Another shared glance.
Catie and January both raised their hands. “A long time ago,” Catie said.
January nodded. “As a teenager.”
She had so many questions. But she didn’t know where to start. She didn’t even know why she wanted to pick their brains, these total strangers who had run interference with her mother.
Speaking of which… “Sorry, where exactly did Trent take my mom?”
Catie made a casual grimace. “Honestly, I’m not sure. But they will eventually be at a very nice home just south of town. Hope Creswell once stayed there.”
“The actress?” That would impress Bianca. “Nice. Thank you.”
“We can take you to see her whenever you want.”
“I should find Josh.”
“Of course.” Catie glanced at Isla.
The baker threw her hands in the air. “Oh! Right! Any requests? We should have a big family dinner tonight, yes? I was thinking maple panna cotta with gingerbread crumble and a bourbon apple compote for dessert. Would that work for your mother?”
“Dinner?” Monica’s stomach rumbled. She hadn’t even had breakfast yet.
“I know this is a lot,” Kerry said quietly. Another smile. “But since you aren’t leaving today, and the storm is over…we’d love to get to know you.”
“But I’m leaving.”
Kerry nodded. “And maybe you’ll come back again. But even if you don’t, Josh has kept you a secret part of himself for so long, and we’ve all…truly, we have respected that. It’s his life. Your life. But since you’re here, if you want us to know you, we’d all love that. And by knowing you, we’ll understand Josh better, too. He’s been a hard nut to crack since he came home.”
* * *
Josh staredup at the residence on top of the marina, where his sisters-in-law had stolen Monica away from him while he was stuffing her mother into Trent’s Jeep and trying to silently communicate to the man to behave, but also, take his time.
A fine line for Trent Aitken to walk.
And now the time he was hoping to buy, so he could have a proper goodbye with his wife—alone—had been taken away from him. By those who claimed to love him the most!
He turned on his brothers. “So when the group chat went quiet…did you all start talking about this in an alt chat?”
Seth shifted uncomfortably. “Mostly phone calls.”
Josh pinned a glare on Will. “Because Catie wouldn’t want anything in writing.”
Will just grinned, clearly proud of his wife.
“And now she has Monica trapped upstairs. I need to go rescue her.”
“Let them have her for an hour,” Owen said. “Let’s go get breakfast.”
“Seth already ate,” Josh said grouchily.
“Not really. We were interrupted by the call from the airline.”
Reluctantly, he dug out his phone.
Josh
Are you okay up there? Did they offer you anything to eat?
