Free When You Were Mine (Adams Sisters) by Adrianne Byrd Page B

didn’t want to discuss Joey’s woes with her--her own love life was the toilet.
                  Shuffling into the apartment, Joey couldn’t wait to dive into bed.  She didn’t want to think about Laurence, screenwriting, or jail--especially jail--ever again.  After locking the front door, Joey turned and spotted the flashing red light on her answering machine.
                  She hit the play button.
                  You have one new message.
                  Joey rolled her eyes at the decline of her popularity and kicked off her boots.
                  “Hello, Jo-Jo.  It’s Laurence...”
                 

Chapter 9
                 
                  Joey reached for the couch and steadied herself at the sound of Laurence’s voice.  By the way her knees trembled, she quickly realized she needed to sit down.
                  “Joey, are you there?  Pick up.”  Laurence’s deep exhalation floated over the recorder.  “I, uh…oh, hell.  I don’t really know where to begin--other than tonight when I saw you…I don’t know.”
                  She inched closer to the phone and strained to hear every nuance of his voice.
                  “I’m confused,” he admitted.  “I thought I’d made the right decision...but now?  I’m not so sure.  I mean, this is crazy, I leave for Milan tomorrow and...”  He sighed.  “I think...I still having feelings for you...I mean I still love you and…”
                  “Laarrry.”
                  Joey jerked and frowned at the familiar purr on the line.
                  “I’m coming,” Laurence’s muffled voice called back, but then it turned crystal-clear when he spoke back into the mouthpiece.  “Look, Joey.  I better go.”  There was a long pause before he added.  “Bye.”
                  End of new messages.
                  Joey sank deeper into the couch in stunned silence.  She shook her head as hope rose in the center of her chest.  He loved her.  He said so.
                  What about his fiancée?
                  A smile crept across her face.  He’s having second thoughts.   She wasn’t out of the game yet.  Joey jumped to her feet, but she halted short of dancing a jig.
                  “Milan?”  A wave of panic seized her.  He called the police station from the airport.  “I have to go to Italy.”
    #
                  “Adams residence,” Peyton answered the kitchen wall unit as she entered the kitchen.  “Oh.  Hi, Phil.  How’s it going?”  Her eyes swept over to the kitchen table where her husband huddled close to her father.
                  “Mike?” Peyton frowned and gave the conversation her full attention.  “No.  Michael is not here.  Did she say she was coming down?”
                  Phil hedged, but concern filled his voice when he spoke again.  “Uh, no.  She didn’t say where she was going actually.  We, uh, sort of had a little fight yesterday.”
                  Peyton turned her back toward the table and lowered her voice.  “Is everything okay?”
                  “Sure, it was just a little disagreement.”  He coughed.  “No big deal.”
                  She didn’t believe him.
                  “I’m sure she’ll turn up any moment now,” he added.  “But if she does show up down there, will you tell her to give me a call?”
                  “Sure.  No problem.”  Peyton held the line, waiting to see if he’d add anything.
                  “Okay, then I guess I’ll catch you later?”
                  “All right.  Take care of yourself.”  She waited.
                  “You, too.”  He hung