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My brows pinched. “For what?”
“She needed a nudge to get back out there and try the real world again. You gave that to her,” she said, keeping her voice low.
“By pretty much daring her to be my roommate? She didn’t need me.”
“You and I know that. But she doesn’t.”
Questions swirled in my mind. What had happened to her? We’d promised no talk of the past, but I wanted to know.
“Sorry I’m late.” Marlow rushed over to the table, Blake in her arms.
“Everything okay?” Dad stood to help her, taking Blake while she settled in.
“Blake threw up.”
“You should have called.” Dad smoothed his grandson’s hair.
“He grinned at me as soon as it was over. I guess something didn’t settle well.” She looked across the table at Trish and Andrew. “Sorry I’m not dressed for the occasion. I only brought two. One for tomorrow. The other is ruined.”
Trish reached for her hand. Marlow stared in disbelief before reluctantly taking it.
“We’re glad you made it. Is Blake okay?”
“Seems to be.”
“I saved you and my boy a seat.” Dad indicated to the space next to him, and Marlow settled him in.
Her eyes darted to me before she quickly looked away. I wasn’t ready for this shit, either. When I looked at my sister, I saw a traitor. Someone I thought I could depend on when in actuality, she blamed me for the loss of our mother. Had she felt that way for years? Had she always had a resentment toward me and masked it? She’d spent more time with our mother than any of us. Did Marlow now see the truth?
I didn’t fault her for her feelings, wasn’t even sure I wouldn’t have felt the same in her position. But it still hurt, no matter how I didn’t want it to.
Blake pointed his chubby finger at me. “How!”
“How, buddy.” I reached out my hand, and he clutched my pinky.
“You want Uncle Holt?” Dad nuzzled his hair, and he nodded.
I perched him on my lap. Blake’s tiny fists grabbed my tie. “How!” He beamed at me.
“You’re feeling pretty good now, aren’t you?”
Ella screeched, and Blake echoed her. The back and forth between them went on for a minute, while we all watched. They communicated in some language only they understood.
Trish kissed Andrew on the cheek. “I think we should have a house full of girls.”
Andrew’s eyes widened. “It’ll send me to an early grave.”
“At least get married before you die,” Patrick said, lifting his whiskey glass. “To Trish and Andrew. May you have a thousand lifetimes of love and happiness.”
“Here, here,” Dad said, raising his glass.
Patrick lifted his tumbler again. “And to one last night out before you’re stuck with each other.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Baker
“Areyou spending the night with me?”
