Free French Kiss by Susan Johnson

know, for old-time’s sake.”
    Or some superior stash, Johnny thought, but this close to escape there was no way he was opting for the truth. “Yogi’ll show you a good time. Guaranteed,” he said, and stood upright. “Good to see you again.”
    “You’re not staying?” Chantel murmured , her gaze half-lidded, apparentl y unaware of her male companions’ inhospitable scowls.
    Johnny smiled. “Maybe next time.”
    Neither of the men acknowledged Johnny nor did he them— male testosterone nevertheless perfuming the air. Or for those rich, young strung-out scions of the drug cartel who never did anything even remotely dangerous, perhaps it was only their expensive cologne scenting the air.
    “Say good-bye to your mother,” Johnny prompted Jordi, who was playing her PSP game as she waited for her parents to finish their business.
    She looked up, her thumbs suspended over the keys. “Bye, Mom. See ya. Thanks for everything,” she added politely.
    “Good-bye darling.” Lisa smiled and waggled her fingers.
    Jordi went back to playing.
    Lisa rolled her eyes. “She’s absolutely addicted to those games. Can’t you do something, Johnny?”
    Speaking of addictions, he wanted to say, but said instead, “Jordi plays videos more when she’s on the road.”
    “I doubt that. You should think about enrolling Jordi in some acting classes—maybe mime or puppetry at her age. I’m serious, Johnny. She needs to be weaned from those horrid games.”
    “Good idea,” Johnny replied. “First thing we get back.” Or right after he had his head examined. Another actress in the family he didn’t need.
    “Daaaaddd!” Jordi protested, stopping her play long enough to give her father an appalled look. Adult conversation was not completely unheard, apparently.
    “Come on, Jordi, we’ll talk about it later,” Johnny said. “See you, Lisa.” This was not a fight he cared to have right now.
    He ushered his daughter out of the suite with lightning speed, something he’d been geared up for from the onset. Although finesse was always useful and in this case, thanks to Yogi’s product and some polite conversation, Lisa was left in a relatively calm state.
    Vernie was waiting for them in the hallway, staring down the guards with such hauteur Johnny felt a brief moment of sympathy for the men. “Thank God you came,” she said. “The food was not up to its usual standards,” she added with a meaningful glance for Johnny as they moved toward the elevators.
    Johnny smiled at her euphemistic allusion. “I’m sorry to hear that. We’ll have to see that your menu improves.”
    “Along with e verything else,” she significantl y declared.
    “Not a problem.”
    “Vernie doesn’t get along with Mom,” Jordi said, glancing up from her video game long eno ugh to give her dad a how-dumb- do-you-think-I-am look. “Everyone knows that. Are we going to the video arcade?”
    So much for adult sub tl ety.
    Children really were sponges.
    “Sure, kid, we’ll go to the arcade whenever you want,” Johnny said, swinging his daughter up in his arms and giving her a big hug.
    “You’re squeezing me too tight,” Jordi complained, wiggling in his grasp. “But thanks, Dad, for coming,” she added, freeing her arms enough to put her game on pause. “Mom’s friends are so boring, aren’t they Vernie?”
    “I’d use another word,” Vernie said with a sniff. “Thank your father for coming such a long way to get you.”
    “I already did.”
    “We’re good, Vernie.” Johnny winked at her over Jordi’s head. “Real good.”
    It felt heavenly to hold his daughter again.
    It felt like a major disaster had been averted.
    Or like maybe he’d just won ten Grammys and an Oscar for best musical score all in one night. Okay, so that wasn’t possible, but he was definitely feeling fine.
    And once he had Jordi safely back in California, everything would be perfect.
    Barry and Cole were waiting at the elevator—out of sight, but