Page 122 of Resting Beach Face
“I’ve got to take this,” I told the guests. “Take your time. We’ll clean up later.”
Katelyn looked at me with questions in her eyes. I nodded to confirm that the call was from our mother. When I headed toward the private quarters I shared with Declan, my sister followed.
I answered the phone as I stepped through the door. “Hey, Mom.”
“Cash, I’m glad you answered. It’s time to come home.”
I sighed. I knew as soon as I took her call that would be her take. It’s why I’d avoided talking to her the past few days. I hadn’t been ready for the reprieve to end.
“Will things be different?” I asked.
“Your father has cooled down. I explained to him why Kat was upset. We just want things to get back to normal.”
Normal was a shit baseline though, wasn’t it? I couldn’t forget what Declan had said to me the day before. That I didn’t have to go back. That maybe Kat didn’t either.
I’d continued living at home far past the point I wanted to leave because I didn’t want to abandon my sister. But maybe there was an alternative. Declan would let us stay here, and when he sold, I could work out some sort of arrangement with Skylar.
I wouldn’t be able to help Mom with as many bills, but maybe that would encourage her to see Dad for the albatross he was.
“Cash?” Mom prompted. “I want to see Kat there when I get off work at 11, okay?”
“You’re calling from work?”
“I’m on a break.” Her voice faltered. “I really can’t go another day without seeing her. She doesn’t pick up when I call.”
Damn. It hadn’t occurred to me that Mom would call Katelyn too, but of course she would. What did it mean that Kat was avoiding her as much as I was?
Probably that we were both at our limit for family drama.
“Okay, we’ll come home today to talk. I can’t promise we’ll stay.”
“Cash—”
“We’ll see you in fifteen minutes.”
Katelyn whirled away and stormed out the door. I hung up the phone and followed, finding her shoving things haphazardly into her duffel while dashing away tears leaking from her eyes.
“Kat, we’re just going to talk to them.”
She grabbed up an armful of clothes, sniffling. “We both know they’re going to make me stay.”
“Then I’ll stay with you.”
She shook her head hard. “You’ve got a good thing here. Why would you come back? Why did you stay so long in the first place? I’d leave now if I could.”
“For you, Kat. I stay for you.”
She dropped the wrinkled mess of clothes into the duffel bag and turned to me with wide eyes. “No, you don’t.”
“Of course I do.”
She scrubbed at her teary face. “But I…” Her voice gave out and she tried again. “I wouldn’t stay for you. If it was the other way around, I mean.”
“I know.” I smiled, not hurt in the slightest. She was fifteen. At that age, I wouldn’t make the same choices either. Plus, she was mybaby sister.It was my job to protect her, not the other way around. “But we both know I’m the better Hicks sibling.”
I startled a laugh out of her, and she slapped my arm. “You wish.”
We finished packing her bags in a few minutes. By the time we left, she looked more resigned than heartbroken. But I wasn’t so sure of the outcome just yet. Declan had planted some thoughts that were taking root.
