Nate(79)

The greetings had started.

Logan stood as well.

“Kade.”

He and Graham shook hands. Graham reached around, giving Nate a good-natured tap on the arm. Nate lifted up his head in a nod back. Then the maitre d' came over, and we were being led to a more private room.

Nate kept an eye on me, but Taylor was the one who walked beside me. She leaned over. “What just happened?”

“Graham and Calihan are my siblings. Calihan isn’t happy with me.”

“Okay.” She patted my arm. “Logan knew?”

I hesitated, then shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Nate’s furious, and I don’t remember ever seeing Nate mad at Logan, though I don’t think the love of my life is caring about that right now.”

Right.

We were shown to a larger table. There were only two others in the small room, and neither had large parties. Four or five, that was it. I went down one side of the table, feeling Taylor behind me. I heard her say, “Nuh-huh. You’re in trouble.”

Nate was rounding the table, coming to take the seat beside me.

I was grateful for both of them, but I’d be fine. Now I knew the score with Calihan, I was properly guarded. When we all sat, Nate was at one end, and Calihan’s date at the other. I was to Nate’s right. Taylor. Logan. Across from me was Graham, and Britney and Calihan sat across from Logan. Her date between both of them.

The drinks came soon after, then we gave our orders.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the table.

Graham broke it, clearing his throat. “So, Logan. You just visiting Nate for this trip?”

“No.”

Graham frowned.

Logan leaned forward and smirked. “I’m here for mental warfare.”

“This have to do with Duke?” Graham nodded in my direction. “I thought that got cleared up a while ago.”

Logan opened his mouth.

Nate growled, literally growled. “You’re my fucking lawyer. Act like it.”

Logan closed his mouth, then a slow smile spread over his face. “Have I mentioned how much I’ve missed you?”

Okay.

I was the elephant in the room, and it was time to put it to bed or get it out of the way. Before Taylor could say anything, I leaned forward. Everyone’s attention came to me, and I asked Calihan, “Are your claws out tonight?”

Logan’s eyes sparked alive, skirting between Calihan and me.

Calihan’s gaze cooled, and she cocked her head to the side. “Only if I need them out.”

“Like last time? Because you’re right, I was there. In the house. Standing. Breathing. I’m sure they needed to come out then, too, right?”

Her eyes narrowed, and she was bristling.

Britney gave her best friend a heavy look before leaning forward, half blocking her from our end of the table. She pasted on a bright smile. “We bought tickets for your premiere night, Quincey. We’re so excited to come and watch you again. Have you missed dancing?”

Calihan snorted behind her.

Britney stiffened but didn’t react.

I looked at Nate. He was still glowering at Logan, then I looked at Graham. He was frowning at Calihan behind Britney. And Britney, for her part, was trying. The smile she was giving me was half-pleading and half-desperate. I suddenly had a hunch that Calihan hadn’t thawed one bit and wondered at how many rants Britney had had to listen to from my sister.

Logan and Taylor were sitting back.

Taylor seemed apologetic, but Logan was watching me steadily.

He was assessing me. No. He was measuring me.

“Are you angry that I’ve come back into the family?”

Calihan scoffed, reaching for her drink.

“Or are you angry that Valerie left Nova for me to raise?”

Her hand froze.

That was it.

It made sense now. All of it.

I sat back, shocked myself.

“It doesn’t matter. Nova is Nate’s and Valerie’s. Not yours.”

I only had eyes for my sister. The rest of the table ceased to exist for me. It was just her, me, and Valerie’s ghost.

“You didn’t want children.”

“I loved Nova.”

“Loved?”

“Love. I love Nova.”

“You haven’t asked to see her. You haven’t asked to watch her. Nothing.”

“Because of you. If it wasn’t you, I’d see her every day if I could.”

Everything about that response stung me, over and over again. She was taking a needle, and she kept puncturing me all over.

“Calihan,” I started.

She jerked forward in her seat. “It’s you. You shouldn’t be in the family. I just wish you would’ve left us alone. Take Nova. Fine. But go away. Move away. You’re just going to hurt everyone.”

“You don’t get to talk for me,” Graham was seething. “You can speak for yourself, but that’s it. I, for one, am ecstatic that Quincey’s coming back to the family. A dinner like this? Never would’ve happened two years ago. Four years ago. Now I’ve gotten to see her three times in three months. That’s progress, and I want more.” He regarded me, his mouth thinning. “I want the relationship where I can come over for dinner four nights a week. I want you to call me if you need Uncle Graham to pick up Nova from baseball.”