Page 123 of The Voice We Find

“Natalie, yes.” I hesitate, trying to figure out how best to summarize the events of the last several hours. “I was at the police station with her just now and—”

“Wait—you werewhere?”

“Believe it or not, the location is the least weird part of this story.” I take another deep breath while his eyes round. “Anyway, turns out my brother has been involved in a sophisticated art fraud crime ring. He was arrested tonight after the undercover FBI agent got the information he needed when Natalie—AKA their inside informant—blew the whistle on his operation during a charity event this evening.” I breathe and start again. “Natalie called and asked me to come to the station after the show tonight, and while we were there my parents showed up.”

At his bewildered expression I simply say, “Yeah, it’s a lot. But I’m okay.” I pause and consider this claim. “Well, I’m as okay as I can be with a brother who’s been charged with multiple felonies, a pregnant sister-in-law in need of support, and two parents who are beyond devastated by my brother’s deception.”

His silence holds a thousand questions.

I stand and pull him up. “Do you mind if we continue this inside? I can make us something warm to drink and we can talk about ... everything we’ve missed.”

“Not everything I’ve missed involves talking.” He pulls me into a hug so warm and protective I’m beginning to reconsider going indoors. “I’m so desperately in love with you, Sophie. And I promise to do my best to make up for all the times I didn’t say it and shouldhave.” He looks down at me with so much longing my toes tingle. “I love you.”

“And I love you.”

He brushes his lips to the corner of my smile. “May I kiss you now?”

“You may indeed.”

And he does so in a way that almost,almostmakes up for the three weeks I spent hoping for a moment just like this.

Once we part, August laces his fingers through mine, and together we walk into the house I grew up in. While he fixes us warm drinks, I text Dana and tell her I won’t be reading at the audition in LA tomorrow and promise to call her with an update as soon as I have a spare moment.

Nearly two hours later, I’ve filled August in on everything I know about the investigation and the recent revelations about what happened during the robbery when I was sixteen. In turn, August shares about the precious box in his parents’ closet, his mother’s prayer cards in her Bible, and his own moment of revelation that had me reaching for the tissue box more than once.

I’m still dabbing my eyes as he settles in beside me.

“I wish I could have met them—your parents,” I say.

“They would have adored you.” The muscles in his throat work double time when he speaks again. “No doubt about it.”

August pulls me and the thin afghan I’ve been curled up with onto his lap. “I’d like to meet the rest of your family, too. Whenever you think the timing is right for that.” I nod into his chest, certain I could sleep an entire night right here, just like this. I don’t want August to leave yet.

“Okay, sweetheart.” He sighs raggedly. “It’s time for sleep.”

“No,” I protest weakly, trying and failing to cling to him. “I don’t want you to go yet.”

He chuckles and gently removes himself from my pathetic attempt to keep him close. “Where might I find a linen closet in this mansion?”

I yawn and curl up on the sofa. “Take a left out those double doors, and it’s the second closet on the right.”

He’s back a moment later, and to my delight, he’s carrying two blankets. He lays the first over me and then stretches out on the sofa parallel to mine and uses the second blanket for himself.

“You’re not going home tonight?” My mind is fuzzy, but not fuzzy enough to forget Gabby. “What about your sister? Won’t she be worried?”

“I texted her, she’s fine.” There’s a smile in his voice. “Any other questions or thoughts that can’t wait until morning?”

“I don’t think so,” I say through a yawn. “Good—”

“I have something,” he cuts in.

I peek one eye open, though all I can see is the outline of his shadow. “What is it?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

I’m pretty sure I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

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