End Game (Games Thriller Series) Read Free Page B

wouldn’t miss your wedding for the world,” Eric replied. “Want me to tell Dad?”
    “No, I think it would be better coming from me. Is he there?”
    “He’s at work; you want to talk to LeAnn?”
    “No, I’ll give him a call later. How’s Sandy doing?” Daniel and LeAnn had a daughter a couple of months before she had the boys.
    “She’s a little terror. She is into everything and Dad is going nuts. It’s really fun to see him get riled up.”
    Jessica chuckled. “The boys try to get into things, but it’s impossible for them to get away with anything.”
    “Yeah, I know,” Eric said. “It’ll be the same when I have kids.”
    Jessica watched Chris get pelted by the snowballs the boys rocketed at him. “Mmmm.”
    “Anyway, I need to get going, I’ve got practice.”
    “We’ll pick you up next Thursday after school.”
    “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom. Give my brothers a hug from me, same with Chris.”
    “I will. Happy Valentine’s Day, and good luck at the game this weekend.”
    “Mom?” Eric caught her before she hung up the phone.
    “Yes sweetie?”
    “Think you and Chris can make the game?”
    “Where is it?”
    “Worcester.”
    “We’ll be there,” she said. “I’ll get the particulars from your dad.”
    “Thanks , Mom, see you on Saturday.”
    She dialed the familiar number to the house on the other side of town that Tom gave her in the divorce settlement. When Emily took a teaching job at York High School, Jessica gave her the keys to the house. She planned to sign over the deed to her as a wedding gift when the time came.
    “Hi , Mom,” Emily answered.
    “Emily, can you take next Friday off?”
    “Why?”
    “Chris and I are getting married.”
    Emily let out a little laugh. “It’s about time.”
    “That’s exactly what Eric said, so, can you take the day off?”
    “Sure, where’s the wedding?”
    “We’re getting married in New York, so we’d pick you up next Thursday and have you with us for the weekend in the city.” She took a breath. “And I’d need you to sit for the boys Friday night if you wouldn’t mind?”
    “I’d be delighted to. Do you want me to watch the kids for the whole weekend?”
    “Thanks, but if Eric’s team wins this weekend, the finals will be in the city on Saturday.”
    “Ah, ok ay. Where’s he taking you Friday night?”
    Jessica paused and took a deep breath. “We are going to a movie premier e.”
    Silence blanketed the line. “What premier e?”
    “ Survival Games . Tom called and asked us to come.”
    “Really?” Emily said with a short burst of shocked laughter.
    “Yes. We were a little shocked as well.”
    “And you chose the same day to get married?”
    “Chris wanted to get married today, but I wanted you and Eric there and next Friday is the first opportunity for all of us to be together.”
    “Did Chris ask you to marry him before the phone call from Tom or after?”
    Jessica knew where Emily was going. “He didn’t ask me to marry him because of Tom’s call. It wasn’t a spur of the moment thing. He and the kids planned it beginning with a pancake breakfast in bed and a rose petal trail leading me out to the rock wall,” she said. “Chris froze out there waiting for me and he had a ring, so it wasn’t because Tom called.”
    “I’m sorry, but...”
    “Em, he had to have the flowers here before this morning and the ring. He planned this with the boys,” she repeated. “The call from Tom was just incredibly bad timing.”
    “It’s just ironic, that’s all.”
    Jessica chuckled. “I know, but despite the phone call, it turned out to be the perfect morning and the proposal was so completely romantic. I’m not talking a petal here and a petal there; it was a solid path of yellow, pink and red rose petals from the upstairs hallway, down the stairs, through the family room and the entire length of the backyard. And Chris must have stood out in the cold for close to a half hour in just his Armani suit