Highways & Hostages (6 page)

“Sweetie, you are a beautiful, intelligent, worldly young human being. If this dragon lady doesn’t see it, her loss. Mothers-in-law are overrated,” Lisa offered. “And as for this Derek character, if you love him, I already know he’s some kind of special.”

Stella was shocked. “Well, thanks, Mom. I’ll let you go now.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Stella said. She hung up, and with a smile, she grabbed her wedding binder.

That night, Finn sat in his usual booth at the Leaky Stein, but instead of Alex joining him, his companion was Billy. Finn had just given Billy a summary of his conversation with Julian, careful not to mention the resulting conversation with Alex. If Finn said anything about approaching Alex first, Billy would never agree to help.

Billy smirked. “That sucks. What are you going to do?”

“Well, that’s kind of why I asked you here. I need your help.”

Billy jutted his chin out. “You need
my
help? Oh, that’s right. Alex is out of commission, so I’m all you’ve got.”

Finn swallowed. He didn’t want to inflate the kid’s ego any more, but he really needed Billy’s help. “You know Alex would never knowingly defy Julian—”

“Of course not. He would never upset dear old Dad. Isn’t he supposed to be thirty years old?”

Finn massaged his temples. Could Billy make this any harder for him?

“Here are your drinks, gentlemen,” Stella cut in with her smile and bouncing pigtails. “You guys ready to order?”

“I’m sorry, could we have a little more time?” Finn asked.

“No problem,” Stella said. “I’ll give you guys a sec.”

The guys looked at the menus in silence for a couple of minutes before Billy spoke up.

“This whole thing seems like a lot of trouble. Why don’t you just tell Dad no?”

“Failure’s not an option,” Finn replied. And for him it wasn’t. If he let Julian down and was cast out, sure he could go back to Florida, but what would he do there? It wasn’t like he had any kind of training or skill for some desk job. He didn’t even
want
a desk job. And there was no way he was going back to cleaning out pools.

“Could you borrow a car?” Billy asked.

Finn thought for a moment. “You know, Billy. That’s not a bad idea. But from where?”

“Ask a friend. Oh, wait, Alex and I are your only friends.”

Finn glared at Billy as Stella reappeared. “Ready?” she asked.

“Ready,” Billy declared, ignoring Finn’s death glare. “Barbecue chicken flatbread.”

“And you?” Stella asked Finn after jotting down Billy’s order. Her blue eyes twinkled mischievously as she smiled at him. For some reason Finn found himself smiling back at her. And then an idea bloomed.

“Bacon cheeseburger with waffle fries,” he murmured, his eyes not leaving hers.

Stella colored slightly under his stare and cleared her throat. “Gotcha.” She jotted it down and sauntered away with a smile. Finn’s eyes followed her before moving back to Billy’s. A slow smile spread across his face.

“The waitress,” he said to Billy.

“What about the waitress?”

“I’m gonna get her to help me. She’s gotta have a car.”

“Why would she help you?” Billy asked. “You’re just some guy she serves beer to.”

Finn’s face fell. “That’s the part I haven’t figured out.”

Billy stared over Finn’s shoulder toward the bar’s entrance. “Aha!”

Finn turned around in the seat to see Stella’s kid sister walking toward her. He turned back to Billy. “How is her sister going to help me? I don’t even know her.”

Billy shrugged. “Kidnap her or something. I don’t know. You saw the way they were going at it last time we were here; chicks live for drama. But dudes are totally different. Like, if somebody kidnapped Alex, I’d totally send ’em a six-pack or something.”

Finn raised his eyebrows. “That is the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.”

Billy scowled. “Well, what else have
you
come up with?”

Finn drummed his fingers on the table and used his other hand to wipe the sweat beading on his brow. Billy’s idea wasn’t the greatest, but Finn was running out of time.

“It’s not like
I
can kidnap her and leave her somewhere.”

“And that’s where I come in. I’ll ask her out. She’s not gonna turn down a date with an older man.” Billy puffed up his chest and ran a hand through his faux hawk, spiking it up. Finn rolled his eyes and stifled a retort.

“This is a stupid idea,” he said again. But it’s not like they would harm the sister or anything. Billy could just keep her occupied for an extended period of time in order to get Stella to cooperate. And Finn would make it worth her while. The payoff from the job would be big—he could give her some of the money. “You really think it could work?”

Billy shrugged. “If anybody can make it work, I can.”

Finn took a swig of beer. He wasn’t so sure about that, but he was desperate. He gave a slow, single nod. “Be cool. She’s just a kid, okay? Just take her to a movie or something, and then back to my place. Can you do that without arousing suspicion?”

Billy grinned and leaned back against the booth seat. “Relax, dude. I’m on it.”

Finn was still doubtful. He wanted to give Billy further instruction on dealing with the sister, but he knew how Billy chafed against rules. At least Finn was making progress.

Stella took slow, deep breaths and counted to ten while balancing a large tray of food on her forearm. Phoebe followed close on her heels in high-waisted leopard print shorts belted over a black tank top with a sweetheart neckline. An unbuttoned see-through black blouse fluttered over the ensemble, and a black velour fedora completed the look. Even though Stella thought Phoebe was trying too hard, she had to admit that somehow she made the ridiculous outfit work. From the looks on some of the male patrons’ faces, Phoebe was working it a little
too
well.

“Stella, I’m not asking your permission; I’m a grown woman. I’m telling you that I’m going to Tijuana tomorrow.” Phoebe stopped her tirade and stood a few feet away as Stella delivered the food to a family of four. Stella turned back to Phoebe, who leaned against the bar with her arms folded over her chest, her lower lip pushed out.

“Being seventeen doesn’t make you an adult. Besides, what am I supposed to tell your mom and dad if they call?”

Phoebe put her hands on her hips. “Why would they call you? You haven’t talked to Dad in months. Anyways, I have a cell phone. They know how to reach me and so do you.”

Phoebe didn’t know it, but she’d hit one of Stella’s sore spots—Stella hadn’t spoken with her father in years. She put her own hands on her hips and inched closer to Phoebe.

“You. Are. Not. Going. To. Mexico. Alone. Haven’t you heard about tourists being kidnapped and held for ransom, Phoebe? What happens if you get held for ransom? I’m broke. In fact, I’d tell them to keep you.”

Phoebe groaned in frustration and stamped her foot. “You can’t treat me like a little kid. I’m seventeen!”

“Well, act like it!” Stella shouted. Bar patrons and diners at the surrounding tables turned toward the sisters. Stella blushed and smoothed down her apron. “Look, Phoebe,” she began in a low, pleading tone. “We’ll talk about this later at home, okay? Maybe we could plan a trip for the two of us? We could go to a spa—”

“Never mind,” Phoebe spat. She turned on her heel and stalked out of the bar.

Stella slumped against the counter.

“Aren’t they just a barrel of laughs at this age?” Valerie asked, putting a hand on Stella’s shoulder.

“I thought you were an only child.”

“Oh, I am. But your sister is amusing.”

“Glad you think so,” Stella said. “You want her?”

“Absolutely not,” Valerie replied. She glanced over Stella’s shoulder and her eyes widened. “Watch out!”

Faux Hawk had collided with another customer in his haste to get to the bar’s exit. He had the nerve to look affronted before continuing.

“Are you okay?” Stella asked. “He’s such an ass.”

“Yeah,” Valerie replied. A devilish grin slid over her face. “But I can’t say I would have minded if it had been his hot-stuff brother.”

Stella frowned, then shrugged. “Yeah, normally he and Blondie are attached at the hip, but he didn’t come in tonight.”

Valerie sighed, sending her bangs skyward. “Such a shame. I could’ve used some eye candy during tonight’s shift.”

Stella rolled her eyes. “Don’t you have enough men to juggle as it is? You have a one-track mind.”

Valerie smiled prettily. “Don’t hate the player; hate the game.” She winked.

Stella pushed away from the counter and visited the kitchen to check on the guys’ food. She piled it on an empty tray, and as she deposited it on the table, she asked, “Anything else I can get you guys?”

“Actually, I have a question for you,” Finn said. “It’s Stella, right?”

Stella nodded and raised an eyebrow.

“You’re here every time we stop by. Do you ever take any time off?”

Stella’s smile faltered almost imperceptibly before she beamed brighter. “I enjoy my job. I consider a lot of my regular customers my friends. Besides, I have no idea what I’d do with free time on my hands.”

“So you’ll be here tomorrow?” Finn asked.

Stella’s eyes narrowed slightly. Why was he asking? “Yes. The morning and afternoon shift,” she said. “I’ve got to go check on my other tables. You guys take your time.”

Back behind the bar, Valerie was filling a pint glass. Stella pinched her arm to get her attention.

“Ouch! What was that for?”

“Blondie just asked me if I take time off, and
then
he asked if I was working tomorrow.”

Valerie’s eyes widened and her mouth formed an O. She leaned over the counter to see the guys. “Maybe he’s secretly in love with you, but he’s extremely shy and he’s finally worked up the nerve to ask you out!”

Stella grabbed Valerie by the back of her dirndl and pulled her away from the counter. “Stop that. Besides, his friend Mr. Hot Stuff commented on my ring the other day.”

Valerie clasped Stella’s hands in hers, a manic gleam in her eye. “He realized that if he doesn’t make his move now he’ll lose his chance!”

Stella extricated her hands from Valerie’s death grip and laughed uneasily. “You’re insane!”

Valerie put her hands on her hips. “And you love me all the more for it.” She grabbed the pint glass and turned to Stella with uncharacteristic soberness. “Ever since you’ve been back, working here and dating Derek, you’ve been…kind of boring. I know you’re worried about money and Phoebe, and making Derek happy, but you should be doing something to make
yourself
happy.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Dr. Valerie,” Stella said lightly. She was surprised to receive Valerie’s advice, given that she wouldn’t admit to anyone, including herself, that after two years in the same place, focusing on the drudgery of everyday adulthood, she was itching for adventure. She told herself and her mother that it was time for her to put down roots—that settling down was what she wanted. She looked down at the engagement ring she was absentmindedly twisting around her finger.

Billy blew out of the front entrance of the Leaky Stein, his head swiveling left and right as he searched for the waitress’s sister. Alex and Finn didn’t think he could do anything right, but this was his chance to prove them wrong. In fact, with Alex injured in bed, and Finn in major trouble, this might be his time to shine.

He spotted her leaning against the building, one hand holding an unlit cigarette, the other rummaging through her pockets. Billy reached into his own pocket and produced a lighter. He held it out.

She accepted the lighter with a sniffle. “Thanks.”

A lone tear raced down her cheek, mascara tracking its progress. She handed back the lighter and Billy pulled out an engraved silver cigarette case. He lit his own cigarette and returned the case to his pocket. He took a puff of his cigarette and exhaled, staring straight ahead.

“I’m Will.”

She sniffed and quickly swiped at her face. “Phoebe.”

“I like your hat.”

“Your hair’s cool.”

Billy grinned to himself. Alex had laughed when he’d first gotten the haircut, but Billy didn’t care much what Alex thought. All that mattered was what the ladies thought.

“So, why’s a hot girl like you crying alone out here?”

“It’s nothing. My sister—half sister—and I just got into a stupid fight. She thinks I’m still a child.”

“But you’re not,” Billy said matter-of-factly. He knew the feeling. Even though he, Alex, and Finn were all adults now, he often still felt as out of the loop as he had as a teenager. When he came home from boarding school for winter or summer breaks and wanted to hang out with the two older guys, they would shut Alex’s bedroom door in his face. They’d say they were “discussing business” and hole up there for hours. “You don’t look like a kid to me.”

“Exactly! I’m not.” Phoebe scrubbed at one of the mascara tracks. “It’s so annoying. We fight about everything. She acts like she has to babysit me. God, I don’t know why I’m telling you all this stuff.” She turned her head away and took a drag from her cigarette.

“Sometimes strangers are the easiest people to talk to,” Billy said. “Sometimes you just need someone to listen.”

Phoebe glanced up at Billy and gave him a small grin. “My parents always told me never to talk to strangers. Stranger danger and all that.”

Billy smiled and opened his arms wide. “Do I look dangerous to you?”

Phoebe studied his face and didn’t answer, but a smile played over her lips.

Time to reel her in
, Billy thought. Now that he knew her weakness, he could manipulate it. If there was one skill Billy had mastered, it was manipulating situations to meet his needs—except when it came to his dad, Alex, and Finn, of course. They were able to read him like a cheap tabloid magazine.

“How old are you, anyway?” Billy asked, bringing his cigarette to his mouth. “Twenty-two? Twenty-three?”

He was rewarded with a big smile. “Actually…I’m nineteen.”

Up close, it was clear she couldn’t be any older than seventeen. Alex had correctly pegged her as jailbait. He almost felt sorry for the girl; this was too easy. “Nineteen looks good on you.”