Page 124

He frowns. “I’m really surprised. We’re a lot alike. I thought you got me with the whole sister thing. I’m not saying I’m perfect and never make mistakes with it, but wanting to know what’s going on with my sister, wanting to be a part of it, is something I would’ve thought you’d understand.”

That punches me in the gut.

Of course, I understand that. I haven’t been perfect at it either. Far from it. Knowing what’s going on in Lydia's life has often made me crazy, and my craziness, in turn, has made her crazy. Still, I want to know. I want to be involved in her life and know what’s going on, even when I kind of hate her choices.

We’ve left Beckett out of this, and he has a right to be upset and hurt by that.

I nod. “I do get that. I’m sorry,” I say again, needing to keep it simple, knowing he doesn’t want or need a longer, more complicated explanation.

He frowns. It seems like there should be more to say, but maybe he realizes that the important things have been said. Or he doesn’t want to say the rest of it right now. It’s possible he’s just choosing not to continue in a hospital waiting room, when a friend has been seriously injured.

“Okay, I think I need to get out of here,” Beckett says. He looks at Sutton. “I—” He shakes his head. “Yeah, I’m gonna go.” Then he turns on his heel and walks out of the emergency room.

CHAPTER 22

LAWSON

I breathe out.

No punches were thrown anyway.

Sutton’s not crying.

The room sits in stunned silence for a couple of seconds, but with this group, silence is not something that lasts long, no matter what causes it.

“I knew it!” Muriel crows, grinning at Sutton and me.

“Oh, you did not,” Patty says.

“How do you know what I know?” Muriel asks.

“If you had known that Lawson and Sutton were together, you would’ve told me. There’s no way you would’ve kept that to yourself.”

“Well, I think it’s wonderful. You’re a wonderful couple,” Harley says.

“Absolutely, makes all the sense in the world,” Wilson agrees, nodding.

“Wow, how did Beckett not know?” Alex asks.

Nora elbows him. “Alex.”

“I’m just saying, obviously that’s problematic.”

Nora looks up at her boyfriend with wide eyes and a silent communication of some kind.

Alex looks from her to me to Sutton, then nods. “Right. Sorry.”

Sutton, the one who always has to make everyone else happy, waves her hand. “We’re fine. It’s going to be fine.”

But she meets my gaze, and I know she needs some reassurance. I don’t know what’s going to happen with Beckett. I don’t actually know how this will work out. But I do know she and I are going to be together, and that will make everything okay.

“We’ve got this, Pumpkin,” I tell her.

She takes a deep breath, and I love the fact that I can reassure her.

“I need to go after him,” she says.

I look down at Brewser. “You’re going home tonight?”