I keep my voice low and calm. I really don’t want her to start crying again. “Jenna, honey, after everything with Brooklyn getting kidnapped, that 911 text freaked me out a little bit.”
Her eyes get big, and she sits up. “Oh John, I wasn’t even thinking. I’m so selfish, I’m sorry.”
I hold my hands up. “No, don’t apologize. Just for the future, if you want me to come, just tell me that. I’ll drop whatever I’m doing and come. You know I will.”
She starts to peck her hand on the table. “I know you will. I’m sorry... so are you about to leave on a mission or anything?”
I rub my hand across the back of my neck. There’s always a mission, it seems, and usually I’m the first one to volunteer, but I’m trying to stay close to Whiskey Run until after my niece comes. “I’ll be working close to home until she makes her arrival,” I tell her, nodding at her round belly.
She blows out a breath. “Okay, I need a favor.”
I don’t even hesitate. “Anything... you know that.”
She looks at me skeptically, and instantly, I know it’s something big and obviously why she sent the 911 call. “What is it?”
She purses her lips. “I need you to go with Madison.”
“Uh, go where with Madison?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “I’m not sure.”
I hold my hands up. “Okay, hold up, what’s going on with Madison?” I try to keep my voice disinterested and calm, but if the 911 call is about Madison, I need to know. And no, I’m not ready to talk about my reasoning or admit any feelings for her. All I know is I need her safe.
“She’s going to bail Ethan out... again. She says this will be the last time, but I have a really bad feeling about this.”
“Ethan? Her brother, Ethan? I thought he disappeared. I didn’t even think they were talking to each other or anything.”
Jenna rolls her eyes. “They don’t... unless he needs something. Look, he’s gotten her in trouble before—"
I hold my hands up to interrupt her. “What do you mean he got her in trouble before?”
“I mean, she went to bail him out before, back in LA, and he was with a lot of bad guys and they roughed her up. I don’t know what all happened, but she came back with a black eye and a busted lip. She says she can handle it, and I mean, if I wasn’t like this”—she points at her belly—“I’d go with her.”
“Over my dead body,” I say, not even trying to hold back.
Jenna reaches out and wraps her hand around my forearm. “I know, John. I’m so lucky to have a brother like you. You’d never let me get into a situation like the ones that Ethan drags her into. But Madison doesn’t have anyone... not anyone that cares about her enough to stop this madness.”
“Yes, she does. She has you, and she has me,” I say gruffly.
Jenna’s nodding. “I hoped you would feel that way... so you’ll help her?”
“Yes, of course I will. When is she leaving?”
Jenna gets up and is ushering me toward the door. We walk outside to the sidewalk. “Tomorrow. But I don’t know where she’s going or anything else. She wouldn’t tell me.”
I nod. “I’ll figure it out. How’d today go?” I ask her, nodding toward the coffee shop. This is her second store, and I know it’s going to be a hit here in Whiskey Run.
“It went great. Madison didn’t let me do anything but sit in a chair. She took care of everything.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “How’s it going to be with her gone? You going to be okay?”
She rolls her eyes. “You know Madison. Even with her gone, she still has it all lined out and under control. I’m pretty sure she threatened half the staff that if they mess up anything or if I lift a finger, she’s going to kick their butt or something. They’ve been all over me since she left.”
I rub my palm over my chest, right over my heart. I know Madison is lucky to have Jenna, but Jenna’s lucky to have her too. She’s been a great friend to my sister, and that’s why I’m not going to fuck it up. I may be attracted to her, but I’m not going to act on it. No matter how badly I want to. “Okay, so don’t worry about Madison. I’ll take care of her... but you do realize that even though I’m going, I’m going to do my best to be here...”
I let my voice trail off. I hate to even say it.
Jenna pats her belly. “You may not be back in time?”
I shrug, and she nods. “I know and I understand, John. Dylan is going to take care of me... both of us. We’ll be here when you and Madison get back, okay?”