Page 74 of Honor ’N’ Duty

After getting over the shock of what Kade had admitted to, she’d wanted to hate him but couldn’t. He really had only been doing his job. Despite what he’d revealed, she missed him, missed not being with him. In such a short time, he’d become part of their lives.

“Mommy!” Rosa squealed, jumping from the sofa to run over and wrap her arms around Laia’s legs.

She knelt to give her daughter a big hug. “I missed you so much.” Holding Rosa in her arms was almost enough to wash away all the ugly truths she’d learned today. Almost.

“I missed you, too, Mommy. Can we order pineapple pizza from Pizza Man?”

She laughed. “We’re too far away from home to order from Pizza Man, but maybe we can get pineapple pizza from somewhere else.”

“Ooh.” Rosa stomped her foot. “I. Want. Pizza Man.”

She sighed. One day she’d remember recalcitrant days like this fondly. Today was not that day. “I promise we’ll find you pizza you like even better than Pizza Man.”

“Can we go to the beach?” Rosa asked, happily veering off on a completely different track. “I want to swim with Ariel and go on the Ferris wheel.”

Laia chucked Rosa under the chin. “Let’s start with the beach. Just give me a few minutes to unwind.” Try a few hours. Even a few days might not be long enough to absorb all the recent revelations.

“You okay?” Jamie asked.

“Peachy keeno.” She’d never really understood that fruit analogy.

After Rosa had scooted back onto the sofa beside Jamie, Laia went into the kitchen for a glass of water, then decided on something else. She opened the refrigerator, then took out a can of whipped cream and popped off the cap. She upended it and squirted a long blast directly into her mouth. The cool, soothing cream slithered down her throat as she swallowed.

“Bad day?” Jamie’s broad shoulders filled the doorway, his dark eyes probing.

“I could easily get addicted to this stuff.” She held up the can, jiggling it before replacing it on the door and closing the refrigerator. When she turned around, Jamie was still there, watching her silently.

“Did you know?” she asked.

“Know about—” His eyes narrowed. “Oh. Know about that. Josh.”

She nodded, not really surprised. Kade seemed pretty close with Jamie and Deck.

“Yeah, I knew.” Jamie came into the kitchen and leaned his hip on the counter. “He’s been carrying the weight of that with him every day. It’s been tearing him up inside. After Josh died, he drowned himself in expensive scotch for three days straight.”

“I didn’t know that.” How could she have? He’d disappeared again right after the funeral.

“He cares about you. He’s always cared about you. A lot.”

“It’s not that simple,” she said, shaking her head and wishing it was otherwise.

“Why can’t it be?”

“There’s been so much dishonesty. So many secrets.” Both brothers had kept secrets from her. Big ones. Both different, and in their own ways, both just as devastating. “Must be something that runs in the family.”

Jamie shrugged. “Every family has secrets. Guess it boils down to whether or not you can live with them.”

When his expression darkened, Laia was no longer sure whose family they were talking about. Kade’s…or Jamie’s.

“Mommy?” Rosa called from the living room. “The movie’s over. Can we go to the beach now?”

“Duty calls.” The second the words had flown from her mouth, it struck her that everyone had duties and obligations that overruled everything else in their lives. For her, it was her daughter and all the responsibility that came with motherhood. For Kade, it was his duty to the job, some of which stemmed from his family’s military background.

“I need to grab a shower and run some errands.” Jamie pushed from the doorway. “Make sure you turn on the alarm after I leave.”

“I will. And Jamie?” Gently, she touched his arm. “Thanks for the talk.”

“Any time.” He winked, then bounded up the stairs.