Ian moved to the fridge and opened it, leaning down. “You don’thave any food.”
“I wasn’t expecting company,” Jethro said mildly. “I’ll order something in, and my wine cellar is stocked. If I recall, you like a good red.”
Oliver still sat on the counter and leaned to peer around his brother. “Is there any Guinness in there?”
“Of course.” Ian grabbed several bottles and turned to plunk them on the counter next to Oliver. “I wouldn’t let my little brother go without, would I? Or rather, Jethro wouldn’t.”
Oliver rolled his eyes. “I’m younger by three minutes. Give me a break.” He took a bottle and smashed off the topwith his fist.
Jethro looked them over. He’d trained them and he’d led them. “You need to listen to me and get back home. You’ve only been out two years and your business needs your attention.” They’d created a private company dedicated to security and all that it entailed.
“You should come on board as a partner,” Ian said. “We’ve been asking for years.”
“No,” Jethro said. “I’m out of that world. All of it.” Well, except for getting shot at and nearly blown up with Wolfe the previous summer. His leg still felt buggered up sometimes.
Ian opened his beer and drank several swallows, studying Jethro carefully. “Is that lipstickon your chin?”
“No.” Jethro wiped off his chin, still feeling Gemma’s soft lips beneath his. He’d relived that kiss every second of the drive home, and it was nearly impossible not to turn around and head right back to her home. Well, to Serena’s home. He wanted more than one kiss, but that could not happen right now.
Not while Fletcher was seeking vengeance.
“So.” Ian grinned. “I call dibs on theguest bedroom.”
* * * *
After her last Tuesday class Gemma fetched Trudy from the day care early and headed out in the opposite direction from her last trip, going into Virginia for an hour and reaching a cute little restaurant outside of Kopp. There was another winter storm heading in, so she wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.
“Dinner?” Trudy asked sleepily from her car seat in the back. She’d snoozed the entire time.
“Yes. At a restaurant,” Gemma said. “We’re going to be big girls at a restaurant.” She had about forty dollars to her name, so she’d just order a salad. She needed the rest of the money to last them until payday. Although she’d already taken ibuprofen, her neck hurt all the way up to her head in what had to be a tension headache. She’d been up all night replaying that kiss from the unpredictable professor. The bookish badass who used to work for MI6. The more she thought about it, the crazier it seemed.
When he’d kissed her, she’d lost her mind. Never in her life had she been kissed like that, and a day later, her body was still awake. Needy. How would it feel to actually be with a man like Jethro?
Would she even survive? The thought finally had her smiling. Theman could kiss.
She tossed her satchel over her arm and lifted Trudy from the car, casting a look at the tumultuous clouds. The breeze tossed her hair around, chilling her face, and she hustled inside the warm diner. The cute waiter, who had to be all of eighteen, flirted with her and led them to a booth in the back. Excellent. She could keep her back to the wall and see the doorway, even though no way had anybody followed her.
Trudy sat up like a big girl in her booster chair across the table, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks rosy. Giving a happy yip, she reached for crayons and a printout of ponies, instantly starting to color.
Gemma ordered and then pulled out her phone. “Baby? Mama needs to make a call. You bequiet, okay?”
Trudy ignored her and scrambled for a purple crayon fora pony’s tail.
Gemma swallowed, trying to calm her nerves. Monty should be back at the office if that Julie had been telling the truth. She had to know, and she was far enough from home to use another burner. Her last one. She’d have to wait until she was paid to buy more, if she could find a place close to the schoolthat sold them.
It was five o’clock in Virginia, so it’d be two in the afternoon in Oregon. She called the medical practice.
“Cameron Medical Practice, Laina speaking,” an older voice said.
Shoot. Too bad it wasn’t the new and chipper Julie. Gemma had met Laina several times, so she adopted a southern accent. “Hiya there. My name is Florence and I’m new in town. Jennie down at the vet’s office recommended Dr. MontyCameron to me.”
“Sure thing,” Laina said. “What do you need to be seen for?” She loudlypopped her gum.
“I have a sore throat,” Gemma said. “My cousin just called me and said she has strep throat, and we were together this weekend, so I figure I might have it. Maybe I don’t have to see the doctor and can just get an antibiotic?” She knew there was no way she could, but she didn’t want to seem too eager to see Monty.
The sound of typing came over the line. “You have to see the doctor to make sure it is strep. So, you’re anew patient?”
Gemma nodded. “Yes. New in town.” She’d tried to space out her calls, but it had been several years of her impersonating a new patient who never showed.
