only two years older than you are,” she told him.
“Maybe. But she’s got a look sometimes that makes me think she’s a hundred,” Kevin said. “Other times she’s just like any other girl in my high school.”
Tessa nodded at his perception. “Like I said, it’s been a tough month for her.” She hesitated, not wanting to draw Kevin too far into the ugliness of the case. “Something really bad happened to Kelly, and I’m trying to help her through it,” Tessa finally said.
“I’m glad she’s got you on her side. You helped me through some bad times when no one else was around.”
“Thanks,” Tessa said past the lump in her throat. “I knew what it felt like not to have a mom, especially when Paul wasn’t around either. I never wanted you to go through that.”
“So you moved back in with our father and the stepmonster to take care of me.” Kevin said, referring to his mother with an irreverent grin. He loved his mother, but wasn’t blind to her failings. “That’s sisterly dedication above and beyond the call of duty.”
Kevin’s mother, Lana Olsen, had been a nineteen-year-old rising fashion model before meeting Paul Jacobi less than a week after his first wife’s sudden drowning death. Her subsequent marriage to him, acquiring a new stepdaughter, and Kevin’s birth eight years later hadn’t kept Lana from pursuing a highly competitive and international career.
Since no one else had planned to do so, Tessa returned home from boarding school at the age of sixteen to take care of her newborn brother. She’d been the focus of Kevin’s world until he’d turned six, and his mother had found her first hints of wrinkles and gray hairs. Though she was still a stunningly attractive woman in high demand as a model, Lana decided to retire and take up the position of mother forthe first time in her life. She’d been at the top of her field for too long to deal well with being passed over for the top assignments because she was in her thirties.
“I still remember the yelling and fighting after Mom finished her last contract,” Kevin said, as if reading Tessa’s mind. “She didn’t understand why she couldn’t come back home and pick up as if she’d never been gone.”
Tessa thought over her words carefully. While Kevin was very blasé about their dysfunctional family life, Tessa was always careful never to criticize Lana in front of him. “She wanted what was best for you. We all did.”
“Yeah, right. Is that why she moved across the country with me and Dad when I was six, and made it clear that you weren’t welcome in her new home?” He looked at her with cynical blue eyes that were a mirror of his father’s.
“She didn’t think our relationship was healthy. She and Paul wanted me to have a chance at a normal college life in Virginia.” Tessa almost choked on the words.
Kevin sneezed, though Tessa distinctly heard the word “bullshit,” buried in the act. At over six-four and 225 muscled pounds, Kevin had his mother’s looks and stunning physique, but he’d inherited Paul Jacobi’s keen mind and biting sarcasm. No one could fool the kid about what was really going on, even when he was six.
“That was a long time ago. You should just be happy that you had three people who loved you enough to fight over you,” Tessa said. She laughed when he shot her an incredulous look. “All right, I tried to put a positive spin on it. Anyway, let’s not burden Kelly with our family baggage, okay? She’s got enough to handle as it is.”
“Don’t worry, I’m done rehashing ancient history. I’m back to being Kelly’s date for the evening.”
“Good,” Tessa said, then waved Kelly over as their pizza arrived.
“So where’s your date?” Kevin asked Tessa. She narrowed her eyes at him. “So where are your manners?Don’t you know better than to ask a woman over thirty why she’s flying solo for the evening?”
“Brother’s prerogative,” Kevin assured her, then bit
“Maybe. But she’s got a look sometimes that makes me think she’s a hundred,” Kevin said. “Other times she’s just like any other girl in my high school.”
Tessa nodded at his perception. “Like I said, it’s been a tough month for her.” She hesitated, not wanting to draw Kevin too far into the ugliness of the case. “Something really bad happened to Kelly, and I’m trying to help her through it,” Tessa finally said.
“I’m glad she’s got you on her side. You helped me through some bad times when no one else was around.”
“Thanks,” Tessa said past the lump in her throat. “I knew what it felt like not to have a mom, especially when Paul wasn’t around either. I never wanted you to go through that.”
“So you moved back in with our father and the stepmonster to take care of me.” Kevin said, referring to his mother with an irreverent grin. He loved his mother, but wasn’t blind to her failings. “That’s sisterly dedication above and beyond the call of duty.”
Kevin’s mother, Lana Olsen, had been a nineteen-year-old rising fashion model before meeting Paul Jacobi less than a week after his first wife’s sudden drowning death. Her subsequent marriage to him, acquiring a new stepdaughter, and Kevin’s birth eight years later hadn’t kept Lana from pursuing a highly competitive and international career.
Since no one else had planned to do so, Tessa returned home from boarding school at the age of sixteen to take care of her newborn brother. She’d been the focus of Kevin’s world until he’d turned six, and his mother had found her first hints of wrinkles and gray hairs. Though she was still a stunningly attractive woman in high demand as a model, Lana decided to retire and take up the position of mother forthe first time in her life. She’d been at the top of her field for too long to deal well with being passed over for the top assignments because she was in her thirties.
“I still remember the yelling and fighting after Mom finished her last contract,” Kevin said, as if reading Tessa’s mind. “She didn’t understand why she couldn’t come back home and pick up as if she’d never been gone.”
Tessa thought over her words carefully. While Kevin was very blasé about their dysfunctional family life, Tessa was always careful never to criticize Lana in front of him. “She wanted what was best for you. We all did.”
“Yeah, right. Is that why she moved across the country with me and Dad when I was six, and made it clear that you weren’t welcome in her new home?” He looked at her with cynical blue eyes that were a mirror of his father’s.
“She didn’t think our relationship was healthy. She and Paul wanted me to have a chance at a normal college life in Virginia.” Tessa almost choked on the words.
Kevin sneezed, though Tessa distinctly heard the word “bullshit,” buried in the act. At over six-four and 225 muscled pounds, Kevin had his mother’s looks and stunning physique, but he’d inherited Paul Jacobi’s keen mind and biting sarcasm. No one could fool the kid about what was really going on, even when he was six.
“That was a long time ago. You should just be happy that you had three people who loved you enough to fight over you,” Tessa said. She laughed when he shot her an incredulous look. “All right, I tried to put a positive spin on it. Anyway, let’s not burden Kelly with our family baggage, okay? She’s got enough to handle as it is.”
“Don’t worry, I’m done rehashing ancient history. I’m back to being Kelly’s date for the evening.”
“Good,” Tessa said, then waved Kelly over as their pizza arrived.
“So where’s your date?” Kevin asked Tessa. She narrowed her eyes at him. “So where are your manners?Don’t you know better than to ask a woman over thirty why she’s flying solo for the evening?”
“Brother’s prerogative,” Kevin assured her, then bit
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