The Heart Wants What It Wants (Completed)

Chapter 16

"What's your hurry?" Joe asked. "We're making good time."

"You're so cute, when you're oblivious. Keep walking," she replied, shoving him in the back.

Minutes later, they were loaded into Joe's rental and headed to the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport. Just as Val had forgotten about Lexy and her painfully obvious plot to hook her back up with Mark, Val's text alert sounded.

Did he come by? Val read and then texted back, "Yes and Joe was there," as she waited at the stop light.

"Want me to respond for you?" Joe asked.

"No!" Val answered quickly. "Uh, Lexy's got some shit goin' on."

It wasn't the truth, but it wasn't completely a lie either. I should just tell him the truth.

"Light's green," Joe said.

"Fuck me," Val said with a sigh, dropping the phone in her lap and accelerating through the street light.

"Pull over," Joe ordered.

"Hunh?"

"Pull over. Your conversation's obviously very important."

"No, it's cool. I got it," Val reassured.

"I didn't give you an option," Joe started. "Pull the car over."

"You're not my dad," she sassed, glancing at him.

"That's not what you said last night. What was it? Oh daddy, oh daddy," he mimicked, heavily panting.

"You think you're the man, don't you?" Val said, pulling onto the parking lot of a shopping center and putting the car in "Park."

Joe flashed his brows at her and the two exchanged seats. After they were both buckled in their safety belts, he answered, "I am the man. Believe that," then pulled back onto the street.

Just seconds into their drive, Val's alert sounded again.

Joe??? WTF?

Val quickly texted back, "Yes. Came in town yday & Mark's dumbass told him he was my cousin."

GTFOH! IDK u & Joe were on talking terms, Lexy sent back.

I should kill u! WTF do I do?

"Is she OK?" Joe asked, merging onto I-630.

"Yeah, some shit with an ex-boyfriend."

"Oh, well, I hope she can straighten things out."

Yeah, me too. "Yeah, me too."

***

When they arrived at the airport, Joe and Val were quickly surrounded by a small group of fans. Val watched as Joe signed several autographs and took pictures. Once he had run out of time, he grabbed Val's hand and pulled her away from the crowd. They were able to safely make it through security and onto the airplane with the assistance of a couple of the airport security guards as escorts.

"Ya know," Joe started as he settled in the seat next to Val, "I think I might make Little Rock my second home."

"No," Val said, shaking her head, "you'd get bored."

"Long as you're here, I can find plenty to do," he said, rubbing her thigh.

"Joe!" she exclaimed in a whisper as she quickly brushed his hand from her leg and cautiously surveyed the cabin.

"What?"

"Not in public. I'm not ready for the headlines just yet."

"So, who in the hell are you supposed to be then?" he asked.