Page 2 of What Started In Deception

Her lips curved up. “Okay.”

Gram-Gram walked over with a roll of paper towels after she’d done what she could to clean herself up. “Here you go, honey.”

Lydia took the wad Gram-Gram handed her, wiping at her nasty clothes. “Thank you, Gram-Gram.”

“Of course.” Gram-Gram used a few more of the towels to swipe at the mess on Lydia’s legs. “What do you say to you and me heading home for showers. Then we’ll get you snuggled into bed.”

Lydia nodded. “I feel pretty weak and tired,” she finally admitted when she’d fought to ignore her symptoms for the last few hours.

Mom’s frown was back as she touched Lydia’s forehead again. “There’s definitely a bug going around. My waiting room was full the entire week before we headed up here. I’ll come with you, and we’ll get a read on that fever.”

Gram-Gram shook her head as she held up her hand. “Lydia and I will hold down the fort until you get back tonight. The voters want to see the Virginia Monroes. They don’t get a lot of time with you. Give the people what they want.”

Mom hesitated as concern filled her pretty hazel eyes.

“I’m okay, Mom. I’m going to shower and let Gram-Gram tuck me in.”

Gram-Gram stepped closer, sliding Lydia’s hair behind her ear. “We’ll send Will out to get you some Saltines and some chicken noodle soup. Your cousin is always looking for a reason to take the car somewhere, now that he has a license burning a hole in his pocket.”

“That sounds like someone else we know,” Dad said, gesturing to Burke before he kissed Lydia’s forehead. “Settle in at the compound and get some rest. We’ll be back in a few hours.”

She sent him a small smile as she breathed in the familiar scent of his cologne. “Okay.”

“I love you, Lidybug,” he told her as he kissed her again.

“I love you, too.”

Mom kissed her forehead next. “You’re sure you don’t want me to stay? Because I will.”

Lydia shook her head. “I promise I’ll be okay. I love you.”

“I love you more, honey.”

“Come on,” Gram-Gram said, walking Lydia back to the Escalade as Marcus used another roll of towels that he’d grabbed from the airport to clean up the SUV.

Lydia winced. “I’m so sorry, Marcus.”

“It’s okay, Miss Lydia. We’ll get this in for a detail, and no one will be the wiser.” He handed her a small trash bag. “For the ride back.”

“Thank you.” She took the seat that Dad had sat in, buckling up as she watched her family head for the helicopter, hating that they were leaving her behind.

“Next time, honey,” Gram-Gram said as she secured her seat belt.

Lydia nodded, rolling down the window as Burke saluted with his fingers to his forehead before he piled into the chopper after Grandpa Beau. Dad winked and waved, and Mom blew her a kiss, then got in.

Struggling to blink back more tears, she waved, listening to the loud whir as the chopper blade spun and the aircraft lifted off the ground. Waving once more, she rolled up the window and made herself smile at Gram-Gram. “I guess I should get to bed and get better.”

“That’s my girl,” she said with a smile. “Close your eyes and rest while Marcus drives us home.”

She didn’t need much convincing. “Okay.”

“It’ll take us about forty minutes to get back to the compound with the traffic, so you’ll have plenty of time for a nice little power nap,” Marcus added.

“Mm-hmm,” she said, settling her head against the leather rest, already mostly asleep as Marcus blasted the heat and started the drive back to Shoalmans Bay.

“Lydia,” Gram-Gram said seconds later, rubbing her hand up and down Lydia’s arm.

Lydia blinked her eyes open, surprised to see that they were nearly back to the massive home where her dad had grown up. “We’re here already?”