A Wifey for the Bad Boy(152)

“My iPad and charger, clothes, toiletries. I can do the clothes and stuff. Can you…why don’t you make some coffee. We can take it to go. Starbucks is better but…well.”

“I’m aware,” he told her, kissing the top of her head. Keith made his way to her galley kitchen, starting a pot of coffee. He looked in her fridge, poking around her food. He packed the fruit in a cooler he found, and then dragged out a couple of travel mugs. Just as the coffee finished brewing, Jan hurried back to him, her hair pulled into a bun, her clothes casual. The purple shirt and jeans suited her.

“Got some stuff packed?” he asked her.

“Yeah, I think I’m good. Two bags—a suitcase and a garment bag with a couple of suits. We usually only wear dress pants and blouses at work, polos when we’re having a heavy activity day, but I have a few dressy suits. I also showered,” she added, motioning to her wet hair and the change of clothes.

“You get your electronics too?”

“Phone charger, iPad, a couple of paper books as well. I think I’ll be good.”

“Grab your coffee and doctor it. We’ve got to head to your parents’ house.’

“What are we telling them?” she asked, pouring a dollop of cream into her coffee.

“About us?”

“About us,” she confirmed. “Do we let them know…”

“I think we need to,” Keith said quietly. It wouldn’t have been what he’d chosen for them to do, but it was necessary to be completely honest, not only about her job situation, but their bond as well.

“How do you think they’ll react?” Jan asked, her hand trembling.

Keith took her coffee, put it on the counter, and hugged her close. “Your father is my best friend. He knows me well. He knows me inside and out, and how I deal with my personal relationships. I don’t think he’ll be thrilled, Jan, but when he thinks about it and remembers the guy I am, he’ll come around.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, and he tightened his arms around her. There was no point in saying that he wasn’t entirely sure; it would just stress her out. And Keith was operating on faith and the reality that he had good instincts, not to mention having great taste in friends. Jim and Lisa were level-headed people who just wanted the best for their one and only, and Keith was sure he was the best thing for her.

Once they saw how Jan blossomed in his presence and the way he looked after her, that’d definitely ease their minds. At least he hoped so. There had to be some logic to his thinking; he wasn’t operating purely on faith. He’d known Jim so well.

Though they’d never spoken of Jan’s dating life. That could be problematic, not to mention interesting.

“All ready?” he asked when she screwed the top on her travel mug. He’d noticed she’d dumped in a little sugar and a lot of cream, which was just the way he liked his coffee, too.

“As I’ll ever be,” she told him. Keith took her bags and gave her a gentle hug with his free arm.

“It will be okay. All of it.”

“I’ll try to believe you,” she said, giving him a grim smile. He had to get her out of here and into the shelter of her parents’ home. “Let me carry the coffees.”

“You got it.” He handed her his and followed close behind as she juggled the coffee cups and locked the door, wishing he’d thought to take her keys. “You don’t want to get your car now, do you?” he asked, not bothering to point out that there were probably a throng of reporters waiting outside, ready to pounce at her the moment he drove her over.

“No. That’s okay. I don’t really want to go anywhere near there.”

“Good. Now follow me.” Keith led her down the corridor, checking carefully to make sure there was no action around her parking spot. The garage was empty of people, thank god.

“When we drive out, look away. They won’t be looking too closely, I don’t think. This is probably journalist pro forma.”

“This is so cloak and dagger. I just want to do my job and be with my kids.”

“I know.” Keith had such an urge to pull her into his arms, but he resisted, holding off, holding back, but only for now. When they were in a safe place, a quiet place, he intended to hold her. This bond between them was important to him, and he wanted to be her shoulder.

When they pulled up to her parents’ home, Keith was glad to see there were no reporters around. He hadn’t really thought there would be, but an injured child did bring out the reporters waiting for their big lead.

“Now or never,” he told her quietly. Jan had been looking out the window, silent on the entire drive.