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Beth leaned back in the lounge chair. “It’s about time someone stepped up their game. It was a lot of work being the only drama queen in thefamily.”
Kate laughed harder, surprised by how good it felt, surprised it was because of Beth. “You loved it and you knowit.”
Beth grinned. “Sometimes. But don’t tellMom.”
A gust of wind blew across the patio, rattling the wind chimes Kate’s mom had strung through the trees. The storm was predicted to hit the next day, and she’d been working with Frank to cover the more sensitive plants on theproperty.
Kate couldn’t help feeling like it was a bad omen, one more storm in a string of storms that had prevented them from catching their breath. Things had been quiet during the six months Neil and Beth had been missing, but it had been like being in the eyes of a hurricane: the worst of the storm swirling just outside of view, its destruction inevitable and worse for the fact that you knew it wascoming.
“I just wish things were normal again. I wish my biggest worry was whether to stay late at the office and miss Griff’s story time,” Katesaid.
“I think I’m figuring out that I don’t even know what normal looks like, and I’m also figuring out I have no one to thank for that but myself,” Bethsaid.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Mom and Dad should have come clean with you, they should have come clean with all of us. I get that they were trying to make our lives normal — whatever that means — but it just made things worse in theend.”
“Maybe, but no one made me partner with Neil. That was all me. I can learn to live with it, but I’m still figuring out how to live my life without all that resentment. Like… it was a burden, so I feel lighter, but I got used to carrying it, so sometimes it feels almost like something’s missing too.” She shook her head. “That soundscrazy.”
“No. It just sounds human. And you can always come to work at WMG,” Katesaid.
Beth looked at her. “Really?”
Kate smiled. “Of course. It’s your companytoo.”
“Thanks.” Beth hesitated. “I’ve actually been thinking of going back to school, maybe getting into investigativejournalism.”
Kate thought about Beth’s surprising knack for running down information on Neil. It suddenly made perfect sense. “I think you’d be amazing atit.”
“Really?”
“Really,” Katesaid.
“Thanks.”
They both turned toward the sound of the door opening onto the terrace. Kate assumed it would be her mom. Instead Declan stepped outside, closing the door behindhim.
“I can’t believe you’re out here. You’re going to blow away in this wind,” he said, coming towardKate.
She hadn’t noticed it until he said it, but he was right: the wind had picked up considerably during her conversation withBeth.
“Yeah, I’m going in,” Beth said, standing. “I’mbeat.”
“Night,” Kate said. “And…thanks.”
“Night. And you’rewelcome.”
Declan pulled Kate to her feet. She opened the blanket and wrapped her arms around him so that they were both enveloped in itswarmth.
“What was that about?” Declanasked.
I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a baby. We’re going to do it together this time. You and me. Forreal.
The words hovered on her tongue. “Sisterstuff.”
“Sister stuff.” Declan nodded. “That’snice.”
Kate smiled. “It actually is. What are you doing here? I figured you’d belate.”
Declan had spent the last two days at MIS with Ronan and Nick — plus Clay, who would help them circumvent the security system — planning a way into Connor Ferguson’s house. Kate hadn’t seen much of Declan, something she’d expected to continue until MIS made their move the nextnight.
