Casanova(99)

“She’s coming home with me.” I smiled back. “When will we know if she’s okay?”

“A few more hours and we’ll be able to tell you if the treatments have worked. Hopefully, they have.”





CHAPTER THIRTY


BRETT



The next morning rolled around too soon. I’d barely slept, and I hadn’t gotten any closer to figuring out how to handle this situation with Anton Reeves.

My father, however, had. His lawyer was working on getting him out of the building because of the blackmail side of things. I didn’t know how he was doing it, and I didn’t ask. If I focused on that, I’d be focusing on the fact my actions had affected yet another person—Lani.

It was just one more person I’d screwed over, except this time, it was the person I cared about more than anyone else.

“Oh. You’re awake.” Aunt Bel sipped her coffee.

“Have you moved in or something?” I asked, faltering at the sound of her voice. “You’re always here.”

“No, but I might yet.” She shot me a wicked smile. “You’re fun to mess with.”

“Great.” I pulled a mug down from the cupboard and reached for the coffee machine.

The water tank was empty. Of course it was.

I sighed and did my best to ignore the even wider grin of my elderly aunt as I turned toward the water dispenser in the fridge door. She snickered into her drink as I filled up the tank and put it back.

Oh to be as easily amused as a child. Was that what awaited me in sixty years? Shit.

I made my coffee without talking to her. Thankfully, she didn’t talk to me either. She’d only say something to annoy me, and as much as I respected her, I sometimes struggled to like her.

My phone rang on the island.

Aunt Bel snatched it up with ridiculously fast reflexes before I even had a chance to reach it. “Hello?”

“Give me my phone.” I held out my hand. “Aunt Bel. Now.”

“Fine. It’s a girl.” She put the phone in my hand and turned away. She hummed as she left the room.

I shook my head and lifted the phone to my ear. “Hello?”

“Hey.” Lani’s worried voice traveled down the line. “Why do I have eleventy billion missed calls from you and Camille?”

I gripped the edge of the counter and shut my eyes. “Why haven’t you answered your phone?”

“Long story,” she answered. “And the calls?”

“Long story.” What? It was true. “Can you come over? It’s not really a conversation I want to have in person.”

“I...er, okay. I need to grab some breakfast on the way. Can you give me half an hour?”

“Sure. Just come in when you get here.”

“Um, okay.” She paused. “Is everything okay?”

No. “I’ll see you soon.” I hung up and put my phone down. How could I answer that question without getting drawn in to a full conversation?

And fuck it—I didn’t want to tell her on the phone. My goddamn aunt and sister had buried the seed of doubt in my mind, and although I didn’t believe it, it was there. There was no way to uproot it.

I would know the second she found out whether or not she was lying to me.

She was a shit liar. Her eyes gave her away every time.

“How are you feeling this morning?” Mom swept into the kitchen wearing a bright red onesie that had me double-taking when I turned around. Her response to my shock was a grin.

“Lani will be here in thirty minutes,” I answered. “Perhaps something not originally designed for babies would be more appropriate.”

She laughed, pulling some water from the fridge. “Got it. Does she know yet?”

I shook my head.

Mom walked from the kitchen. “Family meeting,” she hollered. “Library. Half an hour.”

A chorus of shouted acknowledgments followed.

I bent forward and slumped down onto the counter. Awesome. Family meeting. Again.

Just what this situation needed.





CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE


LANI



I got out of my car with a massive yawn. My fingers were clenched tight around my coffee cup, and I kicked the door shut behind me.

There was not enough caffeine in the world to make me adult today. Hell, I couldn’t person, never mind adult. I could newborn baby, and that was about it.

Connie may have slept peacefully all night after the hospital worked their magic and halted her labor, but I sure as hell didn’t. I only left this morning because she pulled the big sister card and told me to go get her bedroom ready so she could come boss me around.

Apparently, my sister isn’t a fan of hospitals.

Neither was I. Sleeping on granite would have been more comfortable than the bed they gave me.

And now I was here at Walker House. I didn’t know what drama could possibly constitute fifty-four missed calls between Brett and Camille, but it had to be bad just judging by Brett’s tone on the phone.

I was attempting to wake myself up enough to deal with it, but I wasn’t doing too well.

I dragged myself up the steps to the front door. I knocked twice before I pushed it open and said, “Hello—ohhhh.” I finished on a yawn. “It’s Lani.” I pulled the door closed behind me and waited.