Page 72 of Fate

Claire smiles, leans her body forward, and lies against my chest. She puts her thumb into her mouth and nuzzles in close, making herself comfy. With an audible wet plop, she suddenly removes her thumb so she can speak.

“Mommy says when you’re sad, you just need more love and it’s all better. I love you, Auntie Kitty. Like…a whole lot.” Then she puts her thumb back into her mouth and closes hereyes.

“I love you too, Claire. So much, pretty girl.” I kiss the crown of her head. She sighs heavily around her thumb. For good measure, I lock my arms around her and just let her love me. Turns out my three-year-old niece is right. Remembering I’m loved does take away all the sadness.

“Honestly,Kat, I wanted to wring that bitch’s skinny neck!” Chloe tears a piece of fabric, her arm stretching out as far as it will go before she gathers it and does it again. It rips all the way down to the end, leaving flowing blue fabric to fall to the ground.

We are in our workroom, where we fiddle with fabric, embellishments, and other design paraphernalia during the crafting phase. This is where Chloe and I generally come to vent, bitch, moan, and groan about anything—men, work, vendors, staff, friends, whatever it is plaguing our creative sides. We work it out of our systems, surrounded by the one thing that brings us peace all the time. Our creations.

I hold up a broach to a pinned tangerine-colored bodice. “Believe me. I know the feeling. I’m just not sure how it’s all going to workout.”

Chloe rips another shred of the blue fabric, making sure it tears along the grain. “He just needs to kick her ass to the curb, get custody of Cora, and all will be well with the world.”

“Now you sound like Chase.” I frown.

“Well, my cousin isn’t a multi-billionaire mogul because he’s a dimwit. The woman is not stable, Kat. Mark my words. She’s fuming.”

I furrow my brow and focus on finding the right pendant for the tangerine dress…and fail. “I don’t think she’s unstable. A little out in left field, sure. But unstable? I mean, she did raise Cora alone all this time, and the baby is in perfect health.”

Chloe presses her hand to her chin and sits on the edge of the big rectangular craft table. She sets one red suede stiletto on the edge of a nearby chair. Damn, those are some sexy-as-sin shoes.

“I’m not saying she doesn’t love her daughter. That’s obvious. She’s easy to love. Plus, she looks exactly likeme.”

I roll my eyes. “Yes, Auntie Chloe. She’s your spitting image. Enough aboutit.”

She laughs and rips another swath, this time of dark-purple fabric stained with pink swirls. I have no idea what she’s doing with the mix of colors, but when she throws them on the table against one another, they somehow work together.

“I don’t know, Kat. The way she acted as if you’d stolen her man and calling you a homewrecker? What’s up with that? Did my brother promise something he shouldn’thave?”

I shrug. “I doubt it. Carson is pretty straightforward when he wants something.” I glance over at her to find her grinning like a loon. “Not a word.” I smile, and she plays like she’s zipping up her lips and tossing thekey.

We work silently for a few more minutes, content within our own projects, until my phone buzzes on the table.

I grab for it and look at the display. It’s a text identified as an unknown number. I click on it to see the message.

To: Kathleen Bennett

From: Unknown Number

Kathleen it’s Misty. Can we meet. Clear theair?

“What’s up?” Chloe asks, coming over to my side. I dip the phone to her so she can read it. “Huh. You should go. Maybe the whack-a-doo will apologize and the two of you can somehow be friends. ForCora?”

I cringe. “Friends? I’m not sure that’s in our future, but being civil would be good. Especially for Carson and Cora. I know the divide is killinghim.”

Chloe pats my arm. “Well, then go. What’s theharm?”

“Should I tell your brother?”

“Hell, no! Are you insane? Not until after, and only if it goes well. Haven’t you learned it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission?” She shakes her head like I’m dumber thandirt.

I pinch my lips together and think about it. It could be an opportunity for the two of us to air our grievances and find a way to work together. Cora is going to need her mommy and stepmommy to be friendly in order to grow up well adjusted.

Then it dawns on me what I just said. Stepmommy. As if I’d already added the title to my résumé. Shit. I need to keep that to myself, or at the very least, talk to Dr. Madison about it. Definitely not Carson. He’d have us on the first flight to Vegas by morning.

I add her contact into my phone and type out my message toher.

To: Misty Duncan

---