Read Online Big Bad John (Bigger in Texas Series) by R.G. Alexander - Free Book Online Page A

be.”
    She smiled and Trudy chuckled. “I haven’t been that girl for years.”
    Caroline picked up her sandwich and winked. “I think there’s more of her in you than you know. Obviously John sees something he likes.”
    They ate in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Caroline spoke first. “I’ll take your brother to the doctor and keep an eye on him for a few days so you won’t have so much on your plate.”
    “No way,” Trudy protested. “You didn’t come here to be groped by Jefferson. He’s my responsibility. All you have to do is get ready for next week’s interview. I have to make sure my brother’s okay and that he doesn’t ruin his life doing something too reckless.”
    “The show you were telling me about?” When Trudy nodded Caroline sighed. “In my experience when you tell a man like that he can’t do something, it makes him that much more determined.” She shrugged. “It might be good for him. Most people tell me once their fifteen minutes are up, the fall is spectacularly instructive.”
    Trudy leaned her head into her hands and sighed as well. “I don’t understand why he’s doing this. He’s successful. He’s handsome.”
    “He’s bored.”
    “What?”
    Caroline’s cheeks flushed enough to be noticeable. “I’m just guessing, Trudy, but from everything you told me about this place, it isn’t exactly action central. Why do you get to be the only one in the family to have an adventure? And look what you’ve done with it. All your hard work is finally paying off. Maybe he’ll surprise you.”
    She didn’t understand, no one did, not even John. Jefferson always got everything he wanted…everything but the thing he wanted most—to have their mother back. Losing her had been hard on him, almost as painful as it had been for their father—and it had broken Matt Adams and left his pieces at the bottom of every bottle he could get his hands on.
    For a long time Jefferson had been angry, yearning for her. While Trudy had—at least for a while—been proud of her mother for escaping what she’d always seen as a prison of a town, and sought to emulate her, Jefferson had pretended not to care. Trudy was the only one he’d confided in, and only when he couldn’t hold it in anymore. He’d blamed his father, he’d blamed himself. Never the woman who left. But he’d never given any indication that he wanted to follow her. He was too proud.
    He didn’t know the truth. And if he went off on his own to learn it, it might break him too.
    “He can have all the adventures he wants. But I think this one is a mistake.” Trudy studied Caroline, wondering at her support of the harebrained scheme. “So, you believe setting my brother loose on the female population of Los Angeles in front of cameras is a good idea? What won you over? His lack of inhibition or his willingness to break his leg for the cause?”
    Caroline was avoiding eye contact. “I’m trying to ease your mind, Tru. He’s your brother. You know him better than I do.”
    Oh hell. Trudy knew her friend, too, and after nearly a decade, she also knew that look. Jefferson wasn’t in trouble…Caroline was. She liked him. What the heck had happened in that bedroom? “Caroline?”
    Caroline pushed her plate aside and reached for the check, beating Trudy to it as she pulled a neatly folded wad of cash out of her purse and set it on the table. “Let’s focus on you for the moment, shall we?” she dodged artfully. “Specifically, your clothing issue.”
    “Clothing issue?”
    She stood and slipped her purse over her shoulder, grabbing Trudy’s hand and practically dragging her out the door. The bell jingled loudly as they left. “As in, I know you didn’t pack for this particular reunion. Personally, I always come prepared, but you’re more a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-everyday-jeans kind of gal. What is your panty situation? And does this town have a salon? I think a manicure is in order.”
    Trudy