Page 27 of Asher

“Nope,” Kelsey offered quietly. “We take care of our own, sweetheart. Get used to it.”

Chapter Thirteen

Darn that Asher. He did this. He sicced Libby and Judy on me. I’ll kill him.But how could Marlowe not go with these ladies to see Kelsey at her home? Especially since she’d brought Farrah to visit? Kelsey had left earlier with Farrah. Said she had to get back before Alex’s father’s caregiver left for the day.

Marlowe didn’t ask who or why, just knuckled down to get through another day. She’d never been out with any girlfriends, much less gone to one of their homes. It was strange, riding shotgun, while Libby maneuvered down country roads lined by oaks with branches so high and wide, they created lush green tunnels that made Marlowe feel like an uncivilized hobbit. Compared to her early years in miserable Chicago, then in harsh, dirty Afghanistan, these women lived in paradise. She could only imagine how glamorous their homes were.

Anxiously, Marlowe straightened her borrowed sunglasses and tugged at her beanie, making sure it covered her Dumbo-sized ears and every bit of her bare, scabby scalp. Which was just beginning to prickle with new growth, darn it. She didn’t want these cheerful kind women to think less of her. She didn’t wantthem to know why she’d shaved her head, either. Lice and high society didn’t mix. They were polar opposites, and these women were all super-model perfect. Even Farrah had long shiny hair, like ladies in high-priced shampoo commercials. But Marlowe’s? Patchy and shaved close. Not sleek or pretty enough to turn a guy’s head. Nope, not going there. Asher was not on her radar. She did not want to turn his head. Didn’t care if he ever looked her way again. The traitor.

‘Listen up, kid,’she scolded her stupid inner child.‘Men want arm candy, not a bedraggled piece of alley trash who fits better in Afghanistan than America.’She’d been a social pariah all her life, and these gorgeous women would wash their hands of her the moment they knew what she really was. A big fat nothing.‘Nothing to see here, folks. Keep walking.’

Fidgeting and feeling more trapped with every mile, Marlowe kept her attention on the scenery. Libby and Judy bantered back and forth about their other girlfriends, Persia and China, who were both pregnant. Who were on their way to Kelsey’s house to meetWonder Woman. Ugh. Talk about a fish out of water, Marlowe was an ugly moray eel in a tank full of elegant Japanese koi.

Too soon, Libby turned her SUV into a gated community and Marlowe’s jaw dropped. Mansions everywhere. Huge, well-kept lawns and magnificent, tall trees between them. Holy cow! That house, err, mansion had a waterfall in the front yard. But the beautiful gray stone house, building, mansion—whatever, that Libby had just pulled up to, after driving a mile-long, red brick driveway—Marlowe didn’t want to set foot in. The driveway alone was so, so pretty, but if this was Kelsey’s home, it wasn’t a house. It was a castle, with an enclosed, glassed-in widow’s walk on the roof and its crisp, black, shingled top looked like apointed witch’s hat. A six, maybe eight-sided railing with turned spindles, all painted bright white, surrounded the charming attraction. Why, oh why, would anyone build such an elegant thing on their roof? Was there a circular staircase leading to it, or did Kelsey keep one of those clever ladders hidden in the ceiling below? The Stewarts couldn’t possibly see the ocean from there, could they?

Marlowe’s view of the rooftop masterpiece disappeared when Libby parked closer to two expansive, double-wide, steel garage doors. How many cars did these people own? “You’re not in Kabul anymore, Dorothy,” she muttered under her breath.

And there she was, a clown dressed in flannel pajamas that Libby had brought or bought for her, Marlowe wasn’t sure which. But the jeans and t-shirt, which Libby had also bought or brought, had been too rough on her still-healing and very tender back. At least, the PJs were navy blue with white trim, not covered with cartoon characters, and the sunglasses gave her something to hide behind.

“We’re here,” Libby said brightly. “Everybody out.”

Getting out of the Houston family’s glamorous silver SUV took some doing, but at last, Marlowe was on her feet, both hands firmly on her borrowed walker’s handles. Looking across the manicured lawn. Feeling like a poor relative. A total misfit.

With Judy on one side and Libby on the other, she made her way to the enormous, carved wooden front door. It opened before Libby knocked, and the sweetest little girl yelled, “Hi, Aunt Libby. Hi, Aunt Judy. Come on in. I was watching for you.”

The moment Libby crouched to greet her, that adorable angel climbed into her arms and snuggled. Had to be Kelsey’sdaughter. Same dark chocolate hair. Same deep brown eyes. Also in jeans and a pink t-shirt.

“How’s your mama today, Lexie?” Libby asked, lifting upright with mini-Kelsey on her hip.

“Oh, she’s really good, Aunt Libby, and so’s Baby Bradley, but Grandpa’s feeling poorly, so he can’t play with us. He might wanna read a story, though. That’d be nice, huh?” Lexie stopped talking just long enough to suck in a deep breath and ask, “Wanna see my new puppies? I got two!”

Judy whispered, “Alex’s dogs have both gotten old. That’s why the puppies. He’s all about security. You’ll see.”

Marlowe nodded, not sure what she was agreeing with.

Kelsey called from somewhere inside, “I’m in the kitchen. Don’t forget to set the alarm.”

“I know the drill,” Libby replied. She set Lexie on the floor and did something with the alarm box behind the door, while Judy led the way to where Kelsey sat at the kitchen table, feeding an older, gray-haired man in a wheelchair. A kitchen towel lay draped over his chest, and was tied loosely behind his neck. He held a wooden spoon in one hand, but it was still clean.

“Hi, Marlowe. It’s so good to see you again. Please, have a seat. We’re just finishing lunch.”

“Okay, thanks.” Marlowe peeled the sunglasses off and handed them to Judy, who tucked them into her pocket.

Kelsey tipped her head to the older guy. “Grandpa. Libby, Judy, and Marlowe came to see you. Isn’t that sweet of them?”

He didn’t look up and didn’t seem to hear what Kelsey said. Her father-in-law must have Alzheimer’s or dementia. Most people would’ve put him in a nursing home. Why hadn’t she?

“This is Alex’s father, Mel Stewart. He’s going to read with Lexie after lunch, aren’t you, Grandpa?” Kelsey asked, carefully wiping his chin with the damp towel.

“Yay!” Lexie shouted as enthusiastically as she said everything else. “Only don’t turn the pages till I get done reading them, okay?Twenty thousand Leagues Under the Seaagain?”

Grandpa didn’t grunt or look at his granddaughter. He was totally not present, probably didn’t know where he was. Which was sad because he was missing a lot.

“You readTwenty Leagues Under the Sea? Really?” Marlowe asked. Unbelievable. Or maybe it was just a kid’s picture book. That made sense.

Lexie turned her bright eyes and replied, “Sure. Wanna read with me? You can hold Baby Bradley, but don’t let him touch the book, cuz he likes to rip pages out.”

“Well, err…” Marlowe had no choice. Lexie had a grip on her walker and was steering her away from the table, toward the hall.

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