Page 113 of Power Play

“Okay,” I said, forcing myself to smile. “Thanks for the ride.”

“Can I say hello to Ms. Rene?” Tess cried from the back seat. The poor kid who hadn’t been whiney or homesick once during the whole trip to Calico Cove was now emotionally miserable.

I got out of the front seat and opened the door to the back seat so I could talk to her face to face. “Honey,” I smiled and stroked back her hair. “You can come and visit anytime, but I think you need to get home and rest. See your mom.”

“I can visit anytime?”

“Anytime.”

I hugged the girl as fiercely as I could while being gentle with her head. She hugged me back just as hard. “I love you, Kit,” she said with all the ease and the innocence of a kid. Tears burned in my eyes.

“I love you too,” I whispered. It was true. After my dad’s betrayal I didn’t think I had any love left in me to give. But then came Liam and Tess.

Big jerks!

I gave her a watery smile and grabbed my bag from the back of the truck. I hurried, wanting to avoid some kind of uncomfortable exchange with Liam. But as I swung my duffle bag out the back, he was there, taking it from me.

“Kit-”

“Just go,” I said, unable to look him in the eye. “It’s better if you’re not here.”

“I’ll be back,” he said, holding my hand, but I still couldn’t look at him. “I promise. I have some things I have to do and I’ll be back.”

“I told you no,” I reminded him. “We’re not friends, we’re not acquaintances. We’re done now.”

I pulled my hand away from his and walked up the stone path. I opened the three locks on the front door and shut it behind me.

Once again inside the nicest house in the worst neighborhood in Portland.

Ms. Rene stopped on the stairs the second she saw me.

“Oh Catherine,” she breathed. “He broke your heart.”

28

Liam

Me: I need you, brother.

Wyatt: What’s up?

Me: I’ve made a mess, I think. Of everything.

Wyatt: I’m coming.

Janice arrived, harried, smelling like a forest fire, still in her scrubs. Dark circles under her eyes and her hair a wild mess around her head.

“Mom!” Tess cried, running from the living room where I’d left her with all the cinnamon graham crackers she could eat and a pile of books. She hurtled herself into her mom’s arms, right there in the front doorway. Janice fell to her knees clutching her daughter tightly.

Whatever had led her to lie to me for all the years, I could never say she was a bad mom to that girl. Janice scootched inand I shut the door behind them and walked quietly down the hallway, giving them room and privacy to catch up.

In the kitchen, I poured myself a glass of expensive bourbon someone gave me as a gift and waited for her. Trying to figure out how to play this and then telling myself there was no way to play this. It was honesty – all the way.

“Hey,” Janice said, walking into the kitchen. Her eyes were puffy from crying.

“You want a drink?” I asked, pushing the bottle towards her.

“Yes,” she laughed. “But I don’t think it’s a good idea.” She tugged down the shirt of her scrubs. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions…”

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