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“You are,” Junie agreed, smiling. “Want to help me reach stuff in the kitchen?”
I looked across the yard to see Lenny hanging back. Olivia didn’t know him very well yet.
Olivia nodded, still smiling. “You’re very short.”
“That I am, Olivia. That I am.” Junie laughed and held out her hand. Olivia slid her palm against Junie’s for a gentle squeeze before helping Junie relieve Mara and me of our offerings.
Mara’s shoulders lifted and fell with her deep breath. Zale grinned at her and smiled a hello at me before patting her backside and ambling off to chat with Lenny.
“Hello, beautiful,” I greeted Mara.
Nice ass.
Did I say that out loud?
No.
Can she read my mind? What if she can read my mind?
She can’t read minds. I didn’t say it out loud.
Are you sure?
Don’t argue with OCD. Let it go.
Mara turned, a smile on her pretty face. She held out her arms and gave me a warm hug. “It’s good to see you, Minty! How have you been?”
Since we’d whisked Willa away for a girls’ weekend several months earlier, we’d become friends.
“I’m good. Seems like Olivia is doing well.”
Mara smiled but it didn’t mask the worry behind her eyes. “Yes. She is. We’re lucky that we’ve been able to surround her with people she trusts while she learns to trust herself.”
The patio door slid open, and Barrett stepped through before turning to extend his hand to Willa.
“I’m not incapable of walking, Viking,” she murmured, her brows knit.
Barrett simply stared back at her, his hand extended until she rolled her eyes and placed her palm over his.
“You can’t see your feet, Curly.”
“I don’t need to see them to walk-”
The toe of her running shoe caught on the track of the patio door, and she pitched forward, sending my heart into my throat.
Screaming. Crying. Blood pouring from between her thighs. Barrett’s face white with terror. Ambulance.
God please-
Let it go.
Barrett steadied her, his strong, white teeth a brief flash in his wild beard. “You were saying?”
“Thank you?” She looked up at him with a cheeky grin, and he grunted at her in response, making her laugh.
She scanned the backyard, her face lighting up when she caught sight of Mara and me.
I stepped forward and offered my hand. “May I take over?”
