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“Hello, Cal.” The greeting was acid. She might as well have said, “Piss off.”
His nostrils flared but we fell in stride toward the cemetery. “Sorry about Cassano. Way I heard it, he wouldn’t have made it at all without you.”
“Hedidn’tmake it.” That was why we were at his funeral. Whether I got him out from under that bed or he died in a hospital, the result was the same. Maybe this way was worse. For a short time his family had hope.
I’dhad hope.
Cal nodded. “You did all you could.”
I clamped my lips together. I didn’t want to talk about this. And after the service Ellen had invited—no, insisted—that I come over to their house for the family gathering. There would be more of the same. Outward pats on the back, while inwardly they all blamed me. As they should.
The bite of pain from Beau’s vice grip on my arm finally registered. “Will you loosen up?”
She glared, but I didn’t miss the flash of hurt on her face. Damn it. I hadn’t meant to snap.
She dropped her arm altogether.
“If you need someone to hold onto, you can hang on to me.” Cal offered his arm.
“I’d rather hold on to a live wire.” She straightened her shoulders and stared straight ahead.
“It’s the same thing, sweetheart.”
Whatever feud they appeared to have was none of my concern. Not today.
The hearse loomed in front of us. I felt nothing. Like I was a shell of a man, somehow walking to a place I didn’t want to be.
I had to go on autopilot. Had to shut out the threatening emotion. This was Cassano’s day. One to honor him.
Thinking about anything other than that was selfish.
A low rumble of somber greetings came from the group of men surrounding the back of the hearse. There were a few shoulder slaps and hugs, then everyone resumed looking at their feet.
“Keep my sister company?” I may have just started another world war with that request, but I didn’t want Beau to be alone. She knew a lot of people here from hanging around when she was younger, though it had been years since she’d seen most of them.
Judging from the incinerating death glare from her direction before she stalked toward the gravesite, I’d guess she wasn’t too happy with me. Cal was on her heels, obviously loyal to me, no matter what my sister wanted.
The funeral director swung open the back door of the hearse. Even though I’d already seen the coffin today, I still lost my breath.
I planted my feet to steady myself and braced for the moment the polished wood would hit my hands.
Seconds seemed like years as we marched forward toward the hollowed earth.
We eased the coffin to the stand. Ellen kissed each of our cheeks. I bristled at the simple affection I didn’t deserve.
I found my place next to Beau. I couldn’t go through this service without my family close by.
As the priest opened his Bible, a hand clamped on my shoulder.
Lincoln.
I nodded in gratitude of his support. He squeezed and flanked my side.
There were two people in the world I could count on no matter what. Some people didn’t even have one.
The words of the priest were a low buzz of background noise. As I stared at the coffin, all I could see was the fire.
“Go.If you don’t get out of here, we’ll both die.”
