“Thanks,” Roan said. His gaze cut to me, and I saw so much promise in those blue depths. Then, he was gone.
As the door shut, Grae turned to us. “We need some epic girl talk.” She glanced at her brother. “Could you play with Cady for a little bit?”
Cady grinned. “We could play tea party, Mr. Holt. It’s really fun. I make the best tea!”
Holt winced and glanced at his fiancée. “You owe me for this. Favors for a week.”
“What kinda favors?” Cady asked.
Grae snorted. “Real special ones I don’t want to know anything about.”
Maddie smirked, and Cady just looked confused.
“Come on,” Holt said. “Fix me some of this tea.”
Cady squealed and ran down the hall, Holt striding after her.
“We need cups,” Grae instructed.
I grabbed glasses from the kitchen. “Wren, do you want anything nonalcoholic to drink?”
She shook her head. “I’m good. If I drink anything, I’ll have to pee every two seconds, and I don’t want to miss anything.”
Nerves bubbled up as I grabbed three glasses. I returned to the living room, placing them on the coffee table.
Grae immediately popped the cork with a wine opener she’d brought and started pouring, but she conveniently skipped herself.
I lowered myself to the couch next to Maddie. “You don’t want wine, G?”
Her eyes shifted to the side.
Wren jerked upright. “Grae Hartley.”
She winced. “I might be knocked up.”
“Might be?” Maddie squeaked.
A smile of sheer joy spread across her face. “Okay, I’m most definitely preggers.”
Wren burst into tears. “We’re going to have babies together. They’ll be in the same grade just like we were.”
Grae’s eyes shimmered. “It’s going to be the best,” she whispered.
Wren stood and wrapped Grae in a hug. “I’m so happy.”
“Me, too.”
Pressure built behind my eyes as Wren released Grae. “This is the best news. I needed this today.”
Grae shot me a grin. “We can thank Caden’s super sperm for that one.”
Maddie snorted. “I don’t need those kinds of details.”
Grae just shrugged and turned to me. “How are you? Really?”
Maddie squeezed my thigh. “You don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to.”
“The H-E-double-hockey-sticks she doesn’t,” Grae argued. “I need to make sure she’s safe.”
“I am,” I told her. “At least as much as that’s possible.”
Wren rubbed a hand over her belly. “I’m so sorry about your sister.”
My throat burned. “She was amazing. The best mom ever.”
Tears filled Wren’s eyes again. “I know she’s watching over you and Cady, so grateful for what an amazing mom you are to her girl.”
“Thank you,” I croaked.
Grae fanned a hand in front of her face. “It’s too early for tears.” She turned to me. “Are you really okay?”
I swallowed hard. “Most of the time, yes. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just—it felt easier this way. Safer. If I didn’t tell a soul, then no one would ever know.”
“Except someone found out,” Maddie said softly.
“I don’t know how. I got a threatening letter from John, and then the podcasters showed up.”
Grae jerked upright. “What threatening letter?”
I winced and recounted the anonymous threat.
“I think you and Cady should move in with Caden and me,” Grae said the moment I finished.
“Caden already offered, and I appreciate it. I really do. But I don’t want to uproot her. Routine is so important at this age. And Roan’s staying here—”
“Wait, what?” Wren asked, shock filling her voice. “Roan is staying at your house?”
I nodded slowly, heat rising to my cheeks. “He has been since the podcasters showed up.”
“Roan doesn’t even stay at his parents’ on Christmas Eve when everyone else does,” Maddie said. “Says he can’t handle not having his own space.”
“I didn’t know,” I mumbled, the heat flaring in my face.
Grae’s eyes narrowed on me and then flew wide. “Holy cannoli, you’re banging my brother.”
31
ROAN
Gravel crunched beneath my tires as I pulled into the parking lot. It was already crowded with vehicles: evidence techs, police cruisers, even the coroner’s van. I scanned the surrounding forest. The dark branches and sweeping quiet were in such opposition to what currently teemed inside.