Page 35 of Bad Situation

“It’s been a long time. You need to get over it. You’re being strange. Are you okay?”

She waves me off. “I’m fine. Robert is traveling more since he started with MI. I’ve tried to hang out with other moms in my neighborhood and just can’t do it. I need to get a job or volunteer or something. I’m bored. I talk to Griffin all day long and, don’t get me wrong, he’s great. But it would be nice to interact with someone who doesn’t babble in bubbly drool.”

I feel my smile take over my face and don’t even work to hide it. This is what I’ve wanted her to do ever since she moved back to Texas. “Work for me. You can manage community outreach or something. It doesn’t even have to be full-time.”

She throws me a look long enough to roll her eyes. “Did you forget you’re the only one crazy enough to work for Dad? Not even Cam wanted in on that. No, I want to teach. I think I’m ready to get back into it.”

“You are?” I’m surprised. It’s been years since she’s wanted anything to do with dance. “You should open a studio.”

She shrugs. “Do you know how many studios there are in north Dallas? Too many.”

I flip my legs off my lounge to sit facing her. “Yeah, but how many are owned by dancers trained at Julliard or who have performed on Broadway? My guess? Not many. You’ll already have a leg up. And don’t open in the suburbs—open downtown.”

One of my phones vibrates and since it isn’t my personal one, I know exactly who it is.

“Says the girl who pretends to be a city-dweller but instead hides out in her edgy penthouse to avoid people. Right. I’ll take your advice just as soon as you get a life outside of work.”

I unlock the phone to find my straight-shooting FBI agent has sent me a demanding text.

Eli: Tell me you’ll be back soon.

Damn. It’s been a long time since I’ve been pursued. Eli is different than any man I’ve ever met and it has nothing to do with him being a government agent who should be working on the case the FBI is trying to build against me. He’s not trying to play it cool or impress me with shit I don’t care about.

“I’m busy, Ellie, not to mention I don’t want my life plastered all over the social pages of the Dallas Morning News,” I mutter as I shoot a text back.

Me: For someone who had a busy weekend planned, you sure do text a lot.

Eli: Wondering if I need to feed you.

Fuck. That makes me hungry and not for food.

“Who’s that, why do you have two phones, and what’s up with your face?”

I look up to my sister who now has her undivided, nosy attention on me.

“There’s nothing wrong with my face and it’s Callie,” I lie. “She’s just going over our schedule for tomorrow.”

“You’re full of shit.” She turns to me and raises her voice. “Who is that?”

Me: I’m leaving soon and it’s almost an hour drive if I don’t hit traffic.

I pick up both phones, my water, and move to escape any more questions. Reaching down, I grab Ellie’s top knot and give it a playful yank, reminiscent of the years we spent picking on each other. What I don’t do is answer her. “Volunteer or open a studio. Show Griffin his mama can kick some ass and love on him at the same time. But you need to do something besides rattling around that McMansion of yours. It’s depressing.”

She pulls her head away and shoots me a dirty look as she works to fix her hair. “Fuck you. Like your life is enriched by working sixty hours a week. Your idea of fun is online shopping.”

“Online shopping is fun and, deflect all you want, little sis, but it’s time.” She looks back up at me as the prepaid cell vibrates in my hand. I can’t look without giving away hints of my insides turning with the excitement of a middle schooler about to get her first kiss. Instead, I lower my voice and offer a bit of advice Ellie and I could both use. “Maybe it’s time we both took life by the fucking horns. Make the most of our eight seconds.”

Ellie’s eyes rest on me for mere seconds before she waves me off, giving up the fight, and picks up her drink. “Save the uplifting rodeo bullshit metaphors for the boardroom. Let me know how your hearing goes tomorrow.” She lifts her glass to me. “Wishing you a quick and painless dismissal.”

“You and me both, sister.” I lean down and plop a kiss on my sister’s head before leaving. “You and me both.”

*****

Eli

An investigation is nothing more than a puzzle for the mind.

Sure, technology makes our jobs easier, but the shitheads on the other side are just as sophisticated and don’t have to deal with the Justice Department limiting how they use that same technology to break the law.

---