Page 10 of Darling Beasts

“I’m thinking about it.”

“And we’re relying on you to convince the others. Remember, Talia. Of all the children, your dad needs you the most.”

With that, the line went dead.

***

“You’re considering it,” Spencer said, his penny-colored eyes boring into her.

“I didn’t say that.”

“Last night you acted like the campaign was the most absurd idea in the world—”

“I was being a tad overdramatic. You know me!” Talia tried for a smile, but Spencer’s face was hard as stone.

“And now you’re telling Ustenya you’ll think about it?”

Talia exhaled. Well, the gig was up. Yesterday shedidthink it was absurd but already her mind was changing. Talia had spent the past year in a state of mild desperation, anxious to help her dad in some small way but his problems were always too massive, too far out of reach. Maybe now was her chance to do something.

Spencer crossed his arms over his performance fleece vest. “Why would you upend your life to work on some pointless campaign?”

“Who said I’d upend my life?”

“You’d leave your job. You’d leavemefor an indeterminate length of time. Do you even remember we’re supposed to go to Italy in October?”

“We can reschedule. Why are you making this so difficult?” Talia rubbed the space between her eyes. No wonder she was developing early-onset wrinkles, what with always having to be around such difficult people. “Do I think running for office is the best plan?” she said, brushing past him as she marchedtoward the kitchen. “I do not. But it’s been a hard year, and he needs us.” She opened a cabinet and reached for a water glass, only to be confronted by stemware anarchy. Perhaps putting Spencer in charge of unloading the dishwasher didn’t actually make her life easier. “Dad asked for our help, and he’s never asked anything of us before. Shouldn’t a family support each other?”

“Some families, yes,” Spencer said, and Talia glowered.

Her boyfriend wasn’t a big fan of the Gunns, specifically Marston, who he thought treated Talia like a girl he was stringing along. Talia appreciated his protectiveness, but Spencer was raised by uncomplicated parents in a large, early-aughts Northern Virginia tract home. He went on a fishing trip with his two brothersevery yearand would therefore never understand her family dynamics. Taliadidtend to expect more from her dad—from all the Gunns—than any were willing to give, but she loved them, and people could change.

“Look, I won’t insist we’re super functional—”

“Ha,” Spencer said with a snort.

Talia shut the cabinet. Why was a soiled dish towel, just sitting there, on the counter? “But we love each other?” she said, her tone more a question than a statement of fact. “And it’s a chance for us all to come together. That’sspecificallywhat Dad wants. You’re always saying it’s weird I’m not closer with my siblings.”

“They aren’t going,” Spencer said. “You told me yourself.”

“I said I wasn’tsure.” Ozzie did come out as staunchly against the campaign, and who the hell knew what Gabby was thinking, though she’d get a free pass from all involved. Everyone loved Gabby. Thought she was so damned sweet. And while she did have heart, and empathy, and all that, being quiet and sneaky was not the same as nice. This was a girl so averse to confrontation she’d conjure actual wild animals to weasel out of it.

“I get that your dad quote-unquote ‘asked for help,’” Spencer said, “which youbelieveis some kind of anomaly.”

“Believe?” Talia repeated, choking on the word. “It’s a fact.”

“And I know you’ve been worried, but you can’t fix him, or his problems. If Ustenya implied you could, it proves how manipulative she is.”

“She’s not manipulative. It just seems that way. Cultural differences.”

“What’d she threaten to do to the art barn?” he asked. Talia froze. Her shoulders hiked up to her ears. “You said something about your mom’s studio.”

“Just wants me to clean it out or whatever. No big.” She rolled the dirty dish towel into a ball and spun around.

Ustenya had said the art studio was filled with her mother’s things, butwhatthings? The art she’d been working on but never finished? So, yes, the barn was one reason she felt herself starting to turn, but it was also Ustenya’s parting words. Your dad needs youthe most. Talia had ignored this call before and was sure—absolutely positive—everyone secretly blamed her for the disaster that followed.

“You’re going to do it,” Spencer said. “I can tell. Ozzie and Gabby will wisely opt out, and you’ll hightail it to California to gobble up whatever scraps Marston Gunn throws your way.”

“Spencer...”

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