Page 98 of The Legend (Rivers Wilde 2)

“What kind of dog is she?”

“I don’t know. The vet said she’s a mutt. But that black coat and her height say she’s at least part mastiff of some sort. We just don’t know.”

Nancy huffs contentedly and turns her nose until it’s in Kal’s palm. I blink down at her. “Well, that’s a record. Takes her a few visits to give that to anyone.”

“Hmm, maybe she can smell the little girl in me who always pined for a friend just like her,” she says.

At the mention of that little girl, I remember that Kal shouldn’t be here.

“Are you going to tell me why you’re here?” I ask, pulling Nancy back.

She looks up sharply and stands. “I was in Houston for work. I called your office—thought we could catch up over lunch or something. When I couldn’t get a hold of you there, I called Regan.”

“Regan doesn’t know where I am.”

“No, but Rachel does. She gave me the address.”

“Rachel did? She’s still in Rivers Wilde?”

“Yeah, she asked me not to tell anyone. So I didn’t. I just got in my rental and drove out here.”

“Why?”

“Your sister is worried sick. I wanted to make sure you’re okay. You’ve gone off the grid completely.” She looks around again.

“I’m perfectly happy out here. I have clients. They pay me in cash, food, cleaning services, and yard work. I don’t have to worry that I’m living in a nest of vipers like I do with my own family.” I realize my voice has gone from even to loud and she takes a step toward me. Her eyes are wide with alarm.

“Remi, what’s happened? Who hurt you?” she asks and my soul takes a deep sigh. The ten-pound weight that’s been pressed against my heart lightens because my person is here. She’ll understand. Because she always does.

Yet even in my state of I don’t give a fuck, I’m not devoid of common sense. I know Kal is my friend, but she’s also a journalist. “I’ll tell you, but what I tell you stays here.”

26

CATCHING UP

REMI

She’s sprawled on top of me, her head resting on my shoulder, her eyes closed. Our chests rise and fall in almost perfect unison and we lie there in silence, trying to catch our breaths and gather our thoughts.

That was unexpected. I lost my mind for a second. I break the silence with my confession.

“I want to say I’m sorry because I kind of just attacked you. But Kal, I’ve been waiting for you to be free for me to do that for what feels like nearly half my life.”

She slides her pretty brown eyes over to me and lifts the corner of her mouth in a satisfied smile. “I know. I’ve been waiting, too.”

Surprise has me sitting up, thinking I missed something.

“Really? I thought… you know, you were building a life. I thought you were happy.”

“Happy?” She looks away, her expression thoughtful. She sighs and shakes her head. “No, but she didn’t ask to be born, I chose to have her. And I wanted Bianca to have a stability I didn’t. In hindsight, it was completely misguided. Her life has been in constant upheaval for the last couple of years. I’m just finding my feet.”

Her smile is tight and forced. And just like when we were kids, I feel compelled to make it reach her eyes.

I shake my head at her. “Well, shit. I take my first vacation in nearly ten years and the world stopped turning. You motherfuckers can’t survive without me.”

She throws her head back and chuckles. “Thank the Lord your ego is still intact.”

I nudge her shoulder. “I mean, it. You being happily married was something I’d come to accept as fact.” I nod to my fridge. “It’s the only thing that kept me from coming to you. That you looked happy in those pictures.”

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