“Fine.”
Her puckered brow told me she didn’t believeme.
“I’m going to be late if I don’t hurry.” I bent over and kissed herforehead.
She caught my hand and squeezed it. “You’ll tell me all about the weddingtomorrow?”
“Yes.” I lingered by her bedroom door, staring at her calm, screen-litprofile.
What would happen to her if Liam didn’t forgive me? Would Jeb and Lucy keep her on, or would they chase heraway?
When she caught me staring, I razed the anxiety from my face and pasted on a smile. I shut the door before she could ask me what was wrong, then walked briskly away in case she decided to go afterme.
Jeb, who’d been sitting in the office filling out a spreadsheet, followed me outside to await Frank. Even though the sun was beginning to arc down, it was a couple million degrees out, yet the heat did little to ward off the chill skittering over mybones.
“You don’t have to stay out here with me,Jeb.”
My uncle squinted at the setting sun. “Today’s part of the Alpha contest, isn’tit?”
“Yes.”
He pursed his thinning lips. “Why are you still competing? Are you trying to prove something tosomeone?”
As I stared out at the sinking ball of fire that gilded the crowns of the tall pines, I nibbled on the inside of my cheek. “Notanymore.”
“You really wantthis?”
I didn’t answer him. Instead, I asked, “Is Everest mad atme?”
A frown touched Jeb’s wrinkled brow. “Why would he be mad atyou?”
Everest must not have shared what had happened to Heath if my uncle was asking methis.
When I failed to answer, Jeb said, “Lucy told me he got bad news. Apparently, Becca’s parents have decided to take her off life support.” He sighed. “So sad… She was so young and seemed like such a nicegirl.”
“Seemed? You didn’t knowher?”
“Not well. Everest didn’t bring her around much. My son is a very private person.” I felt him study me in silence for a long second. “Speaking of knowing people, Ness, how well do you knowEvelyn?”
His frown made a tremor zing up my exposed spine. “Very well.Why?”
He hooked his thumbs through his belt loops, shifting from one loafered foot to theother.
“Why?” Irepeated.
He stopped shifting. “The other day, a guest wanted to meet our new cook, and when I introduced them, the woman called her by another name—Gloria. Evelyn said she didn’t know any Glorias, but her eye twitched. I’m no behavioral expert, but Ithink—”
“Evelyn’s not a liar. She’s never even been to Boulder.” I was annoyed my uncle was trying to destroy my faith in the only person Itrusted.
He nodded. “I was just putting it out there. Incase—”
“You shouldn’t put things out there if they’rehurtful.”
His mouth gaped a little. I could tell he wanted to say more on the subject, but my expression must’ve dissuaded him. Thankfully, a car rumbled up the driveway. Frank was coming. When I spotted giant wheels, the relief I’d feltevaporated.
It wasn’t Frank who was picking meup.
The car slowed to a stop next to me. Lucas was riding shotgun, decked out in a black tux that strained in the shoulders. He had his arm slung out the openwindow.
