Tough Love
Page 103
He looked into her beautiful eyes, saw a hint of jealousy—and something more. “You need to trust me on this.”
Her gaze darted away. Stack didn’t entirely understand that reaction, but he’d figure it out soon. Right now, he had more important things to cover. “I want you both to be really careful. And sis, no contact with Phil, okay? If he shows up, call me. Or the cops. But stay away from him.”
“All right, but...” Desperate, she hugged herself. “I can’t believe Phil had anything to do with this.”
Stack wasn’t sure how to convince her. He’d seen his sister in a variety of dramatic roles, but this was different. The last time she’d appeared this fragile had been at his father’s funeral. In no way did he want to add to her grief.
“Everything was arranged through some small-time dope dealer. I don’t suppose you happen to know where Phil bought his weed?”
“I didn’t want to know.” Her fist hit the table, making Vanity jump. “I’m useless!”
Now, that was more like the old Tabby. She said things that made him reassure and compliment her.
Smiling, Stack gave her what she needed. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’ve taken a big first step, and I’m proud of you.”
“I should have asked more questions. I should have seen things sooner. We’d argued about his habit so many times. I hated it because it was a waste of money we didn’t have.” She stared at Stack. “Phil was—is—a jerk. But how could he be involved in this? The only money he had, he got from me, and I’d put him on a very small allowance over a month ago. I didn’t even give him cash for gas. I filled up the car myself.”
Vanity made a small sound, and Stack squeezed her hand. “I have no idea how much it might’ve cost, or where he could have gotten the money, but in my gut I know he was involved.”
Breathing fast, Tabby stood. Anger emanated from her, always preferable to the hurt. “Oh, God, if he did this, so help me—”
“Shh.” Stack stood, too. “We don’t know for sure yet, and until we do, you’ll promise to stay away from him. Understood?”
Hand shaking, she tucked her hair back and nodded. “I took the day off work. I just... I couldn’t face anyone there today. I’m going to talk to Mom next.”
“Do me a favor and stay the day with her, okay? If Phil comes back to the apartment, I don’t want you there alone.”
Giving him a sad smile, she said, “I kind of wanted my mom today anyway.”
Stack understood that. They were close, and whenever necessary, their folks had been there for them, always supportive, always the perfect backup.
He thought Tabby leaned on their mom far too often, but in this, he’d encourage it.
“You’re okay.” He cupped Tabby’s face. “You know that, right?”
“Yes.” She put a hand to her midsection, and the smile came unwillingly. “Yes, we’re both okay.”
Stack covered her hand with his own. “I’m going to be an awesome uncle.”
“Vanity and I already said so.” She gave him a hug, sniffled, hugged him more tightly, then stepped away. Shoulders back, she said, “I need to get going.”
“Me, too.” He was late enough now that he didn’t have time to indulge himself with Vanity. Probably for the best. He needed to share this new info with Cannon and the others as soon as possible. “I’ll walk you out, and then I need to get a move on.”
Vanity hugged Tabby in the kitchen but didn’t walk with them to the door. When Stack returned, she was at the table looking a little lost.
He lifted his half-empty coffee mug to finish it off. “You okay?”
One arm curled around her middle as if she might be getting sick. “Yes, I’m fine.”
She didn’t look fine. Far from it. “Are you ill?”
“No.”
Stack put the back of his hand to her forehead. “You’re not feverish.”
“Of course not.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “What will you do first?”
“Get to the rec center. Talk to the guys.” He rolled a shoulder and said as casually as he could, “I’ll give Whitney a call and arrange to see her after.”
Though she tried to hide it, he could see that Vanity didn’t like that idea. “You’ll see her in person?”
“Best way to tell if she’s being truthful when I ask her some pointed questions.” He slid right by that, not wanting her to put too much importance on it. He wasn’t, and never again would be, attracted to Whitney. “I’ll try to locate Phil, too, but I’m guessing he’ll be dodging me for a while.”
Her gaze darted away. Stack didn’t entirely understand that reaction, but he’d figure it out soon. Right now, he had more important things to cover. “I want you both to be really careful. And sis, no contact with Phil, okay? If he shows up, call me. Or the cops. But stay away from him.”
“All right, but...” Desperate, she hugged herself. “I can’t believe Phil had anything to do with this.”
Stack wasn’t sure how to convince her. He’d seen his sister in a variety of dramatic roles, but this was different. The last time she’d appeared this fragile had been at his father’s funeral. In no way did he want to add to her grief.
“Everything was arranged through some small-time dope dealer. I don’t suppose you happen to know where Phil bought his weed?”
“I didn’t want to know.” Her fist hit the table, making Vanity jump. “I’m useless!”
Now, that was more like the old Tabby. She said things that made him reassure and compliment her.
Smiling, Stack gave her what she needed. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’ve taken a big first step, and I’m proud of you.”
“I should have asked more questions. I should have seen things sooner. We’d argued about his habit so many times. I hated it because it was a waste of money we didn’t have.” She stared at Stack. “Phil was—is—a jerk. But how could he be involved in this? The only money he had, he got from me, and I’d put him on a very small allowance over a month ago. I didn’t even give him cash for gas. I filled up the car myself.”
Vanity made a small sound, and Stack squeezed her hand. “I have no idea how much it might’ve cost, or where he could have gotten the money, but in my gut I know he was involved.”
Breathing fast, Tabby stood. Anger emanated from her, always preferable to the hurt. “Oh, God, if he did this, so help me—”
“Shh.” Stack stood, too. “We don’t know for sure yet, and until we do, you’ll promise to stay away from him. Understood?”
Hand shaking, she tucked her hair back and nodded. “I took the day off work. I just... I couldn’t face anyone there today. I’m going to talk to Mom next.”
“Do me a favor and stay the day with her, okay? If Phil comes back to the apartment, I don’t want you there alone.”
Giving him a sad smile, she said, “I kind of wanted my mom today anyway.”
Stack understood that. They were close, and whenever necessary, their folks had been there for them, always supportive, always the perfect backup.
He thought Tabby leaned on their mom far too often, but in this, he’d encourage it.
“You’re okay.” He cupped Tabby’s face. “You know that, right?”
“Yes.” She put a hand to her midsection, and the smile came unwillingly. “Yes, we’re both okay.”
Stack covered her hand with his own. “I’m going to be an awesome uncle.”
“Vanity and I already said so.” She gave him a hug, sniffled, hugged him more tightly, then stepped away. Shoulders back, she said, “I need to get going.”
“Me, too.” He was late enough now that he didn’t have time to indulge himself with Vanity. Probably for the best. He needed to share this new info with Cannon and the others as soon as possible. “I’ll walk you out, and then I need to get a move on.”
Vanity hugged Tabby in the kitchen but didn’t walk with them to the door. When Stack returned, she was at the table looking a little lost.
He lifted his half-empty coffee mug to finish it off. “You okay?”
One arm curled around her middle as if she might be getting sick. “Yes, I’m fine.”
She didn’t look fine. Far from it. “Are you ill?”
“No.”
Stack put the back of his hand to her forehead. “You’re not feverish.”
“Of course not.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “What will you do first?”
“Get to the rec center. Talk to the guys.” He rolled a shoulder and said as casually as he could, “I’ll give Whitney a call and arrange to see her after.”
Though she tried to hide it, he could see that Vanity didn’t like that idea. “You’ll see her in person?”
“Best way to tell if she’s being truthful when I ask her some pointed questions.” He slid right by that, not wanting her to put too much importance on it. He wasn’t, and never again would be, attracted to Whitney. “I’ll try to locate Phil, too, but I’m guessing he’ll be dodging me for a while.”
