CHAPTER 21 #2
She snorted. “I needed some time and took a page from Adam’s playbook.”
“He’s worried, Jannie. So is Eve.”
Jannie had no response to that, so she said nothing.
“How are you?” Ian’s concerned gaze was penetrating even through an iPhone screen. She read the unspoken question in his eyes and was intensely grateful that he knew her well enough not to bring up the babies. She really didn’t want to go there.
“I’m good.”
Ian lifted one blond eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Ian was silent for a moment. She could tell he was processing and trying to phrase something just right.
“Would this ‘good’ have anything to do with a formerly ugly geek from high school?”
Her eyes widened. Then she bristled, schooling her expression.
Ian burst into guffaws. “So, what I heard is true, then.”
“And what is it that you heard?”
“That you’re in Vegas, shacking up with Kent, formerly known as Pustule.”
Her jaw clenched involuntarily, but she refused to take the bait. “Where did you hear that?”
“Jannie, Jannie … you know the aviation community. A flight instructor saw you with him. He said you were pretty good, actually. Why doesn’t that surprise me, and why are you keeping everything under wraps?”
She frowned. So much for taking lessons many miles away from Vegas. “And they say women gossip.”
A derisive snort. “Women have nothing on the guys. Is there a reason for these flying lessons?”
There it was, the dive into her private life. She smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
“I think I already do.” His grin was mischievous. “Actually, it was the FAs who talked the most. Apparently, Kent used to be quite … inaccessible. A lot of them think he’s available now because word has it that he’s disappeared from the club.”
“The … club?”
“Yeah. His sex club. Hottest thing in Vegas, or so I hear.”
Jannie inwardly groaned. The damned sex club again.
He gave her a sly half-smile. “No one can get in to check it out because it’s by invitation only, and whatever they tried to get in didn’t work. I was hoping you’d hook me up.”
She choked back a gasp. “What?’
“Not for me,” Ian hastily clarified. “For Angie. She’s been pestering me for weeks.”
Jannie remembered Angie, the flight attendant who was a dead ringer for Angelina Jolie and had the hots for Ian.
“I never pegged her as the type to go for that.”
Ian shrugged. “Right now, she’s husband fishing.”
“And that’s where she chooses to troll?”
“I hear those waters run quite deep. At least, the pockets do.”
For some reason, she wasn’t surprised. From what she knew, Nick wasn’t wealthy, but given his level of intellect and his deportment, he could easily fit into those circles. Slap a tux on that man, and he’d blend in seamlessly with Adam’s crowd.
Ian glanced around, then leaned closer to the screen. “Have you been?”
She blinked rapidly. “No!”
Her brother gave her a skeptical smile. “No, you haven’t been there? Or no, you’re not telling me about it? I was kind of hoping you had, so I could tell Angie what to expect.”
She scowled at him. “I’m going to hang up on you now.” She started to tap the red X.
“No, no, wait!”
Her finger hovered over the screen.
“I have something to tell you,” Ian said.
“I’m listening.”
“It’s about the 2024.”
“Oh?”
The LarsAir 2024, a supersonic passenger jet and her brother Adam’s pride and joy, had been in development for several years. Through many problems and setbacks, Adam had steadfastly persisted, sinking millions of dollars and countless hours into making the airplane a reality.
“Adam finally has all the approvals.”
A wide smile spread across her face. “Are you serious?”
“Yup. She’s a go.”
“That’s great!”
“There’s going to be a send-off celebration for the inaugural flight. Everyone’s coming to watch the takeoff.”
“I see.” Jannie could guess what was next.
“You know it would mean everything to him if you were there.”
A stab of guilt made her press her lips together. She missed Ian’s wedding, not because she’d been physically unable to attend, but because, mentally, she’d been such a mess that she hadn’t even told him why until much later.
Ian’s face took on the expression it always did when the roles were reversed, and he forgot he was the younger brother. “Are you OK, Freak?” His voice was gentle. “We’ve all been giving you time, and it’s OK if you need more, but we really miss you.”
She raised her chin. “I’m fine.”
Ian frowned. “That’s what you always say.”
She didn’t reply.
A few long moments passed.
“I saw Blake today,” Ian finally said.
Her stomach turned. “Oh, did you?”
“Yeah. He’s super pissed and told everyone who would listen that you kicked him out of his own house.”
“It’s not his house.”
“Oh, I know that. He doesn’t seem to know. At least, not yet.” He grinned. “Good for you, Freak. He said he found Kent there when he walked in. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall to watch Blake’s head explode. It’s about time you sent him packing.”
Nick appeared on the patio, handsome in full uniform, apparently ready to leave.
He started to head toward her, then halted, realizing she was still on the phone.
He raised a hand in parting, and she gave him a smile and waved, her gaze lingering on his broad back as he turned and went inside, closing the sliding door behind him.
Ian noticed. “Was that ginormous smile for Kent? Damn, Freak, you really like the guy, don’t you?”
She shrugged. “He’s OK.”
“Riiight. You don’t smile like that at people you think are just OK. You’re into him.” Her brother’s eyes narrowed. “He’d better be good to you, or he’ll have the whole family to deal with, including Grandma.”
Jannie seized the chance to change the subject. “Grandma? How is she?”
“She’s good. She’s flying out from Norway for the launch party.”
“And Erik?” Her youngest brother traveled the world and seldom attended family gatherings.
“Same.”
Good grief, the whole family. Jannie wasn’t sure she was ready to face everyone but knew it was impossible to keep avoiding them; they’d smother her with love and hugs, their eyes filled with compassion, and now that her secret was out, they’d ask questions about Nick.
“Not to put added pressure on you,” Ian said, “but Adam planned the event to coincide with Grandma’s birthday.”
“Sure, Buck. No pressure whatsoever.”
“None.” His face stretched into a grin, and for a moment, he looked exactly as he did when they were kids and he had one-upped her. “So, should I email you the details?”
She knew defeat when she saw it. “Yeah.”
Ian’s smile could have lit up the Vegas skyline. “Great! And bring Pustule. We can grill him while they grill the steaks.”
She tried to stop herself from glaring at her younger brother but apparently failed, because his hearty laughter brought Rolf bounding from all the way across the yard.
“Bye, Buck.” With a hard tap on the screen, Jannie ended the call.
Now what?
Jannie shook her head. She’d run away from her problems, and it had helped a lot.
As far back as she could remember, she did that whenever she was hurt.
Time and again, her mother argued that refusing to face things only prolonged the discomfort.
Mom was right, of course: just look how the breakup with Blake had dragged on, long after the divorce.
Jannie sighed. She couldn’t avoid her family any longer.
Rolf bounded to her with the ball, his round brown eyes shining.
“Well, Stinker.” Jannie took the slobbery toy out of his mouth. “I guess I’m going to a party.”