28

[Kat]

Patrick just had a bomb dropped on him, so asking whether Rachel was hitting the old crack pipe was better left unsaid.

His dark eyes looked like bullet holes as he sat on the bed and stared off into space. Without speaking, I sat next to him and rested my hand next to his in case he needed a lifeline. Mere seconds passed before he latched on with a death grip that turned my fingers white. "Umm, circulation?"

My voice startled him from his reverie and he instantly loosened his hold. "Sorry."

Patrick didn't object when I inched closer and put my arm across his shoulders. "It's a lot to take in." That was the understatement of the year.

"Mmm." He looked down at our joined hands and opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't seem to get the words out.

"Has it always been like this?"

Patrick finally managed to meet my eyes and something deep resonated between us. "Yeah."

"How do you manage?'

He shrugged. "Veronas have always been about the crazy."

"And all card-carrying members of the Open Book Club."

That produced a tiny smile. "Victor, Leo, and Rachel. What a bunch."

"Rachel is cool with us..." I looked around at the palatial spread and finished with, "Shacking up?"

Another shrug. "Don't much care what she thinks."

Maybe that was my cue to back off, but when I started to stand up, Patrick shook his head. "Don't."

"OK." I heard a tiny beep and suddenly realized I'd forgotten to check messages. "Umm, do you mind? My Dad is probably worried."

"Sure."

My phone was on the nightstand (right side) and I reached over to grab it. The call log showed two calls from Dad and one from Bianca. Patrick leaned against me as I listened to voice mail and wound his arm around my waist when my face fell.

I hit the Speaker button and sighed as my Dad's irate voice filled the air.

"Katarina, it's been 48 hours since you last called. I've been worried sick, so I called the hotel where your class is staying. They said there's no one by that name staying there. You have a lot of explaining to do, young lady."

With pursed lips, I played the next message.

"Kat, this isn't funny. Dad has the FBI on speed dial and is ready to drive up there himself."

Patrick made a 'not good' face and I played the final message.

"I drove to the school to see if your car was there, and it was gone. Frankly, I'm inclined to think you ran off with that man boy, so I'll be paying his parents a visit."

The phone dropped from my fingers as Patrick jumped to his feet and started pacing. "This is so not cool."

"Maybe Rachel can help." My light tone was completely at odds with my churning stomach.

"Are you kidding me?"

I shook my head. "I'd say she owes you."

His dark eyes flashed before he shuttered his emotions. "Let me handle this, OK?"

Patrick pushed through the door and stomped down the hall to the master suite. His loud knock was quickly answered by Rachel. who was half hanging out of a robe as she closed the door behind her. She belted it tightly and seeing me, indicated we should follow her downstairs. When we reached the kitchen, she asked, "What is it?"

"You need to call off the dogs."

I repeated the messages and watched the play of emotions telegraphing between Patrick and Rachel. For a moment, they looked so much alike that something bloomed in my mind. It was such a crazy notion that I shelved it for later reference.

Rachel finally said, "So you two decided to take a romantic side trip."

Patrick reddened slightly. "Not exactly. I got thrown out and came here to see you."

She offered us water and sat across the table from us. "That's happened before, Pat. Why is this time any different?"

"That bastard ran over my bike."

"Ah, Richard Cranium. What does Lauren say about this?"

"Nothing," Patrick said hotly. "She lets it happen."

"And no one witnessed this?"

"Maybe that old lady next door, but no one else I can think of."

Rachel nodded. "OK, let me make a few calls."

I handed her my phone and she pressed Send. "Hello, is this Mr. Stratford?"

She pressed the speaker button and put the phone down. "Yes, who is this please?"

"This is Rachel Verona, Patrick's aunt."

"I see. Are you calling from the local jail?"

Patrick stifled a laugh when Rachel rolled her eyes. "No, we're all here in Half Moon Bay, safe and sound."

"What did you say?" My father's voice rose with his outrage.

"Near the Devil's Slide." Rachel's eyes twinkled at the hiss on the other end. "The kids came down for supper and we lost track of time."

I figured my father's patience was withering fast. "Can I talk to my daughter, please?"

"I'm here Dad."

"Privately." It wasn't a suggestion.

The speaker was muted as I put the phone to my ear. "Dad, everything is fine. Patrick wanted to visit his aunt, so we drove up ourselves instead of taking the bus."

"You said he wasn't going."

"Last minute change of plans." I waited for the shit storm, and sure enough, Dad started letting loose with some choice expletives that he probably stole from women in labor.

Holding the phone away, I let Patrick and Rachel witness the yelling before I brought it back to my ear. "Sorry if I misled you."

"Oh, is that a newfangled word for lie?" My Dad's voice cracked like a whip and I winced at his sharp tone. "Your trip is over. Come home immediately."

There was no way I was leaving Patrick high and dry. "Can't do that, Dad."

"Can't?" I am sure his face was that lovely shade of pumice that meant he was seriously displeased.

"Sorry, Dad, but Patrick needs me right now."

He sputtered a few times. "I'll bet he does. Put him on the line."

Patrick glided over and slid his arm around my waist as he took the call. "Hi, Dr. Stratford. What's up?"

He smirked at the ranting and raving from the other end and waited a few seconds before saying, "Kat was kind enough to give me a ride."

After a long beat, he clicked off the phone and handed it to me. "He's ordering us to drive back tomorrow."

I shook my head. "No way."

"Thought you'd say that." Patrick kissed my cheek and let his lips linger. Rachel stood up and stretched and said she'd call Lauren in the morning. I watched Patrick take the stairs two at a time and lingered for a moment to speak to Rachel.

"Why did you put us together in the guest suite?"

Her grin was so much like Patrick's that I did a double take. "Because he'd just sneak across the hall to be with you."

I felt a pinch of heat rise up my neck. "Are we that obvious?"

Her smile widened. "Oh, yeah. From the way you're always touching to the way he looks at you...it's unmistakable."

"What is?"

"Love." And with that simple word, she touched my shoulder and headed up the stairs.