Sixes & Sevens (Seven Hearts Book 1) (9 page)

The next morning, the sun rose like every other day, but the world felt different to Jaycee. It could have had something to do with the handsome men asleep on the floor at her bedside, or maybe it had more to do with the desire burning in her heart. Today she would find the Wallners. No more waiting, she finally could find her father’s friends, and begin to bring justice to the people who framed him, while getting him released from his wrongful sentence. Last night she had dreamed of setting her father free. Her dream had been empowering. It had made her feel like she could do anything if she only tried.

Rising from bed, Jaycee grabbed her journal from under the mattress, and hid it in her bag. She gathered her clean-up kit and a fresh set of clothes, another sweater and jeans combo. Garrett’s eyes met hers from the floor.

“Sneaking out, Jaycee?” he teased her, causing her to jump.

“Ha, ha, ha. I’m going to head to the bathrooms down the hall and get cleaned up,” she replied.

“If you wait, you can get a hot shower at our place. There are several bathrooms and we have an amazing water heater…it takes a lot to run out of hot water,” Garrett said.

“I can just pop down and…” Jaycee said.

“We have a tub and you can take a nice soak. No one will bother you.” He couldn’t have picked a better argument.

“Okay, you found my weakness. I’ll just pull on a hoodie, and keep the hood up,” Jaycee agreed.

“Why’s that?” he asked.

“So no can see my dirty hair. I’m sure I look an utter mess.” She felt dirty, and she’d not been properly showering lately due to all the chaos. It just felt wrong, but the lure of a warm bath was strong, so she relented.

Garrett turned to find Lee watching them. He was so stealthy. Even after years of knowing him, he still managed to surprise the guys frequently. Neither of them had heard him move to sit up, or felt his eyes on them. It was almost creepy, but he was just too good of a guy for anyone to be too upset about it. His skills often came in handy as well. After his enlistment was over, Lee hadn’t been ready to let go of his mission to save those who couldn’t save themselves, so he formed a private contracting business working for the government and freelancing for civilians in need. The work wasn’t always steady, but it kept the guys on their toes. They were all involved, all six of them. It was partly why they lived together. It was easier to drop everything, and go on a mission when home base was your house.

Lee helped Garrett to stand, and took the sheet to fold it. He began repacking the items in Jaycee’s bag, including the bedding from her bunk. “If we’re showering at the house, we might as well get the bags loaded up and head out. I’ll text the others and see if anyone can bring a car over. Why walk across campus with the bags if we don’t need to? Alec won’t be up for a couple of hours, but Sean and Jonathan should be moving around by now. Maybe we can get them to fix you some breakfast while they’re at it,” Lee suggested.

“I thought you said you guys didn’t cook well?” Jaycee questioned.

“Well, maybe not elaborate foods, but we can handle eggs and toast,” Garrett answered for Lee.

“Sean isn’t a bad cook; he just gets easily distracted. Jonathan is actually an excellent chef, but he’s just too busy to provide the majority of our meals. Since classes haven’t started yet, their schedules are a bit laxer. It’ll be fine, little flower.” Lee patted her head, and pulled out his cell.

Lee: Bringing Jaycee back to the house now.

Sean: Did Sara not show?

Lee: No sign of the roommate, but that works in our favor. We get the girl.

Jonathan: So she agreed to live with us?

Lee: Yes. We’ve got her bags packed, but I don’t want her to walk the campus this morning. Jonathan, can you make her some breakfast? Sean, I want you to grab one of the more spacious cars and pick us up.

Jonathan: Eggs, bacon, toast?

Lee: Sounds good. You coming, Sean?

Sean: Already pulling out of the garage, boss.

Lee: Good. We’ll meet you out front.

“Sean’s on his way, the way he drives he’ll be here in three. Garrett you take her duffle; I’ve got her suitcase.” Turning fully to Jaycee he said, “Jonathan’s fixing you some breakfast: eggs, bacon, and toast. That’s okay, right?”

“Yes, that sounds great.” Jaycee blushed at her stomach’s growling response. The guys chuckled.

“All right then, let’s move out.” Lee grabbed her suitcase, and held open the door for the others. They filed out and headed down the hall. Lee lifted her suitcase down the stairs, like it was packed with feathers instead of most of her worldly possessions. Jaycee couldn’t help but admire the muscles in his arm bunching as he moved. How did she get so lucky? Maybe her past unluckiness had finally turned around? Just maybe, she’d suffered so much with her foster family so she would deserve a better life now. She certainly prayed that was the case, it would hurt too much to have this new family ripped away too.

Just as they headed out the front double doors, Sean pulled up in a black Chevrolet Trailblazer. “I hear there’s a damsel in distress calling for a coach,” he said, leaning his head out the driver window.

He smiled shyly as he opened the door. Lee and Garrett stowed Jaycee’s bags in the back, while Sean opened the front passenger door for Jaycee, and buckled her in. She really did feel like a princess. Hopefully their spoiling of her wouldn’t go to her head.

“All set?” Sean made sure the guys were buckled up, and Jaycee settled before he whipped out of his parking spot, and headed back toward their house. Jaycee held onto her seat with a tight grip as his speed increased. She watched the road, but his skill was on par. While she wouldn’t call his breakneck speed comfortable, he drove with definite skill. She forced herself to release the seat, and relax. Using the mirrors, she observed the guys in the back row. They didn’t seem uncomfortable with Sean’s speed. They merely looked bored.

“Is Alec awake yet?” Jaycee asked Sean.

“No, he usually doesn’t rise until ten—or after—when he doesn’t have somewhere to be. Plus, he had his hockey game last night so he was up late. We’ll make sure he gets up to join us for breakfast. You can use my bathroom to get cleaned up, if you’d like. It opens into Alec’s room too, but both doors have locks.” He spoke normally, but didn’t take his eyes from the road.

“Okay, I just wondered. I feel bad I missed his game. Are you sure we should wake him? I’d hate to wake the whole house up just for me,” Jaycee said nervously.

“Don’t worry about it, little flower. He understood. You’ll be living with us now, that makes you part of the family. And this family doesn’t stand on ceremony. We’re always there for one another when someone’s in need,” Lee piped up from the backseat.

“That must be nice.” Jaycee turned in her seat to face the back. “You can count on me now too. I don’t want to be a charity case. I’ll do my part, and help out however I can. I know I’m not as skilled as all of you but—”

“You have skills, Jaycee. Maybe you haven’t figured out what they are, but that doesn’t make you—or them—any less valuable.” Garrett seemed upset by Jaycee’s critique of herself. She wasn’t sure how to respond. She’d never been chastised for speaking poorly of herself before.

Lee chimed in, “Skills can be taught, Jaycee. Besides we already discussed some of the ways you can contribute. The guys would be thrilled to have another pair of hands to help out at the house. Beyond that, the house could use a female presence. Someone to level out all the testosterone.” He smiled at her, and reached forward to squeeze her hand reassuringly. That was his job as leader, keep everyone on task, sure, but also making sure everyone believed in their own value. He would have to put in more work with Jaycee. Her foster families had made her believe she wasn’t worth anything. Lee fantasied about getting his hands on those people and teaching them a lesson.

“Even if you couldn’t contribute, we’d still be lucky just to be in your company.” Sean comforted her as best as he could without removing his hands from the wheel. A fast driver he was; suicidal he was not.

January 5, 2016 — Lambert–St. Louis International Airport

Marc stepped off the airplane, practically marching down the jet bridge, and into the terminal. While he hadn’t knocked anyone out of his way yet, he had been tempted. Why must people always go so slow when you’re in a hurry?! His angel had been found! Jaycee was at UEM! He’d trust his family with his life, but he was having some trouble leaving his girl alone with them for several days. While he wasn’t afraid of them taking advantage, he was afraid she would fall in love with one of those affable assholes, before she had the chance to reconnect with him. That was out of the question.

He sounded like a caveman, even to himself, but he’d waited so long to see her again. Jealousy was a part of his nature. Being a model had only reinforced the behavior. The fashion world was dog-eat-dog, and he’d learned to go for the throat. He didn’t put up with anyone’s shit. He hadn’t risen to the top by sitting back and letting others have the limelight. He’d be damned if he’d start now. On the other hand, he couldn’t blame the guys for wanting to know Jaycee…he’d practically introduced them. When Jaycee had disappeared all those years ago, he had turned to his friends for help and solace. He’d shown them her picture more times than they could count. They all knew the story of how he’d met her like the back of their hands. Marc had wanted the guys to feel his connection to her, so they would be able to recognize her instantly if they ever found her. As a child, he’d been willing to share her if it meant he could keep her. As a man, he was finding the idea a bit harder to swallow.

When he’d received word she’d reappeared, his heart had almost stopped before tripping over itself to beat out of his chest. His plan had worked; the guys had known her on sight. He’d been in Milan doing a catwalk for some designer he couldn’t care less about now; it was just a job. When he heard the news, he couldn’t find a flight out of there fast enough. Legally, he’d been bound to stay for the duration of the event. While he was normally a very smooth talker, his excitement and desperation had clouded his good judgment and he’d given too much away. He couldn’t get out of his commitment. He was stuck. Knowing Jaycee was at his house had been pure torture. His facial expression on the runway had been called fierce. It was really just pissed. Any extra time apart was unnecessary now. He wanted to see her beautiful face.

Thinking of her now, he wondered how much she’d changed. Were her eyes still large and blue, or did they seem smaller in her adult face? Was she still small and slight? Sitting down beside baggage claim, he pulled one of her photos from his wallet. He had made copies years ago; he hadn’t wanted to ruin her photographs by bending them into his wallet. This way, he could simply print another when he’d worn them down too much. Trailing his finger around her tiny face, he felt excited. Finally, he could see her again and his worries disappeared. He decided to text the guys and let them know he’d be on his way home shortly. It was still a two-hour drive back to their house, but he would be home soon.

Marc: I’m at the airport. How’s Jaycee?

Lee: We’re moving her into the house.

Marc: What happened?!?!

Garrett: Calm down. She’s okay.

Jonathan: She had an inconsiderate roommate…the boyfriend showed up in her room in the night. Don’t worry, we took care of it.

Marc: When I get my hands on that son of a bitch…

Lee: Get in line. You know we can’t beat the shit out of him like he deserves, but we’ll make sure he makes better choices in the future.

Alec: Why are we texting so early?

Sean: Some of us have been up for hours…in fact you’re the only one still in bed.

Garrett: We brought Jaycee. She’s in your bathroom getting cleaned up. You can use the one on our side.

Alec: One question, is she staying? For good, I mean.

Lee: Yes.

Alec: Hallelujah!

Marc: Back off, lover boy, I have dibs.

Sean: I don’t think she’d appreciate us fighting over her. She seems really shy and quiet. She’s been really adamant about not having us make a fuss over her.

Marc: I’ve been waiting years to see her again. I think I’ve earned the right. Anyway, I’ll be home in about two hours. Keep her there if you can, but if not let me know where she goes. I don’t care if I have to track her down before heading home. I need to see her.

Lee: We haven’t told her about you.

Marc: What??

Alec: She knows you as our model friend. We thought it would be better if you told her yourself.

Lee: It wasn’t our place to explain who you were. I think she intends to find your grandparents.

Marc: Oh shit…she doesn’t know.

Lee: That they passed away? No. I didn’t have a way to tell her. She’s only alluded to having a mission beyond school. We didn’t want to freak her out.

Marc: If she goes by the old house, she’ll find out really quick. Keep an eye on her. If she finds out the truth, send her to the cemetery. I can meet her there.

Lee: Will do.

Sean: It’ll be good to have the whole family home.

Garrett: I have a feeling Jaycee’s going to need us all to help her.

Marc: Her father’s been in prison all these years for a crime he didn’t commit. Getting him out while the local judges are still crooked will be near impossible.

Lee: One thing at a time, guys.

Jonathan: She’s just as you described her, Marc.

Marc: I’m glad she hasn’t changed. I hope she remembers me.

Jonathan: I’m sure she will.

Marc stowed his phone away, as the baggage carousel roared to life. Eustress was driving him now. He was stressed, but it was a good stress. He felt like he could walk on water, or lift a car. His waiting was almost over. Two more hours…he’d see her again soon.

The carousel was taking forever…where were his bags?! The problem with getting to the airport, and checking in early was that your bags inevitably wound up at the bottom. He had hoped, since he’d had to change plans that his bag might have been moved to the top of the pile. No such luck. Clearly, many other people had checked in late, or had a multi-stop flight too. Ugh! He was growing impatient again. His palms were even feeling a bit moist and he was normally cool and collected. People often found him cold and aloof. It was an image he cultivated on purpose. His looks had merely grown more handsome as he’d matured, and he was considered one of the most alluring men in modeling. However, he hadn’t wanted all the female attention that followed. So, he pretended to be a complete and utter ass. While occasionally that only made women try harder, for the most part it was off-putting to most of his admirers.

Taking a deep breath, Marc ran his hand down his long blond hair. It nearly reached his firm butt now. While it stopped him from getting some mainstream jobs, it had opened up more doors than it had closed. Men with hair as long as his were rare. Finally, he spotted his bag. It was a hard-shell bag in black. Not flashy, he hadn’t wanted an obviously expensive bag people would be tempted to pinch. He preferred a sturdier bag that would last his him longer. Elbowing a cluster of stragglers out of his way, Marc was barely able to grab his bag before it made a second pass around the carousel. It was amazing to him how inconsiderate people could be. Clearly he was just trying to get his bag and get out of there, but people refused to budge. He did manage to get his bag back through the crowd without knocking anyone over, but it had been a close call. Even shouting “excuse me” hadn’t helped. What the hell??

What Marc hadn’t noticed was the reason people weren’t moving. They had recognized him from some of his ads. They weren’t trying to be rude, they were just too busy staring. Normally, Marc would have been more observant. On any other day, he might have said something to acknowledge their stares and given a bit of a performance. Today he had tunnel vision, Jaycee tunnel vision. All he could see was the way home to her. Luckily, his admirers were too intimidated by him to follow him out the door.

Making his way to the long term parking garage outside the airport, Marc dug through his wallet for his parking receipt. Luckily, it hadn’t fallen out in his travels. Not having that tiny piece of paper could cost you big in cash. He found his twilight blue Corvette Stingray without much fuss. He’d parked it in covered parking (it was worth the price) right next to the security building. Not that he didn’t have a badass security system installed, but he wasn’t stupid. It was a nice car, not one you took risks with. When he was home, he didn’t want to step behind the wheel of another car. He insisted on taking his own car to the airport since it was a rare thing for him to be able to drive it. He bought it and he intended to drive it. Marc wasn’t one of those guys who owned a toy and kept it hidden away.