his touch. We stopped dancing and sort of toppled backward to the couch, Kevin on top, his weight comfortable and hard all at once. I wrapped my legs around his hips and arched my back, so the pressure of his hardness was right there, right where I wanted it.
My mind quit functioning. All thought processes completely shut down. I opened my senses and let myself feel, taste, and listen to everything happening.
Kevin stroked his fingers along the edge of my jaw. “I want—”
The ringing of the phone interrupted his statement, which was really a pity. I’d have loved for him to finish his sentence. He lifted his gaze to mine, filled with questions and heat. I was tempted to let the phone ring, let it go to voicemail; after all, what could be important enough to step away from this? I needed to feel desirable. I needed to feel wanted. And right now, I did.
But by the third ring, the daze began to clear, and I wasn’t as comfortable. I wasn’t totally sure why I was doing what I apparently had been about to do. Happy for the reprieve, I scooted out from beneath him. “I should get that. Sorry.”
“No problem.” He rolled off me into a stand. I leapt up and ran to the kitchen and grabbed the phone off the wall. I kept meaning to buy a cordless, but always seemed to forget.
“Hello,” I said, not looking at Kevin, who had trailed after me into the kitchen.
“Elizabeth? Have you talked to your grandmother today?” It was my mother, and she sounded upset. Great.
“Today? No. Why?”
“No one seems to know where she is. She didn’t answer earlier so I sent your father over, but she’s not there.”
My first instinct was worry, but then I thought of Vinny. “I bet she’s with Vinny. Do you have his number?”
“No. Do you?”
“Nope. When did you talk to her last?”
“Last night. She usually tells me if she’s not going to be home when I call. I’m really worried. What do you think we should do?”
My mother was asking me for advice. That worried me almost more than my missing Grandma Verda. “Check in with Alice and the boys. Maybe they’ve heard something.”
“I already did. No one has talked to her today at all.”
“Whose day was it?”
“Mine, but she hasn’t been home.”
I glanced at the clock. Concern skittered over me, but I set it aside. “It’s only eight, Mom. She maybe went to the movies or to Bingo or something. I’m sure she’s fine. Give her another hour and try her again.”
“That’s what your dad said. Maybe I’m worried about nothing, but she’s not herself lately.”
“Mom, really, listen to Dad. If she’s not home in a couple of hours, let me know.”
“I will, but what can you do?”
“Remember Nate? You met him at Alice’s. He lives next door. I can ask him what we should do if she’s not home by then.” It was the only thing I could think of. But honestly, Grandma Verda had a more active social life than I did—at least normally—so most likely, she was out having fun. I tried to hold on to that, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried at all.
“Thank you, sweetie. I’ll call you either way and let you know.”
After I hung up, I turned to Kevin. “I’m sorry about that. My mother is upset because her mother isn’t at home, safely tucked in for the night. It has to be strange to suddenly feel like the parent to your parent.”
He smiled and pulled me to him. “It’s not a problem. You’re here. I’m here. Where did we leave off?”
Before I could say a word, my phone trilled again. Startled, I grabbed it, thinking it was probably my mother again.
“Are you busy?”
“Um. Kind of. What’s up, Jon?”
“Just wanted to talk, but if you’re busy, you can call me back. Or I can call you back later. What ever you want.”
“Is there a problem?”
Silence, which meant there was, but Jon wouldn’t say so— not if he knew I was busy.
“Just call me back when you can.”
The telltale beep of another call buzzed through. “Hey, Jon, I have another call coming in. I’ll get back to you soon. I promise.”
Clicking over, I swung an apologetic smile to Kevin. I noticed he was backing up toward the living room. Poor guy.
“Hello?”
“Troy was here again, Liz.” My sister’s panicked voice came over the line.
“Again? What did he want?”
“I don’t know. I pretended I wasn’t home,