Page 52 of Steadfast

Paisley gave a casual smile and shrugged dismissively.

“I told you, I just missed my big sister.”

Oakleigh knew her sister was lying when her voice went up an octave.

“I missed you too,” she agreed. “But you haven’t texted me back in months.”

“So,” Paisley knew it was time to come clean, “it’s gotten horrible at home, Oaks.”

“Nothing new about that,” Oakleigh said. Her callous words sounded just as harsh as she had intended.

“It’s worse than it’s ever been,” Paisley noted. “Dad’s moved out, and he took Marley and Madison.”

Oakleigh’s eyebrows shot up at the news, “That can’t be good for the Davenport image.” It wasn’t like her dad to be fatherly to any of his kids, let alone the twins. She had no doubt that he had taken them just to get the upper hand in the seemingly never ending power struggle with Harper.

“He doesn’t seem to care about the ministry at all anymore,” Paisley said. “Mom is a disaster. She’s grasping at straws to keep up the charade.” She shook her head. “Even Delia’s had enough of her.

“Oh please,” Mia chimed in. “My mom couldn’t live without Harper, they’ve been friends for—”

“A lifetime,” Maeve interjected.

“She found out Mia was here and flipped,” Paisley confirmed what Oakleigh had already assumed. “She demanded that Delia call you home immediately beforeMaeve poisons everyone against her.”

Maeve quietly swirled the coffee in her mug before taking a slow sip.

“Well,” Mia said with a shrug, “if they’ve been trying to reach out, I already blocked my mom on everything.”

“Delia told her she understood her concern,” Paisley went on, spilling the juicy gossip, “but they couldn’t keep funding her every whim if they weren’t going to get back to work.”

“Sounds like your dad pulled the plug,” Oakleigh smirked, giving Mia a knowing glance. It was no secret that her dad, Rex Hollister, absolutely detested Harper.

“So, that leaves me,” Paisley said with a deep eye roll. “With everyone gone, Mom’s following me around like I’m her last friend on earth.”

“Surely not to your competitions. She hates the beach,” Oakleigh remarked. “She says the sun gives her wrinkles.”

“It seems it’snothing a little nip tuck can’t handle,” Paisley said, mimicking her mother’s tone. “But I think I found the last place on earth she’d willingly go.”

“You’re welcome,” Maeve replied, raising her mug.

Oakleigh momentarily stared into the fireplace as she digested the news that Paisley had generously offered. It was difficult to imagine that the fabulous Harper Davenport had no loyal members left of her formally extensive entourage.

“Wait—Paisley,” Oakleigh chimed, the realization hitting her. “She doesn’t know you’re here?”

Paisley shook her head.

“She’s going to explode when she finds out,” Oakleigh murmured.

A somber silence fell heavily between them.

Maeve broke through with a cheerful tone, unphased by any threat posed by Harper. “We have plenty of room. Feel free to make the ranch your home for as long as you need—and we could sure use the extra hands tomorrow if you’re all up for it.”

Without alerting Maeve, Oakleigh attempted to signal them with a subtle shake of her head.

“Sure, I’d love to,” Paisley replied, completely ignoring her sister’s silent plea. “I’ll help out with whatever you need.”

“Me too,” Mia said confidently. She daintily picked off a gray piece of ash that had popped from the fireplace and landed on the knee of her yoga pants.

Oakleigh knew they had no idea what they had agreed to.

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