbed some napkins and followed her in. Rufus followed him as if he was his long lost father.

"You disgust me. I saved you, rescued you, and took care of you. And you abandon me for a man with pizza."

"Us guys have to stick together, right, Rufus? Even if she stole your manhood."

She chuckled. "That was gone before me."

"Jesse Johnson came by to my office today."

And just like that everything in her tensed. "Yeah?"

He nodded and played with the remote control trying to find something to watch. "He said that Mike was booted out."

She sighed. "He was. I told you that before."

Vince looked at her then, his gaze direct and his expression serious. "He said he was drinking and cheating on you."

She was going to have a talk with Jesse. A very loud talk with him. She knew he was just trying to look out for her, but this was stepping over the line.

Vince shook his head. "No, don't look like that. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

Jules set her pizza down. "I don't like talking about it."

"We don't have to. I just wanted you to know I knew about it. Of course, Mike was an asshole."

He took another bit and turned the channel to an old NCIS episode.

"You think your best friend was an asshole?"

He shook his head and swallowed. He faced her. "We weren't friends by then, Jules. You know that we drifted apart after your marriage. It started before that when he didn't make it into Annapolis and I did. You knew he blamed me for getting in."

She nodded remembering how bitter Mike had become. Even the mention of Vince's name would send him on a tirade about how the process was screwed up./

"Then, when you got married, it was just too hard. I couldn't see Mike with the woman I loved for the rest of my life. It had been bad enough in high school."

She blinked. "What did you say?"

"I love you, Jules. I don't see a reason to pretend I don't."

He took another bite of pizza and watched the show. He said it as if it was no big deal.

"Listen, Vince…"

He looked at her again. "I am not asking you to do anything about those feelings. I just thought I should tell you right off." He gave her a quick kiss. "So, are you an NCIS fan?"

She glanced at the TV then back at him. Suddenly, her heart felt lighter, her outlook cleared.

"Yeah. I have a bit of a crush on Gibbs."

He gave her a wink. "Of course you do. He's a Marine."

She laughed. "You are full of yourself."

"How can I not be? I have NCIS to watch, a pretty girl, pizza and an ugly dog. Pretty good night if you ask me."

She grabbed up her pizza and snuggled up against him. Vince was right. A pretty damned fine night.