Casanova In Training (28 page)

With a frustrated groan, she got to her feet, folded up the Galveston star quilt, and headed back inside, water in hand. She was hungry. While the microwave heated up her supper, she opened a small salad. She was eating a salmon fillet with lemon pepper seasoning, topped with a mixture of capers, sautéed in olive oil and butter, and miniature pear tomatoes. Served on a bed of rice pilaf.

She sat at her table and ate a quiet and solitary meal. She cleaned up and had been reading for about an hour when she got up to put on the kettle for tea. The doorbell made her pause before she sighed and made her way there.

“Yes?” she said, opening the door on the night that had grown considerably windier and colder.

Her father stood there, his expression completely neutral. She immediately stepped back and allowed him to enter. Closing the door behind him, she watched him shrug out of his light jacket and hang it up before facing her.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, unsure as to why he’d stopped by.

He stared at her in surprise. “Yes, why?”

“Because you came here.”

“Is it a bad time?”

She moved by him and walked back to her kitchen. “No. I was reading and about to make a cup of tea. May I fix you one as well?”

“Please.”

Jaydee didn’t look over her shoulder, knowing he would follow her. So she busied herself with getting another mug down and scooping the proper amount of loose tea into the infuser.

“I was asked by NASA if you were available to come help them with their electrogravitics.”

“Of course.” Her response came automatically.

“They’d like to see you as soon as possible.”

“A lander?” she asked, referring to a moon or planet lander.

“That’s what I was led to believe.”

She nodded absently. As she poured the steaming water from the whistling teapot, her mind reviewed the first time she had watched the videos of the Apollo moon lander taking off from the surface of the Earth’s moon. Even to her young mind—and despite all she’d read about the 1969 Apollo 11 mission and the denial of the use, and/or application, of EG—she’d taken special notice and spotted indications of the truth. The lander had never had to slowly gain speed similar to a rocket—no, it had
popped
up at full speed instantly.

A vehicle utilising EG could accelerate from twenty to two hundred miles per hour in a mere two seconds. Even more impressive, since EG not only made its own gravity, cancelling the Earth’s, it also cancelled inertia. So that same vehicle wouldn’t even cause the pilot to spill his coffee during the short yet extreme acceleration.

She loved EG and trying to find more everyday applications. Hard to do that with a concept that had belonged to black ops for more than half a century and was just becoming more prominent in the public eye.

Covering the mugs, she stared at her father. “Texas?”

“No. You’d be going to Virginia.”

NASA Langley Research Center, LaRC. Hampton, Virginia. It wouldn’t be all bad, she’d be close to Lexy. Well, closer than she was now, and she could really use her friend near. And she was curious as to why they wanted her there—it was well known that the LaRC focused primarily on aeronautical research, although the Apollo lunar lander had been flight-tested there along with a number of high-profile space missions being planned and designed on-site.

“When do I need to leave?”

“They’d like you there by the end of the week.”

“And how long will this be for?”

“Plan for a few months.”

She sighed. Another few months away from home. She loved her house and the peace it brought her. Unfortunately, as of late, she had not been spending much time there.

“Okay.”

“They have housing ready for you so there’s no need to locate and secure an apartment.”

One less thing for her to deal with. “Very well. I’ll make flight arrangements tomorrow.”

She removed the lids and slid his cup of tea over to him. He took it with a nod of gratitude and they drank in silence. After he’d finished, Dr Thompson left and she cleaned up and went back to reading her book. She climbed into bed early after sending a short email to Lexy announcing her impending arrival in Hampton.

Late the next morning, she packed her clothes for her few months of being in Virginia. Her flight had been set for tonight and she even had a taxi lined up to get her and take her to the airport. She’d called Langley and they had given her the address of her temporary housing. The house phone rang and she picked it up without sparing a glance at the caller ID.

“Hello?”

“When do you arrive? I’ll be there to pick you up.” Lexy’s familiar voice responded to her greeting.

“I leave here around six and don’t get in until two-thirty in the morning. You don’t have to pick me up. I’ll take a taxi.”

“Pshaw. I’ll drive down and meet you. I’m used to all hours anyway. Just as long as you let me crash with you at your new place.”

“Of course. I mean, I have no idea what kind of accommodation they’re giving me but you are welcome to stay.”

“I don’t care. I have to go, have a surgery to prep for. I will see you tonight.”

“Thanks, Lexy.”

“No reason to thank me, hon, you’re my best friend. Besides, I miss you and will take any opp I can to see you.” A short pause. “I’ll see you soon. I have to get this man out of my house and get to work. Love you, hon.”

“Bye, Lex. Love you too.” She hung up and shook her head. It would be good to see her even though Lexy had just been out to visit her a short while ago.

Not much later, she had three boxes packed, sealed and addressed. They would be sent to her so she’d not have to worry about hauling it all on the plane, only her carry-on.

Two men from the lab swung by and picked up the boxes and she then began to pack her final bag. She ate a late lunch and waited outside for her ride to arrive. Once on the plane, she stowed her bag, sat in her window seat, and rested her head while waiting for the spiel from the flight attendants.

She didn’t sleep well and disembarked feeling more than a bit cranky. All that vanished when she left the restricted area to find both Lexy and Eugene waiting for her. It was a sight that made her smile.

Arm in arm, the trio headed out to the parking garage where she saw Eugene’s bike beside his sister’s car. She tossed her bag in the back seat of the Spyder and tried to work out the kinks in her back.

“Why didn’t you all ride in together?” she asked Lexy as they headed for the gate, Eugene behind them on his Dark Custom Blackline.

“He was up here and decided to come meet you as well. Me? I think he kinda likes you.”

She glanced in the side mirror at the large man behind them. Eugene was handsome enough but not the one her body ached for night after night.

“He’s like a brother to me.”

“I know. I’ve tried to tell him but he does his own thing. Always has. Even told him about Ivan asking you to marry him. Waiting to hear all about that too, little missy. And also I want to know what Gio wanted with all those calls.”

“I’ve not told Ivan anything and I haven’t talked to Gio.” She shifted on the seat. “I’m scared to talk to him.”

“Why?” Lexy slowed down as they entered Hampton and headed for the apartment. “He wouldn’t have called so many times if he didn’t want to talk to you.”

“Right here on the left.” She pointed and Lexy turned in the drive to a brick duplex. “It’s not that simple anymore, Lex.”

Lexy parked and shut off the engine. With the door open and the overhead light illuminating her, she sighed as she unbuckled her belt. “And why not? Damn it, Jay, I’ve told you so many times you deserve a life and I
know
you like him. So what makes it so damn difficult for you to talk to the man?”

Jaydee chewed on her lower lip for a few ticks of time. Removing her own belt, she swallowed and met Lexy’s disapproving gaze head on. “I think…well, I mean, there is a chance I could be pregnant.” Jaydee climbed out of the car, shutting the door on Lexy’s sputtering.

Chapter Eighteen

Gio sat in the uncomfortable, cracked plastic chair as he waited in the sterile reception room for the person he’d had paged. There were no magazines, no newspapers, hell, no anything for a person to pass the time. He’d asked for Jaydee, only to be informed she wasn’t here. The woman wouldn’t share anything other than that, so he’d asked for Dr Thompson instead.

Guess they don’t get many visitors here.
The accommodations surely weren’t recommending coming back for another visit. Still, the woman behind the glass was nice and she’d even offered him some coffee. He’d declined but at least he’d been asked.

He’d shown his identification more than once and still waited. All the people he saw wore sombre expressions along with their lab coats. Perhaps it was a prerequisite to work here.

A large white door with a red sign reading ‘Authorised personnel only past this point’ swung open and Dr Thompson stepped through. The man was impeccably dressed, as he’d been at the test facility. Hell, he wondered if the man ironed his lab coat.

Brisk steps echoed as Dr Thompson walked with authority towards him. At the last moment, Gio rose. He held out a hand and said, “Dr Thompson, thank you for seeing me.”

“What is the meaning of this?” Dr Thompson demanded, ignoring Gio’s outstretched hand.

Licking his lower lip, Gio wiped his hand off on his pants, not liking how this had already begun to play out.

“I’m sorry, sir. I came to see Jaydee but she isn’t here, or so I’m told. I need to talk to her.”

“This is a working lab. We don’t have time for idle chitchat.”

Gio ground his jaw and strove for patience. He’d put in for time off and had finally figured out where this lab was located. Now that he’d arrived, he had found more walls and hurdles before him. Damn it! He wanted Jaydee. And no one, not even her father, was going to stop him from accomplishing his goal.

“I’m not looking for idle chitchat. I’m looking for your daughter.”

Beyond the glass partition he watched as the woman’s head popped up, eyes wide, at his statement. Hmm, perhaps no one else knew. Dr Thompson’s brown eyes narrowed slightly and his nose flared.

A deep, dark part of Gio longed to needle the man who had seen fit to raise his child as a co-worker as opposed to his daughter. However, he wasn’t a fool. He knew Dr Thompson’s assistance was necessary if he were to find Jaydee. So he tried again.

“Just tell me where she is and I’ll go.”

“I could have you removed.”

“And I’ll keep coming back.” He meant it.

“Ordered you shot on sight is another option.”

Gio didn’t even blink. “If that’s what you have to do. I’m not giving up.”

A few moments of charged silence passed between them before Dr Thompson pivoted around. “Come.”

Jaydee’s father strode towards the door he’d recently come through. On his heels immediately, Gio followed him through and sucked in a breath at the numerous wall-mounted guns that were trained on them. The weapons rotated in time with their progress down the corridor.

Shit. They aren’t playing here.

The good doctor didn’t seem to even notice them but, then, this was his lab. A few doors, a short elevator ride and some stairs later, Gio stuck with Dr Thompson as he entered another room. One Gio presumed to be his office. There had been no nameplate for identification purposes, no anything to indicate what—or who—resided behind the door.

It was a nice room. Small prototypes were scattered all around. A large desk sat in the middle, some bookcases lined the windowless walls, and there were a few chairs. Gio sat in one after Dr Thompson lowered himself into the one behind his desk.

Arms resting on the smooth dark top of the desk, Jaydee’s father asked, “Why are you looking for Jaydee?”

“Can I just talk to her?”

He shrugged. “She’s not here, as I know you were informed.”

Gio forced himself to remain relaxed. “Can you tell me where I can find her?”

“I could.”

He sensed a ‘but’ coming and didn’t say anything.

“However, I think you should tell me what you want with her.”

Yep. It was official. He was going to kill the man who would be his father-in-law. Gio itched to reach across the wood and beat him until he told him what he longed to know.
Probably wouldn’t work very well in my favour.
So he stayed put in his seat, the look on his face one of calm.

“With all due respect, sir, that’s between me and Jaydee.”

“Well, then call her.”

“I have.” Numerous times without anything.

“And? Did she tell you where she was?”

There was this smugness in his gaze that told him he knew damn well Jaydee hadn’t even talked to him. “We both know she hasn’t talked to me. If she would speak to me, I wouldn’t be here letting you get your rocks off by trying to make me squirm.”

“And, yet, here you are.”

“Here I am.” He shifted on the seat. “You said you were busy. Tell me what I came for and I’ll leave.”

The man lowered his head for a second before lifting it and pinning him with serious brown eyes. “Tell me
why
I should help you.”

Because I love your daughter.
“As I said, that’s between me and Jaydee.”

“The first day we met you ploughed your fist into my face. Why?”

He blinked, a bit taken aback by the shift in conversation. “I was drunk and made a mistake.”

One eyebrow rose. “Is that so? Jaydee said something similar and I believe you as much as I did her.” Thompson laced his fingers. “What’s going on between you and her?”

“What do you care?” Gio snapped, at the end of his rope. “You’re the one who raised her like she was a fuckin’ commodity. Only good for one thing and that was making you look good. Do you even know the meaning of family? She’s your daughter, man, would it kill you to show her that you’re proud of her? Or that you love her?”

“Have you told her you love her?” Dr Thompson asked after a brief pause.

“No, but then how can I? You won’t tell me where the fuck she is!” He shoved to his feet and began to pace.