Page 93 of At First Catch

OH?

That is all he has to say after emotionally nuking my life before nine in the morning?

“You know,” Walter continues thoughtfully, “I’m realizing maybe I misunderstood some things.”

“Huge fan of this conversation ending,” I say.

Walter ignores me as Holt removes his sunglasses.

And there it is.

Every Wright sibling recognizes that frighteningly placid look without fail.

“Couple?” Holt repeats carefully.

Walter blinks. “You didn’t know?”

Nolan stands straighter, stoic, as I consider throwing myself directly into Back Bay.

Walter finally seems to recognize the emotional apocalypse he’s triggered.

“Hm,” he says.

I hate that sound with every fiber of my being.

Making everything worse, he points vaguely between Nolan and me and asks, “Wait, was this supposed to be secret?”

I inhale deeply through my nose.

Murder remains illegal, unfortunately.

“Holt,” I say carefully, “before you overreact⁠—”

“Overreact?” Holt repeats.

Nolan steps in before I can make this worse.

“Nothing’s happening behind your back.”

The statement is technically true.

Emotionally misleading maybe, but true.

Holt looks directly at Nolan now. And suddenly I’m hyperaware that these are two men who care about me deeply in very different ways, standing ten feet apart on a marina dock while tension crackles between them.

“I’ve been hearing you kissed my sister?” Holt asks flatly.

Nolan doesn’t hesitate.

“Yeah.”

The single word hits hard enough to physically knock the breath from me. Warmth blooms painfully beneath my ribs. Holt looks seconds away from launching Nolan directly into the Atlantic.

“Holt,” I warn.

My brother drags one hand down his jaw while Rook sits beside him, looking deeply invested in the drama.

“This is why you’ve both been acting weird?”