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It’s not concrete proof but it’s something. Blairislying. The problem is, I don’t know why. I can’t even fathom what she expects to gain.Lyingabout a child? What’s the end game here? If it’s not hers, who does it belong to?
The waiter appears and Kimmy requests her meal to go as Sadie mentions getting home as it’s growing late, but her words don’t penetrate the fog that’s drifting over me.
Blair… what is your goal here? Winning Killian back? Regaining a spot in the family?
Every option I come up with seems ridiculous. I need to tell Killian.
Wait. What if it makes me look crazy? What if he thinks I’m jealous?
I need proof. Something concrete that will confirm Blair’s lies. But I need to be careful. I’ll also need to soften the blow when I tell him. His soft face looking at that picture swims into my mind and my heart clenches as I stand.
“—can you drive me home?” Kimmy’s teasing tone draws my focus back to their conversation. Kimmy is shrugging on her jacket and Archer has joined us, drawn by my movements.
“I’m afraid not,” Archer replies and there’s a soft smile on his lips that I’ve seen so rarely. He’s so hard when around Killian, but his soft, attractive edges leak out when he’s alone.
“Shame,” Kimmy pouts slightly and her eyes sparkle from the wine. “Cara gets all the hot ones, huh?”
Archer offers a polite smile in response, ever the gentleman gently places a hand on her back to maintain distance between them as he slips past her. I can’t tell if he notices the sudden splash of pink dusting over her cheekbones.
Archer greets me with a warmer smile. “Ready to go?”
“Yes.” I have to fight a smile of amusement as Kimmy watches us leave and when she catches my eye, the pink on her cheeks darkens a fraction before she spins to Sadie and they melt into happy chatter.
“You shine a little more when Killian isn’t here,” I comment, waving goodbye to my friends as he escorts me out.
“Killian is work,” Archer replies, glancing back at me. “Not that you aren’t, I just mean… he’s a certain flavor and you’re another if that makes sense?”
“Are you saying I’m not as important?” I ask in a tone so serious that Archer meets my gaze, eyes wide and for a moment his lips part, until laughter steals over me and I pat his arm. “I’m teasing!”
Archer blows out an exaggerated breath and holds the car door open for me.
“I’m taking you home before you get me in trouble,” he grins and I slide into the seat easily.
Some parts of this life are becoming easier as the days tick by. Now, if I can just wrap up this Blair thing and get her out of the way, my life would be perfect.
I glance out the window at Archer who is paused, hand on the handle of the car door with his phone pressed to his ear. His face drops. My stomach follows.
Oh no.
16
CARA
“Archer?”
He stands motionless outside the car for a second too long so I grasp the door handle, intent on getting out and demanding to know what’s happened when he finally opens his door and slides into the car.
“Archer?!” I demand again as the vehicle thrums into life. “What’s happened? What’s wrong?”
His face remains tight, and his eyes narrow as we race out of the parking spot and into the street. My stomach lurches with the movement and acid sweeps up my throat.
Something’s happened. Something bad.
“Archer!” My yell is shrill this time, my temper heightened from being ignored and finally, he meets my gaze in the rearview mirror.
“It’s Killian. He collapsed at Dante’s, they’ve taken him to hospital.”
Archer’s words take too long to reach me as if I’m trying to listen to snippets of conversation through a wall. My heart stops as a chill of dread steals over my skin.
