Page 106 of Unleashed

Lindsey shrugs, her blinding smile slapped back in place as she perkily says, “You never know.”

The rest of the night is filled with more alcohol, more laughing, and more food. Lindsey’s angel bars are fucking fantastic. I like them even better than the sweet and salty ones I make, and I’m pretty sure Ruth does too. They’re citrusy and fresh-tasting and dusted with powdered sugar that gives them a delicately sweet finish.

We’ve just started winding down when everyone’s rides start showing up. Titus is the first one to come collect his wife. Mariah had so much fun, that collection requires a piggyback, since he doesn’t want her trying to navigate the stairs leading to the porch.

The rest of the crew shows up at pretty much the same time, and the volume in the house amplifies exponentially. Tucker walks in with Birdie, her blonde curls still wet from the pool. Toby and Trevor angle Zara through the door, one gripping each side of her chair while she cackles wildly.

The second she sees me she lifts both arms above her head. “Trevor and Uncle Toby carried me up the steps. I didn’t even have to get out of my chair.”

“That’s pretty freaking cool.” I look her over. “Did you have fun swimming?”

It’s a rhetorical question. Zara has fun wherever she goes, but she absolutely loves Brooke and Toby’s swimming pool. My sister could paddle around that thing all day. She’s only been a couple times, but already begs to go daily.

Which means she’ll probably ask tomorrow, and I will probably say yes. Because I don’t hate Brooke’s pool either.

Ruth and Brooke say their goodbyes, giving Zara hugs on their way out the door.

I look my sister over, taking in her chlorine saturated hair, and bleach scented skin. “You need a shower.”

“But I’m clean. I was just in water,” she whines.

“You might be sanitized, but you are not clean.” I unhook her bag from the back of her chair, unzipping it to tip out the snacks I sent just in case she got hungry. As I turn for the counter, I notice Lindsey’s still sitting on one of the stools.

In all the chaos, I sort of forgot about her.

“I should probably go too.” She slides off her chair, but the second her feet connect to the floor, she wobbles a little bit, bringing one hand to her head. “Oh my gosh. Those margaritas must have been stronger than I realized.” She pinches her lower lip between her teeth, eyes squinting as she asks, “Would it be okay if I called an Uber and picked my car up later?”

“Of course.” I definitely don’t want her driving right now. I’m sure she wants to go home—we don’t know each other well enough for couch crashing just yet—but getting a rideshare all the way out here is expensive, if not impossible. “But I can take you. Let me get my keys.”

“I’ll take her.”

I spin around to discover there’s another person I forgot about.

Walker steps in from where he’s been talking to Trevor in the foyer. “You need to get Zara to bed. I don’t mind giving Lindsey a ride home.” His steely blue eyes focus on my new friend. “As long as she’s comfortable with it.”

Lindsey bobs her head quickly. “Absolutely. Of course. I’m totally comfortable with it.”

That was sort of… Overeager. Then again, that seems to be a large portion of Lindsey’s personality, so maybe she’s just grateful.

“Okay.” I give Lindsey a quick sideways hug. “Let me know what you want to do about your car.” I don’t know what she has planned for tomorrow, but from the looks of it, it might be nursing a hangover. “If it’s easier, I can always pick you up Monday morning on the way to work and then you don’t have to come all the way back out here.”

“That would actually be perfect.” She grabs me again, this time giving me a full embrace. “You’re the best.”

“Thanks.” I give her back a pat, knowing she wouldn’t be saying that if she knew all the things I thought of her when we first met.

33

Trevor

“How was the rest of your weekend?” Ruth brings me a cup of coffee, setting it on the desk in front of me as I sift through the reports from last quarter. “Did Maren end up with a hangover?”

“No.” I smile, remembering the effect tequila actually had on Maren. “She seemed to be just fine.” Fine enough she tackled me Saturday night after everyone was gone, ripping my clothes off the second Zara was asleep.

And then did it again Sunday morning before her sister woke up.

“Lucky girl. I had a freaking headache all day yesterday.” Ruth rocks her neck from side to side like the pain is still lingering. “Which sucked, because I was planning to go through more of the documents we scanned at the archives last week.”

I was worried we’d never get a look at anything related to my aunt’s death, much less actually have our own copies of what exists. We had a hell of a hard time getting permission to search the archives to start with, and after missing the first appointment, I was concerned we might not get a second shot.