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Murdoch looked at her, and almost growled. “Well, well, well. Look here. I’ve found you. You were supposed to wait for me in the lobby, you sneaky woman.”
“I told you: I really needed to do it alone.”
“And I told you, I am your shadow.” He came right toward her. Zoey resisted the urge to just grab hold and press closer. Be safe for just that one little moment. Even if it was just an illusion. “I told you I was coming in here with you.”
“Someone is definitely cranky with you, Zo,” Sydney said. Zoey shot a look toward the younger woman as Charlotte stepped inside the small conference room her cousin Marin had let Zoey borrow. “I think he is bearing fangs. Is he the werewolf of Garrity I’ve been hearing about?”
“Can it, little Beck girl. Or I’ll tell your daddy on you. I strongly suspect you took off unsupervised, didn’t you?”
“What will my daddy do? Ground me? I’m twenty-two now, and I have a ladder. Hey, Murdoch, babe. What’s shakin’?”
“I’m still looking for the asshole who stabbed you. I’ll get him eventually, too. You have my word.”
“Hey little Sydling, you’re a long way from home. Why you playing tagalong with Zo-Zo the Wonder Girl now—instead of at home in bed recuperating, where you belong, young lady?” Charlotte asked.
“Blessed Reunion work, that’s all. You good lately?”
“I’m good. Worried about you.” Charlotte looked at Zoey, concern in her green eyes. “Zoey, are you ok? Want me to stay with you, too?”
“I’m good. Sorry we didn’t get a chance to talk downstairs. I was…running. Murdoch has been following.”
“I’ve caught you now.”
“Lucky girl.” Charlotte and Sydney said in near unison. Charlotte snickered.
“I am your keeper, woman. You just keep finding trouble.” Murdoch slipped his arm behind Zoey’s waist. “I think Sydney Faith here might be just as troublesome as you are, though.”
“I plan to be,” Sydney said, trying to get around Slater. “I’m going to be Zoey when I grow up.”
Charlotte studied them a moment. “Now that you are side-by-side with Slater, I can so see it. No wonder I liked the brothers so fast. They were my bestie’s bros. But why is Slater trapping our Sydney like that?”
“We’ve met before. In January. St. Louis.Notthe highlight of my life.” Sydney shrugged after she said it. “Not the worst events of my life—considering…well…past family history, but…not something I want to remember. I’m only here to keep him away from Pen, Char. Normally, I’d rather jab my own eyeballs out then to ever see Slater Man Dog Davis again.”
Well, Sydney had definitely always been honest.
Charlotte’s face darkened, and she swore, loudly. She turned to Slater. And smacked him in the chest. Hard. “Seriously?Her? It wasSydney? You asshole!”
“Oh, so you know the story, too?” Sydney asked. “How fun. Maybe it’ll make it into a movie someday.”
“I have hereby taken back everything nice I’ve ever thought about you.” Charlotte glared at Slater. Then turned to Sydney. “As for you, Sydney Faith, shouldn’t you be running my choir right now, safely away from him?”
“Well, Jo-Jo won’t let me run your choir right now. I’m supposed to be recuperating,” Sydney said, shrugging. “Taking iteasy,or something. Sitting still, growing cobwebs, living the life of luxury.”
“Sydney flew up the paperwork for me.” They didn’t fax or email anything from Blessed Reunions. Gretchen, the former owner, and Melody the new owner, were a bit on the paranoid side when it came to privacy. “We’ll talk later, Char. I promise.”
“Better believe we will.” Charlotte hugged Zoey quickly, then glared at Slater again.
Murdoch just stood there, arms crossed. Waiting. Zoey was going to have to deal with him sooner or later. It might as well be now. “Will you go with Charlotte, please? Wait for me?”
“This is how you treat me, after I woke up in your bed this morning, lady? Abandoning me to another almost as perfect woman?”
“Those Lake guys are seriouslyhot.” Sydney said.
“I completely agree,” Charlotte said. “I heard there is a…third.”
“I’m claiming him, Char. Already met him.” Sydney said. She missed the glare from the man behind her. “Just as hot.”
“I’m better, Sydney Faith. I’m far hotter.”
