Maybe one day soon.
He smiles even brighter, moving his lips down to kiss my forehead before he envelopes me in a hug.
“Hey, hands off. She’s mine!” Scarlett jokingly shouts from down the hallway, and even though I came here under dire circumstances, I can’t help the jump of my heart at seeing her, the smile glued to my lips, or the butterflies settling in my stomach. She is so effortlessly beautiful that I’m not sure I will ever get used to this.
She playfully pulls Nix away from me before she gives me a warm hug.
“Whatever. I have a phone call to make,” Nix mutters, giving me a look that I take to mean he’s about to call his mom.
“So, what do I owe this unexpected visit? You’re not backing out of dinner tonight, are you?”
I bite back the words wanting to leave my mouth, wanting to tell her I wish I could.
Having dinner with her parents, whose feelings toward me is largely unknown, as well as Wally, who most definitely dislikes me, is not my idea of a fun evening. But she invited me, and even though we haven’t had a proper future talk yet, I know this is a big step. And it’s one in the right direction.
Instead of admitting that I am terrified about tonight, I pull her down into a funk when I fill her in on what happened.
“You think this was an attack?”
“I don’t know, but I do know I’m worried about you,” I tell her, cupping her face and caressing her cheek while I try to figure out how the hell I’m supposed to protect her.
Short of locking her up, what the hell can I do?
It grates on me that I can’t even be sure I’m not overreacting.
“My mom wants a word with you,” Nix interrupts, handing his phone to Scarlett.
She hesitantly takes it, which speaks volumes since she loves Nix’s mom like her own. Just in the few weeks I have been living with her, I overheard several of their hour-long conversations.
“Hey, Nina,” Scarlett mutters, much more demure than her usual bubbly self. She takes several steps away from us, moving closer to the bar that looks mostly complete, if not a little bare from the lack of alcohol or glasses that will be included closer to the opening date.
In fact, the whole restaurant looks almost completely put together. From what Scarlett told me, work is still being done in the kitchen with the heavy-duty industrial appliances installation.
I should probably be appreciating all the hard work that has gone into it all, given how in love with the place Nix and Scarlett already are, yet I only have eyes for her.
“Mom is offering to pay for her family to come over there. She berated herself for not thinking of it sooner. We’re spending Christmas over there, so of course Scarlett should have her family with her,” Nix quietly informs me.
“That is a lot of money for your mom to offer,” I reply, relieved the offer is being made and hoping Scarlett will accept her parents and brother going with her. This is an easy way to keep them all safe while we investigate here to make sure nothing sinister is going on.
“She’s grown quite comfortable spending Marty’s money, and he just wants my mom to be happy. It’s seriously no big deal. I mean, the guy helped fund this restaurant and the apartment being built upstairs like I’d ask for some spare change to buy a movie ticket.”
“It’d be nice to have that kind of money. Life changing,” I murmur, but then I wonder if it really would be life changing.
I mean, yes, I’d definitely move somewhere nicer, and everything I own would get an upgrade, especially my car, laptop, and tablet. However, I would still want to keep working at J.P.I., and I’m more than happy with the friends I have. So, while money is important in some ways, it’s completely meaningless in others.
“She offered for you to come along, but I said to leave that for Scarlett to ask. I’m not sure if you could take the time off or whatever.”
Again, my first instinct is to jump at the chance, even if her family, who might all hate me, are tagging along, but there is no way I can leave without this investigation wrapped up.
“What?” Scarlett gasps, her shock and surprise bringing both our attentions to her as we wait to hear if she accepts or not. But she gives us her back and lowers her voice so we can’t hear her.
A few more tense minutes pass before she walks back over to us, her face clear of any obvious emotion.
Nix and I both glance at each other before giving Scarlett our eyes.
“Well?” Nix bites out impatiently.
“Me and my family are spending Christmas in New Zealand!” she shouts, jumping up and down in excitement.
“Fuck yeah!” Nix gives a little jump, too, before giving her a big hug.
“That sounds like a great idea,” I tell her when Nix releases her, giving her a hug of my own.
“I’m so freaking excited for this trip. After these past few hectic and stressful weeks, I’m ready to relax in some sun and not have to worry about looking over my shoulder.”
“I’m excited for you to have that, too, even though I’ll miss you,” I tell her, waiting for the inevitable offer for me to come, which I hate knowing I will have to turn down.
Except, the offer is never given.
“I’ll miss you, too.” She pouts, leaning forward to give me a quick peck on the lips before she turns around to face Nix. “We’re done here for the day, right?”
“Yep. You crazy kids go out and have some fun,” Nix jests.
“We will. How about you and that hot boyfriend of yours try not to break anymore tables around here with your enthusiastic … measuring.”
“Fuck off,” Nix mutters lightly, turning around so we don’t see his embarrassment, if his reddening cheeks is anything to go by.
“Love you, too!” Scarlett shouts, grabbing my hand and pulling me outside.
I don’t have my car with me, so we take a cab to the office so we can pick it up before we get ready for tonight’s torture. I mean fun.
I keep waiting for her to make the offer I know Nix’s mom made to her, but she never does.
What does that mean?
Have I let my hope get the better of me? Have I read too much into things?
Or, is she not as into this as I hoped she was?
Chapter 13
Knocking on Scarlett’s parents’ door feels a lot like the calm before the storm.
Scarlett squeezes my hand as I lower my free hand and we wait a few tense moments as footsteps sound on the other side of the door.
All afternoon and up until the drive here, I waited for Scarlett to bring up me coming with her, yet she hasn’t uttered a single word.
I’m not sure how to take this. On one hand, she hasn’t mentioned moving her things out of my apartment. Not that I would allow it after what Zander told me this morning. But then, if she wants to continue living with me, wants this continued closeness, why doesn’t she want me to go away with her? Is there something more going on?
The door is swung open and both of Scarlett’s parents greet us.
Scarlett releases my hand so she can step forward and give them both hugs and kisses, leaving me behind, feeling out of place when their attention finally shifts to me.
Isla, Scarlett’s mom, a woman who looks like the strictest teacher you ever had, points her finger at my face, narrowing her eyes on me, her anger palpable. “You broke Scarlett’s heart,” she accuses, her glare darkening. “You do it again, and the voodoo doll I bought will get some serious use.” She gives me her back then, taking Scarlett, who looks as shocked as I feel, down the hall.
Nathan, Scarlett’s father, a pudgy man who has kind eyes and always has an even sweeter smile, looks at me with hesitance. He was always so open and loving toward me from the first time we met until the last time I saw him. Now he looks unsure and awkward.
“Nice to see you again, Cynthia,” he finally says, pulling me in for the world’s most tense and shortest hug before he waves me inside.
Even though I know I deserve the cold sh
oulder, I can’t say the urge to run isn’t strong.
“What is she doing here?” Wally whines as soon as I step foot into the living room.
He’s sitting in front of the TV, his body odor like a visible stink bomb. What the hell is up with that?
“She’s my guest. How about you go take a shower? You stink worse than Dad’s feet, and that’s saying something!” Scarlett snaps at him, while I’m stuck on her wording that I am just her guest. I know we haven’t discussed what we are to each other, but a guest? I might as well be anyone.
“Shut up. I’m going through hard times. I lost my job, in case you don’t remember.” He glares at me, as if I had anything to do with his firing at The Cloud.
“So that means you can’t shower anymore?” Scarlett retorts.
“No fighting! We just got back from a lovely vacation, and I refuse to let you both bring us down. We’re going to have a nice meal and that is final,” Scarlett’s mom snaps.
“A lovely vacation? You mean when you failed to call me like you promised and had me worried sick to death while you guys were swinging your way through Europe?” Scarlett accuses.
It has always been this way at their dinners. While the love they share for each other is always underlining each word, they seem to speak in shouts rather than quiet talk.
Usually, Scarlett’s father and I would share a look, and he would often take me to a different room to share a drink while we waited out the three of them. But there is no such offer this time. I have to stand close to the doorway and wait for it to end.
“Swinging? What does that even mean?” Wally demands, looking over both his parents.
“We’re grown adults! We don’t need to check in with you every damn day, and we weren’t swinging! We’re not monkeys!” Isla snaps.
“I didn’t mean it like that. I meant it as in sexually,” Scarlett blurts out, not seeming to care that she’s just embarrassed the hell out of her dad, who is lit up like a tomato. “And when you’re in a foreign country and have promised to keep in touch, you damn well keep in touch!”
“Your father and I don’t have a travel-sized sex swing, unfortunately, so keep your mind out of the gutter!” she snaps back, this time making Wally look like he’s ready to puke. “And I’m the parent around here. I don’t need you lecturing me!”
“For shit’s sake, Mom. I mean swinging as in fucking other people!” Scarlett shrieks, making her mother now turn a nasty shade of red. “And wanting to make sure my parents are alive and safe isn’t asking for too much! I was worried.” Scarlett lets out a sniffle. Immediately, the anger in the room dissipates.
“I’m sorry. We weren’t thinking,” her mom soothes, shuffling over to give Scarlett a hug. Either that or she’s trying to smother her in her ample bosom. It’s hard to tell. “I promise, in the future, we’ll communicate better. And if we decide to make love with other people, you’ll be the first to know.”
I hope she’s messing with Scarlett.
“Thanks. I’d appreciate that. Not that you guys even have sex. You’ve been sexless since you had me and Wally, right?”
“Stop talking about sex and swings and whatever! Do you want me to be sick?” Wally yells, finally standing up from the couch, his stench more potent.
“Shut up, Wally. You are going to owe me after I tell you my good news.”
“You’re ditching this bitch? ’Cause I can’t think of better news than that,” Wally states, waving his thumb in my direction.
“Fuck off. Cynthia is a better person than you’ll ever be. And right now, we’re a package deal, so deal with it.”
Right now we’re a package deal? As in, sometime in the future we won’t be?
My nerves ratchet up to even higher levels. I fear I might have a nervous breakdown before this night is over.
“Whatever,” he grumbles, folding his arms across his chest as he glares daggers at me.
“What news is this, then?” Isla asks, her nerves out of place with the woman I’ve seen dozens of times before. If there is one thing she has never been, it’s unconfident or nervous.
“You know how I’m going to New Zealand over Christmas and New Years?”
“Yes, your friend’s mom is getting married,” Isla states, a pout touching her lips. She’s clearly not thrilled about the trip either, or the fact that they would be separated for the holidays.
“Right. Well, Nina—that’s Nix’s mom who is getting married—called me today. She felt bad that I wouldn’t get to see you guys for the holidays, so she offered to give you all a free vacation to come along with me!”
“What?” Nathan gasps, while Isla begins jumping up and down, an eerily similar response to how Scarlett reacted earlier today.
“Is she going to be there?” Wally sneers my way.
“No, but even if she was, there is no way you are turning down a free vacation, especially since you have nothing better to do with zero job. So get your passport ready, because in just over a week, we are out of here!”
“Wait. Are you sure it’s free?” Nathan interjects. “Because we really can’t accept a—”
“Her husband is a millionaire, Dad. Accept the damn vacation!” Scarlett snaps, which seems to be the deciding factor in the room rejoicing in a free, overseas trip.
While I’m glad the anger has left the room, I can’t say I’m feeling overwhelmed by the reception toward me, as well as not at all welcomed. Other than Wally being as ass toward me, no one has even made eye contact with me.
My phone ringing gives me a reason to step out into the hallway. I wished for a reason to leave, and now I feel immediately guilty that I got it.
Gemma is calling me and, given the hour and the fact that she has never called me unless for work reasons, I don’t have a good feeling about this.
“Gemma?”
“Shannon is gone!” Her shrill voice cuts through my brain like nails on a chalkboard.
“What?”
“I went to pick her up from her psychologist’s. I was running two minutes late, and she’s not here!”
“Calm down,” I say gently, feeling her panic through the phone as if it’s vibrating through to me.
“Calm down?” Gemma shrieks. “Are you fucking for real? My baby sister is missing!”
“We don’t know that. Have you tried calling her?”
“Of course I’ve tried calling her! Her phone is off. Her phone is never off, Park.” There is a wobble in her voice.
“Have you called Jerry?”
“Yes. He said he would look into it. Fucking look into it!”
“Gemma!” I snap, aware she sounds close to hysterical. “Send me the address of the psychiatrist office. I’ll meet you there, and then we’ll spread out and search.”
Gemma hangs up on me, not uttering another word. Almost instantly, though, a message comes through with an address.
I glance up to find Scarlett standing in front of me. Her eyebrow is arched as she looks at me in confusion, the celebration of her parents and brother still echoing around us.
“I’m so sorry, but can we postpone this? Gemma needs some help, and I need to leave immediately.”
“I only got half of your conversation, so I might need a little more than that. She needs help with what?”
“Her sister is missing.”
“Shit,” she gasps, sympathy and concern in her eyes. “How old is she?”
“Um …” I try to think back to if I actually know. I think I did find out when we all discovered Gemma’s ulterior motive for becoming a P.I..
After two years in captivity, Lennox was finally discovered and freed. That was two years ago. She was maybe twenty-one or so when she was found, only nineteen when she was taken.
“I think she is twenty-three maybe?”
“Twenty-three! Are you sure she just doesn’t have a life? I’m pretty certain anyone, even family, would be trying to get away from Gemma if they could.”
I’m surprised Scarlett doesn’t know Gemm
a’s background. Surely, she was told about it? Or, at least has been told since joining our group? Then again, her and Nix came after those events.
“Sha—Lennox is different.”
“Her name is Sha-Lennox? Poor kid.”
“No. Look, can we talk and walk?” I ask, glancing back toward the living room.
“Right.” She turns around, poking her head into the living room. “Cynthia and I need to leave. Work emergency. I’ll call you later with details for our vacation. Can you please make sure Wally has his passport up to date?”
“Leaving? But I made your favorite,” Isla complains.
“Then make sure there are leftovers! Call you later!” Scarlett grabs my hand, saving me from having to give a no doubt awkward goodbye. After grabbing her coat off the rack, I realize I never took my own off or was offered to do so.
“This better be legit and not just Gemma trying to get in your pants,” Scarlett grumbles as she puts her seatbelt on when we get in my car.
I snort, knowing Scarlett definitely has the wrong end of the stick when it comes to that. Then I put the heater on as high as it will go and program the address into my navigation. We are only twenty minutes away.
“You don’t have to come with me if you’d rather stay.”
“Nah, we did what we came to do. I knew their reaction to you would be frosty. We got that first one out the way, so they’ll have warmed up a bit for the next time. I guestimate in about four more visits, they’ll be back to how they were before.”
My mouth drops open in shock. She’s speaking like she thinks there is a future here. I seriously hope she means that.
“Cynthia, spill already!”
I shake my head, trying to get it back in the game. “I only really know the highlights. I assume Zander knows a more in-depth version, but he’s not talking, and you know how open Gemma is about herself.”
“Then give me the highlights.”
“A few years ago, Shannon was into drugs. Then she went missing. Gemma found out she was being held by this guy who sold women to men. She dedicated herself to saving her sister and put herself through a lot,” I say, thinking back to when she worked as a topless waitress for Hart Clayton, the ringleader. “Anyway, you know the case when Teagan accidently on purpose drove that car into our office?”
I Blackmailed Her Brother Page 19