Page 320 of The Maxwell Brothers
“Let’s go inside,” she said.
“You go. I need to make a phone call,” I replied.
“Okay.”
Turning back, she headed into the house.
I took out my phone to call Kimberly. She was in Paris, and I quickly calculated the time difference in my head. It was afternoon or early evening for her, so I was safe.
She answered after a couple rings. "Hey, cousin," she said. "How are you?"
"Hey."
"Uh-oh. That's a very serious ‘Hey.’ This isn’t just a checkup call, huh?"
“No.”
“Shoot.”
In a few words, I told her about the issue with Malcolm and Reese insisting she wanted to be there too. I paced the yard, frowning. "You think it's a good idea, her coming to the confrontation?"
"Honestly, I don't know. I think she needs it, but I also think she might get hurt.”
“I'm going to be there too. I'm not going to let that moron hurt her."
"You can't always help it, Declan. I know you want to, but people like Malcolm know how to press buttons. We most certainly know how to pick our men."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Never mind."
"No, really, are you in trouble?"
"Just a little heartbreak," she said. Her tone sounded humorous, but I could tell she was hurting.
"Kimberly, talk to me. What’s going on?" I asked.
"Youwant to talk about feelings? You've always avoided them like the plague."
"No I don’t."
She laughed into the phone. "Remember when I was heartbroken that my high school sweetheart stood me up for the prom and you kind of wanted to beat him up?"
"Yeah, I do."
"And I told you that what I needed was for you to listen to me?"
"I have no memory of that."
"Yeah, maybe because you bolted the next moment and made an excuse about how you had to go pick up Sam from soccer."
"Nowthatrings a bell. Still, that was then. This is now."
She laughed again. "It's all good, Declan. Nothing I can't handle. I do think we should focus on Reese now though.”
“I can try and convince her not to come to that meeting."
"No. If she wants to go, then let her. Reese has good instincts most of the time. If she thinks she can handle this, she will. She’ll worry more if she knows you've gone without her. Don't play the knight in shining armor. No one here is a damsel in distress."
