Following in the Foot Steps (Anderson Series #3)

The Plan

I hold Baby Anderson tightly and drift off into sleep.

I wake up the next morning and the spot beside me is empty and cold.  She must have gotten up well before me.  I look over at the clock and it says 9:30.  Well shit so much for class today.

I throw on my boxers and some sweat pants that I keep at Baby Anderson's place and head into the living room.  I see her sitting on the couch talking on the phone to someone.  She is smiling and laughing.  I walk up behind her and give her a kiss on the top of her head.

"Yea okay, great and thank you so much for helping us out.  So yea see you tomorrow then. Bye," I hear her say.

"Who was that on the phone," I ask her making some coffee for me and a tea for her.

"Derek, he said he wants to help out with the plan," she says.

"Great, so what is this brilliant plan?" I ask.

"Well you and Derek could pass for brothers, so you show up with him at the party and he starts to chat up Tracy all the while recording the conversation on his phone.  I would bet my life that if she can't have you, she would go for your "brother" and to top it off he plays in the NHL so she'll love that too," she says smiling.

"And you think he'll get her to confess?" I ask.

"I have no doubt he will be able to do it, but we can't let the police know what we are up too otherwise they won't be able to use the recording as evidence," she says.

"So smart," I say slipping my arm around her. 

"I am more than just a pretty face," she says leaning in and kissing me.

"Mmm don't I know it Em," I say kissing her back hard.

The day goes by pretty quickly with school work and such and before I know it it's time to meet Derek and believe me I am going to try to get to the bottom of what happened between him and Baby Anderson.

Sitting around on couch watching some highlights of last nights game between Toronto and Dallas, I hear the door bell ring. "I'll grab it," I say jumping off the couch.  Wanting to size up this Derek guy before he enters the house.

I open the door and see one familiar face and the other face not so familiar. "Jay, what are you doing here man?" I ask shaking his hand.

"Well when my best friend calls me up and tells me my little sister is involving him in some plan to get the person who drugged her to confess. I jumped on the red eye last night and decided to tag along," he says shaking my hand.

"Hey I'm Derek," the guy behind him waves at me.  I size him up and I can see that we look similar and could pull off being brothers; however I am much better looking.

I move out of the way to let them in.  "Em we have company," I say.

"Be right there. Tell Derek to make himself at home," she says back.

I hear Sam's door open and he walks out smiling, "Jay geez I wasn't expecting you too," he says giving his big brother a hug.

"Well I feel bad that I couldn't be here when Em was in the hospital, so I am here to check in with her.  How is she doing?" he asks Sam.

"Great, she is back at school and has come to a couple of games and Drew is really taking good care of her," he says patting me on the back.

"Seems like we all have to learn the hard way about keeping our dicks in our pants," Jay says looking at me.

I just nod, not really knowing what the right answer to that questions is.

Em comes out of her room and down the hallway.  "Jay oh my god what are you doing here," she says giving him a big hug.

"I am so sorry that I didn't come when you were in the hospital.  I am the worst big brother," he says hugging her tightly.

"It's really okay.  I am fine and Drew has been taking really good care of me," she says.

"Hey Em," I hear Derek say smiling.

"Hey Derek," she says smiling back and going over to give him a hug.

I instantly want rip his hands off Em.  I know something happened between them in the past and right now my body does not like how close they are.  I guess this is what she feels when she sees other women touch me.

She steps back and holds my hand, squeezing it a little to reassure me that she loves me.

We sit down and Em explains everything to us about the plan.  She thinks that because Tracy is a puck chaser and if Derek and I can sell that we are brothers she will buy it and go for Derek.  Then all Derek has to do is charm her and get the information out of her and record it on this phone.

"Should be easy enough. There are very few women who can resist my charm," Derek says winking at Em.

I look over at Em and she is blushing.  I am sitting there just wanting to punch this jack ass.

I excuse myself to grab a drink. Looking for something to drink in the fridge. I feel Em's arms slide around my waist. 

"I am sorry about Derek.  He can be a little much, but he is the perfect person to get what we need," she says looking at me.

"What did you ever see in him?  God I hope I don't act like that," I say.

She smiles, "Well in a way you used to act like that, but you changed as soon as we started to date and as for what I saw in him.  He was something forbidden and that excited me, but there is nothing there now.  You are it for me," she says leaning in and kissing me softly.

"I know, but I hate the way he looks at you. Like if he said something you would go running to him," I say.

"Not a chance McKenzie, you are stuck with me," she says wrapping her arms around me.

"Alright can we head out to eat now?" Jay says coming into the kitchen and scaring us.

"Yea let's go and we can talk some more about what the plan is for tomorrow," she says going to grab her jacket.

I head out into the living room to get my jacket as everyone heads out to their cars. I am just about to walk out the door and Derek stops me.

"She will always be mine McKenzie. I was her first and right now I am letting you be with her, but when all this is said and done I want her back," he says looking at me and challenging me.

"She'll never be yours. She is her own person and doesn't belong to anyone. She loves me though and I will fight tooth and nail for her. We'll see who wins," I say giving him my best smirk.

"She is going to realize this little thing with you is just a fling. She is meant to be with a star. It's in her blood," he says.

I just walk away from him and shake my head. Walking to my car where Em is waiting.

"Everything okay?" she asks me.

"Yea, we were just going over how we are going to play tomorrow night," I say smiling.

"Okay," she says giving me that killer smile.

"Let's go eat and then I want desert in my bed tonight," I say giving her a wink.

"I couldn't ask for a better offer," she says smiling.

As we get into the car I think to myself what has she stirred up bringing Derek here, but I will fight for her no matter what.