Page 93 of Playing for Keeps

They were pissed, of course. Especially Frankie. My father had insisted they not be interrupted, knowing that Frankie would cut their vacation short and come running back home. With Jen’s backing, James and Margie had agreed, which turned out fine until Frankie came back home.

The only thing that calmed Frankie’s rage was seeing that Jen and I were okay. My cousin broke down in tears when Jen told her what had happened, then hugged her so hard I was afraid my girl would never be the same.

Once I’d recovered, I noticed Jen getting antsy. I no longer needed her to dote on me the way she had when I was sick, and as I got back into my work, she floundered without an outlet. I’d suggested to Lee she take over his books, and she did so with enthusiasm. And when he ran across a case that looked like someone was embezzling from one of his clients, she was more than happy to help out.

She was a dog with a bone. Unwilling to leave it be until she figured it all out.

Mitch and I stepped onto the boardwalk, circling around to the chairs sitting under the restaurant canopy.

“Vinny!” Rose hopped from her chair when she saw me, and I met her halfway, rushing to her side.

“Rose, I’m so glad you made it.”

“Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t miss this for the world. And besides,” she said tossing a glance over her shoulder, “these two didn’t give me much choice.”

Will and Geoffrey rose to greet me, and I pulled both men into an embrace. “Thank you both. Hope she didn’t cause you too much trouble.”

“Oh, honey, are you kidding me? Rose is an absolute gem.”

Rose squeezed Geoffrey’s arm before turning back to me. Her fingers smoothed my collar before her hands settled on my shoulders. “I’m so proud of you, my boy. Even if it’s a little out of order, I have no doubt you’ll do it right.”

“Of course, I will,” I promised her, giving her one more hug.

Will put his arm around my shoulder, dragging me away from the others while Rose, Mitch, and Geoffrey took seats at their table.

“Any word?”

Will shook his head. “Still nothing. But that doesn’t mean we’ve stopped looking.”

A sigh left me, the tight clench of my chest causing me to cough. The guys had followed the car that brought Jen and Levi to the warehouse, but it had pulled into an underground parking garage, and Levi’s trail was lost.

We hadn’t given up.

We wouldn’t, not until the kid was found.

I had helped him once before, and I wasn’t going to let him down.

“Lee keeping the guys busy?” I asked, because I didn’t know what else to say. Levi’s disappearance was a sore spot in my chest that I could never rub away.

“It’s the other way around,” Will said, a crooked smile tilting his lips. “They’re keeping him on his toes, making sure things are done the right way. And helping him keep an eye on Kelly.”

“Good. That’s good.” That, too, hurt my heart. Jen had begged her friend to come with us, insisting she couldn’t do this without her. But Kelly wasn’t the same girl she’d been before. Whatever had happened to her had changed her, and Jen often cried over the loss of her friend.

“You doing okay?” Will asked as he glanced pointedly at my hand.

I lowered it from my chest, smoothing down my shirt. “Never better, never better.” A chuckle broke free and I licked my lips, my mind returning to Jen’s room. To the sweet swells of her body. The feel of her wrapped around me, pulsing and gripping as I fucked into my girl.

“There he is!” My father’s loud voice called out, yanking me out of my head and back into the gorgeous afternoon. “Vinny, my boy.”

He raked me into his arms, giving me a gentle slap on the back. “Hey, Dad.”

So much had changed between us in the past couple years. We’d broken down walls we’d built between us. We’d told each other things we’d been hiding, things we never meant to tell. And we’d both flourished because of it, opening our hearts and minds and growing closer than we’d ever been.

That closeness extended to my sister and Frankie as well. Our family had its issues, but we were learning that love heals.

“Where’s Margie?” I asked as Jen’s father, James, walked down the stairs with two umbrella drinks in his hands.

“Ah, she and Corey ran out to get some ice cream for Jen.”