Chapter 44 Tom
TOM
Kat excused herself not long after I came back into the kitchen. Emerson’s text followed her departure with a bunch of emoji that I ignored while the team and I briefed on the last few details for tomorrow.
We’d painstakingly gone through each plan with a fine-tooth comb, looking for anything that might become a problem.
Like tracking down Amelia.
Jace and Ozzy had been unable to locate her after Kat and I went to the cabin. It had taken Royce a little while to find her flight itinerary back to Alabama and the week-long vacation she took for her high school reunion.
The timing felt weird but Royce was able to confirm she’d booked the trip right after the invitations had gone out. I couldn’t imagine wanting to see anyone from my high school—hell, I couldn’t remember most of the people I graduated with—but a week?
Get the fuck out of here.
On the plus side, her flight had her getting back earlier this afternoon.
We agreed that I’d intercept her first thing during the cocktail hour tomorrow to try and flesh out any potential surprises she or Hazel might have up their sleeves.
At this point, we want to catch them in the act rather than prolong any of this by tipping them off.
The ringing of my cell echoes in the quiet space, and I don’t check who the caller is before putting the phone to my ear.
“Oakden.”
“Just me, Uncle Tommy.” Royce sounds tired and I hate the hours we’ve all had to put in for this case. So much of our work can be described as hurry up and wait. For all ten minutes of action, there’s hours of paperwork to go along with it.
Not much of a trade-off.
“Everything all right?” I ask, leaning a hip against the edge of the counter, my reflection as tired looking as he sounds in the window.
“Yeah, just wanted to check on you.”
“Do I need checking on?” I joke and he chuffs out a laugh.
“I think in this case, yes.” I let that sentiment hang between us because he’s not entirely wrong. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do when all this is over?”
“I’m taking a real vacation.”
He laughs, his chair squeaking, and I can imagine him spinning in the damn thing like he used to do growing up.
“With Kat?”
“Yeah, probably try to convince her to marry me someday.”
There’s a low whistle that comes down the line, the admission surprising the hell out of both of us.
But I wouldn’t take it back even if I could.
Kat Harrington has changed me on a cellular level, chipped away at my walls, and burrowed under my skin.
And I like it.
I like all of it.
And I don’t want to go back to the way things were—the way I was—waking up each day simply to do the same thing I did the day before.
My life was fine.
But I won’t settle for fine when I can have spectacular.
Not anymore.
“Well, just make sure you invite me to the wedding.”
“Invite you?” I shake my head even though he can’t see me. “Kid, you’ll be the best man.”
KAT
“Hey, baby brother.”
“Hey.” A string of curses follows and then a loud thump before he comes back on the line. “Sorry, I just got out of the shower. It’s weird to talk to you just wearing a towel.”
“Fair.”
“Jesus—how are you? Are you okay? I don’t think we’ve ever gone that long without talking and hell, I don’t even want to say I told you so.”
“I think you just did.” Lying back on my bed, I look up at the bare ceiling, instantly wishing we were back at the cabin.
“Seriously…”
“I’m fine.” Now. “But you were right and things got scary for a little while.”
“I hate that this is happening to you. Roan was about ready to start flipping tables when he couldn’t find you. Even Garrett’s been checking in to see how you are and we’ve barely heard from the guy in months.”
“How could it be months? You guys all live next to each other.”
“Conveniently, you also have a house right next to us.”
“Colt…”
“I’m just saying. I don’t care how codependent it makes me look. I want my big sister to be close enough I can walk across my lawn and bring her a coffee when she’s been up all night writing.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Really? Okay, cool. I had another couple of index cards’ worth of bullet points lined up.”
“You’re a goof.”
“It’s one of my best qualities.”
“It really is,” I tell him honestly, the idea of finally giving in and moving into the house he built for me not as imposing as it once was. When he first told me his plans, I’d been pissed. It felt like he didn’t think I could do it on my own—that I needed someone to take care of me.
But Colt’s heart is enormous and anything he does, he does big.
Like hiring me a bodyguard without asking.
Funny, I might know another man like that too.
Except Tom’s silence speaks louder than words ever could. Because he listens and he remembers and I’ve never truly had that.
“When can I see you?”
“After the gala. I have that tomorrow. Tom thinks they’ll be able to finally get to the bottom of everything.”
“I wish I could be there. I wish I could help.”
“You’ve done plenty, Colt. But maybe we could do a pizza party after this.”
There was a time when Colt and I would each order a couple of pizzas and spread them out on the counter, eat till we were stuffed, and then divvy up the leftovers between us. It was our thing—just the two of us.
Life was simpler then.
“Pizza party, huh? Man, I’ve missed having those. All right, Kat, you’ve got yourself a deal.”