“What happened next?” Jay demanded.
“She called me when she woke up?—”
“Woke up?”
“She hit her head when she fell and knocked herself out. I found her sitting on the sofa, the color of that shirt of yours I hate.”
“Pale lemon?” Jay whispered.
“It’s white, shithead. She was woozy and foggy in the brain. I was worried because I didn’t know how long she’d been out.”
“What?”
“But she was coherent enough to call me, and although she was speaking slowly, I could tell she was okay,” Dan continued.
“Someone broke into my house to steal Blue’s sketch pad? And they hurt Blue Jay?” Jay said, clarifying what Dan had told him. “Are you sure they didn’t search through any of my things?”
Jay never kept important information at his house, but people didn’t know that. If they managed to locate his address?—
“It was those fuckers from New York, Jay,” Dan said, interrupting his thoughts. “They’d been texting her, trying to threaten her into giving them the designs she’d done for some fucking collection. Blue refused, so they stole them.”
“I’m going to kill them,” Jay snarled.
“I hear you, but not sure how we’ll pin it on them. I couldn’t find the guy but guessed he’d hightailed it out of Lyntacky with what he’d come for—or believed he had. Blue said that pad didn’t hold the New York designs.”
“Is she really okay, Dan?”
“Yeah. Birdie stayed with her the first night, but then her brothers arrived and took her back to the McAllisters’, not wanting her to stay at your place alone any longer.”
“Which makes sense. I don’t want her there if I’m not.”
“But the point is, Jay,doyou want her?” Dan asked.
“I do,” Jay said without hesitation.
“Well, you’re going to have to work on that because Blue’s not someone who will be a pushover like those other women who have only dated you because you’re rich or have a large pecker, although that’s debatable.”
“Fuck you, Duke,” Jay said. Silence settled between them then, and it was him who broke it. “I’m sorry I overreacted.”
“Nice to see you having some strong emotions for a change, bro,” Dan said. “Now move your ass and get back here because we need you on the team in three days.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Good.”
“You’re telling me the truth about Blue, aren’t you, Dan? She’s okay?”
“Both she and the baby are all good. Dr. Hannah checked her over that night and again yesterday. I wouldn’t lie to you about something like this, bro.”
“I know, and thanks for taking care of her while I wasn’t there.”
“Always. Loving people messes with your head, right?” Dan said, and Jay knew what he was asking.
“I guess it does.”
“Nice. I couldn’t have picked a better partner for you.”
“Well, it’s a relief I have your approval because it’s important to me, as you know,” Jay drawled.
