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Not now.
It’s impossible to keep her stress from compounding my own, especially when the new girl does a glance-exchange thing of her own with Hecate and I still detect just thin threads of their energies. Nothing substantial to go on, even as the goddess fully faces us with her portrait-worthy serenity. That smile, so smooth and pretty, that’s practically coercive with its comfort. But I know better now. I have no choice.
“Well met, then!” Hecate brings her hands together with a tiny smack. “Our timing seems to be perfect now. An announcement? Of the special kind?”
“No.” Maximus slashes a hand up, matching the ferocity of his interjection. “Nobody said anything close to that. Mom, I love you, but you’re rolling toward a conclusion—”
“In the same directionIam?”
Veronica’s blurt gets a fast scoff from Kell. “Not sure Maximus’s mom is playing that coy about my leg, Mother.”
“Who says I’m referring to your leg anymore, dear?”
Kell’s breath snags. Through her supreme effort, no one hears it. But oh, how I feel it. Every new shard of her agitation. And alarm. And the snark she’s already preparing as her default reaction. As if Mother isn’t going to see through that like one of the mall’s spotless windowpanes.
“Wait. You think that just because we bugged from the fundraiser—”
“You mean one of the most important industry parties of the week? Themonth?”
“Whatever.” Kell’s huff is glaringly forced. “You instantly assume that our excuse is—what’s the word again—auspicious? Evensuspicious?”
Veronica wheels around with fluid grace. Crosses her arms with matching aplomb. “All right, then. Whatwouldyou have us assume, after being assured it’s not a medical or fashion emergency? And seeing how nobody’s even cried their makeup off…”
“Valid points.” Nancy adds a chiding frown at her son. “Don’t pretend this confuses you, mister. I know fancy parties aren’t your thing, but neither is skipping out on a chance to help people. Unless you’re hiding the big wagon somewhere close by?”
As a groan and a blush take over Maximus’s face, I drench Nancy’s with a curious stare. “The bigwhat?”
That’s all she needs to keep going. “Many years ago, some kids in our building found a wood shop cart in an alley. Maximus was in high school by that time and working regularly with Reg and Sarah at the store after school, but he always found time to give them rides in that old thing. Goodness, how they loved it.” The wistful tint in her tone matches her newly adoring smile. “You’ve always had such a magical way with children.”
“Interesting. Kara’s the same.” Veronica brings on my turn to groan, though I manage to clamp down the sound as she goes on. “She never turned down a chance to help with her brother and sister. So many maternal ways, even when she was young.”
“Maternal.”
The echo doesn’t belong to Nancy. Or even to Hecate. Our mystery girl is the one offering the new observation, in a voice as fervent as her stare but confectionary as her beauty. She steps around, hands out as if she’s used to fluffier attire than her pencil skirt and secretary jacket, and regards me with a tilted expression.
“Hmmm. Yes.Maternalis most accurate, I think.”
I pull in a sharp breath, yearning to answer her with an intent glower.
Who are you, and why do I care what you think?
But fate spits out its own retort in the form of the fresh energy taking over Nancy and Veronica.
They agree with her.
Ugh, ugh, ugh.
I funnel my answering glower into a new glance at Kell.
Help. Help. Help!
Thankfully, she’s in motion after the first hail. “All right, all right.” Her hands flatten across the air as soon as she works her way in front of Mother. “You’re right. We left the Pendry in haste and on purpose. It was all my idea, okay? But it came from lots of love in my heart.”
“Why?” Veronica demands. “Love for whom?”
“These two, I would imagine.”
The beautiful stranger is at it with more unwelcome input, as I struggle to convey past my thudding throat and muddy equilibrium.
