“Yeah. It’sme.”
“Here, take baby Ethan,” Faythe said over the line. “It’sher.”
“I got him,” Karen Sanders said, and the sound of a crying infant faded into thebackground.
“Kaci, where the hell are you? Are youokay?”
“I’m fine. Really. I’m calling to tell you not toworry.”
“You…?” A door slammed, and the crying got even softer. Leather creaked as Faythe sank into the desk chair in her office. The same one her father had sat in, before he’d died. She couldn’t bring herself to replace it, even though the upholstery was starting to wear out. “Do you have any idea how scared we’vebeen?”
“Yes, and I’m sorry. My intent wasn’t to scareanyone.”
“You lied tome.”
“Again, I’m really sorry.” I propped my elbow against the driver’s side window and cradled my forehead in my hand. “But I had to get out ofthere.”
“Where areyou?”
“I can’t tell youthat.”
“Is Justus there withyou?”
“Yes, but he’s…busy. He can’t hearus.”
“Vic said youmarriedhim. What the hell is going on, Kaci? You ran off to Las Vegas toelope?”
“No! That just kind of happened. It’scomplicated.”
“Try me,” she insisted. “I have a two-year-old, a two-month-old and a chronic sleep deficit. I’m knocking out crises left and right, so one more can’t hurt. What’s going on,Kaci?”
“It was just supposed to be a vacation. He had a bunch of airline miles, and I caught him sneaking out, so I told him that if he didn’t take me with him, I’d turn him in. I’ve never been to Las Vegas. I’ve never beenanywhere, really, and I’m an adult now,so…”
“Eighteen is not grown. It’s this weird sort of in-between state,where—”
“You had a wedding when you wereeighteen.”
“Yes, but I left my groom at thealtar.”
“Are you saying that was a mistake? That you should have gotten married ateighteen?”
She groaned over the phone. “No. I was too young to know what I wanted at the time, and if I’d gotten married then, I probably always would have wondered if I’d missed out on something. On my youth. So, I seized anopportunity.”
“I’ve heard this story. You seized that opportunity by fleeing the territory. That’s exactly what I did. Only I was going to come back. It was just supposed to be avacation.”
“Was?” She soundedsoexhausted. “What does thatmean?”
“Okay, listen, Faythe, I’m going to come home, but I need yourhelp.”
There was a beat of silence. Then… “Tell me what’s going on, and I’ll do mybest.”
“You’re notmad?”
“I’m furious, Kaci. I’m not gonna lie about that. But I remember what it was like to be eighteen, and I’m choosing to believe that you have a good reason for whatever the hell you’re doing. So please, please, prove meright.”
I sucked in a deep breath and held it for a moment. “Faythe, I like him. Justus. I mean I really, really likehim.”
“Oh, sothat’swhy you got married!” Springs groaned as she leaned back in her chair. “You really likehim!”
