Kiki.”
The use of Zoe’s
nickname for her was a worry. She rarely used it these days so she
knew there was a problem. “Did he take anything, steal
anything?”
She shook her head
and pulled back. “That’s just it. All his stuff is still
there. He just vanished off the face of the earth. No one has seen
him. It isn’t like him at all.”
Kianna wanted to
roll her eyes but didn’t. Zoe seemed like a pain in the ass to
most people, but the truth was she had a soft heart for bad boys.
Kianna just wished some day Zoe would meet a good guy. And like him.
“ Have you
talked to the police?”
She nodded.
“Nothing. I filed a missing person’s report, but that
isn’t going to go anywhere.” She sighed. “I feel
better now. Thanks for letting me vent. I haven’t told anyone
really.”
Kianna kissed her
forehead. “Remember that I’m always here to talk to.”
“ I think
that’s why I wanted to come see you. I knew you would do
something about it. So, what is going on with you and the younger
man?”
“ He’s
not that much younger.”
“ Okay, but not
your usual type. Uniform types…you’ve avoided them since
you were married.”
She nodded. “Yeah.
But, well, we started emailing while he was deployed.”
“ Just be
careful and remember to be happy.” The sound of the front door
had Zoe making a face. “He went to work out this early?”
Kianna laughed. “He
is military.”
* * * *
Gianni stepped into
the house and heard laughter. He couldn’t help smiling in
response. He noticed the bag sitting on the floor by the sofa. Gianni
hated to admit it but he was kind of happy to see her go. Granted,
once she started to behave, she was pretty cool, but he wanted time
alone with Kianna. His revelation from the night before was too new.
He wanted to work it out.
Zoe stepped into the
living room. “You are disgusting.”
“ Well, good
morning to you too.”
She chuckled. “I
never understand the reasons for getting up so early.”
“ You can’t
get much done sleeping the day away.”
“ Yeah, but
you’re asleep by the time it gets fun.”
He laughed. “Okay,
you got me there.”
Her smiled faded.
“So, fly boy, I figure you’re probably going to be here
when I come back next time.”
“ Probably,
unless I’m deployed.”
She rolled her eyes.
“You military types are way too happy about order to suit me.”
He laughed. “I
take it you avoid us at all costs.”
“ Yeah. You
know what it’s like to be the youngest. Kianna might seem sweet
to you, but as an older sister, she wasn’t when I was a kid.”
“ She loves
you,” he said, enjoying Zoe but feeling the need to defend
Kianna.
“ And I love
her. I also know her better than anyone but Etta. If I listen to the
vibes around here, I’m going to have to get used to you. I just
want you to know that if you hurt her, I will come back here and make
you disappear. They won’t be able to find enough pieces to
identify you. Understood?”
“ Yeah, but I
won’t hurt her, not on purpose.”
“ God, you two
were made for each other. Just be sure to make her understand you’re
in for the long haul. Kianna doesn’t have a good track record
with men, although she’s the only one of us who has been
married.”
He said nothing to
that. His brain was trying to wrap around the idea that Kianna had
been married at one time. She had never said a thing. It had been
three months…if he counted their time together in emails and
she never mentioned it. Before he could sort out his feelings, Zoe
was calling her sister in.
“ Okay, Kianna,
I need to head out now. I heard there was a storm moving in.
Kianna came out of
the kitchen with a bag. “Here, eat something on your way back.”
Zoe smiled and he
could see the love right there. She might have been acting like a
brat the night before, but there was no doubt she loved her sister.
“ Thank you,”
Zoe said, giving Kianna a hug. “I’ll call or text when I
get
The use of Zoe’s
nickname for her was a worry. She rarely used it these days so she
knew there was a problem. “Did he take anything, steal
anything?”
She shook her head
and pulled back. “That’s just it. All his stuff is still
there. He just vanished off the face of the earth. No one has seen
him. It isn’t like him at all.”
Kianna wanted to
roll her eyes but didn’t. Zoe seemed like a pain in the ass to
most people, but the truth was she had a soft heart for bad boys.
Kianna just wished some day Zoe would meet a good guy. And like him.
“ Have you
talked to the police?”
She nodded.
“Nothing. I filed a missing person’s report, but that
isn’t going to go anywhere.” She sighed. “I feel
better now. Thanks for letting me vent. I haven’t told anyone
really.”
Kianna kissed her
forehead. “Remember that I’m always here to talk to.”
“ I think
that’s why I wanted to come see you. I knew you would do
something about it. So, what is going on with you and the younger
man?”
“ He’s
not that much younger.”
“ Okay, but not
your usual type. Uniform types…you’ve avoided them since
you were married.”
She nodded. “Yeah.
But, well, we started emailing while he was deployed.”
“ Just be
careful and remember to be happy.” The sound of the front door
had Zoe making a face. “He went to work out this early?”
Kianna laughed. “He
is military.”
* * * *
Gianni stepped into
the house and heard laughter. He couldn’t help smiling in
response. He noticed the bag sitting on the floor by the sofa. Gianni
hated to admit it but he was kind of happy to see her go. Granted,
once she started to behave, she was pretty cool, but he wanted time
alone with Kianna. His revelation from the night before was too new.
He wanted to work it out.
Zoe stepped into the
living room. “You are disgusting.”
“ Well, good
morning to you too.”
She chuckled. “I
never understand the reasons for getting up so early.”
“ You can’t
get much done sleeping the day away.”
“ Yeah, but
you’re asleep by the time it gets fun.”
He laughed. “Okay,
you got me there.”
Her smiled faded.
“So, fly boy, I figure you’re probably going to be here
when I come back next time.”
“ Probably,
unless I’m deployed.”
She rolled her eyes.
“You military types are way too happy about order to suit me.”
He laughed. “I
take it you avoid us at all costs.”
“ Yeah. You
know what it’s like to be the youngest. Kianna might seem sweet
to you, but as an older sister, she wasn’t when I was a kid.”
“ She loves
you,” he said, enjoying Zoe but feeling the need to defend
Kianna.
“ And I love
her. I also know her better than anyone but Etta. If I listen to the
vibes around here, I’m going to have to get used to you. I just
want you to know that if you hurt her, I will come back here and make
you disappear. They won’t be able to find enough pieces to
identify you. Understood?”
“ Yeah, but I
won’t hurt her, not on purpose.”
“ God, you two
were made for each other. Just be sure to make her understand you’re
in for the long haul. Kianna doesn’t have a good track record
with men, although she’s the only one of us who has been
married.”
He said nothing to
that. His brain was trying to wrap around the idea that Kianna had
been married at one time. She had never said a thing. It had been
three months…if he counted their time together in emails and
she never mentioned it. Before he could sort out his feelings, Zoe
was calling her sister in.
“ Okay, Kianna,
I need to head out now. I heard there was a storm moving in.
Kianna came out of
the kitchen with a bag. “Here, eat something on your way back.”
Zoe smiled and he
could see the love right there. She might have been acting like a
brat the night before, but there was no doubt she loved her sister.
“ Thank you,”
Zoe said, giving Kianna a hug. “I’ll call or text when I
get
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