After the Storm (KGI #8)(86)

“I hadn’t told her yet,” Donovan spoke up.

Shea waved her hand dismissively. “We’ll fill you in tomorrow when you come over. I can steer you to some of my favorite sites. We’re about the same size, so I can definitely hook you up. Just say the word and we’ll commandeer one of Van’s many computers.”

The others snickered at the mention of computers, and Donovan rolled his eyes.

“Thank you,” Eve said sincerely. “I really appreciate all that you’re doing. Travis, Cammie and I . . . Well, we don’t even know what to say.”

“Has Travis been in school?” Rachel asked hesitantly.

She rushed on before Eve could respond.

“I mean, I know you’ve had a hard time and you’ve been moving a lot. I don’t know what your plans for him were, but I’m happy to help him with his studies to get him caught up so that when things settle down he can enroll in school here.”

Travis’s eyes brightened but he remained silent, almost as if he were afraid to voice an opinion.

“Thank you,” Eve said again, emotion knotting her throat. “He does need to get caught up. He loves school. He excels. He’s always made good grades. And he’s a very good athlete.”

Eve glanced down, not wanting the others to see the pain she was sure was evident in her eyes.

“He should be in school with an opportunity to play sports, hang out with kids his own age. Make friends and have a normal life.”

“I don’t regret anything, Evie,” Travis said in a quiet tone. “You did what you had to do. I’ll always be grateful for the risks you’ve taken and for sacrificing so much for me.”

“What about it, Travis?” Donovan spoke up. “Would you like Rachel to help get you caught up with your studies? Maybe this fall you can enroll here in school. Rachel teaches at the middle school and she’s friends with many of the high school teachers. I know they’d be willing to work with you to get you up to speed.”

“I’d like that a lot,” Travis said, his voice sincere.

Rachel smiled. “Then that’s settled. No hurry, though. We still have the rest of the summer, and what you need to focus most on right now is getting better. Once you’re settled more and comfortable in your surroundings, then either I can come here a few days a week or you’re welcome over at my house. I just live across the way.”

“Thank you,” Travis said.

“You’re family now,” Sophie said firmly. “All of you. And as I’m sure Donovan has already told you multiple times, we take family very seriously. We stick together. Because together, there isn’t a force in the world that can stand up against the Kelly family and KGI.”

Eve bit back the tears, determined to stop breaking down at every single thing. But for a moment she couldn’t speak. Travis was similarly affected, casting his gaze downward so no one could see the emotion shining brightly in his eyes.

“Why don’t you come over tomorrow afternoon, Eve?” Shea invited. “We’ll get together at Sophie’s. She has the biggest house. No doubt because Sam wants lots more children.”

The rest of the women snickered and Sophie rolled her eyes.

“Nathan and I live in a smaller house,” Shea explained. “It’s really open. Apart from the bedroom, the rest is mostly one big room. He can’t stand enclosed spaces ever since his captivity.”

Her tone had grown more hushed, and pain briefly flooded her eyes. Then she went silent a moment before smiling.

Sophie rolled her eyes. “She’s communicating with Nathan. He must have picked up on her distress and was demanding to know what the hell was wrong and if she needed him.”

Shea blushed but didn’t refute Sophie’s statement. Eve was utterly bewildered by it all. Communicating?

“Anyway,” Sarah interjected, picking up where Shea left off. “Why don’t you come over and we’ll hang out, have some wine. Well, you, Rachel and Shea can have the wine. Sophie and I will stick to tea. Bring Cammie—and Travis too, if he doesn’t mind hanging out with the girls, that is—and Charlotte and Cammie can play. Charlotte has tons of toys that she’d be more than happy to share.”

“I have Barbies,” Charlotte announced.

Charlotte reached for Cammie’s hand, the one she had in her mouth, and pulled it away, lacing her fingers firmly in Cammie’s.

“You can play with my Barbies. I don’t mind,” Charlotte said solemnly. “I have lots of dolls too. And I have soldier dolls! My uncle Garrett bought them for me.”

Sarah closed her eyes and shook her head. “Only Garrett would buy action figures complete with camo and assault rifles for his niece.”

Everyone laughed and Donovan chuckled.

“Hey, it never hurts to start them early. Maybe Cece will grow up and run KGI when Sam hangs it up,” Donovan said in amusement.

Sophie sent him a dark look. “Bite your tongue, Van. Don’t plant any ideas in Charlotte’s mind. The girl already wants her uncle Garrett to take her to the firing range so she can shoot his gun. God help us all. I made Sam get a gun cabinet with a combination lock so she never gets any ideas.”

“You’re all okay with what they do. Your husbands, I mean,” Eve blurted.

The women’s expressions softened. Donovan remained quiet, watching Eve.