Page 160 of Fury In Death

The house already seemed full of people, a lot of them kids watched over or herded by August and others. She found Roarke talking with Sam Peabody about the house renovations.

Sam, a man with a skinny build, a narrow face softened by kind gray eyes, turned to take Eve’s free hand.

Like his wife’s, it was the hand of someone who worked with them.

“It’s so good to see you, and on such a happy night. This house, it’s a dream. Dee’s living her dream. I hope you’re feeling as good as you look.”

Since he was a sensitive, she knew he could look and see for himself, appreciated he didn’t. “Between Trina and your mother, it’s hard to feel otherwise. The partner’s desk you built, it’s a hell of a thing.”

“They live and work so well together, don’t they? Dee and Ian. It’s been good to meet some of his family and know they’re as proud of him as we are of Dee.”

“Where is she?”

“In her kitchen, last I saw her.”

“I need to go over, tell her everything’s good.”

“I’ll go with you.” Roarke laid a hand on her good shoulder.

“One of Peabody’s grannies,” she murmured as they walked, “who looks like a runway model, had her hands all over me.”

“Circe? Stunning, isn’t she? And a healer. She helped you, that I can see for myself.”

They moved through the bold colors of Mavis’s side, to the quieter ones of Peabody’s.

Trina had been at her, too, Eve noticed, party makeup, fresh red streaks, and a headful of curls. Peabody took one look at her and grinned.

“Trina had her way.”

“So did we. Banner’s flipping on whoever he can flip on, and for that he gets Reo’s bottom-line deal, excluding on-planet. It’s done.”

“It’s done. Redman?”

“We take the win today. We do this party that’s been in the works for freaking ever. We take the weekend. Then we pick it up.”

“Okay.”

“Where’s my pie?”

“Right over there. Deep-dish apple. But first? Mal—my brother Mal and his wife, Leah. Their kids are running around with Bella and the rest. This is Eve Dallas. You met Roarke.”

She met the older brother—one with his father’s gray eyes. One of McNab’s grandmothers, with milk-pale skin, flaming red hair, and a rolling Scottish burr.

She watched Summerset stroll in with a baby on his shoulder. Then Nadine with a flute in her hand.

“You slayed,” Nadine told her. “It was important, and you slayed. Now, work’s closed out. Jake and the band are setting up outside. Wow, Peabody, all this food looks amazing.” She plucked something off a platter, popped it in her mouth. “And yum. Oh, the Miras came in when we did. I think your mom’s now in love with Dennis Mira.”

Who isn’t? Eve thought, and ate some pie.

It wasn’t hard to do the mingling thing, not when everyone was so damn happy, and she knew a bunch of them. She caught up with Baxter and Trueheart.

“You’ve caught weekend duty.”

“Well, shit.” Baxter shrugged and chowed down on a burger straight from Leonardo’s smoking grill. “Tonight we feast, tonight we party.”

“And tomorrow you shuttle off to Bora Bora.”

His jaw dropped. “Are you shitting me?”