Tracy cautioned, “You better make an appearance pretty damn soon or Mom’s gonna freak out. She’s worried something happened to you. I’ll take care of JC. What’s she on?”
“Vicodin.” Tom unzipped JC’s boots and tossed them to the floor. “Will you get her undressed and put her in bed. I’ll be back after I make the rounds.”
“Wait.” JC motioned her hand for Tom to come closer. “If I forget to say it later, thank you for saving me.”
He gave Tracy a strained smile. “She’s already told me that, three times. She’s trashed. Don’t let her out of her room.” Brushing his thumb over JC’s hand, he said, “You’re home now. You’re safe. Get some sleep.”
Tom stood at the door, hesitating to open it. Turning to glance over his shoulder at Tracy, he nervously spun his wedding ring around and around his finger. “Tess is never going to buy anything I try to tell her. I just can not lie to that woman.”
Tracy walked toward him and placed her hand on the lever. “Didn’t you win an Oscar?”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Tom smirked, heading out the door to give the best performance of his life.
CHAPTER SEVEN
JC drifted in and out of sleep, listening to the whispers of familiar voices. Feeling someone’s cool fingers on her forehead, she peeked out her eye.
“Hey, sis.”
She tried to smile, glimpsing at Tracy’s beautiful blue eyes, done up with muted silver and chocolate colored eye shadow, but pain and tattered emotions took control. “You look so beautiful. I’ve missed you, Tracy.”
Tracy smiled tenderly. “You said that five minutes ago when I put you in your jammies. Remember?”
JC glanced down at her t-shirt and flannel pajama pants. “No. I don’t remember.” She licked her dry lips and swallowed, letting out a tiny grimace.
Tracy’s face twisted into a grimace, dabbing the corner of her eyes.
JC lazily looked around her bedroom, comforted by the whitewashed walls and artwork she bought on her trips to Greece. Her things. Her belongings. Her home.
“God, I’m glad to be home.”
She laid her head back down and drifted off to sleep, listening to the faint sounds of voices beyond her door and guests strolling past her bedroom window as they were leaving.
Tom and Tess waved from the doorway, saying goodbye to their last guests. Taking Tess by the hand, he led her into their bedroom. Following her into the closet, Tom unzipped the back of her strapless dress. He heard a soft pleasant sigh as she let the dress fall to the floor.
Digging through her comfy clothes drawer, he handed her a t-shirt and sweatpants when she turned to face him.
“What do you want me to do with those?” she teased playfully, fumbling with the buttons on his shirt.
Tom clutched her fingers and pressed them to his warm lips. “Put these on Tess. We need to talk.”
She withdrew her fingers and straightened her back in a show of wariness. “What is it?”
His jaw clenched tight as he motioned her toward the edge of their bed.
“Just tell me.” Tess frowned, refusing to sit. “I knew there was something wrong when you weren’t here on time. What’s wrong?”
“I went to Italy today.” The day’s events finally caught up to him, and to his own surprise, hot tears dripped from his chin. He sucked a breath of air through his clenched teeth. “I went and got JC. She’s here Tess.”
Her face contorted in puzzlement, but soon followed with perfectly clear comprehension. “Where is she?” Tess bellowed.
Tom reached her before she made it out the door. Seeing the frantic worry stretch across her face nearly brought him to his knees. “Listen to me. Stop and take a breath. Don’t do this in front of her. What she wants more than anything right now is her family, so you need to be strong. Okay?”
Tess clung to him. Her face crumpled as she searched his eyes, crying, “How bad is it?”
“It’s bad.” Tom stroked her hair. “I had my doctor meet us at the airport. He stitched up her lip and gave her some meds. She doesn’t have any broken bones, but she’s a mess.”
Tess wiped her face dry. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”
Tom raised his brows, giving Tess a cautious glance.
She sniffled and nodded her head. “If you don’t get out of my way Tom Clemmins, I’m going to mow you over.”
Slowly, he opened the door. “Don’t raise your voice, she flinches.”
She paused. Her big blue eyes stared up at him, searching his eyes through wet lashes. Tom cupped her jaw in the palm of his hands and nodded. “She’s gonna be okay. I promise.”