Page 18 of Seven of Hearts

September in Beaufort was miserable. For some stupid reason, I had left the breezy low seventies of Chicago and traded it for North Carolina swamp ass.

That stupid reason was for my thirtieth birthday.

I didn’t really want to fly back home so soon after Kylie’s wedding, but going to my family was preferable to them coming to my place. I didn’t even own a couch, but they didn’t know that.

Besides, it was easier for me to leave Beaufort and go back home rather than to kick them out of Chicago.

I rounded the curving road that led to Davis Bay, the part of the coast where Kristin and Will had built their mansion. The DeRossis’ house came into view first. I wondered if Leah was in there, or if she was over at the Lawsons’. She was a shared nanny between two families I had known since I was a kid.

Why was I still thinking about her?

It had been three months since that night at the wedding. Three months since we had spoken. Not a peep since.

Three months of listening to a voice note and fucking my hand.

I couldn’t get Leah Holloway out of my head, which was why I was driving half the speed limit past the DeRossi house to see if she was there.

But she wasn’t.

Cars were already piled up in Kristin’s driveway next door.

I parked the rental on the curb, even though I was staying the night. I wanted an easy escape if it came down to it.

Kristin and Will spent Monday nights with their group of friends, playing poker. It was usually held at the DeRossis’ house, but it had been moved to Kristin’s for a joint poker night and birthday celebration. Their friends were my friends. Really, they were more like family. It just made sense.

I wouldn’t have invited anyone else anyway.

I let myself into the chaos of the house. Collective cheers of“Happy Birthday”rang out as the door opened and closed.

Kylie and Bryan were the first to attack me. I gave Kylie a hug and a hello and offered Bryan a fist bump and a half-hug.

“How was the trip?”

Bryan chuckled. “You mean the honeymoon?”

I cringed. “You married my sister. I’m just going to call it a trip.”

Kylie rolled her eyes and disappeared into the crowd.

“It was good. How are things up your way?” Bryan asked as we moved into the house. He worked for SolomonTech too, but held a remote position so he and Kylie could stay in Beaufort.

Bryan and I had worked together for years. It was how he had met my sister. He was a great guy, and I was glad he and Kylie had found each other.

“Going well. The new team is great. Offices are great.”

Bryan lifted an eyebrow. Before he could say anything contrary, my youngest sister, Zoey, bounded through the crowd. At seventeen, she was looking more and more like an adult, rather than the kid I remembered.

“It’s about time,” she huffed. “You were supposed to be here three hours ago.”

“Flight got delayed,” I said as I hugged her tightly.

“Lame. That’s why you should always come the day before.”

“Some of us have to work for a living, Zo.”

She rolled her eyes like Kylie had.

“Where’s Hunter?” I asked.

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