All Fixed Up by Linda Grimes Page B

under the impression I am the proverbial absentminded professor.”
    â€œWell, if the proverbial shoe fits…” I said.
    He lifted an eyebrow very similar to the one our mother had lifted at me earlier. “Be that as it may, I’m fairly certain we did not , in fact, have a date to meet here this morning.”
    â€œYou didn’t tell Mom, did you?”
    â€œI did not.”
    I hugged him, throwing my arms around his neck, and kissing his cheek for good measure. “Did I ever tell you you’re my favorite brother?”
    â€œOf course I am. Thomas is a domineering ass and Brian, God help us all, is an indie band member whose only redeeming quality is that he doesn’t play bass. Why wouldn’t I be your favorite?” Humor glinted in the green eyes that were mirrors of my own, his affection for our mutual brothers obvious.
    Mark acknowledged the teasing with a smile. “Listen, if you’re going to be here with Ciel, maybe I better get going. Think you could see her back to your parents’ place when you’re done?”
    â€œDoes this have anything to do with what Mom told me about Mason Pickering? You think it’s connected to Aunt Helen somehow?” James asked. I felt a pang at the mention of Aunt Helen, and Mason, too, though I’d barely known him. “Is Ciel in danger?”
    â€œTo answer all your questions, yes, don’t know, and not necessarily. But like I keep trying to tell your sister, caution doesn’t hurt.”
    â€œI don’t need a babysitter,” I said, sounding more grumpy than I intended. I needed some time to myself to take the stupid pregnancy test so I could stop worrying about that.
    â€œDon’t get pissed, Howdy. It’s only until we find out who’s behind the murders,” Mark said.
    â€œIt’s a stupid waste of your resources. Geez Louise, I just decked you ! I think that proves I’m perfectly capable of getting myself where I want to go when I leave here without a man’s help.” Which wasn’t going to be back to my parents’ house, though I didn’t feel the need to mention that.
    Both of James’s eyebrows had shot up at my declaration about Mark.
    â€œNot on purpose,” I explained. “He startled me—I didn’t know it was him.” A common problem for me , I thought wryly.
    â€œListen, if Billy thinks you’re wandering off someplace on your own—no matter how capable you are of taking care of yourself—he’ll be useless to me.”
    Okay, that got my attention. Billy was doing something for Mark? “Did he really go to D.C. to meet with a client? He’s not going after Loughlin on his own, is he? Is he okay?”
    â€œHe’s fine. Yes, he went to meet with a client—we didn’t lie to you, if that’s what you’re worried about. But I did ask him to scope out NASA’s headquarters while he was there, to see if he could dig up anything useful on Loughlin.” He paused, looking at me intently. “Howdy, I need Billy’s head in the game, so we can finish this up fast. It won’t be, if he’s worried about you.”
    â€œDamn it,” I said, lowering my voice even more. The emotion still came through loud and clear. “I should have gone with him. I’m the one who has Loughlin’s aura. Did you ever even consider that that might be handy?”
    â€œCool your jets, slugger.” Mark stroked his jaw. “Billy was already down there when I thought to send him to NASA. It’s a long shot. And he couldn’t use Loughlin’s aura anyway—what if he’d run into him? I promise to keep you in mind if we need the aura. But it won’t be happening today.” Mark finished with one of his devastatingly appealing smiles. Seriously. Half the men in the gym were drooling over him.
    James looked around, and announced to the room in general, “Forget it, guys.