Free Only One (Ward Sisters Book 2) by Lucy Gage Page A

illness.”
    “Good. That works because I already made a similar excuse as to why I left early today.”
    “Don't worry about work, okay? I'll call in a couple days.”
    She nodded and said, “Please don't mention it to my parents. They don't know. I never told them who I was seeing. I don't want them to be disappointed in me.”
    He hugged her. “Don't worry, sweetheart. I won't.”
     
    **********
     
    After she'd been away from work for a few days, Jenna had time to think about what she wanted to do. When Pat called and asked her to meet him at his office on the MSU campus, she agreed.
    She hugged Pat and sat down in the chair at his desk where she'd sat so many times she couldn't even count. Tears sprang to her eyes because she hated the mess she'd gotten herself into and that things had come to this.
    “I'm moving back to California. I'll find a Silicon Valley job.”
    Pat nodded. “Okay. If that's what you really want, I'll support it, but I hope you'll reconsider, give it through the weekend.”
    “I can do that. What should I do at work in the meantime?”
    “Your job. I'll take care of things with Chad, okay? Come to the house on Saturday. We're having a barbeque. Robbie is here this week. You can finally meet him.”
    Pat had been telling her she should meet his youngest son for a couple of years. He'd recently mentioned how he was relieved that Robbie had parted ways with his insipid college girlfriend.
    Jenna knew Robbie was an actor, lived in California, and she assumed that he looked similar to Pat and his oldest son, Rick. Both of the Deacon men she knew already were handsome, but Rick, in particular, was not her type. She'd met him because his security company was the test client for her graduate thesis work. He was big and muscular, and though he was attractive, he wasn't anything that interested her. He seemed like an intelligent guy, but he couldn't hold a candle to Pat.
    She shook her head. It was obviously a setup, but right about now, any distraction was welcome. Jenna sniffed and hugged Pat. He was like another father.
    “You know how much I adore you?” she asked.
    He kissed her hair. “Feeling is mutual, kiddo. See you tomorrow.” He squeezed her hand and she left.
    The next day, she arrived at Pat's house, where his wife, Anja, greeted her with enthusiasm. During grad school, when Pat was her thesis advisor, Jenna spent many hours with the Deacons.
    Across the deck, Jenna saw about the last person she'd ever have guessed would be at this barbeque: Deac Roberts, A-list movie star. She should have realized. Now that she saw him, she could see the resemblance between Deac and Anja, not to mention that he looked so much like Pat's daughter, Amy, anyone who saw this man with his sister should know instantly they were siblings.
    She'd lived around actors her whole life – it was her father's business to represent them – so they didn't faze her. This guy was even more attractive in person than on screen – brown, wavy hair, cobalt blue eyes, thick lashes, a strong jaw and mouth-watering body – he was just the right side of beautiful. His mouth quirked when he saw her, and Jenna was shocked when her heart fluttered.
    Anja walked her over to where Deac was talking to Pat. Her mentor put his arm around Jenna and said, “Here's my favorite former student. Jenna, this is my son, Robbie. Robbie, this is Jenna Ackerman. She's the girl I was telling you about.”
    Pat winked and wandered away.
    Robbie stuck out his hand for her to shake and he smiled at her, a grin that screamed sex.
    Focus. He's an actor. He gives that to every woman he meets .
    “It's great to meet you. Call me Rob. You work at CyTech?”
    She nodded. Work. She could talk about work. “Yeah, I developed the software we're marketing to security services. Rick's company is our test subject.”
    “I'd love to hear about it. After all, it'll directly impact me.”
    “Really?”
    “Yeah. You didn't know that Rick started the