Page 32 of Stolen By the Hit Man
I see what this mild argument is between them. A comforting reminder of who they are to each other. A set point. A baseline.
It turns out I know how to read people after all. Too bad I temporarily lost that ability when my memory went away. I could have screamed bloody murder at the first red flag and avoided this whole wild adventure.
I’d be in Tampa, living my best life. Running my company. Telling and re-telling the story about how I almost got kidnapped by polygamists in Darling Creek, Montana.
I smile at Grady when he turns back to me. “I hope he doesn’t boss you around the way he does to me,” Grady says.
“He does, and it’s very annoying,” I say rudely through a mouthful of brownie.
Both men burst out laughing.
“He hasn’t chased you off with that attitude yet? I’m impressed.”
No one asked, but Joaquin answers the question that’s all over Grady’s face by leaning in and pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“Jasmyn’s been my girlfriend for less than a day. So there’s plenty of time for her to see sense and make a run for it.”
Girlfriend.
He called me his girlfriend.
He just said “my girl” before.
Which one means more? One is just pillow talk, but this is a proclamation. To his father, no less.
I look up and catch Joaquin’s gaze.
Yes. This is what I want.
I want someone to look at me like that every day for the rest of my life. I never knew I wanted it, but now I need it as much as I need water and air.
At some point, I will have to go back to Tampa. To my employees, to my art, to my whole life.
And we’ll have to figure out how to mesh the two.
That problem has a solution. But we don’t need to figure it out now.
Joaquin turns back to Grady. “Did you come all this way to set me back on the straight and narrow? To discuss my poor choices with me? Because I have it handled,” he says.
The older man rubs his hands together and gets serious. “Jefferson?—”
Joaquin cuts him off. “Let me guess. Jefferson freaked out and ran to you and said I’m in trouble, rather than let me handle things."
Grady levels a truly fatherly gaze at Joaquin. “If you’ll let me finish…” he says sternly.
Here it comes.
We have much bigger things to deal with than facing the consequences of a long-distance relationship. We’re about to find out the real reason for Grady’s visit.
Chapter Sixteen
Joaquin
He’s right. It’s not fair of me to not hear him out. He may disapprove of my lifestyle, but I owe this man everything.
And he’s right. Jasmyn and I are indeed in a pickle. I shouldn’t be surprised that my brother from another mother called in the cavalry.
“Jefferson called Brian Casey. Said you were in some deep shit and you were gonna need help. Naturally, Casey called me.”
