Surviving Broken(73)
Her cell phone turned on with a jingle.
“You’re probably not too far off. Tom doesn’t have kids of his own, and he missed out on all of Tracy and my high school dating years. That being said, I should warn you, he’s very protective.” The screen on her phone read eleven missed calls and she flipped it around and showed it to Reed. Six missed calls from Tracy, four from her mom and one from her agent. “See what happens when I turn my phone—”
Her cell phone chirped.
Reed chuckled a husky drawl of amusement and tucked his hands beneath his head.
Straddling his hips, JC poked him playfully in the ribs and pressed the green button. “Good morning, sis.”
“It’s about time you answered the phone. I’ve been trying to call you. Where the hell have you been?”
The instant burn of embarrassment rushed to her cheeks. “I had my phone turned off yesterday. What’s going on?” She tried to sound nonchalant, but a small giggle slipped out when Reed’s smile broadened at her discomfiture.
“I figured that much. Mom’s been trying to call you too. They’re on their way to Malibu this morning.”
“I know. They got here a few minutes ago.”
“Why is your phone off? You never turn your phone off.”
“I…I was at dinner last night,” JC stammered like a giddy schoolgirl. “I mean, I made dinner last night. I—”
“Oh. My. God! Are you in bed with the Marlboro Man right now?”
“Ha!” JC’s free hand flew to her mouth. “The Marlboro Man?”
Reed’s mouth dropped open with humorous protest. “Great, just great.”
“You are!” Tracy gasped. “Wait a minute. Oh! Oooooh and Mom and Tom just got there.” Laughter erupted on Tracy’s end of the line.
“Go ahead, get your chuckles in. I’m glad I can be your comic relief.” JC wasn’t sure who found the situation more amusing, Tracy or Reed. “And why are you calling him the Marlboro Man? His name is Reed.”
“I heard all about your boyfriend. Shayla said he looks like the Marlboro Man with blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes. What I want to know is why did I have to find out through Shayla this morning that the next-door neighbor is now your boyfriend?”
“I was gonna tell—”
“Actually, I have one more question, did he help you with your little problem?”
Heat rushed to JC’s chest. She let out a small snicker catching her bottom lip between her teeth. Reed had heard everything her sister said and a haughty grin hung on the corner of his lips.
JC’s silence was a dead giveaway and another round of squeals radiated through the phone.
“Oh, shut up! I gotta go. Mom and Tom are in the other room. I feel like I’m in high school.” JC wondered how many shades of red she could survive. “When are you coming home? I want you to meet Reed.”
Silence.
JC drew the phone back and tapped on the speaker. “You still there?”
“Umm yeah, I’m here. Are you serious? You want me to fly to California to meet him?”
“We can come to Tuscany, but it’ll take two months. Reed just ordered his passport yesterday.” JC gazed into Reed’s smiling face in a trance. There wasn’t anywhere in the world she wouldn’t go with him, including Italy. He would protect her. “I gotta go, sis. I’ll call you in a couple of days and try to work something out.”
After a brief weighted silence, Tracy asked, “Is this a joke? Put my sister on the phone.” Tracy muttered under her breath something to the effect of, “Shayla was right.”
“I gotta go face the music. I’ll call you later. Love you.”
“Good luck. Love you.”
****
Tess straightened up the kitchen and cut up fresh fruit and veggies for omelets. Tom took their luggage to the bedroom, anxiously pacing back and forth at the end of the bed. Every rash thought Tom had in his head flew out the window with each minute passing by. It had taken every ounce of his self-control not to kill Luca Santini. Secretly he’d called in a few favors to make sure Lucas’ non-existent career never made it off the ground and everywhere he turned the door was slammed shut in his face. A living hell is how he liked to look at it.
Thirty minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness, giving Tom plenty of time to run several different scenarios through his head and prepare numerous questions. Even though the man lying in bed next to his daughter wasn’t Luca, Tom was filled with lethal determination to protect JC, at any cost. Usually JC avoided bringing dates around, because he had inadvertently embarrassed her after he first joined their family by harshly grilling and mercilessly intimidating several of her dates.