I shake my head at Laken. “I don’t know why I feel a little sad after all the fun we had on the sand tonight,” I say, lifting my glass as if toasting for nothing.
“Because summer is officially over,” Laken says without hesitating. “Not that Paragon let us have any sunshine. But we’ve gotten really good at pretending.”
“You said it, sister.” I clink my glass to hers and we take another drink.
Wesley grunts before locking his eyes with mine. “So, what did Candace want?”
“She’s not sure,” Gage says without missing a beat.
“But it is definitely something,” Logan says with his brows knitting together in that determined way that makes him look lethally handsome. “It always is with your mother.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” I say, blowing out a breath. “Honestly, not much was said. I found her verbally going at it with Demetri?—”
“Now there’s a shocker,” Wes muses. Suffice it to say, we’re all caught up to date with their celestial shenanigans.
I nod. “And when I approached the unhappy couple, he conveniently remembered he had somewhere to be.” I envision the scene for a moment while tracing the rim of my glass. “I asked what theproblem was, and Candace said we don’t have problems, we have solutions.” I make air quotes when I say that last word. “Which in Candace-speak usually meansI’m screwed.”
Both Laken and Wes let out a hearty groan because we all know my problems have a way of becoming their problems, too. And the body count on our end usually rivals my mother’s.
“Do not trust her.” Wesley’s knuckles tighten around his glass, and suddenly, I’m fearing for my stemware.
“I’m sorry, but I had a bad feeling about tonight,” Laken says, her free hand instinctively moving to cup Cooper’s head as if protecting him from an incoming storm, and she most likely is. “And after witnessing that heated exchange between your mother and Demetri, well, it was a bit terrifying to say the least. I mean, I know my hormones are still surging, but something didn’t sit right with me. Skyla, whatever her so-called solutions are, promise me you’ll be careful.”
“Of course.” The words speed out of me so fast they sounded believable enough. But I think we all know that when my mother is involved, any good intentions I might have are usually tossed out the window. And for the record, I come by those inevitable errors of judgment honestly. She can be just that convincing.
“You’re preaching to the choir,” Logan tells them. “If we’ve learned anything at all, it’s proceed with caution. We don’t take our next breath without thinking twice around that woman.”
Gage nods. “The woman has a death wish for me. So, my next breath isn’t guaranteed,” he says with a blink of a grin. “I don’t turn my back to her when she’s in the vicinity.”
“True as gospel,” I’m quick to agree. “Caution and a backup plan,” I add. “And a backup for the backup. And well, don’t turn your back to the woman—or leave her alone in a room with Gage.”
“But,” Gage frowns at the blackened window, “we’ve dealt with plenty of Candace’s solutions before, and we’re still standing.”
“Barely,” Wes grunts. He pauses long enough to knock back his drink. “Look, I don’t mean to be the prophet of doom here, but we’ve finally reached a good place. And I mean all of us.” His eyessweep across the pictures on the wall, lingering on the ones with all of our children together at the last faction picnic. “I just don’t want to lose it.”
A moment of silence clots up the air because we’re all well aware that we’ve lost too much already—not to mention how much we’ve sacrificed. Cooper’s absence still feels like a physical entity, a void that follows Laken and Wes around despite their happiness together.
“Don’t worry. We won’t lose anything,” I say with far more conviction than I feel. “Whatever Candace is planning, I’m sure we’ve faced worse.” I hope.
“Have we, though?” Laken lifts a brow my way. “Because every time we think we’ve seen the worst, something proves us wrong.”
A groan evicts from me. “Did you have to point out the obvious?” I say, but I’m only half-teasing. “The universe is listening, and it loves a challenge.”
“Sorry.” A short-lived laugh bumps through her. “I didn’t mean to jinx us.”
Cooper stirs, letting out those warning noises babies make right before they go nuclear. And just like that, the party’s over.
“That’s our cue,” Wes says, setting down his glass and standing. “Thanks for rescuing the diaper mothership.” He helps Laken up as she does her best to adjust Cooper’s carrier.
“And sorry to drop in with all the doom and gloom,” she says, pulling me in for a hug. “Next time we’ll bring cinnamon rolls and denial instead.”
“That’s my favorite combination,” I say as we walk them to the door.
Hugs and goodbyes are exchanged, and promises to talk tomorrow. The door closes, and I take a moment to lean against it as the weight of the night settles over me like a lead coat.
“They’re not wrong,” Logan says, collecting our glasses. “Just when we think it can’t get worse, your mother says hold my celestial beer.”
“I wouldn’t let Demetri off the hook so easily,” Gage says as hepulls me close. “Whenever you talk to your mother next, know this, you are walking on broken glass, Skyla. Do not run into whatever rabbit hole she’s ready to shove you into next.” He glances over his shoulder in time to see Logan disappear into the kitchen and drops a kiss to the top of my head.
