Page 8 of Devlin

"It's your party," Graham said. "This is ridiculous, Claire. You're acting crazy."

Devlin winced at his father's thoughtless words.

His mother slammed the door in his father's face.

Graham's hands clenched into fists, and for a minute Devlin thought his dad would go after her,but then he turned around and saw everyone looking at him. In typical Blackthorne style, he threw back his shoulders, lifted his chin and faced the crowd head-on.

"It will be fine," his father said loudly, confidently. "Claire is having a bit of trouble coming to terms with her birthday, entering a new decade and all that. Don't worry. She'll be back. Please, drink, eat, enjoy being witheach other, as Claire asked you to do."

He had to admit he was impressed with his father's ability to spin the situation so quickly.

The front door opened, and his father started, clearly thinking Claire had changed her mind and come back.

But it wasn't his mother who stepped into the entry; it was his younger brother Ross, who was late, as usual.

"Hello," Ross begancheerfully, then stopped, obviously taking in the tension in the room. "What did I miss?"

His father just shook his head. "I'm sure someone will fill you in, Ross." Then he brushed by Devlin, taking the crowd back into the living room.

"Seriously, what did I miss?" Ross asked him.

"Not much," he replied dryly. "Except Mom just left Dad."

"What? You're kidding, right?"

"You should try to be on time once in a while."

"Mom is really gone? Where?"

His gaze moved toward the front door. "I have no idea."

CHAPTER TWO

DESPITE HIS FATHER'Sencouragement for their guests to enjoy the party, within an hour, everyone was gone, including his dad. Now he was sitting around the large table on the patio, with his three brothers, three cousins, and his grandmother, who was pouring them eacha glass of Blackthorne Gold whisky.

"It's all going to be fine," Fiona told them. "Graham and Claire will work things out."

He wanted to believe that, but he wasn't so sure, and he saw doubt on a few other faces, along with some guilt.

"I had no idea Mom would be that upset about the McKinney brothers coming to the party," Trey said.

"Nor did I," Brock put in. "It'snot like we haven't done business at parties before."

"I didn't even get a chance to speak to Claire," Jason said, more guilt in his eyes. "I was on the phone when she tried to speak to me."

"None of you are to blame for what happened tonight," Fiona said, drawing their attention back to her. "Obviously, your father has been taking your mother for granted, and she had enough."

"Where do you think she went?" Logan asked curiously.

"I have no idea, but I'm sure she's fine, and she'll be back once she calms down," Fiona replied.

"I'm not so sure," he put in. "When Mom was talking to Phillip and me, she seemed quite upset with Dad, and very interested in making a change in her life. She said something to us about it being time to make herself happy. Thatit was her turn."

"Well, it is her turn," Fiona agreed. "That's what she just told us all."

"Along with a few other things," Brock said with a frown. "What was that secret she was talking about?"

"A secret?" Ross interjected, a questioning gleam in his eyes. "No one told me about a secret."

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