She didn’t have to ask what he was referring to.“Club level.”
Of course Garrett wouldn’t have played varsity.He’d been good enough to make almost any team, certainly ECU’s, but he would have drawn too much attention.
A delicate hand closed over his forearm.“He wanted to be around more, to help Mom with me.His club team won, all four years.”
Nic swallowed hard and looked up, finding nothing but warmth in Lette’s blue eyes.No judgment or anger on her other brother’s behalf for the dream that had been wrecked.“We had big parties for his commission, Mom’s retirement, and when I got into, then graduated from School of the Arts.”
“School of the Arts?”
He twirled his class ring around his pinkie, the only finger it fit now, as he listened, fascinated, to Lette telling him about the North Carolina School of the Arts.She’d earned an undergraduate degree in production design and visual effects and a graduate degree in film production.She spoke with such enthusiasm about the school, filmmaking, the technical aspects she’d specialized in, and the job she was interviewing for—the original reason they were out here—that he was sure she was talented beyond what he could understand.
He felt profound sadness that he hadn’t been there for each new discovery she’d made, for each decision along the way.Each victory.“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for your celebrations.”
Her hands, which had been gesturing wildly with excitement, landed back on his arm.“It’s not your fault.Mom and Garrett made a choice.When I was old enough, I agreed with it.We’re the ones who’re sorry.”
“I am the last person to question those reasons.I left too, just in a different direction.To sea.”
She laughed.“Now that we don’t have in common.I get seasick as hell, even on a fucking ferry.”
He laughed too at the irony—two brothers, one in the Navy, the other a Marine—and their sister couldn’t handle the water.He’d have to introduce her to Jamie.They could sit on shore together while the rest of them took boats out, assuming she wanted to meet his family here and be a part of his life beyond this visit.
“I think it’d be worse,” she said, “if we’d known you’d stayed.Or if you left and we had stayed, don’t you?”
Fuck yes.No question.“Our father was not a good man.”
“But he was our father.”
Was.
Curtis Price was really gone.Intellectually, Nic knew that.He’d spent the past few days dealing with the fallout.Some emotional part of him knew it too, had even felt it that night he and Cam had returned home, and again in the conversation with Mary the night before last.But sitting here, with the morning light bright in this conference room, reflecting off his newfound sister’s blond hair and blue eyes, the same exact coloring as Curtis’s, the truth of the matter sank in completely.It wasn’t the lonely truth he’d expected; he wasn’t the last Price after all.
“It’s sort of a relief,” Lette whispered.Nic’s gaze whipped back to hers.“Shit, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”This time he reached out but waited with his hand over hers until she nodded, only then lowering it and putting the class ring back in hers.“I feel the same.”
“Something else we have in common,” she said with a small smirk.
His wasn’t nearly so restrained.“Does that make us terrible?”
“No,” she said, smirk stretching into a warm smile like her mother’s.“It makes us survivors.”
Two of them, four counting Victoria and Garrett.The family he’d thought he lost.He wouldn’t let that happen again.
Nic’s text came an hour later than Cam expected it.Nic had estimated ninety minutes, tops, for the meeting with his father’s attorney.There’d be the reading of the will, Nic would have to fill out some paperwork as executor, and then it would all be tucked away in a folder at the attorney’s office until they received the final autopsy report on Curtis and resolved Vaughn’s case.When Nic’s terseDown here nowtext finally came through, Cam figured he knew how that meeting had gone.
Not according to plan.
Cam made his way to the lobby elevators.Doors sliding open right away, he counted it a win until Agent Cole called out, “Agent Byrne!”He backed out of the cab, and Cole’s hand came down on his shoulder.“Do you have a minute?”
“What can I do for you?”he asked casually.
“I was wondering if there’s anything I can do to help on the Vaughn matter.”He was too eager to be on this case, just like his suspected boss was no doubt eager for information.
“Keep Agent Hall in caffeine.That’s probably the most valuable thing you can do right now.”
The junior agent looked crestfallen at first, then he rallied.“Have matters escalated?”
Randomly fishing or did he know something Cam didn’t?At the rate at which things were moving on this case, the latter was possible, but Cole of all people shouldn’t be in the know before him.Unless it was news Lauren had planted.“Why do you ask?”
