Page 49 of What Started In Deception

She grinned as she turned on the water, filling the can. “Grandma Gail certainly pulls out all the stops.”

He smiled back. “So, where’s this tree that you’re babysitting?”

“In the living room.” She shut off the water, nudging her head, starting in that direction.

Moments later, they walked into the massive, window-filled room, and Ty whistled through his teeth as he stared at the thriving olive tree. “This thing has to be ten feet tall.”

She chuckled as she began to give the roots a drink. “I know. It’s a little crazy.”

He ran his thumb over one of the leaves. “Why isn’t it outside?”

She shrugged as she chuckled again. “I couldn’t tell you. All I know is Grandma Gail loves it. She’s had it for years.”

“I’d hate to be the poor sucker who has to repot it.” He frowned. “How would you repot it?”

She shrugged again as she shook her head. “I guess that’s a question for a tree expert.”

“Who’s going to take care of your grandma’s beloved tree while we’re in Mass?”

“The neighbor.”

He turned a circle, studying the room.

“You’re welcome to look around.”

He shrugged. “I can wait for you.”

“For the most part, it’s just a typical house with all the things you would expect to find in one.” She set the empty can by the fireplace and started back down the long hall toward the staircase.

Ty followed her up the stairs and down another hallway.

She stopped at the third door on the right—her room that she loved with the antique four-poster bed. “This was my room. When I was a little girl. I slept in here when I came over for sleepovers. Burke slept in there.” She pointed to the blue-painted room across the hall. “This became mine permanently a couple of months after I turned fourteen. I slept in here until my last summer break from college.”

“You moved in after the accident?”

She nodded, wandering over to the window seat that overlooked the pool and large gardens below, sitting on the plush cushion. “My dad’s family wanted me up in Massachusetts with them, but I couldn’t do that to Grandpa Roger and Grandma Gail. Uncle James, Aunt Cindy, Will, and Gram-Gram had each other, but my grandparents had just lost their only daughter, their son-in-law, whom they loved like their own, and their only grandson.”

Ty sat next to her, capturing her hand. “That’s really tough, Lyd.”

She shrugged. “After life started to settle down again, we all decided that I would spend a month up in Mass every summer, but ultimately, I know my mom would have wanted me here. My parents were intentionally raising us in Oliver Heights. My mom understood that we had responsibilities as members of a prominent political family, but she didn’t like politics at all. She limited our exposure to it until we were older, which my dad respected.”

Ty nodded. “Your dad worked for your grandpa’s law firm?”

She nodded. “Dad and Grandpa Roger practiced family law. The plan was for my dad to eventually take over the firm, but that never happened.”

“You didn’t want to be a lawyer?”

She wrinkled her nose as she shook her head. “I find law to be horribly boring. I’ve known that I wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl—when my friends and I used to play school.” She looked at their intertwined fingers. “Sometimes, I think Burke would’ve gone into medicine like my mom, but it’s hard to say for sure.”

“You’ve lost a lot.”

She shrugged again, knowing that her parents would have wanted her to focus on being happy. “I also have a lot. I’m so lucky to have so many people in my life who love me.”

He nodded. “That’s a really great perspective.”

She smiled. “Thanks.”

“Your childhood home. That’s not far from here?”