Page 88 of Need You Now

“Nice fuckin’ job,” Seth snaps in Griff’s direction.

“Shit.” Griff’s shamefaced. He smears a broad hand down his scruffy beard, tawny eyes wide as he stares after Sal. “Kincaid, I didn’t mean ...”

Luke sighs, says quietly, “She’s ... protective.” He shoves out of his chair to go to Sal, but Lacey beats him.

“It’s okay,” she says, cutting a sharp glance at Seth, his face worried, and then to Luke. “I’ll go.”

She hurries into the house. After a second or two of getting her bearings in the massive space, she finds her sister in the living room.

Sal’s curled up on the couch, her face wet with tears. “I’m sorry.” She sniffs and wipes her eyes. “I’m so emotional. Damn hormones.”

Lacey sits beside her. “It’s okay. Although, I think you scared the shit out of Griff Greyson.”

Sal lets out a light laugh. “Was I this way with Henry?”

She thinks on it, trying to conjure up Sal’s first pregnancy. The baby she lost when she was four months along. “I’m sorry, Sal, I don’t remember.”

Sal looks down at her lap, picking at a thread in the blanket. “One thing we have in common.”

Her sisterly sense tingling, Lacey scoots closer. She gathers Sal’s hand in hers. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I’m so sorry that happened to you, Lacey.” Sal’s pretty face screws up in frustration. “I’m the one person who should have been there, and I wasn’t.”

“Yeah, and for good reason.” Lacey smiles down at Sal’s belly. “You’re pregnant and were on bed rest. You physically couldn’t be there.” She smiles softly. “Besides ... I wasn’t alone. Seth was there, and he took great care of me.” Her cheeks are warm.

Very, very great care of me.

“I know. And I’m so grateful to him.” Tears fill Sal’s eyes again. “But seeing your scar ... you could have been killed. The thought of me losing you, the baby not knowing you ...” She blows out a breath. “I’m sorry. I’m so sappy about family these days.” She squeezes Lacey’s hand. “I was scared, Lacey.”

“Well, you shouldn’t be. I’m okay.”

“I wish you lived closer,” Sal says wistfully. “Lately, I’ve been remembering stuff about us ...”

Lacey swallows, something hard twisting inside of her. “What kind of stuff?”

“Just little memories. When we were kids. Like me making you breakfast in the morning or taking you to the park. And it makes me sad. It makes me wish I remembered more. It makes me wish you lived closer.” Sal sighs. “Sometimes I feel like I just got you back.”

“I got you back.” Lacey pulls Sal into her arms, her sister’s rounded belly sweeping against hers.

“You might as well live across the world,” Sal whispers, hugging her back just as fiercely.

Lacey’s heart cracks open at the sadness in Sal’s voice. “Well, who knows. I’m unemployed. Maybe I’ll find my way to Nashville one of these days.”

Sal sniffs and pulls back to face Lacey. Her smile is wobbly. “Yeah, maybe.”

Footsteps.

They both glance over the back of the couch to see Luke, arms crossed, worry dancing in his gunpowder dark eyes. “Everything okay?” His gaze sweeps between the two of them.

Sal stands, heading to Luke. “Everything’s great,” she says, leaning into his tall frame. “Just being a big baby.”

Luke cups the small of her back, her belly, his eyes asking her questions, but Sal smiles.

“I’m going to get cleaned up. I’ll meet you back on the deck?”

Luke watches Sal head down the hallway, the crackle of the fire the only sound in the room. When Sal’s disappeared upstairs, he turns to Lacey. “Thanks for talkin’ to her.”

“Of course.”

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