Page 76 of Trust

“And if that doesn’t work, we can always take a long road trip.”

“Now, there’s a good idea.” Olivia let her feet fall to the ground and hoped the Hawker men didn’t have the means to blow up the Bennett sisters' careful defenses.

Something like that would be dangerous for everyone concerned.

TWENTY

Race day dawned with a lot more gloom than Olivia expected. Sighing, she lifted a large tray of brownies and pushed through the screen door. At least the day’s activities would make Zane show his face at some point. He’d continued to whipsaw from one extreme to the other, and she never knew which personality would be displayed.

One thing she was certain of, though, was that she was about done with the nonsense. If he didn’t give her the old heave-ho soon, she might just craft her own speech.

Her neighbor was mercurial at best and infuriating at worst, and guessing which way the wind was about to blow had lost its appeal.

It was time to return to her staid and boring life. She was done with Zane squawking about the future one minute and being shut tighter than a pickle jar the next.

Love drama wasn’t her thing, and she didn’t know how some people managed it on a semi-regular basis.

She shook off her angst and strode over to the snack table that Lucy was setting up. “Are you ready to start loading it up with treats?”

Lucy leaned over, smoothed a wrinkle in the tablecloth, and then nodded. “Drop those chocolate beauties here, and I will do my best not to eat them all before everyone shows up.”

“On a scale of one to ten, how much chocolate therapy are we talking about?”

“Twelve,” Lucy replied, taking the tray from her sister’s hand. “And if I have to spend the day in Linc’s company, it will surely double.”

“My goodness, I’ve never known a man to have that kind of power over the indomitable Lucy Aurora Bennett.”

“Shut up,” Lucy replied with little heat as she shifted the tray so that it was centered. “And for anyone interested, this is just an anomaly and will disappear as quickly as any spring storm.”

“The Bennett sisters are batting a thousand,” Olivia said quietly. “It might be time to take another look at the nunnery.”

“They’d never let us in since there’s no way to atone for the sins we commit almost daily.”

“Speak for yourself,” Olivia quipped. “Oh wait, the last time Zane and I were together, we knocked out at least three.”

Lucy arranged her pile of necklaces carefully and then dropped her sunglasses. “We’re not particularly lucky in love, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find a suitable hobby that would keep us away from trouble and heartbreak.”

“I can’t disagree, but reading, drawing, and drinking are all we’re good at.” Olivia looked up at the Ferris wheel. “Not that our interests can’t be expanded.”

“It’s so much easier to be flippant because if you or I ever admitted how much we feel, we’d end up in a sea of emotions neither of us is capable of navigating.”

“Agreed. The Bennett women have the unfortunate habit of loving too much. What other choice do we have but to numb ourselves to it just a bit?” Olivia stated firmly. “If we gave in, it would destroy us.”

“Especially when they run off, never to be heard from again.”

“Or die,” Olivia said quietly.

Lucy wrapped her arm around her sister and squeezed tightly. “Or that.”

“Okay, enough. We have lots to do, and unveiling the majestic beauty that inhabits my backyard is the least of it.”

Lucy let out a whistle. “It looks like Betsy got herself a new look.”

Olivia looked up and then clapped. “Well done, friend.”

Betsy twirled around. “I took your advice, Liv, and am ready to move on.”

“Good for you,” Lucy said as she hugged Betsy. “Do you have a lucky candidate in mind?”

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