The Chance (Thunder Point #4)(47)

“You apologized two or three times and each time I told you I didn’t blame you for being angry. He crossed the line, suggesting a commendation for saving lives wasn’t impressive or important. Sometimes I just don’t know what’s the matter with that man.”

“Aside from being an arrogant ass, not too much....”

“I encourage Pax to ignore him, but let me tell you something—he won’t talk to my daughters that way or he’ll answer to me.”

“But you had to take them out of the room because I was yelling and Senior was giving it right back to me.”

“I took them out of the room to explain that tempers were lost and that their grandfather behaved very badly to you. We’re very proud of you. We’re all very proud of you. Sometimes a little worried, but proud. That six months undercover somewhere that turned out to be Oregon, that was scary. The FBI is so good about checking in, letting Pax know that you were all right, but until it was over we had no idea what you might be doing or where you might be doing it. I just hope I can be as brave as your mother was—I hope I can encourage my daughters to do what makes them happy.” She took a sip of wine. “Judging from the past week, I don’t think it will be either music or dance.”

Laine laughed. “That does seem kind of obvious.”

“But you knew at an early age. That’s so lucky, isn’t it? We all live for your visits, Laine. You have to know that.”

“You’ve always done that, made me feel welcome when I’m sure I disrupt everything. I know I’m not easy,” she added reluctantly.

“You’re a cop. An agent,” Genevieve said with a shrug. “A twin. I knew what I was getting into.”

Laine cocked her head and studied Genevieve. “Have you changed?”

Genevieve shook her head and just laughed.

“Are you pregnant or something?”

“Are you kidding me? I’m done with that—two is enough for us. Two of our own and the thousands Pax treats and I volunteer for.”

Laine burrowed back in the elbow of the plush sectional and gently swirled her wine. “Something’s different about you,” she said. “I’m trying to figure out what it is....”

Genevieve laughed again. “Auntie Lainie, it’s not me. It’s you.”

“Me? I’m the same! Nothing different about me.”

“Except the radiance. The shine. The calm. You’ve always been very cool on the outside, but it doesn’t usually feel like it goes too deep.”

“Well, like I said, I’ve never taken an extended leave before. And I might have a better appreciation for living. I have to keep that in perspective....”

Genevieve was shaking her head. “You’re in love.”

Laine was shocked. “Bull pucky,” she said. “I have a guy, that’s all. Not my first guy, either. Though I haven’t had many good ones.”

“You’re in love. Tell me about him. Everything. The secret things.”

Laine sat straighter. “Okay, you’re totally different. You never swore, you never called people dicks, you never asked me about guys or secret stuff. What’s going on here?”

Genevieve took a breath. “We never spend time alone together. You just didn’t see me,” she said. “It’s all right, I completely understand it. If some interloper came into my life and said she was taking my place as my sister’s new best friend, I wouldn’t be impressed or real accepting. I wouldn’t like that person a lot.”

“Did I treat you like that? Like you were an interloper?”

“Oh, of course not,” Genevieve said, lifting the wine bottle and tipping it over Laine’s glass. “You’d never do anything to hurt Pax—he’s your best friend. No, you’ve always been very respectful. Cordial. Tolerant.”

Laine gasped.

Genevieve smiled. “Wallpaper,” she said. “I was wallpaper—something in the background. You could see the color but not the pattern. Sometimes I felt more like a mother-in-law than a sister-in-law, but I knew you’d come around. And see? You came around. You finally have more than one best friend!”

“What the hell...”

“Pax had you and me. Not you or me. I had my sisters. But you—you had Pax. Only Pax—and you were so bonded to him. Closer than just brother and sister—like the other half of each other.”

“My mother,” she said. “There was always my mother....”

“Not the same,” Genevieve said, shaking her head. “You’ve always shared your mother, since before birth. And now you’re in love. Oh, you can deny it if you want to, but you’re so gone it’s awesome. I want to know what happened!”

Laine thought for a moment and then she said, “There was this guy in town and I kept running into him. I knew he liked me—eyes, body language, he was obvious. I’m a trained interrogator, you now. But he was holding off. So I asked him out. And then I might’ve fallen for him a little bit. Even though we have nothing in common. Nothing. Well, except maybe the way we are together.”

“Tell me how you are together,” Genevieve asked, looking a little wild-eyed.

Laine frowned. “Only if you promise never to tell me how you and Pax are together....”