“I wish I was,” she says, shooting me an exhausted look. She raises her glasses and looks around the room. “To Eleanor Lemon. The fifth parent to our children.”
Yet another incident involving a Forkerro where Lemmy swooped in to save the day.
I raise my glass, too. “To Lemmy.”
CHAPTER SEVENTY
carter
I knewI shouldn’t have agreed to a dinner at a restaurant the day after Christmas. It’s packed, my parents are drunk, and Arden looks like she’s going to fall asleep at the table. She just came home from work before my parents sprung this idea on her, and she refused to decline, even when I tried to for her.
I brush my thumb against her thigh as she slumps a bit in her seat. I study the side of her face. Her blinks are slow with exhaustion, and she may have inhaled her food, but she has barely touched her wine.
I shouldn’t have let them talk me into this.
Shecould have stayed home, at the very least.
“So, Arden. You’re from Maine, right?”
Arden blinks, dark eyes slow to find my sister around the table. “Yes.”
“Have you ever been to California?”
Arden shakes her head, reaching for her wine. “I can’t say I have. I haven’t been to very many places.”
Ari glances at me, and I shoot her a look.Don’t pry. “Well,next time Carter visits, you’ll have to come with him. You’d enjoy some sun, I think. It’s good for the soul.”
“I’d love to.” Arden smiles. I think she means it, which lights up my heart and all that corny shit.
“I’ve finished my Master’s from Duke,” Ari continues. “So, I’ll be back home full-time. Anytime you want to come, let me know. We’ll have a blast.”
I drag my thumb along her thigh again. “We’ll make it there eventually, Ari.”
“Carterdoesneed to come home more,” Mom interjects. “I miss my boy.”
I go home enough. They get me throughout the summer, most of the time. She needs to stop acting like I moved across the world. I’ve managed to stay constant in their lives, despite living in a different state. Other teammates have given less to their families.
“Dolly.”
The hair on my neck stands up on end at the use of that name. Arden goes rigid under my touch.
I slowly drag my gaze up to the man who just sauntered right up to our table. He’s in a blue dress shirt and casual pair of dress pants, but he still looks like a fucking cop. It’s in his aura.
The universe is really fucking testing me.
His cold eyes slide to mine. “Forkerro.”
My teeth grind together, my grip tightening around Arden’s leg. I got by without killing him by the skin of my teeth last time. I am not so sure I’ll have the same willpower this time.
“Noah.” Arden’s voice sounds soft and desperate. “Not now, okay?”
“Who’s this?” Ari asks sharply. My parents consider Peck cluelessly, but Ari has already picked up on the vibe and caninstantly tell I hate him. So, she hates him, too. It’s the Forkerro way.
“Ah,” Noah smiles, flashing my little sister a look that makes her wince, “just an old friend of Dolly’s. We go way back. Nice to meet you.”
“Noah,” Arden tries again, moving to stand. I hear the nerves in her voice and my temper stirs at the sound.
“Isn’t that right?” Noah urges, ignoring her, a masochistic grin on his face as Arden meets him face to face. Then he does the stupidest thing he could do. He makes the worst choice in the world. He loads the gun and pulls the trigger. Officer Prick reaches forward and tucks a piece of pretty red hair behind Arden’s ear like this is a fucking game.
