Page 40 of Falling For The Enemy (The Gilbert Curse)

He tried to smile but it felt sad to her. “I hope so.”

But it didn’t sound like he believed they would be. She went to answer the door, fake-smiling at her brother who was dressed as a patient and Elle who wore her surgery scrubs.

“We didn’t have time to plan costumes so had to make do,” Dash said sheepishly.

“You look great,” she murmured, hugging her brother close and realizing that she was happy he was here. She had wanted independence and thought she could make a new life for herself with Kit in it, but suddenly nothing seemed sure.

“You okay?” he asked as Elle and Kit were talking.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just realizing that life doesn’t always go according to plan,” she said. Which, honestly, she should have realized long before this. But the coma had warped things and made the last ten years seem like a long dream.

Kit had changed her, helping her to wake up and live. She was only now realizing that living meant dealing with good times as well as bad.

Twelve

Kit knew he’d fucked up when he’d let the conversation drift toward Aunt Mal and his tragic family history. But it was past time to talk to Rory about what had happened the night of the ball, and he knew it. As usual, his timing sucked.

“Con tells me you have some ideas for business here in GC,” Dash said as he came over to him.

Rory was in the living room with Elle and Indy, getting her in-home speaker to use the playlist she’d created for the party. And Con was in the kitchen whipping up something that smelled really good.

“I do,” he answered, not sure how much to elaborate. “My company, Palmer Industries, has been buying properties around town with an eye to making Gilbert Corners a hub for people who want to live in a small town yet work for bigger companies.”

“Palmer Industries... I think you and I have gone up for some of the same things recently.”

“We have,” Kit said. It seemed tonight was his time of reckoning. He was done hiding and pretending.

“Nothing wrong with some friendly competition, and if it helps GC I’m all for it,” Dash confided. “And if it’s okay with you, I’m interested in seeing your ideas. For so many years, it was just me trying to come up with things... Well, honestly, I think I was avoiding the town as much as I could.”

Kit realized that Dash was treating him like a friend in a way. Like someone his sister was dating. He wanted to be chill and just see where this went. “Because of Rory?”

“Yeah, and Con and the accident. I don’t know how much you’ve heard about that night but there was a huge car accident and another man died,” Dash said. “It was the worst night of my life.”

Kit heard the pain in his voice. “What happened?” he couldn’t help but ask. To see if anything Dash had to say would help him get the clarity he needed.

Con came over with a tray of baked brie bites. “Try this.” He gave Dash and Kit a curious look. “What are you two talking about?”

“The night of the crash,” Dash replied, taking one and popping it in his mouth. “Fuck, it’s hot.”

“Let it cool down,” Conrad admonished.

Kit took one and waited a moment before tasting it. But his mind wasn’t on food right now. He noticed Rory watching him across the room, and while the last time he’d been sort of cornered by Conrad she’d been sympathetic toward him, this time...she looked like she didn’t know who he was.

He knew that she didn’t. That he’d been lying from the moment she’d introduced herself and he was sick and tired of it. He wanted to just demand to know what happened that night ten years ago. To figure out why his brother was dead, what caused his father to slowly drink himself to death. He wanted to know why his aunt had said one thing but the notes he’d found in that antique wooden chest had shown something else. He wanted...he wanted Rory to look at him like he was a hero and not some villain.

“Why do you want to know about the crash?” Conrad asked him.

“For Rory,” Kit said. “She has mentioned a few things... I just want to know more and I don’t want to push her into talking about anything that makes her uncomfortable.”

“I don’t remember much of the crash. Dash walked away without a scratch. Safe to say he remembers the most. We can discuss it next week when we aren’t around Rory,” Con told him before turning to address his cousin. “Dash, did you tell her about the co-op I mentioned?”

“Not yet,” he said. “For years Con wanted nothing to do with the business and now he’s sending me proposals left and right.”

“You said to get involved,” Conrad said, and turned to Kit. “He’s a pain in the ass. But it was your idea, Kit, that got me thinking. We have a bunch of people with skills that are underutilized, like the Hammond sisters, who had run the kitchens at Gilbert Manor. They taught me to cook.”

“I agree,” Kit said, accepting the change of topic. “Can’t wait to chat with you both more.”

“Enough shop talk,” Indy said, coming over to them. “It’s time to get this party going. Give me those.”

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