“Love you more,” Alex replied, then kissed her one more time. “Now let’s go have dinner with our family.”
Kyle met them at the door. He squatted and greeted the dogs like they were visiting royalty before standing back up to address the lesser humans.
“Saw you coming up the drive.” He looked at Sylvie with gentleness in his ice-blue eyes. “Everything all right?”
She nodded and smiled as best she could.
“The women are out back on the deck.” Kyle gestured for her to go ahead. “They’re excited to see you.” He grinned. “Be ready, because knowing them, they’re gonna grill you on details about being holed up with this guy all week.”
Sylvie laughed while thinkingI hope that’s all they grill me about.
She approached the back door to the huge deck overlooking the mountains. The other women were gathered at a couple of tables, nibbling from platters covered in snacks and sipping their drinks.
She stopped. She’d never had many women friends, other than Carla.
I can’t go out there. What are they really going to think of me?What will I even talk about?
Will they hate me?
Carla’s voice spoke in her head.Toughen up, Cookie. If they hate you, you can’t change that. But hey, maybe they won’t. Either way, you’ll never find out if you don’t go through that door.
Then Alex’s voice, echoing back her own words.
No bad memories. No looking back. No regrets.
Sylvie slid the patio door open. Several sets of eyes looked up as all talking ceased. But the only pair of eyes that mattered to her were Brianna’s. She tried not to wince at the fading bruises on the woman’s face. They were there in part because of Sylvie.
“Sylvie!” Arden was the first to jump up and go to her. “I didn’t hear you come in or I would’ve greeted you at the front door. Come on out here.” She took Sylvie’s arm in hers and started leading her to an empty chair. “Does everyone know Sylvie? She’s an officer with the Boulder Police Department. But I knew her growing up here before that. She’s the daughter of my parents’ best friends.” Arden helped Sylvie sit down. “And she’smyfriend, too.”
Sylvie swallowed the lump in her throat. “Thank you.” Her voice cracked.
“Yes, I know her,” Brianna said quietly. Sylvie mentally braced for the attack she deserved.If only I’d been more careful. If I’d only put the pieces together sooner. If only…
“You’ve come into my uncle’s coffee shop so many times. ‘Morning brew, black, two sugar packets in case I need the energy boost later.’” She rattled off Sylvie’s order with a smile.
Then Brianna’s expression turned serious.
Time to brace.
“But you’re also responsible for catching Jarod Glass and making sure he’ll spend time behind bars for what he’s done. You’re one of the heroes who brought justice to the man who tried to kill me. Who took…” Brianna blinked back sudden tears. “…my brother.” She bit her lip and sniffled.
Sylvie jumped up and knelt in front of Brianna’s chair. She took Brianna’s hands in hers.
“I should have done more to stop Tom before he could take you. I’m so sorry about Brian. About you. You must hate me, and that’s okay.”
Brianna’s eyes went wide. “Oh, no, no, don’t youdarethink that. I understand, I do. You were undercover trying to stop the cartel. You’re one of the good guys. They almost killed you but you helped take them down. Now they can never hurt anyone here again.”
Brianna stood up and pulled Sylvie to her feet. Before Sylvie could even think of stopping her, Brianna hugged her.
That’s when the dam broke. Sylvie hugged Brianna back. She buried her face in the other woman’s neck and sobbed. She heard the rest of the women getting up and surrounding them until she and Brianna were at the center of a big, loving hug.
“We’ve been there, Sylvie,” she heard Arden say. “One way or another, every single one of us has looked death in the eye. We’ve all faced evil and won.”
“Welcome to the Sisterhood.”
Sylvie didn’t know which woman said that among all of them hugging her, but she’d be eternally grateful to whomever it was.
Then they all repeated:
