“Not Barron.” My heart breaks for him. “The other one.” I can’t say his name. Don’t want to. Both Barron and Angel laugh and tug at one another’s hair at the mention of hisname.
Barron begs to have his father hold him, and I’m quick to comply. “Come on.” I bump Gage as I lead him outside. “Let’s see what Emily Morgan has to say about this insanity we calllife.”
Ezrina and Nev cross paths with us just as we’re about to make our way to the crowd in the corner of theyard.
“My prophecy.” She holds up a sheet of paper that looks like something that amounts to a child’s school project. Nobody ever said Em was cranking outPicassos.
“What is it?” Gage takes it from her as we examineit.
Nev leans in. “Don’t you see the blade?” He dots the point with hisfinger.
“Ah. A very sharp knife is in your future,” I muse. Ezrina and Nev have a vast collection of antique cutlery. I’m sure the baby will loveit.
“This is Alice.” She frowns my way as if I should knowbetter.
Nev leans in. “It was her favorite knife, back in the day. It’s quite a prophecy.” He pats her belly as they make their way pastus.
“Sounds like Ezrina and Nev are going to have one sharp baby,” I say as we head outside. “I don’t know if we should be worried orthrilled.”
“Both.” Gage chuckles as we head deep into a tangle ofbodies.
We find Emily seated at a round table with Skyla by her side and Bree and Chloe loosely hanging on like bookends while conducting a spirited conversation of theirown.
“I can’t get used to this,” Gage whispers as we pass them. “She doesn’t belong here. She’sdangerous.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Have you and”—I nod to Skyla—“ever had thattalk?”
“No.” His brows furrow as if he’s just realizedthis.
“That’s it?” Skyla holds up a piece of paper covered in crimson, and Gage and I headover.
“That’s it, Messenger.” Em doesn’t bother with a smile. Emily Morgan always looks as if she’s just woke up from a decade long dirt nap. “Sorry about using the old-school name, but you have to admit it’s catchy.” She offers an indifferentshrug.
I lean over Skyla’s shoulder, careful not to let Angel fly out of my arms, but all I see is red, literally. “What’s itmean?”
Emily grunts up at Gage and me. “I got one for the two of you.” She whips out another piece of paper and douses it with that quickly diminishing red pastel in her hand. Her hand moves so quickly a pink powdered plume rises in its wake, covering Em’s face with an eerie crimson glow. Once she’s through, she simply whips out another piece of paper and replicates the effort. “One for each of you.” She hands one to Gage and me, and we stare down at Emily’s lack of creativity and wonder what the hell it allmeans.
I’m pretty sure Skyla and Gage are thinking the same thing I am. Danger.Fire.
“Fire?” I whisper. It’s what I essentially warned myself of thisafternoon.
“Danger?” Skylawhispers.
“No.” Gage runs his finger down the chalky page and leaves a trail in its wake. “Blood.”
Cooper and Laken show up, and the mood brightens as we abandon Emily’s finger paints for talk of post-graduation life and prospects of a mini-Cooper running around soon. They’re both starting graduate school at Host, and Coop has already accepted a coaching position atWest.
Laken laughs. “I’m content for now.” She holds her hands out to me, and I hand her my precious baby girl. “This is enough for me. Myniece.” She winks atSkyla.
Ezrina and Nev emerge from the woods and head onover.
“Here she is.” I wrap my arms around the woman of the hour. “And you look amazing if I didn’t tell you the firsttime.”
“Am.” She holds out her arms, exposing her painfully swollen belly. Ezrina hasn’t had the easiest ride with this pregnancy. Those nightly retching sessions shockingly echoed throughout the house. But I’m glad she’s at the finishline.
“You’re going to make a great mother.” I land a kiss to hercheek.
“Am a mother.” She nods to the back slider before darting in thatdirection.
