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She dropped on the couch and listened to Duncan rummaging around in the kitchen. She was thankful her three brothers had left for New Jersey yesterday. If she had to tell her story to them, she wouldn’t know what they would do to Don. Kayla entered the living room, dressed in a colorful purple dress that made her light blonde hair seem more like silver. Kayla’s eyes instantly traveled Kate’s face when she entered the room.
“Oh, sis, I’m so sorry you had to see me like that.”
“Don’t you mean ‘pardonnez-moi’?” Kate and Kayla had taken a French course in Paris after Kate’s final breakup with John. Kayla had surprised her with the trip to take her out of her depressive rut. Kate had been miserable for weeks, and her sister had found the perfect remedy.
“Oh, you still know your French, eh, sis?” Kayla winked while sitting down on the couch. “I, uhm, wanted to make the most of having our house to ourselves again.” Kate nodded knowingly at her sister. The moment Duncan walked into the living room with a tray carrying three mugs filled with hot cocoa, Kate’s bottom lip began to tremble.
“I’ve made sure Dunc knows all our Walsh traditions, sis. He must’ve felt you needed some hot cocoa.” She patted her knee in reassurance.
“And I made it just like your father does, girls.” Duncan grinned as if pleased with himself that he knew the inside joke of their father spiking the hot cocoa with whiskey.
Kate snorted and took a mug from Duncan. She didn’t even care that it was still noon. She welcomed the warm drink and took a hefty gulp after testing the temperature first.
“Shit, things must be really bad.” Duncan snickered.
The sweetness of the hot cocoa and the warmth of the whiskey did wonders for her state of mind. Letting the taste linger in her mouth, she closed her eyes and licked her lips clean.
“Damn, it’s a good thing Don isn’t around to witness this.”
“Dunc, stop it,” Kayla chastised her boyfriend, but Kate immediately opened her eyes and narrowed them at Duncan.
“What? You shouldn’t be moaning and licking your lips like that. Just saying….” He shrugged mockingly.
“I wasn’t moaning. Stop it.” She knew he was only teasing her as he smirked at Kate and gave Kayla a knowing wink.
“Okay, okay. Now, tell us what’s going on. Do I need to kick my brother’s ass?”
She really considered telling Dunc to go over to Donovan’s to kick his butt. She probably took too long to respond as Kayla nudged her shoulder and said, “Do you want to talk in private? Dunc, can you—”
“Oh no, I’m sorry. That’s not necessary, please stay. I think you need to hear this anyway.” Kate brought the mug against her lips again and took another swig before continuing. “You know Don and I are together….”
She felt herself blushing and looked over at Duncan who seemed rather excited with her being together with his brother. He smiled while shifting to the edge of his seat in the chair next to the fireplace and placed his mug on the coffee table. But he waited for her sister to take the lead when he must’ve read Kate’s reluctance to share her story.
“Did you come from Donovan’s?”
“No, I came from my place. I… I had to take something home first.”
“You’re talking in riddles, sis. What am I missing here?” Kayla cocked her head and looked expectantly at her sister.
“Okay, so let’s start with your boss”—she looked from Kayla to Declan—“your brother”—she looked back at Kayla again—“he… he….”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, spill it, Kate.”
“Dunc! You’re scaring her,” Kayla admonished him.
Duncan looked over at Kate when she took another big gulp. She suddenly remembered she hadn’t had anything for breakfast and here she was downing the cocoa with whiskey on an empty stomach as if it were mere water.
“I’m sorry, Kate, but you’re killing me here. What is it that my brother did?”
“He hacked into my phone and my email, and he’s got a GPS tracker on my phone so he can follow my every move.” Kate swallowed another gulp of whiskey.
“Yeah, well, he needed to make sure that you were safe from Tom,” Kayla stated as a matter of fact.
“Okay, in April I can see that. But last week? Not so much,” Kate offered.
Duncan stood from his chair. “What?”
Kayla shifted on the couch and tore her gaze away from Kate and watched Duncan pace the room. “Dunc. Will you please sit down?”
