Found in You(127)

It was after one of the longer nights that Mira showed up, when I’d stayed so long closing the club that the sun was already planted in the sky. I’d changed into workout clothes and ran from the club to The Bowery. The traffic seemed light. It was Sunday morning, I guessed.

Mira was waiting in the lobby, sitting on a couch in the foyer with her hands resting on her swollen belly. At the sight of her, I felt warmth for the first time in days.

She stood when I approached her.

“He sent you to check up on me?” I was beaming. I missed Hudson so horribly and his attempt to reach out through his sister was a nice touch.

Unless he’d sent her to break up with me.

The smile left my face instantly at the thought.

“You’re not taking any of his calls, Laynie. What else was he supposed to do?”

“He already left notes with the doorman.”

“Did you read them?”

“Not so much. I was afraid of what they’d say.” Like that I needed to be out of the penthouse by the time he came home.

“Did you think he was breaking up with you?” She laughed. “No. Way. Even if he wanted to, I wouldn’t let him. And he doesn’t want to. Trust me.”

I hadn’t realized how worried I’d been about the prospect until Mira had relieved the tension with those few simple words. My shoulders relaxed, and my jaw didn’t feel so tight. Now I wished I hadn’t thrown away his messages.

But here was a message in the flesh.

I tilted my head toward the elevator. “Want to come up?”

“I was counting on it.”

We didn’t talk as we rode up to the penthouse, and all I could think about was how much I probably stunk from my run and how I hoped that Mira was really there to tell me Hudson would be home soon.

“Can I get you something?” I asked as we stepped into the vestibule.

“Um, mind if I raid your fridge? I just ate breakfast and I’m still starving.”

I dropped my purse and key on the floor. “Go for it.”

She knew her way around and I followed her into the kitchen. While she poked about in the fridge, I grabbed a couple of glasses from the cupboard. “Want anything to drink?”

“Water’s good.” She stepped away from the fridge, carrying a veggie tray and a block of cheese.

Before the door shut behind her, I reached in and snagged a bottle of water then poured half in each of the glasses. When I’d turned back, Mira had made herself comfy at the breakfast table. I grabbed a knife and plate for the cheese and joined her.

“So,” she said, chomping down on a piece of celery. “Lots of crazy went down here last week.”

“We’re jumping right into it then? No small talk first?” Personally, I was glad. I hadn’t wanted to be the one to seem eager for the dirt.

“Are you kidding me? I’ve been dying to talk about this with you. Do you not know I’m a gossip fiend?” Mira reached for the knife and began working at the block of cheese.

“You hadn’t known about Celia’s baby either?”

“Nope. No clue. I was always sure it wasn’t Hudson’s. I don’t know why—I was barely fourteen when it all happened, but he never seemed to be into her. They never even kissed or anything that I saw. And, trust me; I was the type of sister that saw a lot.”

I could picture Mira as a perky young teen, spying on her brother whenever she had the chance. “Somehow I don’t doubt that.”

“I didn’t ever think it was Dad’s though.” She took a piece of the cheddar and layered it on top of another celery piece. “I still can’t think about that. It’s gross.” She shuddered then bit into her celery/cheese sandwich.