Tinsel (Lark Cove #4)(35)

In Dad’s eyes, I’d left and turned my back on those responsibilities. He couldn’t see that I might be able to do more for them if I wasn’t actually living there.

That being two hours away meant I could help twice the people.

We reached the highway and I drove toward Logan and Thea’s place. The evening sun had almost set, and there was only a little light left on the frozen lake. The quiet road to their house was just as peaceful as the sleepy streets in town.

“I forgot to tell you thanks the other night,” Sofia said as we pulled into the driveway.

“For what?”

“For carrying me inside. That was sweet.”

“You were dead to the world, babe. There wasn’t much sweet about it. I needed you out of my truck.”

She laughed. “Liar. You’re sweet.”

I winked, opening my door first. Then I hustled around the truck to help her out. She shivered as we went to the door, and she pulled a key from her pocket. The minute we got inside, I took a deep breath.

Thea and Logan’s house always smelled good. The few times I’d been here, I hadn’t been able to get enough. I wasn’t sure if it was the housekeeper’s doing, but it always smelled like fresh wood polish and vanilla.

“I’ll hurry.” Sofia walked through the kitchen, going right for the guest bedroom down a hall.

“Take your time,” I said, but before she was out of my sight, I called her name. “Sofia.”

“Yeah?”

“Pack all your stuff.”

She nodded, blushing a bit. “Okay.”

I was determined to enjoy the rest of our days together, and she wasn’t sleeping anywhere but in my bed.

I wandered through the house as she disappeared to collect her things. I went into the living room, circling the room until I stopped in front of the fireplace. Thea had filled the mantel with a row of framed pictures. They were mostly pictures of the kids, but there was one of her, Hazel and Jackson at the bar from way back when. And there was one group shot of the Kendrick family.

I found Sofia in the photo instantly.

She had a smile on, but it was different than the one I’d gotten used to in the last few days.

She wasn’t showing her teeth, and it didn’t reach her eyes. The smile was posed and perfect—too perfect.

Her chin was extended and her head tilted ever so slightly to the right, giving the camera a certain angle. Her shoulders were pinned back, and her arms were poised at her sides. Everyone else in the picture looked relaxed with their arms around the people next to them.

But she stood apart from her family.

Her parents were in the middle of the photo. Aubrey was next to their father. Logan and Thea were on the other side with an elderly woman I assumed was Sofia’s grandmother. The kids were scattered around the adults’ legs.

Everyone was together, except her. There was a visible space between Sofia and Aubrey. Between her and the rest of the family. Why was that?

The woman in the picture looked like the princess I’d seen walk into the bar on that first day. She wore the role proudly in the photo, flaunting her black dress and thick jewelry while the rest of the family wore light clothes and pants. It was like she had this image she had to portray, even with her family.

Maybe especially with her family.

“Ready.” Sofia came into the living room with two large suitcases in tow.

I left the picture and went to get her bags. “Why am I not surprised you packed more clothes for a ten-day vacation than I own altogether?”

“I was gone the day they taught packing light in charm school.”

I laughed, leading the way out of the house. While she climbed inside the truck, I loaded up her bags into the backseat. Then I drove us to Bob’s Diner, the only other place in town that served food besides the bar.

And the only place in town open on New Year’s Day.

We walked into the restaurant, and I waved to the waitress as we slid into a booth. The place was deserted except for us, but I picked a place along the far back wall because Edith was known for gossiping. I didn’t want her to overhear anything Sofia and I had to talk about.

She came over and took our cheeseburger order then went back to the kitchen, where I assumed Bob was holed up. The man loved cooking, but he hated dealing with customers.

“So your uncle lives here. Do you have other family in town?” Sofia asked after Edith brought over our water glasses. Sofia frowned at the lemon wedge on its rim.

“No, my family all lives on the reservation.” I took her lemon wedge and plopped it into my glass.

“Thanks. I prefer lime.”

I chuckled. “Figured that one out two days ago.”

“What do they do?” she asked. “Your parents?”

“My dad works for the Blackfeet Land Department and is on the tribal council. My mom is retired now and watches my sisters’ kids during the day, but she used to run the heritage center.”

“Interesting. I’ve never been on a reservation before. What’s it like?”

I shrugged. “Like any other town. It’s got its good parts and bad.”

“You have sisters?”

“Yep. Two younger sisters. Rozene and Koko.”

“Then you’re like Logan. Do your sisters cause you stress too?”

“They do. It’s . . . complicated.”