Page 48 of Inevitable

CHAPTER TWENTY

Sunday, September 3rd

Claire sat on the couch in Lilly’s office and picked up Erin’s hand. “I’m sorry that I lost track of Alvin. We were so close to nabbing him and I let the whole thing fall apart.”

Erin gave Claire and Lilly a blinding smile and shook her head. “You were able to accomplish more in the short time we worked together than anyone else. My God, girl, you were shot and lying in a hospital bed. It wasn’t like you lost interest and flaked out.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Still, it would’ve been nice to take the guy out once and for all.”

“Eventually, we will, but probably not in the next six months. I start filming in Morocco in two weeks, so there will be no way execute your brilliant plan.”

Lilly sat in her desk chair and tapped a pen against her thigh. “I may use some of this for a book. It’s not every day a man loses his shit in Victoria’s Secret and shoots the place up. There is a lot there to work with.”

“Please do,” Claire replied. “I’d like to think some good can come out of the experience.”

Lilly pointed her pen at Claire and raised an eyebrow. “I’d say the good is having Brady taking care of you and loving on you as much as you’ll let him.”

“I’d have to agree. Seems we needed to have something catastrophic occur to propel us forward. It’s not like a person can walk away unscathed.”

Lilly nodded in agreement. “Makes what’s important instantly clear. It seems like he didn’t miss a beat and is taking this tragedy and turning it into something that gets you two bound.”

“Smart man,” Erin said with a laugh.

“Speaking of smart men, what are you going to do with Hunter?” Claire asked.

Erin turned toward the big wall of windows that looked out over the backyard. “I have no idea. I’d like to pack him in my suitcase and take him with me, but that’s not going to happen. I have no idea how to work out our different lifestyles, and truth is, I’m not sure how interested he is. Maybe we’re never going to have more than this.”

“There is always a way if you both want it bad enough,” Lilly stated firmly.

Claire looked out the window as well and saw Brady, Brock, and Hunter standing together near the pool. Brady, of course, was the most handsome and appealing of the bunch. At least to her. It was hard to believe that the very thing she’d been dreaming about had shown up. Truth was, the whole thing made her kind of nervous, like it was too good to be true. Which was foolish.

It was time to have faith that what she’d found with Brady wasn’t going to be taken away and the only way to achieve that was by letting go of the idea that loving someone equaled loss. If she wanted happiness, she had to believe it was possible.

The sound of a dog barking brought Claire out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see Lilly’s dog, Popcorn, running across the yard to greet a man. “I didn’t know Brody was coming.”

Lilly stood and leaned over her desk. “I invited him this morning because we haven’t seen much of him this summer.”

“Those Landry men won some kind of genetic lottery ’cause they’re all good-looking,” Claire said as she stood.

Erin stood as well and looped her arm through Claire’s. “I agree, but I think that tall drink of water standing next to them is the best one of the bunch.”

“I have a feeling that you and Hunter are eventually going to figure out how to mix up Hollywood and Louisiana,” Lilly commented. “Can’t deny the power of love, no matter what you do.”

“I know,” Erin said quietly.

Lilly stacked some papers on her desk and then turned off her computer. “I wonder what’s been keeping Brody so busy lately?”

“Maybe he’s got a girl,” Claire replied.

“He always has a girl,” Lilly said. “Brody is the heartbreaker of the family. I’ve never known him not to have at least two or three vying for his attention.”

“Maybe he’s the one doing the vying and that’s what has kept him away,” Erin added.

Lilly stepped away from the window and shrugged. “I guess it’s possible if there’s been a tear in the space-time continuum.” She took the women’s hands and led them toward the door. “Let’s go down and see what those men are up to.”

“They think we’re up to something,” Claire said as she followed the women out of the room. “Brady keeps asking me what we’ve got planned and I always tell him ‘nothing.’ I don’t know why he’s so suspicious.”

“He’s suspicious because he had a front row seat to all of the things I pulled off back in my youth. He thinks anyone who gets tangled up with me is up to no good.”

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