Page 40 of Three to Fall

I swallowed hard and hugged my sister. “I love you. Thank you for everything.”

She leaned back, her eyebrows knitting together. “What do you mean? I didn’t do anything.”

I cleared my throat and made up a lie. About the fiftieth one I’d told that night. “For taking Hayley Jade home with you all tonight.”

Her frown smoothed out. “No problem at all. She’s not the crazy one.” She grimaced at Madden, who was running around the room with his T-shirt over his head like he was a soccer player who’d just scored a goal. “I don’t know who let him eat all that candy, but hopefully the sugar crash will knock him out for the night before we get home. Do you want to say goodbye to Hayley Jade before we go?”

I nodded, following her over to where Fang stood with Lavender asleep on his shoulder, Remi and Hayley Jade at hisfeet, poking paper straws into an uneaten piece of cake and giggling.

Fang immediately slipped his free hand to the back of Rebel’s neck, and she gazed up at him. “Take me home.”

He leaned down and kissed her mouth. “With pleasure.”

She was so happy. And I was happy for her, that she’d found three men who loved her so well. I knelt at their feet and tapped Hayley Jade on the arm. “Aunty Rebel is going to take you home now for a sleepover with Remi.”

She grinned and nodded, brushing cake crumbs off her icing-smeared fingers.

I didn’t care that she was sticky. I pulled her into my arms and held her close, closing my eyes to stop the tears pricking behind them. “I love you so much. I hope you know I’d do anything for you.”

She nodded against my chest and squeezed her little arms around me tight. Panic rose inside, and I held her longer than I should have, just trying to memorize everything about how it felt to have her there. What she smelled like. How soft her skin was.

“Hey!” Rebel patted us both on the head. “It’s just one night. You’ll be back together in the morning. Right, Kara?”

I could barely breathe. “Right.” I clutched Hayley Jade’s arms, drawing back to look her in the eye. “It’s not goodbye. Just a see you later.”

Hayley Jade nodded happily, no idea anything was wrong, and ran off with Remi. Fang led the way to the exit while Kian and Vaughn rounded up their boys.

“You good, sis?” Rebel asked with a final lingering stare.

I looked down and wiped my eyes quickly. “Sure. Of course. I’m just being silly. I probably have PMS.”

It was a plausible excuse, one Rebel accepted. “Okay. If you’re sure…”

I was. “Go. Love you. Thank you.” I walked away to the corner of the room to compose myself before I could cry.

Something cold pressed against my arm. “Cocktail? Made it myself.”

Grayson put the pink drink into my hand, and I smiled gratefully at him, taking a sip of the fruity liquid. I blinked in surprise. “You made this?”

He nodded, sipping on his drink, though his was a much less interesting cola concoction. “I’ve been helping Steve behind the bar all night.” He gazed around the room. “Your friends drink a lot.”

I laughed but then sobered, picking out Queenie and Aloha dancing in the middle of the room. Ice and the other prospects sitting at the bar. Bliss and War making out in a corner since their kids had been picked up by their sitter. “They’re not friends. They’re family,” I corrected, feeling it all the way to my toes.

Grayson put his arm around my shoulders. “I’m glad you found them. And they’re lucky to have you. We all are.”

I peered up at him, trying to fight off the urge to cry again when he put his arm around my shoulders.

I wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet.

We hadn’t had enough time.

I didn’t want to waste another second of it.

I slipped my fingers between his. “Come on.”

He didn’t ask where we were going. I led him through the crowd, weaving between people I loved, and collecting Hayden and Hawk along the way.

None of them said anything.

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