Page 60 of Breathless

His voice broke at the end and Ken leaned against his side, offering his strength without a word. It didn’t escape Wyatt’s notice that Fiona and Thoreau were both beside him, doing the same thing.

“But since it’s out there now, we’ll give you the basics. After he was injured on duty several years ago, he was prescribed pain meds. He never stopped taking them. He said the pain never went away, even when he knew it should have. He realizes now it was the addiction. The rest is still private, but he’s fine. In fact, he’s saying he’s never felt more focused. And no one needs to start blaming themselves or feeling bad.”

Rory’s laugh sounded ragged enough that it set Wyatt in motion. He moved to wrap his arm around his brother’s shoulder as Rory spoke. “You can’t command us not to feel like shit about this, Brady. Not noticing your brother has an addiction is high on the list of things you’re allowed to blame yourself for.”

“Shit,” Seamus said, running his hand through his hair. “Dad’s going to want to be there First, he’s going to want to know why James wasn’t near his family, then he’s going to want to fly down.”

“Uncle Shawn needs to wait,” Brady said firmly. “We’ve got James covered at the moment. He’s requested it just be the two of us, and we don’t want to overwhelm him. But what we don’t know is how Zach’s mother knows about him. And what exactly she plans to do with that information.”

“She’s not his mother,” Wyatt repeated, calmed by the feel of Fiona still leaning against him.

“As soon as Ken figures out who her source is, we’ll be fine,” Brady stated calmly. “But we need to be more careful around strangers, for now. And warn our friends not to talk to a certain blonde reporter. She’s not getting anything out of us, and if she approaches Noah, we’ll be ready.”

“And if anyone’s got any big secrets or crime in the works,” Tasha added, aiming for levity but eyeballing Fiona and Thoreau, “now would be a good time to start confessing.”

Wyatt glanced at Fiona, who looked over at Thoreau with an apology in her eyes.

“Confessing is good,” Ken agreed. “But I think we’ve got a handle on all… Yes, Fiona?”

Fiona had stepped into the middle of the room, her hand raised as if she were in a classroom.

“Fi?” Wyatt asked, shaking his head. What was she doing?

“There’s something I need to say to everyone. But first…” She reached for his hand and, when he took it, she stood on her toes to whisper in his ear. “I was scared, because of my parents. But it was never about you. I love you.”

He frowned down at her, wondering where she was going with this. “I love you, too, honey,” he whispered back, “but—”

“But you don’t even know what I’m talking about. I know.”

She looked around the room and took a bracing breath before announcing proudly, “I’m pregnant with Wyatt’s baby.”

Thoreau’s mouth fell open, Seamus laughed and Rory started clapping like he’d just seen the most amazing theater production of his life.

“Oh my God. Best. Soap Opera. Ever.” Rory gasped.

***

Wyatt sat on the couch with Noah, listening to the commotion going on upstairs. The meeting was over, and everyone else had gone—including Thoreau—but Fiona, Zach and Jae were dancing to some of the weirdest music he’d ever heard in Zach’s bedroom.

He glanced at the ceiling with a grimace. “It’s perky.”

“K-pop,” Noah said, looking bemused. “Jae says temporary immersion can make it easier to absorb a new language. It grows on you.”

“Well, I won’t miss his Disney phase,” Wyatt told him. Liar.

“Don’t worry, Disney is forever.” Noah took his hat off. “Sorry, it’s getting hot under there.”

“You don’t have to wear that around me, Noah.”

He sighed. “I know. Thanks.”

“Do you think Rory’s going to be okay?”

“About James? No. He’ll worry. So will Younger. I can’t believe Brady convinced him not to fly down there yet.”

“Any idea who Alex is?”

“Not a clue. I bet Younger knows. I can find out if you want. Play the burn-victim card.”

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