Page 39 of Edge of Unbroken

Ronan chuckles. “Stop getting all emotional on me. Seriously, get your shit together.”

Shane laughs. “Alright.”

“I love you, guys,” Ronan says. “And I especially love you, Cat. Have a great night. Drink some tequila for me.”

“I love you, sweet boy,” I call out one more time before we have to end the conversation.

We’re all silent for a moment, letting the last few minutes sink in. Hearing Ronan’s voice had an immediate calming effect on me, and it’s obvious I’m not the only one who’s relieved. Everyone looks exponentially happier than they did before.

Shane exhales noisily. “Man, it was fucking good to hear his voice.”

Zack nods. “Agreed. I mean, he sounded tired, obviously, but not like he did the last time we saw him. He sounded more like the old Ran.”

“Man, I miss him,” Vada says.

“Thanks for making me call him,” I tell Vada, my cheeks still warm.

“I knew you’d love it,” she giggles. “Got yourself a little Ran fix. And you get to talk to him again tomorrow!”

“Hey, you’re still going to make him reserve a few minutes to call me, right?” Shane asks.

“Of course!” I say.

“Awesome.”

“Okay, Kitty Cat, it’s your turn,” Vada says.

I shake my head. “I’m actually going to go inside and grab a bite to eat. I need something to counteract those drinks.”

I wander into the kitchen in search of something that I know will soak up some of the booze without making me sick.

“Here, eat this,” I hear Drew say from behind me. I guess he reallyiskeeping an eye on me tonight.

I turn to face him, noting the jar of French onion dip and the bowl of potato chips he’s pushing toward me on the counter.

“This should absorb some of the alcohol—make you feel better,” he says, smiling.

“Thanks, Drew. I really appreciate it.” I grab the items to take them back out to the deck. I begin to move around and past him, but he reaches for me, stopping me with a large hand on my shoulder.

“Just let me know if there’s anything else you might need,” he says, then leaves me standing in the kitchen.

I shrug and begin to finally make my way outside, only to be met by Vada. Wait, is that my phone on her ear?

“Oh, yeah, hold on. She’s right here,” Vada says, sounding decidedly intoxicated.

She mouths a wordless apology to me when she notices my consternation, then holds my phone out to me, attempting to cover the speaker, except she’s covering the camera. Okay, that girl is drunk off her ass.

“Sorry, you left your phone outside and it started ringing, so I took it upon myself to act as your personal assistant,” she says, swaying ever so slightly.

I can’t help the smile that spreads across my lips. Vada looks utterly freaking adorable with her disheveled bob—probably the result of a thirty-second make out session she had with Steve right before my phone started buzzing—and her boozy brown eyes. “That’s perfectly okay.” I wave her off. “Who is it?” I ask at the same time as I see “Dad” displayed on the screen.

“Your papa,” Vada says using her best French accent while curtsying so low I can see all the way down her ample cleavage.

I giggle, then hold my phone to my ear. “Hi Dad,” I say, and shove a handful of chips into my mouth.

“Hi Kitty. Happy New Year.”

I chew, the crunch of the chips loud even in my own ears. “Happy New Year, Daddy. Are Sammy and Benny still up?”

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