"Well, Junior wasn’t wrong about the darkness staining everything, was he? We talked about that."
Damn, I wished I’d been a fly on the wall for that conversation.
Lena drummed her fingers against the scrubbed oak kitchen table, which made her nails clack against it and, clearly wanting to change the subject, asked, "You were dating all those years ago?"
"No. It didn’t work out." I shifted in my seat. "But I’m glad we’re together now."
She tipped her chin. "Did you really argue with him over a cane?"
"Yes—" Sheepishly, I admitted, "I bought him one for Christmas, but it will be delivered to my apartment in The Sharpe."
"You bought him a cane?" Lena repeated, and I wasn’t sure why that surprised her, but it did because her brows were doing a salsa dance on her forehead.
"I did. My mother taught me that if you can’t make a man listen, you just make him do instead."
Lena processed that but slowly grinned. "She’s a smart woman."
"She is actually," I agreed dryly. "She had to be smarter with a man like my father."
"Why? What’s wrong with him?"
"He’s a famous musician," I explained quietly, aware I had everyone’s attention.
"Famous is an understatement," Jen tossed out after she finished dissecting a cookie on a paper napkin with her fingers and popped a piece into her mouth. "Her dad is Dagger Daniels."
At the center of everyone’s attention again, I glared at Jen. "Thanks for that."
She winked. "Welcome, bitch."
I groaned, because she wasn’t going to forgive me any time soon for not telling her about my almost dying. That’s what good friends were for, I guessed.
"Why do I know that name?" Lena questioned, brow furrowing.
Aoife chuckled. "You know his music, Lena. He’s Conor’s favorite, isn’t he?"
"Not with thosenoxxiousmen?" Lena grunted. "Good God, I had to listen to their music on repeat when he was a boy. It’s no wonder I don’t remember. I purposely gave myself amnesia."
Amused, I toyed with my necklace. "Well, their music isn’t for everyone."
"Still, Conor must be happy," Aoife said with a laugh. "Bet he’s jealous he didn’t get to you first."
"I think he’ll cope. Anyway, he’s taken, isn’t he?"
Silence fell again, and yes, it was awkward, enough that I shuffled in my seat. Something about Lena made me feel like I was thirteen and had been caught trying to record the principal and the high school secretary having sex so I could print it in the paper.
Something I’d deny in court.
Lena loomed over the table. "My baby’s taken?"
I blinked. "Well. That’s what he said."
Aoife cleared her throat. "Oh, dear."