Page 16 of Bad Girls Don't Marry Marines (Rock Canyon, Idaho 3)

Just then, her house phone started ringing, and she picked it up distractedly, forgetting to look at the caller ID. “Hello.”

“Are you finished with your hissy fit?”

Val gritted her teeth. “What can I do for you, Dad?”

“You can get on your computer and look at the latest spectacle your sister has made. For God’s sake, it’s Tuesday. I thought she was home with you last night. What was she doing partying on a Monday? Doesn’t she have classes today?”

“I have no idea if she has classes or not, and when I said she was here, I meant that she was staying here. Not that she was hanging with me.”

“Well, I have had it. I know everyone in town has probably seen it by now, between the Internet and the paper. After everything she’d put me through lately—”

“What are you talking about?” Val asked as she went into the living room and sat down at her desk. She pressed the start button on her computer and waited as it loaded.

“What I’m talking about is that ridiculous gossip columnist and the pictures she took of your sister. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called them since they hired that woman, but they refuse to fire her. And now that she’s online, she can post anything, anytime.”

Finally, realization dawned on Val. “Are you talking about Miss Know It All’s blog?”

“Of course I’m talking about her . . .” and he started going off again.

Val set the phone down but put it on speaker, turning down the volume as he continued to rant. She got on the Internet, heading to the Rock Canyon Press Web site and clicking on Miss Know It All’s gossip column. She didn’t even have to scroll down to see the tagline:

Blame It on the Alcohol!

Beneath it sat a picture of Justin carrying Ellie, her dark head on his chest, and a spark of jealousy burned in Val’s gut. Despite the kiss and his assurance that he wasn’t interested in Ellie, her sister was very beautiful, wild, and knew how to play a man.

That kiss was a mistake and you have no business being jealous of a man you shouldn’t even be interested in.

The voice was right.

“Are you listening to me?” her father’s voice cut into her thoughts.

Picking up the phone and flicking it off speaker, she said, “Yes. I was looking for the article.”

“Well?”

She realized she’d forgotten to read it and said, “Yeah, hang on.”

Princess Eleanor Willis made quite the spectacle last night at Buck’s Shot Bar (really, is she even legal?) when she started stumbling around drunkenly, hanging on any and all things male. If it hadn’t been for the heroic actions of one former Marine, who got her out of there in the nick of time, the littlest Willis might be taking a walk of shame this morning . . . unless . . . well . . . All I can say is, if I had Justin Silverton taking me home and my inhibitions were down, I’d be all over that!

Val could feel the heat of a blush spreading over her neck and cheeks as she thought about having her own way with Justin.

Apparently, her father was running out of patience because he said, “And the fact that she’s with that lowlife drunk’s son is the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”

Now, that was just unfair. “Dad! She didn’t go home with Justin. He brought her back here last night and she’s sleeping it off in my guest room.” The line was deadly quiet, and she added, “Besides, Justin is a good guy. He saw how much she was drinking and got her out of there. He even helped me get her into bed.”

“Is that all he did?” Her father’s voice sounded dark and suspicious.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes. He helped me with Ellie and then he left.”

There was silence on the line for several ticks and then, “Good. The last thing you need is to get involved with a loser after being married to Cole. Marry up, not down, my dear.”

The fact that her father still thought the sun rose and set on Cole’s ass pissed her off. How could he like a lying prick better than his own daughter? “Three quarters of the men in town would be a step up from Cole, and that includes Justin.”

Val wasn’t sure why she was defending Justin so hard; besides that one night ten years ago and last night’s kiss, she hardly knew him.

“Cole is a senator’s son with a master’s degree and comes from the right kind of people. The Silvertons come from trash, and that’s all they’ll ever be.”

Val was completely disgusted. “I don’t know how you can be like that about hardworking people, especially since they’re the same people who vote for you.”

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