“Thanks, Moses.”
“We brought Ginny’s suitcases. I’ll get them for you.”
Gavin reached out to shake Silas’s hand as Moses went back to his truck.
“You look like you need a solid week of recuperation.”
Silas returned his hand shake. “I plan to take more than a week.” Her brother gave Gavin a wry smile. “She’s a handful. Be careful, or she’ll wear you out before your time.”
Ginny patted Suki’s head as she pushed herself between the dog and Gavin. “She’s just excited with Gavin being back,” she said, excusing the high-spirited dog.
Both men looked at her soberly. Silas was the one who broke the news to her.
“Ginny, we weren’t talking about the dog. We were talking about you.”
“I still don’t think it was funny,” Ginny said huffily while bopping her head to the song that she was listening to on the radio as they drove to Trudy and Dalton’s house.
“I didn’t laugh.”
“You might not have, but I could tell you wanted to.” She gave him another bop of her head.
“But I didn’t. Didn’t is the key word here.” Putting on the blinker, Gavin turned down the tree-lined street.
“I don’t understand why you and Silas think I’m some sort of Calamity Jane. I live a very boring life.”
Parking in the driveway, Gavin waited until he put the car in Park, waiting for her to quit dramatically singing I see “I See Red” by Everybody Loves an Outlaw.
“You know that’s funny as fuck you saying that, right?” Taking the key out of the ignition, Gavin rest his arm along the back of the seat. “There’s nothing boring about you. You couldn’t sit still if your life depended on it; you’ve had several people stalking you—”
“Slate wasn’t my fault, may I remind you?” Ginny bopped her head at him.
Gavin turned the radio off. “Aggravated one man so bad that he nearly beat you to death.”
“That’s an exaggeration. Allerton didn’t even break a bone.”
“Greer and Silas look like they are both at death’s door. Ginny, you’re more than a handful. You’re a booby trap, ready to cause an explosion anytime you’re near.”
“How hurtful.”
“You don’t act like your feelings are hurt.”
“They are … deep down.”
Gavin gave her a sarcastic snort.
“Okay, not really,” she admitted. “Because I know none of it is my fault.”
“Then whose fault is it?”
“Men.”
“Men?”
“Men,” Ginny repeated. “Do you know, statistically speaking, men are responsible for everything wrong in world? I’m serious.” Ginny raised her voice to make sure he heard her when he pretended to clean his ears out with his finger. “Men are the ones who commit 98 percent of rapes, 87 percent of robberies, 83 percent of arsons, and almost 80 percent of crimes against their partners and children. If it weren’t for men, women around the world could sleep with their windows open.”
Gavin just stared at her.
“You don’t have anything to say about that?” She bopped her head self-righteously. “Huh? I’m right, aren’t I?”
“How’d you know those statistics off the top of your head?”
“The more you know the more empowered you are.”
“You’re a nut. I want to see the results of your DNA test. Somewhere you have a blood connection to Greer.”
Taking off his sunglasses, he hung them on the visor. As he did, the long-sleeved shirt accented the muscular abs underneath. With the grey knit he wore on his head, his long hair falling down to his shoulders, Gavin was the epitome of a woman’s wet fantasy, not that she ever had one, but he would be the star if she did.
He gave her a dark look as she closed the car door. “I was coming to open the door for you.”
Ginny reached out to touch his cheek. “Are you running a fever?”
Taking her hand, Gavin began striding to the door.
“What’s the hurry?” Ginny asked with interest, waving to Trudy’s neighbor, who was nosily watching them as she got her mail.
“After I talk to Dalton, I’m going to run out to the store. Will you be all right if I leave you for about an hour?”
“Yes,” she said patiently. “You’re acting ridiculous.”
“The last time I left you alone in Treepoint for an hour, I had to take a helicopter to find you, and I ended up on an island.”
Ginny stabbed the doorbell. “Okay, you might have a small point,” she admitted, holding out her pinky. “If I promise to stay out of trouble for the next month, will you promise to quit acting as if I’m Calamity Jane?”
“Hell, I’d quit if you’d just give me a break for two days. A month would be a dream.”
“The James men’s sense of humor sucks, just so you know.”
The door opening saved Ginny from the sarcastic response that Gavin was sure to make. Dalton opened the door wider when he saw them outside.
“Hello, Dalton, may I see Trudy?”
The movie star and producer flicked his eyes over both of them, then stepped aside. Ginny entered nervously, aware Dalton wouldn’t be happy with her for upsetting Trudy when she was carrying his child.