“A little over the years…” She lowered her eyes as pain simmered under her cheerful façade. “When I’ve really needed it.”
“I can do some for you now, if you’d like?”
Her eyes lit up. “Really? I mean, I’ll pay you…”
“Don’t be silly. It’s really no bother.” I stood and walked around the coffee table. “Lie down and close your eyes.”
Over the next hour, I held my hands over her body, channeling healing energy as I did for Liam each morning and night.
Josie’s features softened through the treatment until a small smile played on her lips. “Wow.” She yawned. “You have a gift.”
“You’ll sleep well tonight,” I said, moving back to my chair.
“If only.” Josie poured me another wine. “Grayson is out drinking with his brother, so I doubt he’ll be fit to be on Harrison duty tonight.”
“Boys’ night?” I pretended I didn’t know.
“Something like that. Adam’s having a rough time at work, so Grayson’s taking him out to blow off some steam.”
And get him laid, no doubt.“His work sounds…intense.”
Josie sighed. “Since Grayson left the company, Adam won’t let anyone help him, and since he’s acquired the Warren Media portfolio, he is swamped. Now, due to someone else’s fuck-up, he’s on the verge of being sued…and thus reinforcing the fact that he can’t trust anyone.”
“But surely these things happen all the time.”
“Oh, they do, but not to the protégé of William Harlow. Their dad doesn’t take lightly to failure, and I think, deep down, Adam is still vying for his approval.”
“And now he gets to spend the whole weekend with them.” I sipped my wine. “He must be thrilled.”
“I’m actually surprised he didn’t stay in LA. I thought he would’ve bailed on Thanksgiving altogether.”
“Well, hopefully he’ll get the release he needs tonight.”Into some gorgeous woman’s vagina, no doubt.
Josie hung her head back and groaned. “Why do I feel another Harlow storm brewing?”
“Well, they better not get into it around Liam. He deserves a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I won’t have anyone ruining that for him.”
“You know what, Cassidy?" Josie grinned. “You’re exactly what this family needs.”
“This family needs to talk,” I stated bluntly. “I’ve never experienced so many bottled-up emotions under one roof.”
“The Harlows?! Talk openly? I’d like to see that.”
“So would I.” I stared into my glass, thinking of Adam as I examined the wine. “Liam’s peace may depend on it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Liam’s in incredible pain, but he refuses to pass over until he knows, deep down, that his family will be okay without him.”
“He’s worried about Adam, isn’t he?”
I lifted my gaze. “Aren’t you?”
Josie sank back into her chair. “Grayson’s trying to get him to open up, but I don’t like his chances. He’s never even seen his brother cry—even as kids.”
“That’s a lot of built-up emotion.”
“Sometimes, I wonder if he feels anything at all, but then he’ll do the smallest thing, the most unexpected gesture, and it changes everything. My brother-in-law is a fucking conundrum.”