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She rolls her eyes and pitches her voice obnoxiously high. “Oh no, please don’t tell the scary biker man that I’m genuinely concerned my girl isn’t getting her needs satisfied.”
“I genuinely love you so much. So trust me when I tell you that you’re ridiculous sometimes,” I tell her, affection wrapping around every word.
She winks and holds up her glass bottle in cheers. “Don’t I know it, babe. But you’re avoiding the question, and it’s not going unnoticed.”
“What? What question?” I sputter through another laugh. God I don’t even know how long it’s been since I laughed like this with anyone, but especially her. No one makes me laugh quite like Cora does. It’s different from the kind of fun I have with my men or Hunter. Or even the kind of fun I had with Nana Jo.
Tears fill my eyes as it all becomes so startlingly clear. I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll continue to say it, but Coraline Carter is the sister I should’ve had. We have the kind of relationship that I wished my actual sister and I had. There’s something beautiful and heartbreaking about all of it. I blink several times, dispersing the tears and hiding it behind my own bottle.
“You know, the one big happy family thing you have going on here,” she says.
“We’re not one big happy family. Not without Hunter here,” I murmur.
Her amusement settles into something more serious and sincere. “I’m sorry, Evangeline. That you had to go through all of it. I’m really, really sorry.” She reaches over and grasps my hand in hers.
“It’s not your fault, you don’t need to apologize.” I shake my head, squeezing her fingers back. “And I hope you know how much I appreciate you coming over today.”
“Psh, Jagger told me that Bane told him I need to give you a few days to get settled in. And then Jagger and I exchanged some words.”
I don’t bother smothering my laugh as I waggle my brows. “Is that a code word for you two or something?”
She slides her hand out of mine and executes a perfect hair toss. “Please, that man wishes.”
My brows fly toward my hairline, and I grin at my cousin. “Oh, I’d bet my house he does.”
Her brows arch over her dark brown eyes, the color so similar to my own. “You’re avoiding the question.”
I splay my hand over my chest. “I’m doing no such thing. I’m simply making conversation with my favorite cousin about her on-again-off-again man who happens to be in the same motorcycle club as my men.”
“There’s no on-again. Jagger and I haven’t been on for ages. Practically a lifetime in dating terms.”
“Mhmm. Whatever you say.” Not even she can deny the chemistry they have together. I haven’t seen it myself recently, but Lincoln told me he witnessed it a few days ago. Said it was like he could see a string twining the two together, but he also said he hadn’t slept in days, so I guess it’s possible he was hallucinating.
“Whatever, are we going treasure hunting or just hanging out? By the way, I’m all for hanging out. I feel like I’ve done nothing but work and worry for weeks. In fact, come here.” She leans over, bringing her face a few inches away from mine. “See this?” She tilts her head and points to the space between her brows. “That’s from you.”
A laugh sputters out of me, and I squint, trying to see what she’s talking about. “That freckle is from me?”
“No, don’t be purposely obtuse. That line is from you. From all the goddamn worrying I did about you.”
“I love you, Cora, but there is literally no line there.” I sit back with a grin.
She settles into her chair and crosses one leg over the other with a sigh. “I’m going to get Botox and then send the bill to you.”
“You know, Nana Jo always said fine lines and wrinkles were a sign of a happy life,” I drawl.
“Ah-ha!” She sits up, dropping her feet to the ground and pointing her finger at me. “I knew I had a wrinkle there.”
She’s so ridiculous that I can’t help but tease her. My heart feels light and joyful, and I wish I could bottle this feeling up and uncork it whenever I need a hit. “You’re beautiful exactly as you are. I’m just messing with you, but if you want to bill me for your Botox, go for it, babe. In fact, let’s go together. I’m going to find Nana Jo’ s buried gold bars in the backyard, so I’ll be good for the money.”
She chuckles as she relaxes into her chair. “Damn, do you really think there are gold bars buried in the backyard?”
I lift a shoulder. “I don’t know. I kind of got this idea and now I can’t stop thinking about it. But I don’t know if it’s because my mind needs something normal to latch onto or because the idea has merit.”
“Yeah, I get that,” she says softly before she finishes her soda. She pushes to her feet and tosses the bottle toward the recycling can like it’s a basketball. Predictably, it doesn’t land anywhere near it. She tilts her head back with a loud groan and trudges over to pick up the bottle off the ground.
“You’re lucky it didn’t break, you know.”
She stands up and tosses it in the bin, pausing as she looks out the window. “I thought you said the guys left?”
