“He was upset about the calendar and pictures.”
“I bet he was. The four of them are pissed and so are your cousins,” Shelby Ann said to her.
“They’re acting crazy. What’s the big deal? It wasn’t like they didn’t know Eliza was modeling,” Caroline said to them.
“It’s because they want you for themselves, Eliza. They don’t want to share you with anyone,” Missy Ann told her.
“What? Why would you say that?”
“Come on, Eliza Grace. You know they want you, but they have been giving you time to adjust to them and to dating,” Caroline said to her.
Eliza Grace felt the tears hit her eyes. “They know about the attack?” she asked them.
“They were there to see you after those guys hurt you when they took me,” Shelby Ann said to her.
“She doesn’t mean that attack,” Missy Ann said and then Caroline smiled softly.
“I don’t think they know about what happened to you in college,” Missy Ann said.
“Shoot, unless Kenneth and them informed them. But why would they do that?” Shelby asked.
“Because they were all for them being her guardians. They didn’t bat an eye when Parker stated that over and over again to the doctors at the hospital,” Caroline added.
“That’s great. It’s just another reason for them to treat me like a sister, like a responsibility. So they feel an obligation to protect me from some guys that are drooling over my pictures? Really? I don’t think so. I don’t need this,” she said and then started to walk away. She caught sight of Tazer and Lynch and as Caroline and Shelby told her to wait, it drew attention from the other guys.
“I need to use the ladies’ room,” she said, heading with Missy Ann through the crowd and down to the hallway. But before she made it there, two guys from earlier stopped her and Missy Ann.
“Hey, Miss September, that was a great picture of you by the car,” the one blond said to her.
“Thanks,” she said and then started to walk past them when the other guy stopped her by placing his hand on her shoulder. She froze in place and looked at his hand and then him.
“Want to remove that, please?”
But he looked past her and then released her shoulder.
“We just wanted to buy you a drink. Maybe hang out a little,” he said to her, eyeing over her breasts and her body.
“No, thank you.”
She turned to walk away with Missy Ann.
“We’ll wait for you,” he called out to her but then she locked gazes with Tazer and Lynch.
“Take a hike,” Tazer said to the two guys.
“What?” the one guy said to him.
“Unless you want to meet your maker, I suggest you stay clear of her, and get lost right now,” Lynch said, and he looked very angry.
“Come on, Missy,” Eliza said and they went into the bathroom.
“Oh my God, Lynch and Tazer are so freaking intense. I think they’re your guardians whether you accept them or not,” she said and fixed her hair in the mirror.
Eliza Grace thought about that a moment. She thought about Parker’s kiss and Burker telling her how sexy, beautiful and classy she looked. Then she thought about the expressions on Lynch and Tazer as they spotted the two guys talking to her. God, they were so intense and intimidating. They towered over her, were filled with muscles and those older, experienced expressions that seemed to weaken her defenses and make her feel vulnerable and unable to handle one of them, never mind all four. That thought made her feel like she was losing her breath, and suddenly a panic attack came on.
“Eliza Grace? Eliza, what’s wrong?” Missy Ann asked her.
“Oh God, I’m freaking out right now.”
Missy Ann chuckled.
“I would be too, but girl, I am so damn envious of you right now, it isn’t even funny. You’re gorgeous, sweet and deserve good men who will treat you right and love you and protect you. But you can’t get that if you keep pushing those perfect men away.”
“Perfect? You think they’re perfect? They’re scary, older, experienced, and I’m so not experienced. I mean, come on, Missy Ann, that kiss from Parker was my first real kiss.”
Missy Ann’s mouth gaped open. “Get out of here.”
“Nope. Truth,” she replied and Missy Ann smiled.
“Well, then you’ve got nothing to lose and nothing to compare it too. So follow your gut. Come on. If we don’t head back out, those guys may push their way in here.”
Eliza Grace chuckled. “Great.”
“Hey, be strong and be in charge. They don’t need to know how inexperienced you really are,” she said and winked.