Page 103 of Three to Fall

I huffed. “Your jokes are as bad as your glove balloons, you do know that, right?”

He took a blue medical glove from his pocket and waved it around in my face. “Need me to make you one? It’ll turn that frown upside down.”

“I’m going to push you into that open grave if you don’t stop.”

But I was battling back a smile as Gray put his stupid glove away, and I was saved the torturous squeaking of his latest attempt at creating a bear or a moose or fuck knows what else.

I’d buy him a proper set of twisting balloons and an instruction book for his birthday.

At the edge of Alice’s grave, I stood shoulder to shoulder with Gray and Chaos, Kara holding Hayley Jade’s hand just a step in front of us. I stood so close my chest brushed her back, and my fingertips rested on Hayley Jade’s head, needing to be touching her, just in case she got distracted and moved too close to the gaping hole in the ground.

It sent flashbacks of pulling Kara from the earth after she’d been buried alive, and Hayley Jade stared up at me curiously, as if she could sense my tension.

I forced myself to relax and stroked my fingers across her little forehead instead, sweeping the hair back off her face.

She smiled so sweetly, it was all I could do not to sweep her up in my arms and hug and kiss the shit out of her.

“Love you,” I signed to her silently, not wanting to interrupt the priest saying blessings over the coffin while two men from the funeral home lowered it into the ground.

My stomach lurched as it sank toward its final resting spot.

This had to be so much worse for Kara. I couldn’t help myself. I put my arm around her from behind, drawing her close against me.

She sank back, like she needed the touch just as much as I did, her body trembling. “I hate the smell of fresh dirt,” she whispered, only loud enough for me to hear.

After that night, I did, too. Which was why I’d made one request of the priest.

The coffin hit the bottom of the grave and he motioned for me to go ahead.

I took out the little slip of paper where I’d written down what I needed to say because, even though it was only one sentence,I’d known I would fuck it up or sound dumb if I just tried to wing it. I unfolded it and raised my voice enough that everyone could hear. “Instead of throwing soil, I’d like to invite each of you to come forward and take a flower to place on the coffin instead.”

Kara blinked and stared up at me. “Really?”

I shoved the paper back in my pocket and leaned down to kiss her mouth. “I didn’t want you having to put your fingers in the soil. And from what I’ve heard about Alice, brightly colored flowers seemed more her style anyway.”

Kara’s eyes got misty, but she smiled through her tears. “She would approve, I’m sure of it. Thank you.”

I twisted, searching for the basket of flowers, but it wasn’t at the priest’s feet like it was supposed to be. I swore low under my breath, realizing drinks weren’t the only thing I’d asked Ice to take care of. He was also in charge of picking up the flowers from the girl he knew at the florist. “Please tell me Ice is here somewhere by now?”

Everyone looked around, until the new prospect—Collins? Colingwood? Something stupid—cleared his throat. “He’s not here. I think he’s running late…”

Irritation bubbled up inside me. The ceremony was nearly finished. He wasn’t just running late. He’d fucking missed the whole thing.

He’d had one fucking job. Fine, two. But neither of them should have been a big deal. I’d only given them to him because I’d been so busy coordinating everyone else and making sure it was absolutely perfect for her. Hell, he could have outsourced to the other prospects, but he hadn’t even bothered to do that. He’d just not bothered to even turn up.

As usual, Ice couldn’t do the simplest of tasks without irritating me.

Kara put her hand on my arm. “It’s okay. The thought still counts.”

I didn’t want to lose my shit here in the middle of the funeral. But I was more than just angry. I was disappointed. And sad. I might not have known Alice, but Kara had, and the sorrow and grief emanating from her just broke my fucking heart.

All I’d wanted to do was make her smile. I hated I hadn’t been able to. “I’m sorry.”

Chaos leaned his arm against mine, his presence calming something inside me just from having him close. Silently, his fingers laced through mine, in front of everyone.

I didn’t stop him. Didn’t even want to. Didn’t care if everyone knew we were a thing. Not when I couldn’t even deny it to myself.

The priest cleared his throat. “Okay. Well. If we aren’t going to do the soil or the flowers—”

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