Had the behemoth soldier just given her his blessing? “I’m not going to date your friend,” she said gently, even as her imagination began to spin a fantasy with Jethro in the middle of it. Theman could kiss.
It had been far too long since she’d been kissed. Until he’d touched her, she hadn’t even realized that fact. Now she couldn’t stop thinking about him, his talented mouth, and his wicked-hard body.
“Huh,” Wolfe said. “Okay. ’Night.” Without another word he turned on his heel and disappeared into the blizzard.
Gemma slowly shut the door and locked it. That was one interesting man. Shaking off her unease as well as the unrealistic notion of seeing where her attraction to Jethro could lead, she returned to her position on the floor and set her laptop back in place. Okay. It was a cheap laptop with a very expensive scrambling program, and it didn’t look like she’d be heading off in a new direction for a little while, so she might as wellmake the call.
Perhaps Fran wouldn’t be home.
Her mother’s form took shape on the screen. “I wondered if you’d call.” Fran hiccupped. Her hair was a brassy red and her eye shadow a clumpy blue. Thick gunks of mascara clung to her lashes, and a cigarette moved on her cracked red lipswhen she spoke.
“Happy Birthday, Fran,” Gemma said, catching sight of the telltale signs of her mother’s alcohol problem.“How are you?”
“Alone,” Fran snorted. “Completely alone because of you.” She squinted into the camera. “When are you coming home?”
Gemma studied the area around Fran. The view was sharp, showing worn wallpaper with a framed photograph of running horses. “Where are you?”
“Motel,” Fran said, shrugging and dislodging her white top from her shoulder. “It’s temporary.”
It usually was. Gemma sighed. “You must’ve gotten a new phone. The picture is so clear.”
“Yup,” Fran said, taking a deep drag on the cigarette. “Why won’t you at least tell me where you are? Maybe I could come visit you?” Her eyes were bloodshot and new wrinkles extended from the corners. She’d also spent the last year in the sun, based on the numerous brown spots dotting her chin. “Haven’t you been away long enough? You’ll never get Monty back now.”
So her mother was still in Oregon. Good to know. Monty had helped her move to an apartment in town but had stopped paying the rent the second Gemma fled. Her mother had let her know it during one of their yearly talks. Sometimes Gemma called at Christmas, but she had to make sure Trudy was asleep and invisible. “I don’t want Monty,” Gemma said honestly. “Ever.”
Fran rolled her eyes. “He’s a doctor. How can a doctor not be good enough for you?”
“That doctor likes to hit women,” Gemma saidwithout heat.
“Right. So you two fought a few times. That doesn’t mean you should desert him or your own mother. He was heartbroken and so am I.” Fran hiccupped and reached for a glass of clear liquid to drink, somehow keeping the burning cigarette in her mouth. “You’re so selfish.”
It was surprising that the words didn’t hurt any longer. Was it because of Trudy? That now Gemma truly knew unconditional love because she felt it for her daughter? If anybody hurt Trudy the way Monty had harmed Gemma, she would not rest until it ended. Until he ended. “Well, I hope you had a nice birthday. I should get going,” Gemma said, letting go of all her emotion. Perhaps she wouldn’t even call next year. Maybe it was time to make acomplete break.
“I never shoulda had you,” Fran slurred, taking out the cigarette and waving it around. “I knew better. You ruined my life.”
Gemma looked at the woman and wondered where she’d gone wrong. “Sorry about that,” she said.
Fran leaned closer to her camera. “You’re a flippant bitch, you know? Your father didn’t want you, and neither did I. Now there was a man who’d throw a punch hard enough to crack a jaw.”
Gemma started. “You’ve never said he hurt you.” In fact, Fran would usually clam right up about whoever Gemma’s father had been. For years Gemma had doubtedFran even knew.
Fran shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I had you, and look how you’ve forgotten that. Selfish. Now you’ve lost Monty.”
“Good,” Gemma said.
Fran hissed. “Good? He’s moved on. I saw it in the paper. But if you come back, I’m sure he’ll give you asecond chance.”
Gemma softened her voice. “I am never coming back, Fran. I think this is goodbye. The final one.” Her mother was never going to change, and Gemma couldn’t risk Trudy with her. She was a woman Trudy never needed to know. Life was good with just the two of them. Even as the thought settled inside her, she couldn’t help but think of Wolfe and his Dana. The love and strong protection of everyone on his team who would protect their baby.
Gemma’s baby deserved protection, too.
Most importantly, Trudy deserved safety, and Gemma could give her that. They’d need to get on the road again as soon as possible. She wasn’t going to stick around for more danger with Jethro. He could handle his own problems. She’d had enough for a lifetime.
“You can’t just abandon me,” Fran snapped, tossing the cigarette out of range.
The camera shifted and blurred. Monty’s face came into view with that calm and calculating glitter in his intelligent eyes. The look he got right before he struck.“Hello, Gemma.”
She swallowed and forced herself to face the monster. Never again would she cower in front of him. “What a shock. You two are keeping in touch, huh? Good.” It shouldn’t surprise her that Fran had told Monty about the yearly calls. The only shock was that it had taken this long. Fran had probably needed money for cigarettes and booze, not thinking a thing about betraying her daughter. Thank goodness for theIP scrambler.
