Chapter Seven

“Uh oh, this isn’t good. I know that look. Who is she?”

Justice turned from the baggage carousel and grinned when he spotted the person the voice belonged to.

“Runt!” he exclaimed affectionately and hauled her in close for a hug. “God, it’s so good to see you.”

Jasira hugged him back just as fiercely. He was very close to his twin and had missed her immensely.

“You, too.” She looked at him and smiled, her eyes sparkling with more than a hint of mischief. “Now dish. Who is she?”

“Can’t a brother get his luggage first?”

Jasira sighed loudly and dramatically. “That’s right. See I forgot, I thought I was being visited by my brother who actually has the ability to multitask. Apparently I am getting the officer, who can’t.” Another overdramatic sigh. “Fine, I’ll carry your bag. Wouldn’t want you to strain your brain.”

He kicked her lightly in the ass. “Watch it, runt.”

“Ohhh, see they have rules against abusing your power. Stop hitting a noncom.” She hefted the duffle effortlessly from the conveyor belt and shook it. “Did you bring me some of mama’s cookin’?”

“Yeah,” he retorted drily. “I forewent clothing, packed yah a roast instead.” He grunted when she hit him square in the chest with the bag. Justice laughed, tossed it over his shoulder and dropped his other arm around her. “I’ve missed you.”

“Missed you, too, big bro.”

They walked out into the South Dakota morning.

Justice had a great visit with his sister, but when his plane landed he was more than ready to be back home. One thing was on his mind. Well not thing, but object. A person. Ms. Kassidy. His Kassidy.

He closed the door to his apartment and headed for the shower. Once he was clean, Justice walked through his kitchen in a pair of sweats and leaned against the counter. His cell phone sat on the clean Formica top. Taunting him. Mocking him. He wasn’t sure. Suddenly he was not as confident as he wanted to believe. Justice reached out and bit his lip while pressing the send button once he found the number he wanted.

“Hello?” a tiny hushed female voice said.

He frowned. “May I speak to Kassidy, please?”

“No.”

“Is she busy?”

“Talking to Arlen.”

Arlen. A man’s name. Justice scowled. “Could you tell her Justice called?”

A deep sigh. “No. Then she’d know I was playing with her phone.”

Young logic at its best. Justice had to smile at that one. “I can see your dilemma.”

Another large sigh. “Yes. See, I should be sleepin’. But it started moving and I had to touch it.” The voice rose with excitement. “Shhh!”

He lifted onto the counter, totally enchanted. “Right. Shhh, sorry.”

“Can you see me? I’m hiding.”

“Sorry, I can’t. Where are you hiding?”

“Under the desk. Uh oh.”

“What happened?”

“Busted.” Her voice was so dejected.

“Give me that phone, young lady, and get out from there.” Kassidy’s voice could be heard in the background.

“I had fun hiding with you. Bye,” the child said.

The “Who are you talking to?” overrode his own farewell.

“Hello?” Kassidy’s sweet Southern tone slid like honey over him.

“Hello, my beautiful Kassidy.”

“Justice.”

The way she purred his name made him think about another shower. Ice cold this time.

“Did you miss me?”

“Tell me Sari didn’t call you, did she?”

“You’re not answering my question.”

“Neither are you.”

He chuckled. “No, she didn’t call. She just answered. Sari is it?”

“Good. Yes, very cute and very disquisitive.”

“Disquisitive?”

“I’m sure it’s in your calendar.”

Justice laughed and ran his hand over his short hair. “Probably is.” He paused. “Kassidy?”

“I missed you,” she informed him.

He smiled. “Glad to hear it. Who’s Arlen?”

“Sari’s father.”

Justice wanted more information than that, but he kept his mouth shut on the subject. “Are you free for supper?”

“I am.”

“Can I pick you up… say about five then?”

“I’d like that. Casual?”

“Casual. Unless, you’d like to dress up.”

“Ohh, tempting, but I love my jeans.”

After getting her address, Justice hung up, a huge smile on his face. At a few minutes before five he drove up the driveway to her house. It was beautiful. Justice immediately thought of his mother and how much she’d love the landscaping. Getting out, he jogged easily up the steps to the door and pressed the doorbell. He didn’t have to wait long before Kassidy opened it with a smile.

“Hey, come on in. I’m almost ready.”

He stepped in and swept his gaze around her house. Libby walked up to him, tail wagging, and he scratched her head. “No rush,” he said.

Kassidy had on a pair of hip hugger jeans and a pale pink one-shouldered shirt. Her feet were bare and he saw pale pink polish on her toes as she walked past.

“Can I get you anything to drink?”

Justice looked over the piano and the pictures on it. “Please. Anything is fine.” He looked at pictures of Kassidy throughout various stages of her life.

“Here you go.” She handed him a glass of tea a few moments later.

“Thank you. Who do we have here?” He gestured to the photos. Justice drank his tea as she pointed out parents, grandparents, friends, and more family. Before long they were on their way to dinner along the beach, and the talk continued to center around their families. He enjoyed watching the joy in her face when she spoke of hers.

“How is your sister?” she asked him once they’d been seated at their table.

“Doing great. We had a wonderful visit. Tell me about you, Kassidy. What have you been doing?”

“Working and that’s it. Helping out at the museum when I can. My mom has been under the weather, so they’re shorthanded.”

“Nothing serious, I hope.”

“Not sure. They don’t seem fit to tell me.”

He could hear the strain in her voice. Reaching for her hand he gave it a slight squeeze. “Would you like to leave?”

“I’m good,” she said with a small shake of her head. “Besides, it’s not fair to let me smell this food and take me away.”

He smiled. “Well, I’m nothing if not fair.”

“That’s good to know.” Her eyes sparkled.