Except lately. Lach smiled at his reflection in the mirror.
Gina had been stopping by more frequently and staying longer. First, she used the excuse that Fleur was sound asleep beside Sam and she didn’t want to disturb either of them. So, she’d stay an extra hour. Then two. Then, she didn’t bother with any excuse and nine o’clock would suddenly become midnight.
But that was as far as it went. The moment he thought she might change her mind about their arrangement, she’d give him a smile and call Fleur over to go home.
Until last night. Gina had come straight from the marina where their newest client, Kyla Lewis, lived on her sailboat. They’d been following Kyla to try and catch Fia and now she was under their protection.
When she walked in the door, Lachlan knew she was upset about something.
“What is it?” he asked her as he put a drink in her hand.
“I’m losing my edge,” she said as she sat down on the couch. It was a chilly night for spring so Lach had started a fire in the fireplace, and she stared into the flames. “I tried to interrogate Kyla today and didn’t get half of what I should have.”
Lach tried not to grin. “Why not?” he asked, already suspecting the reason.
She sipped her whiskey. “Do I have to answer that?”
That made him laugh. “I can answer it for you.”
“I know.” She rolled her hand. “So, go on.”
“Part of it is that she’s like you.”
Gina rolled her eyes. “She’s not.”
“She is.”
“How do you know? You haven’t met her.”
“No, but I read Jake’s profile on her and I’ve read her articles.” He sipped his drink and set it down. “She’s looking to expose the darkness to the light, but that’s blinded her to the help that’s all around her.”
Gina reared up. “I amnotblind. I know all the resources at my disposal.”
“Resources? Really?”
She glared at him. “You know I didn’t mean it like that.”
“We’re your friends, Gina. Yourrealfriends.”
“Jesus, yes! I know!” She clenched her fist, realized she’d done it, then relaxed her hand.
“What’s going on, lass?” He started to reach out to stroke her hair on instinct but pulled back. The gesture did not go unnoticed.
“Nothing.” She sighed and looked back into the fire.
“Talk to me, Sunshine.”
She flinched at his old nickname for her and he realized it had been years since he’d called her that.
After a minute, she blurted out, “Walker’s head over heels for Kyla.”
Now, that was a surprise.
And then the full weight of what Gina said—more, the reason she said it—hit Lachlan square in the chest.
She sees who we were years ago in them.
“So. You left Walker there with her. Alone.”
