Her question hung in the quiet space between them. Sarah’s hazel eyes flitted back and forth, searching hers.
“That’s going to be a separate conversation I’ll have with her tomorrow.”
Beth lay there, momentarily stunned, running through everything Sarah had revealed. The plan was masterful—end-to-end damage control orchestrated in the span of a few hours by three people and a few well-placed phone calls. It was almost terrifying how genius it was.
“You, Nell, and Nate,” Beth said, cupping Sarah’s cheek in her hand. “You three really are a well-oiled machine, aren’t you?”
Sarah reached for her, threading their fingers together. “I know you’re mad I didn’t call you first. But we had to move quickly. We had to get ahead of things to help Wren. We needed a plan, a solution ready to take control of the narrative before it swallowed her.” Her voice stuttered as tears welled at the corners of her eyes. “She has no one in her corner, Beth.”
“She has you.” Beth’s voice was quiet as she said it.
Sarah nodded, tears now freely falling. Beth scooted closer, her body pressing up against Sarah’s, wrapping her arms around her, holding her shaking frame as Sarah cried into her shoulder. She whispered reassurances in her ear as Sarah broke.
“I feel dirty for what I did, for swooping in like that, but I can’t help it. I’m the family fixer.” She sniffed into Beth’s shoulder.
“Why? Wren’s going to have a future because of you. That’s not a bad thing.”
“I gave her privilege, Beth. If she were any other player—with any other skin color—her outcome would have been so much worse. She likely wouldn’t have a career to go back to. But she does, because I swooped in and used my money and connections to solve a problem, and that’s what I’m having a hard time sitting with right now.”
Beth held her, the two of them breathing in unison.
“I hope she makes the right choice and takes the road Nell and I can offer her.” Sarah hiccuped after the tears had subsided.
Sarah’s head rested on Beth’s chest, moving slightly with the rise and fall of Beth’s breath as she gently ran her fingers through Sarah’s hair.
“Wren’s smart. She’ll understand what you did for her,” Beth said into the darkness.
EIGHTEEN
SARAH
APRIL
Sarah rolled over the following morning, still in the haze of sleep. Reaching a hand out in search of Beth, finding nothing but cold sheets next to her. She took a moment for herself, rubbing her eyes, replaying the events of the previous night in her mind.
Bright light filtering through sheer curtains was enough to make her squint as she adjusted to her surroundings. Sarah reached for her phone on the bedside table, where two texts were waiting for her.
Nell 8:07 AM
Wren agreed. Court this afternoon. Call when you can. —N
Beth 8:34 AM
Running out to grab coffee for us. You looked too cute this morning to wake up. Be back soon
Sarah fired off a quick response to Beth before tapping Nell’s name, bringing the phone to her ear as she sank back into the comfort of the down-filled pillows.
“Sleep well, darling?” Nell’s voice filled her ear, the velvety coolness oddly reassuring.
“Wren said yes,” Sarah stated, not bothering with a greeting—that had never been her and Nell’s style.
“She did. Nate and I laid out her options over breakfast this morning,” Nell said, but there was a moment of hesitation so small that anyone else would have missed it, but not Sarah. No, she knew her too well at this point.
“What aren’t you saying?”
“Always with your questions.” Nell’s voice was soft in the way she only ever let it be with those she felt the safest with. “She’s been asking to talk to you since we left the precinct last night.”
Sarah had expected that, but that still didn’t stop the way her breathing stuttered. “How so?”
