Page 165 of Say Yes to the Death

She hesitated, ready to snap at him for downplaying her fear. But he was trying. Maybe it was time she tried too. She had abandoned him to save her boyfriend, after all.

“We’ll try it,” she said somewhat stiffly in spite of the tears that welled up in her eyes. Two days of no sleep had rendered her a weepy mess. It was time for a very long nap. And probably some tacos.

A nurse walked in. “Sir, an agent’s here to debrief you.”

“Good luck,” Claire mouthed to him and walked out with Luke. “Coming, Mom?” she asked. Alice was still standing in the hallway.

“In a little bit, Clairebear,” she said, reaching over to give her a mini hug. “There are some things I need to say to your father.”

That couldn’t be good. Claire hustled down the hall with Luke at her side. They walked out into the breezy summer morning. Finally, freedom from the sterile smell of the hospital. Tinges of pink were curling into the sky, but there was still a scatter of stars overhead.

“Let’s avoid hospitals for a while, okay?” Luke pulled her close and tucked her into his side.

“Luke, in the amount of time that you have known me, how many times have we been at the hospital?”

“Good point. Let’s try to make it at least another month.”

“Deal. Hang on,” she said, stopping in the middle of the parking lot. “Do you see the stars?”

He glanced up. “I see them.”

“They’re perfect.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Are you suggesting that we star spin?”

She shrugged. “We are right outside a hospital if it goes horribly wrong.”

“Race you,” he said, spinning furiously in place and counting to fifteen.

Claire did the same, lifting her head to the heavens and laughing as the stars blurred into each other. An entire community of badass businesswomen had banded together to bring down a dozen dangerous people. She had a new sister. And for the moment, everyone she loved was safe.

“Go!” Luke said, sprinting in the direction of his car.

She followed, staggering from side to side. “I’m coming for you,” she said, arms outstretched.

She made it several feet before her gold stilettos slammed into an unseen curb. She lost her balance, grasping at the empty air before collapsing, butt-first, into a large plastic trash can.

Damn it. She wiggled her arms and legs, but she was really wedged in there. The sky was still spinning stubbornly above her. “Luke, I need help.”

“What?” he asked distantly as he bumped into a car, setting off the alarm. “Ah, shit.”

He ran back toward her, almost crashing into the tailgate of a truck, and burst out laughing.

“Hang on.” He dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

“Luke! No pictures, come on. Help me!” She laughed in spite of herself. The stars still swam above her head, but the world was starting to right itself.

Luke ignored her, snapping half a dozen photos from various angles. At least he hadn’t brought his professional-grade camera.

Eventually he grabbed both of her hands and pulled, tugging Claire out of the trash can.

“Ugh, I think I sat in some kind of milkshake,” Claire said, spinning around and trying to look at her rear. Thank goodness these were borrowed pants.

He caught her hand and dragged her to him, barely ending his laughter before he pulled her into a deep, warm, familiar kiss.

Heat crept into her cheeks when he pulled back. He gazed at her with an indescribable look in his eyes.

“What? Is there something in my hair?”

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