Stranded with My Stepbrother Chapter 100

\-Jacey-

“Mom? Where did Uncle Billy put the Fruity Pebbles?” McKenzie asked.

She’d been home from her first year of college a week and had already settled right in like she owned the place. Billy had taken to hiding the Fruity Pebbles they both liked, one, because he thought it was hilarious, and two, because he actually wanted the opportunity to have some. Our little snarfer had a tendency to eat the whole box before he even had a chance to sniff it.

Well, our not-so-little girl. I smiled at our nineteen-year-old summer baby. “I’d check the barn if I were you.”

“Ew. Dad’s in there feeding the cows. I don’t think he has his shirt on.” McKenzie wrinkled her nose.

I perked up. “Re-eally?”

“Oh my God, Mom, ewwww!” she made a gagging gesture.

“Come on, now. Don’t tell me you haven’t been eyeing some of those college hotties,” I teased her.

“Well, yeah. But it’s definitely not the same.” She went through the cupboards a second time then dumped out the potato pot. “Aha! Score!”

I laughed. “I think I will go see your dad. Oh, don’t forget, Uncle Jake and Uncle Horace are coming for dinner. We need to make extra, so don’t go nibbling at the labeled food.”

McKenzie gave me a mock-offended look. “When would I ever?”

“Says last summer’s fruit salad,” Caleb said, wiping his face on a cloth while he walked into the house.

“Oh my God, put a shirt on!” she complained, shielding her eyes. She got out a mixing bowl and started dumping Fruity Pebbles inside.

“Which of our cows do you need me to go grab in order to accommodate that amount of cereal?” her father chuckled.

She stuck her head in the fridge again. “Nah, no need. There’s enough here.”

“That’s code for: Dad, we’re going to need more milk if we’re going to cook anything for supper,” I said.

“I heard it loud and clear.” My husband walked over and dropped a kiss on top of my head while he toweled off his chest. He’d retained a very nice body. But then, we were young parents.

McKenzie flopped down on the sofa with her mixing bowl of Fruity Pebbles, leaving the empty box on the counter for Billy to find. “I’m bored. Not a lot happens around here, you know? I mean, I don’t think anyone in town has ever even stolen a car. It’s so quiet. College is a lot more exciting.”

“Trust me. A boring life is a nice life,” I said, smiling up at Caleb.

“Pfft. How would you know? You’ve been here all your lives. I mean, it was nice of Uncle Billy to raise you and all, and it’s great Dad’s a vet, but it’s soooo boring,” she sighed.

“We could watch the game,” her father suggested.

McKenzie rolled her eyes. “It’s only fun when you watch it live in the stadium, and college baseball is better anyway.”

“Our little McKenzie, such a sports snob,” I said.

“Yeah, well, someone has to be. The highlight of your lives is watching Wheel of Fortune with Uncle Billy,” she scoffed, munching on her cereal.

“Yep, that’s all the excitement we’ve ever had,” Caleb agreed.

I nodded. It was best she never knew what had happened before she was born. I didn’t want her living in fear.

And we had no reason to anymore, as far as I could tell. As far as we knew, Masterson was in prison for another five years. The sheik was still on the run. All ransoms on our heads had been canceled, or, if they hadn’t, no one had managed to find us.

It had been a difficult, hair-raising decision, but we finally decided to allow McKenzie to go to the U of M. Not that we could have stopped her, but I’d been biting my nails the whole year, hoping McKenzie Kent wouldn’t be singled out by danger.

We were Kents now, which was fine by me. I knew in my heart I was a Killeen. Anything to keep us safe.

“Have you met any boys?” I asked, winking at Caleb.

“Please. Freshman boys are still so immature. Dad’s like five years older than you, right? That’s probably about how many years I’m going to need between me and my husband.” Her tone carried such authority that I had to stifle a smile.

“Of course,” her father said. “Men just don’t mature as fast. You should go pick a ripe, old, wrinkly one.”

“Dad!!!” she protested. “Ugh, you two, I swear!”

There was a knock at the door.

Caleb glanced that way with a frown. “Who could it be at this hour? It’s too soon for Jake or Horace to be here.”

“Maybe it’s someone campaigning for the election again,” I said.

McKenzie rolled her eyes. “I hate those people. It’s not like I don’t already know who I’m voting for. I’ll be in my room.” She took the bowl and headed upstairs while her father went to the door.

The man beyond it looked to be in his thirties. He wore a tailored suit and loafers. A Rolex watch rested on his wrist, and he had diamond cufflinks. The whole ensemble might have cost more than the farm.

“Mr. Killeen?” he asked, straightening his jacket.

“Oh God,” I whispered, horror washing over me. “He’s found us.”