Kathleen smiled softly as she leaned back in the booth. “That was my ex-husband, he was the photographer. My daughter’s and I went with him.”
Ethan barely remembered her daughters, and he couldn’t recall their names. He knew the one was two years younger than he, and had been closer to his sister, Isabelle. The other had beenvery youngthe lasttimehe’dseen her. “I’m actually between jobs right now.”
Her voice grew distant and thoughtful as herforeheadfurrowed with worry. Ethan realized that the paper shewasreading was opened to the classified section. He frowned thoughtfullyas hewonderedwhat it must be like to have to work, or to worry about how to pay bills, and survive. He was extremely grateful that he would never have to know.
“What about your mom and dad?” she asked, pulling him out of hiswanderingthoughts. “What are they doing now?”
He forced himself not to bite his lip as he met her steady gaze. “Dad’s a lawyer,” he lied.
“Never thought I’d see that,” she said with a rueful smile. “I never thought your dad was the type to settle down, at least not until he met your mom.”
He shrugged as his gaze darted longingly toward the window. He was growing more uncomfortable by thesecond;he just wanted to be back outside, where he was free. And where Jack and Mike were waiting to bombard him with questions, he realized with an inward sigh.
“Well, I just thought that I would say hi, and see how you were doing. I have to get goingnow,”he said softly.
He was very adept at lying.Heshould be,hehad been doing it his whole life and he thought nothing of letting them roll off his tongue now. “Oh yeah,” she said quickly. “Of course. Tell everyone that I say hi, and tell your mom...” her voice trailed off as her eyes became distant again. “Tell your mom that I miss her,” she breathed.
Again, Ethan felt that pain. It was his mother that had given up her friends, more so than his father. He suddenly understood the wistful look that crossed her face when his father, David, Doug, Jack, and Mike recalled stories of theiryounger days inhigh school andcollege. Without thinking, Ethan reached out and gently squeezed Kathleen’s hand. She seemed as surprised by the gesture as he was. He had never touched a human being in order to offer them comfort, but this woman looked so sad that he had needed to offer her some kind of solace.
“I will,” he promised her.
She patted his hand gently and released it. “Are they still living at the same place?”
“Yes.”
She nodded her eyes still sad and distant.“Maybe I’ll give her a call.”
“I’m sure that shewould like that.”
He turned to leave. “Ethan.”
“Yeah?” he asked, pausing to look back at her.
“Are they still as in love as they used to be?” Her voice was soft, and her eyes gleamed with a fiercewistfulness that tugged at his heart.
“Even more so,” he said honestly.
She beamed at him as tears filled her large eyes. “That’s wonderful,” she said in a choked voice.
Ethan left before she could start to cry. He didn’t deal well with humans under normalconditions;he sure as hell didn’t know how to deal with an emotional one. Not that his sisters didn’t get erratically emotional sometimes, but that was different. They were different, stronger and tougher than any human could ever be. He darted back across the street and was almost pounced upon by Mike and Jack.
“Let’s get to the car first,” hesaid briskly. “I’m ready to go home.”
They exchanged glances,but shrugged as they followed him back to the car. Ethan filled them in on the conversation as they left Californiabehind, and headed into Oregon.
CHAPTER 1
“For God’s sake Ethan,get up!” Isabelle cried impatiently as she tugged at his arm. Her brother groaned as he stubbornly refused to look at her.
“Isabelle I’m telling you right now, if you don’t get out of my room, I’ll...”
“You’ll what?” she demandedangrily. “Nothing, that’s what, now get up!”
Planting her hands on her hips she scowled at him as he opened one emerald eye to peep up at her. “What the hell are you doing hereanyway? Go back to your own house,” he growled, rolling over and burying himself beneath his sheet.
Her eyes spit fire at him as she reached down and ripped the sheet off. “Hey!” he yelled, trying to rip the sheet back. She refused to relent it as they got caught in a tug of war that she was determined to win.
“Ethan Joseph,get out of this bed right now!”
