Thrill Me (Fool's Gold #18)(88)

Del looked at the door, then back at his brothers. Nick raised a shoulder.

“He’s got a point. I’m as surprised as you, but even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then.”

“You know I could take you,” Aidan said conversationally.

“In your dreams.”

Del grabbed his beer and returned to the sofa. “You two give me a pain in my ass.”

“I know.” Aidan grinned. “Gotta love family.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

MAYA HAD HEARD all about the infamous Fool’s Gold breakup parties, but she’d never been to one herself. Her only regret was that her first time attending one was because Del had broken her heart. She had a feeling she would have enjoyed the night a lot more if it hadn’t been for her benefit.

Her small living room was crowded with women, and loud with the sound of a blender making drinks. All her friends were there. Phoebe, of course, Madeline, Shelby and several other women from town. Jo was handling the drinks. On the food front, everyone had shown up with some kind of sugary or salty snack. There were chips and nuts, brownies, cookies, chocolate and gallons of ice cream. Maya hadn’t yet started eating, but her pants already felt tight. There was going to be some serious working out in her future. After she recovered from the hangover she planned to have in the morning.

Sophie, who was staying with her for a few days, was in beagle heaven, going from guest to guest. Maya wasn’t sure which the happy dog was enjoying more—all the attention, or the crumbs that fell on the floor.

“You doing okay?” Phoebe asked, passing her a margarita.

“Sure.”

“Okay, silly question.” Her sister-in-law hugged her. “I’m just so mad at Del.”

“Men are stupid,” Destiny Gilmore called from across the room. “Difficult, emotional and annoying.”

“Including Kipling?” Shelby asked.

Destiny sighed as she touched her growing pregnant belly. “No. Not Kipling. He’s kind of sweet.”

“You’re not helping,” Phoebe told her.

Destiny wrinkled her nose. “Sorry. Men are idiots.”

Maya managed a smile. She appreciated the evening of being coddled. The past couple of days had been long and lonely. She’d had a lot of time to think about what had happened and where she was going from here. None of it had been easy.

She understood why Del felt betrayed. She wasn’t sure she could even blame him for how he’d reacted. If she’d been in his position, she would have been as angry.

Madeline walked over and sat next to her on the sofa. “I’m sorry,” she said. “How are you holding up? How is Elaine?”

Word of the other woman’s cancer diagnosis and treatment had spread quickly through town.

“She stopped by the office this morning,” Maya said, and put her arm around Sophie. The pretty girl snuggled close, then sniffed the carpet. “She feels awful about all of this. I keep telling her that she doesn’t have anything to apologize for. She had enough to deal with.”

Phoebe and Madeline exchanged a look.

“What?” Maya asked. “Don’t you get on Elaine.”

“We won’t,” Phoebe promised. “You’re sweet to defend her. It’s just if she hadn’t asked you to keep the information private in the first place, you and Del would still be together.”

“Maybe,” Maya said. “But something would have happened to piss him off or make him feel he couldn’t trust me. Del’s looking for a reason not to get involved.” Sadly, knowing that was great, but it didn’t take away the emptiness in her heart.

Shelby joined them. “I talked to Elaine this morning. She said that she and Ceallach are going away for a few days. Just the two of them.”

Her friend had stopped by to tell Maya the same thing and to ask if Sophie could stay for a couple of days. Maya was pleased for her. Elaine deserved a vacation. Elaine had also offered to talk to Del again, but Maya had refused. There was no need. Del would either figure out why she’d done what she’d done or he wouldn’t. Telling him over and over again wasn’t going to help either of them.

“It’s so interesting about Ronan and Mathias,” Madeline said. “That they’re half brothers. I knew them all through school and I never would have guessed.” She tilted her head. “Okay, maybe interesting is the wrong word.”

Maya smiled at her. “We know what you mean. They always seemed like twins.”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Destiny said. “Do we act the way we act because of how we are or because of what we’re told?”

“Feeling a song coming on?” Shelby asked, her voice teasing.

“Maybe. You never know. Life inspires me.”

“Would being half siblings change things?” Shelby asked. “Kipling and I are technically half brother and sister, but I can’t imagine feeling closer to him.”

Maya was an only child and didn’t have a frame of reference. Being Zane’s stepsister had always made her happy. Even though they hadn’t always gotten along, he’d been like an anchor. Something she could depend on.

“Starr and I are half sisters,” Destiny said slowly. “You and Kipling.”

“Chase and Zane,” Phoebe added. “They share a father.”