Page 77 of An Endless Memory

That goddamn deadline. This was why I’d been happy with no one knowing. “I can’t move.”

“Can’t or don’t want to?”

I pushed away from the island. At least my erection was gone. “Like I said, it’s none of your business.”

“Don’t hurt her, or it will be.”

“Yeah, and what’d you do to Carter?” I was being a dick, but it seemed like her family only butted in when she called them desperate.

“Just so happens the IRS might be taking a hard look at the books of his vet clinic, and the soon-to-be ex-husband of the woman he left Lily for might’ve been sent time-stamped photos of the two cheating assholes that’ll only strengthen the settlement he gets in the divorce.”

I sputtered, “Holy shit.”

He grabbed a banana from the counter next to the fridge. “Lily hates when we interfere, and Carter did his best to make her feel like shit for it. But that doesn’t mean we’re going to sit back and do nothing.”

My respect for him grew stronger. “If I do anything remotely as damaging as that prick, you have my permission to destroy me.”

His gaze turned appraising. He seemed pleased. “As long as we have an understanding. Just don’t tell me what I walked in on. I’d like to keep this banana down.”

Seventeen

Lily

Snow was still on the ground. We’d gotten more last night, and today, the wind picked up. The roads were icy in the western half of the state, stretching into Montana.

Eliot: No travel advised.

He wasn’t going to make it.

Disappointment ripped through me like the cold wind outside, leaving a chill behind. I’d been so excited. I had shaved everywhere and even bought some new bras and underwear. I was wearing them under my thick knit sweater and jeans. They would be lost on Halloween, but I could enjoy the effort. I’d wear them tonight when he called.

I adjusted Cali’s black cloak over her winter coat. “Are you sure you don’t want a stocking hat under the witch hat?”

I’d had to rig a tie for the hat to keep it from blowing away while we trick-or-treated. Kellan was tucked into his car seat.

“No hat.” She shook her head. With the way she was bundled up underneath her costume, she looked like an abominable snow witch.

“I’ll pack one, just in case.”

The roads weren’t bad enough to shut us in. I lived close enough to town that the deicer and gravel had been judiciously used.

“Why can’t Eliot come?” Cali asked as I slid into the driver’s seat.

“The roads are too bad.” I coasted down the driveway.

“Ivy’s Snow White.” Cali brandished an apple from her cloak. She managed to coordinate the costume with Ivy at school.

“I heard.”

“Will we get to see the babies?”

Sutton and Wilder had their twins. I’d seen a picture of the boys—Alex and Drew. Eliot had mentioned something about them being named after game show hosts, which made sense with the different sayings Sutton would utter.

In the photo, there were two blue car seats with little babies strapped in. Their cheeks and lips were puffed out, and both were sleeping. We’d been planning to visit them tomorrow when Eliot was with us. “Another time.”

I met Cody and Tova at the grocery store. They were driving the van they used for Tova’s mom’s wheelchair.

Tova poked her head out the large side door. The wind buffeted the strands of hair sticking out from under her cream-colored stocking hat. “Come on in. We have the heat cranked and everyone can sit in the back and the kids can run to the houses.”

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