Page 16 of Break My Fall

Gray took the quilt and pointed at Cal. “I told you it was too cold.”

“It’s never too cold.” Mo and Cal spoke in unison, and the whole group burst into laughter.

They chatted for another ten minutes before Landry stood and pulled Eliza up with her. “We’re going to head home.” She gave Cal a kiss that probably was intended to be a short peck but turned into something more. When she pulled back, she whispered something to him and he grinned.

“Disgusting.” Bronwyn blew on her hot chocolate. “And yes, I’m a bitter old harpy.”

Landry laughed at Bronwyn’s insincere griping. “See you tomorrow.” She hugged Meredith, then Bronwyn. “Don’t stay out too late. You have a busy day.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Bronwyn truly sounded disgruntled now, and Landry gave her another hug. “You’ve got this. I’ll be praying.”

“Thanks.”

They weren’t trying to keep their voices low, so Meredith had no guilt about asking, “What’s tomorrow?”

Meredith caught the way Mo watched Bronwyn with a look that gave her the courage to keep hoping for a reconciliation between her brother and her best friend.

Bronwyn groaned. “A board meeting.”

Everyone around the fire groaned with her. Even Eliza.

“Aunt Bronwyn hates board meetings,” Eliza informed them. “She says they’re the worst way to waste a day.”

Bronwyn wasn’t Eliza’s aunt by blood or by marriage, but once Eliza realized that she now had a huge family that included lots of aunts and uncles, she immediately put Bronwyn into the same category.

Bronwyn grinned at the little girl with all the affection and adoration a doting aunt could have. “You got that right, sweetheart. Now come give me a hug and let your mama take you home and get you warmed up.”

No one brought up the board meeting again until Landry and Eliza waved their flashlight from the large wraparound porch of their home.

Landry would settle Eliza into bed and then come back out with a monitor. Assuming they hadn’t all frozen to death by the time the bedtime routine was over.

“Board meeting?” Cal directed the question to Bronwyn, who’d taken her usual seat. “They giving you trouble?”

The “they” in question was a faction of the Pierce family whodidn’t approve of Bronwyn’s leadership. They were the same faction who insisted that Steven Pierce was innocent of all charges, even though Cassie had heard his voice and they had other witnesses and tons of evidence regarding his role in her abduction.

“When are they not giving me trouble?” There was a weariness in Bronwyn’s voice that was new. “It will be fine. My side of the family supports me, and we have the majority stake. But I can’t shake the feeling that they are up to something.”

“A hostile takeover?” Gray’s question gave Meredith the excuse she needed to look at him again. He looked tired too. And worried. There was a line between his eyes that she had an urge to smooth out with her fingertip.

“Maybe? After what Steven did? I wouldn’t put anything past them. I have to go into every meeting armed to the teeth.”

“Literally?” Gray’s eyebrow did that thing it did, and Meredith couldn’t quite tell if he was concerned or merely curious.

“Literally.” Bronwyn wasn’t joking. “Don’t worry, Chief. I have my concealed carry permit.”

“I know you do.” Gray wasn’t joking either. The tension around the firepit had spiked higher than the flames. “Want some backup? I’m sure Donovan wouldn’t mind hanging out in Hideaway with Cassie if you want someone close.”

Hideaway, the fine dining restaurant at The Haven, was Cassie’s domain. And Meredith was sure Gray was right about Donovan’s willingness to spend time with her.

“I’ll be there too.” Mo’s deep rumble came from the other side of the firepit. “You won’t mind my company, will you, Cassie?”

Bronwyn looked at her mug, and Meredith blinked back tears. Mo and Bronwyn’s relationship was so complicated it made quantum physics look straightforward. To Meredith’s knowledge, the two had still somehow managed not to speak directly to each other in ... over a decade? It had been a very, very long time.

Cassie, bless her, piped up, “Mo! You know you’re one of my favorite cousins.” She winked at Meredith as she said this. “Of course you can come.”

“One of?” Mo’s voice was almost a purr. “It’s okay, Cass. I know you don’t want to hurt their feelings by telling the truth, but we all know I amthefavorite.”

During the not-really-heated exchange that followed as Cal made his case for favorite cousin status, Meredith saw the moment when Gray made eye contact with Donovan. There was a chin lift and a nod, and she knew Donovan would be in Hideaway tomorrow during the board meeting. And if Mo said he would be there, he would.

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