Sixes & Sevens (Seven Hearts Book 1)

by Kelly, G. E.

  “When what, Jaycee?” Alec asked.

  “It doesn’t matter. Never mind. The important thing was I knew I couldn’t stay there. They wouldn’t let me even mention my father, there was no chance of me trying to help him. I’d been going to college where we lived in Independence, Missouri. I hadn’t been allowed to go to a four-year college where I could live on campus. I knew the only way I could help my dad was if I left. So, I waited till I turned eighteen, and started laying the foundation for my escape. I waited till they went to see Roger’s grandparents, and I arranged to go to a campus tour in Kansas City.”

  “But you didn’t go to Kansas. You came here,” Lee finished for her.

  “Exactly. But there’s a problem. They think I’m still enrolled for this semester back in Independence. They’ll be expecting me to be home when they get back Saturday. I had planned on telling them I was going to do another campus tour over the phone…but I hadn’t thought about classes starting back up at MCC on Monday. Now I need a cover story, or a way to hide, because it won’t take them long to figure out I’m gone.”

  “Will they know to look for you here?” Jonathan asked.

  “They might. I tried to seem interested in places on the other side of the state to throw them off my scent…but I have no idea if it will work. I’m legally able to make these decisions for myself now, but they’re still considered my guardians. Most people wouldn’t think twice before giving them my contact info if asked. I didn’t put them on any of the forms for UEM, but MCC had to send my transcripts, so it wouldn’t be hard to find out which school I went to. Plus, they know where my dad is being held…”

  “All right, first thing we need to do is get you a new phone. If they bought the other one, then they can have it traced. We’ll go shopping and get you a new one on our plan tonight before the shops close. Second, we need to destroy the one you have. It actually works in your favor that you’ve moved in with us, little flower,” Lee said.

  “Why is that?” she asked.

  “Because you’re registered as living in Muller dorm, but now you won’t be there,” Jonathan provided.

  “Let’s keep your contract with university housing for now. As long as the college thinks you’re living in Muller, there won’t be a paper trail leading to you living here.” Pulling Jaycee to her feet, Lee set her in his spot on the couch as he spoke.

  “I created half the university’s network and security systems, it would be a breeze for me to delete records if need be,” Sean offered.

  “Let’s avoid anything illegal for now. We need Jaycee in their system for the foreseeable future. She won’t be able to attend class if she drops from the rosters. If things escalate, then we might be forced to take drastic steps,” Lee replied.

  “We’ll need to keep an eye on her dorm,” Garrett said.

  “Right, someone will need to pick up her mail too,” Alec offered.

  “We’ll take shifts checking in at Muller. Jaycee, was there anyone at your dorm you met who might be a good contact?” Lee paced as he thought through their plan of action.

  “There’s a guy who works the front desk, his name is Jason. He said he’s usually working, and he knows everyone who lives there. He seemed nice. I think he would help us,” Jaycee said, trying to sound confident.

  “Good. We’ll need to have a chat with this guy tomorrow. He needs to be briefed on a few details so he knows what to look for. Hopefully, we can get him to pretend you’re still staying in the dorm if anyone asks.” Stopping before the couch again, Lee focused on Jaycee.

  “That might require Sara’s help too.” Her stomach sank as he spoke her thought aloud.

  “Sara has motivation to help us. We could get her kicked off campus for what she pulled. She’ll help, or else,” Marc growled.

  “He’s right, university policy forbids opposite-sex students sleeping in the same room. It’s hard to patrol, but they won’t ignore evidence if it’s brought to them,” Jonathan provided reassuringly.

  “So the plan is for me to hide out?” she asked.

  “For now that’s the best we can do, gorgeous. Since you’re considered their kid by the state, we don’t want to do anything to draw attention to you. So no making the dean’s list,” Alec teased her to lighten the mood.

  “Don’t confuse her. Your studies are very important, and you shouldn’t play dumb. If you make the dean’s list, we will celebrate.” Jonathan sat beside her on her right. He took her hand, and kissed it just above her knuckles.

  “I could even create a script that would generate a computer error if certain systems tried to access your files.” Sean was still trying to solve the computer issues.

  “You could do that?” she was amazed.

  “It would be a shorter list to tell you what he can’t do.” Garrett smiled, and brushed her hair over her shoulder. He’d been seated to her left.

  “Thanks, guys. I guess I really owe you one.” Jaycee felt a tug at her heart.

  “I’m sure you can find a way to make it up to us.” Alec wiggled his eyebrows making Jaycee giggle. Several sighs could be heard in the wake of her laugh.

  “Say something funny again, Alec,” Sean joked, causing another round of giggles.

  “Lovely,” Garrett said as Sean putting his phone away. He’d made another sound bite.

  “Send that to me,” Lee requested.

  “Me too,” Marc piped up.

  “I’ll send it to you all later,” Sean said, chuckling. Jaycee’s face was red in embarrassment, but she knew it was kind of sweet. She liked how much they loved her laugh. Even if it did cause her a bit of discomfort to be the center of attention.

  “All right, guys, let’s give Jaycee some time to turn back to her normal color,” Jonathan said with a laugh.

  “We need to get a move on anyway,” Lee stated, looking at his watch, “It won’t be long before the shops close, and we need to get that phone tonight. I’ll feel a lot better when her old sim card is destroyed.”

  “Do you have an idea what kind of phone you’d like?” Marc asked her.

  “Um…no?” She wasn’t sure what she should get. She’d only ever gotten the free ones before. She’d never owned a smartphone. “What kind do you have?”

  “We have Apple iPhones. That way we can easily sync our info and contacts. We also registered as a family, so we can share apps and tunes,” Sean answered for Marc.

  “All right, guys, let’s move out. Sean, we’ll take your Trailblazer so we can all ride together.”

  “Sure thing.” Sean helped Jaycee to her feet, and they all headed to the garage.

  Accismus (feigned disinterest in something you desire)

  January 5, 2016 — Riverton Mall

  The trip to the cell phone store had been quick. Selecting a phone…not so much. Even narrowing down the phones to iPhones, there were still several options. How much data should she get? Which size phone? Which model, the older cheaper one, or the latest greatest? She could get the 6s, or the 6s Plus, or they still had a few iPhone 6’s left. She didn’t know how much space she needed. She’d never had any large electronics, and not having friends or family around, she hadn’t taken photos or videos. Not having used digital data frequently, she wasn’t familiar with file sizes and storage capacity.

  “Larger-capacity phone is a must,” Sean stated as a fact.

  “Let Jaycee chose what she thinks she’ll need,” Jonathan argued.

  “I don’t think Jaycee knows how much she’ll need, right, gorgeous?” Alec added.

  “Um…not really. I don’t even own a digital camera,” Jaycee confessed.

  “You want to get as much space capacity as you can, because they lock you into a contract, so you won’t be able to switch phones without incurring extra fees,” explained Sean.

  “Yes, but I’ll pay for whatever she likes. If she wants a new one every month, I’ll make it happen,” Marc spoke with finality.

  “I don’t need anything expensive,” she said to Sean. Turning
to Marc, Jaycee said, “I won’t need a new one every month. I’ve only upgraded phones in the past when my battery gave out. You don’t need to buy me things to show me you care.”

  “Maybe not, but it makes me feel better,” Marc said, smiling cheekily.

  “Just wait till he takes you clothes shopping. You’ll be lucky to leave without buying the whole mall,” Alec teased.

  “Wait…we’re just getting phones, right?” Jaycee asked looking around at the guys. Sean looked at the ceiling suspiciously. Jonathan merely shrugged, and the others somehow found the phone cases on the opposite wall way more interesting than they had before.

  “You deserve to be treated special, Jaycee. I’ve been waiting years to do this. Just let me take care of you…please?” Pleading eyes bore down on Jaycee’s fragile resistance. She held eye contact, until she couldn’t take it any longer.

  “Okay! Okay! Uncle! Uncle! I’ll let you buy me a few things, but we’re not going crazy…. It would be nice to pick out a couple of things myself.”

  “What do you mean?” Sean asked suddenly reappearing by Jaycee’s side causing her to jump. The guys were like ninjas, the way they moved.

  “Didn’t you get to pick out your own clothes before?” Alec questioned her with a frown, coming to stand at her other side.

  “No. I was told what to wear by my foster parents. I rarely have gotten anything I felt represented my own style. Honestly…I’m not even sure I know what that is anymore,” she stated sadly.

  “No worries, Jaycee, love. We’ll help you figure it out.” Alec put his arm around her, and squeezed in a comforting side hug. She smiled at him in return, staring into his beautiful blue eyes.

  “Okay, back to the matter at hand. At least pick out the color and size. You should be able to handle that without much trouble. We can go with a general consensus on the rest. Sound fair?” Lee asked Jaycee.

  “Sure…um I like the rose gold color…uh…size…let’s go with the regular 6s, not the Plus. My pockets aren’t big enough to hold that thing. I don’t want to carry a purse everywhere I go,” she decided.

  “Great. I think we should get her the sixty-four gigabyte phone, it’s her first camera too. She should have all the space she needs to save stuff off. And, then she won’t need to worry about Marc buying her a new phone. By a show of hands, all in favor?” The guys all raised their hands, Jaycee put hers at half-mast, and swayed it around undecided. “The ayes have it. Let’s get her added to our plan, and get out of here before they try to make us buy a tablet too.”

  “That’s not a bad idea, you know,” pondered Marc.

  “Not today, lover boy. You’ll scare her off,” Lee stage-whispered, causing the guys to laugh, and Jaycee to blush.

  “Sorry, boys, I think you’re stuck with me now,” she teased back, surprising them.

  “I’d happily stick by you any time,” Garrett said quietly to her.

  “Me too,” Alec said, followed by a round of nods and grunts from the other guys. Jaycee blushed and tucked her chin. She was getting used to their attention in private, but in public it was a bit harder to accept.

  They filed out of the store, and back into the Trailblazer. Lee took Jaycee’s old phone, and passed it to Sean with her new one. “Copy over any info she needs; we need to destroy the old phone as soon as possible.”

  “No problem.” Sean had already began getting her iPhone set up. He didn’t touch any of the personalization settings—Jaycee should get to do that—but he did get her contacts and messages rolled over. Garrett pulled a bag from under one of the seats. It looked like a tool belt. He pulled a hammer out, and reached for Jaycee’s old phone. Sean double-checked the device for anything he’d missed, and passed it to Garrett. “Be sure to smash the SIM card thoroughly,” he instructed. Garrett hopped out of the car and quickly laid the phone on the ground. Jaycee winced as she watched Garrett smash her old device to pieces. Not one to litter, Garrett scooped up the mess and threw it in the store bag. They’d dispose of the refuse later. Now it was on to the shopping mall. Jaycee needed spoiling and they were just the guys to do it.

  Deciding on a store had been a trial. Each of the guys had wanted to contribute, but none of them were very well versed in women’s fashion, except Marc of course. They had started by dragging her into more expensive stores, but Jaycee refused to even look at the clothes after she’d seen the price tag on one shirt. After a bit of coercion, they got her into a department store. The prices weren’t as steep, though they were definitely more than Jaycee would normally spend on clothes. The guys wandered around each picking out one piece of clothing they felt suited her personality. Once done, they’d meet by the dressing room, and discuss their options.

  “Seeing as I’m the one with fashion expertise, I get the final say. Wow me,” Marc said with a laugh. The guys did wow Marc with their choices, but Jaycee hadn’t seemed thrilled. They’d picked out dresses and skirts. While their choices were cute, they weren’t exactly practical for walking around campus in the winter. They had managed to agree on one little black dress for formal occasions, but otherwise agreed to disagree. Jaycee persuaded them to try JCPenney. They could still find her cute clothes, but in a style she might find more acceptable, and at a price that wouldn’t make Marc’s pocketbook bleed cash.

  Shopping with the guys had a benefit Jaycee hadn’t anticipated. There were plenty of hands to hold her selections. Garrett volunteered first. He held a pile of skinny jeans that Marc assured her would suit her perfectly. Lee was loaded up with tops and tees of every color imaginable…except bubble gum pink. Sean held a basketful of unmentionables, he had proven he could be trusted with such a task. Alec helped Jaycee decide on some athletic wear, since he intended to teach her some moves. Jonathan couldn’t help but steer Jaycee toward girlier outfits. He saw the softer side of her, and wanted to see it reflected in her clothing. He picked out silky fabrics, in long skirts and dresses. At least her closet would have some variety finally.

  The dressing room area was more progressive than had been seen in the past. Right outside the door was a waiting area for the guys. They’d set up several televisions, playing the sports channels, set opposite a row of plush chairs. The guys offloaded their wares in the dressing room, and headed back out to get comfy. All except Marc, who boldly followed her straight into the dressing room.

  “What are you doing?” Jaycee asked, confused.

  “I’m going to help you decide on the clothes. Besides, I’m not sure I can trust you not to fib about trying everything on…especially the dresses,” he leveled an appraising look her way.

  “You’ve got me there,” she confessed sheepishly.

  “Yes, and I promise not to look,” he told her as he organized the clothes on the hooks about the spacious changing room.

  “I trust you,” Jaycee said in an even tone.

  “Good. Well, no time like the present.” He handed her the jeans and a tee to try on with them.

  “At least talk to me while I’m changing, it’ll make it less awkward,” she pleaded.

  “Okay. What do you want to talk about?” he asked.

  “Well, I haven’t seen you since…that night. What have you been doing since?” Jaycee pulled her top over her head, and glanced back to see that he was watching the floor, and not her body.

  “I told you I looked for you. The night you disappeared, no one would tell me where you’d gone. So, I started looking into it on my own. I even went to your house, and snooped around. I saved some of your family photos.” He tried to block out the sound of rustling fabric.

  Jaycee turned to face him covering her chest with her arms. “You saved my photos? Do you still have them?”

  “Yes, I’ve kept them safe for you,” he replied as Jaycee threw her arms around him. She was so grateful; she wasn’t thinking about her state of undress. Tears moistened her eyes. She could see her mother again. There weren’t words.

  “Marc, thank you. I can’t even…just thank you,” she mumbl
ed through her tears.

  “You’re welcome. I didn’t want you to lose that piece of yourself. I saw how much was left behind, and I didn’t think it was right. I couldn’t save it all, and I’m sorry for that,” he said, cautiously returning her hug.

  “It’s not your fault. With my father in prison, they sold off the house, and sent me away. I knew I’d never see the rest of our things again…I didn’t think they’d level our house though.” Jaycee sighed, mournfully pulling away.

  “That happened a couple of years later. The house changed hands a few times, but when the curiosity wore off, and no one wanted to live there…well, they demolished the house, and sold the land to a neighboring property owner…I lived with my grandparents until Lee left the military. That’s when I moved in with him. I’ve been modeling since I was a child. Since before we met actually. I just wasn’t really pursuing it until you disappeared. I wanted to find you, but I didn’t know where to start. I figured the best way to find you was to get a job that would get me out of this town and teach me about the world.”

  “How did you ever find me? I’ve never been on social media. I didn’t even have an email address until college.” Jaycee was confused.

  “Ask Sean. Everyone leaves a paper trail, but nowadays everyone leaves a footprint online as well. There were public records of course, and once you have one piece of the puzzle it’s easier to keep following the bread crumbs. You’re a hard one to track, but occasionally you’d win an award, or participate in just the right event, and I’d get news of where you were. It wasn’t much, but I did the best I could. Sean helped of course. Jonathan too, they’re brothers you know.”

  “Actual brothers? But they look nothing alike.” Confusion was written all over her face.

  “That’s because Sean’s adopted. He was an orphan before Jonathan’s parents adopted him. His mom died in childbirth and his dad was shot in the Middle East. The Kavanaghs are rich but absentee parents. They believed getting Jonathan a sibling would make up for their constant disappearing act.” Shaking his head, Marc looked into Jaycee’s eyes. “There’s not much left to tell. Without breaking laws, there wasn’t a way for me to help you while you were underage, and living with your foster family. I really am grateful you ran away.”