“You can say that louder,” Beau says, “because I agree with you.”
The doors open revealing a foyer done in creams and greyish-blue, cream tile veined in gold on the floor. Beau doesn’t stop until he’s in the living room and gently places Talia onto a huge cream couch. He frames her face in his hands and kisses her forehead. She puts on a brave expression and tries to smile.
He pats her leg and turns to me. “Drink?”
“No. Thanks. Talia and I need our things.”
“I’ll get a guy on that. You have luggage in your car?”
I nod.
“I need to make a couple of phone calls, then I’ll be back with you. We’ll order in.”
“Thanks.”
I pull my jacket off and drape it over the arm of the couch. I sit next to my sister and hold her hand. “You doing okay?”
“Yeah. I was just a bit overwhelmed.”
I laugh, letting out some of the tension. “You and me both.” I pause. “You know I can’t stop looking into this, right? I can’t let her stop me from looking for proof Rick’s accident was an accident.”
She unbuttons her coat and slides her arms out of the sleeves. “I know. I think I’ve been as well as I have because you’re strong, Devyn, and I’ve needed that. I can’t be selfish and keep your strength to myself. Rick needs it too, even if you don’t find anything. If he decides to do something with the construction site, if he’s going to pick up his life in Cedar Hill, he’s going to need you. I don’t want to keep you from being who you are even if I’m scared.”
“You don’t have to be scared. Beau won’t let anything happen to us.”
“He’s sexy when he’s mad.”
“All the good-looking men are.”
She laughs.
“I’m going to clean up. I’ll be right back.”
I pat her leg in the same fashion Beau did and pad in my stockinged feet down the hall to find a bathroom. Beau’s voice drifts to me from his bedroom, and that’s when I know there’s going to be a lot more mad and a lot more sexy sooner than Talia and I thought.
Beau’s telling Rick what happened, and he’s livid.