Page 87 of This Moment

He hung up, typed something into his phone, and turned it to show me a picture. “Was this him?”

My eyes went right to the hair. It was streaked with gray. I slowly nodded. “I think that was the man Michael shot.”

Lucas sat back. “Shit. Andrew Wagner’s father is a senator.”

“Well, this shit just got a helluva lot more interesting,” Mark stated.

Cadie

“Stop wringing your hands together, Cadie,” Kian said as I stood next to him while we waited for his mother and father to show up. Apparently, they liked to have everyone out front when they arrived. I had almost asked if we were in aDownton Abbeyepisode, but wasn’t sure anyone would get the joke.

“That’s easy for you to say, Kian. You’re not meeting your parents for the first time while three FBI agents are staked out next door and…andlet’s not forget your CIA brother, who I’m pretty sure is packing heat.”

“I’m just impressed they could convince Dean and Leslie Banks to rent out their house for a while. The whole ‘We’re going on a European cruise’ thing was last minute.”

I turned and looked at Kian, my brows rose in question. “You think the FBI paid them to leave town so they could rent out their house?”

Kian shrugged. “I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Sighing, I closed my eyes and prayed everything would be fine this weekend.

“Oh, joy. Here they come,” Macy said as she walked up, holding her two kids’ hands in each of hers.

Millie tugged on my skirt. “Cadie, will you pick me up?”

Smiling down at the little blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl made something inside of me ache. I loved kids, but hadn’t felt that urge to have any…until this very moment. I wasn’t sure if it was because Kian was standing next to me and I could picture a little Kian Jr. running around. Clearing the thoughts from my head, I leaned down, “Of course I will.”

“You don’t have to hold her, Cadie,” Macy said.

After scooping up Millie, I smiled at her mother. “I don’t mind at all. I love kids.”

Macy and her husband, Will, arrived yesterday. Their two kids, Millie and Jack, were adorable, and I was quickly wrapped around their fingers. I had already played Pretty, Pretty, Princess with Millie, and Jack showed me all of his trucks, not to mention we played about a dozen games of hide and seek.

“Thank you for being so good with them, Cadie. They both adore you.”

I smiled at Macy. “The feeling is mutual.”

She returned my smile, then looked at the car pulling up. The Macy standing next to me was a far cry from the one who had grilled me a few months back at Opal’s bakery. I wasn’t sure if Mark had told her yet that he worked for the CIA, or if he even planned to tell the rest of the family. The only reason he told Kian was because we were dating. Or at least, that was my thought.

“Don’t be nervous,” Macy whispered. “They will be so wrapped up in themselves they probably won’t even notice you. And I’m not trying to take a dig at you…trust me.”

My eyes widened as I looked at Macy. She gave me a sad smile. “My mother will pat them each on the head on her wayinto the house, and my father will give them each a hello, no hugs or kisses.”

“That’s so sad,” I whispered.

Macy shrugged. She could pretend it didn’t hurt all she wanted, but I could see it in her eyes. It was definitely sadness over their lack of concern for her own children, as well as showcasing that she was a product of the same environment growing up.

The black Mercedes stopped, and a handsome young gentleman in a suit exited the front passenger seat. He looked like a military guy dressed up to go to a wedding. He opened the back door and held out his hand, and an older version of Macy got out, followed by an older version of Kian. Lacy Carter was beautiful, and did not look fifty-nine. Her light brown hair was done up in a fancy twist, and she was dressed to the nines in a black pencil skirt, black blouse, and black Christian Louboutin pumps.

“Only my mother would come home dressed like she’s attending a funeral,” Macy softly said from beside me.

Doug Carter was handsome, just like his two sons. His short hair was brown, not a sign of gray anywhere. Clean-shaven, also dressed in a black suit. He wore a bright purple tie, and I had to smile when I saw it. I couldn’t help but wonder if the pop of color was to irritate his wife, or maybe he simply liked purple.

“Did they name you Macy because it was close to Lacy?” I asked.

She laughed. “God, no. It was my grandmother’s name. Macy, that is. My father insisted, and it drives my mother insane because it is so close to her name. I honestly think my father did it toannoy her.”

“Oh,” I said, looking between the two women.

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