Page 29 of Nora
“I don’t know,”he answered.“She is the acting vet and doing everything the on-site vet is supposed to. But that training you keep mentioning that is ten years out of practice is telling me there’s another reason.”
“Have you asked her?”
He snorted again.“Of course.”
“And because you were an asshole to her, she’s not saying anything?”
He scowled at the phone.“If something is going on, she’s not saying anything probably because she’s not supposed to.”Which meant it likely had something to do with the participants of the program. That wasn’t a new thought, but it definitely grew stronger roots the longer he texted with Violetta.
“I see you didn’t deny being an asshole?”
He didn’t deign to respond.
After a beat, she responded“(Sigh), I’ll text her and find out. If she’s up to something and didn’t tell us, she’s in for an ass-whupping.”
Again, he rolled his eyes. Six, Cyn, and Devil might whup each other’s asses—an Americanism his cousin had picked up in her twenty years stateside—but they’d never do that to Nora. In fact, he was certain they’d panic. And worry and fret. But never in a million years would they get mad at her.
“She’ll blame you for tattling on her,”Violetta added.“I’ll be as subtle as I can, but you know me.”Yes, he did. Violetta was about as subtle as a freight train. The minute she asked Nora how she really ended up on the program, Nora would know he’d voiced his concerns to his cousin.
“Yes, I do know you, and she can blame me all she wants. If she’s not going to share with me, I’d feel better knowing you all are at least in the know. That way, if she needs help, she has people to turn to.”
“Good answer, cousin. And even if she doesn’t tell me anything, she always knows she has us to turn to.”
Lucian knew that. Nora did, too. But knowing it and doing it were two different things. He didn’t know Nora well, not anymore, but he’d bet she wasn’t the type to “bother”her friends.
“I’m glad to hear that. Now leave me alone to enjoy my wine and the fire. It’s fucking cold here. I don’t know how you stand it.”
She sent him a snorty-face emoji.“Helps to have someone keeping you warm.”
His gaze flickered to Nora, who glanced up at him. Yeah, he bet it did help.
* * *
Nora held Lucian’s gaze before a spin of the wheel brought her attention back to the ridiculous game they were playing. She hadn’t played Life since she was eight. But they’d had just enough to drink to agree to a rousing game when Craig had pulled it out from the stack of games on the bookshelf. And it actually was fun. It was just that her perspective on life,reallife, was a little different at thirty-eight than it had been at eight. It was hard not to let just a little bit of cynicism taint her enjoyment.
With his most recent move, Craig accumulated his third child, and the group laughed. Miles’s tail thumped on the floor, but he didn’t raise his head from where it rested in Craig’s lap. Nora smiled as the handler rested his hand on his K9’s neck.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket, drawing her attention, and she pulled it out. Six’s name was on the screen, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out that she’d just been texting with her cousin.
“How are things?”she asked. Nora frowned. That wasn’t a Six-like message at all.
“That’s not what you want to ask, is it?”she countered.
She could almost hear Six sigh.“Fine. No. Did Franklin send you to that training camp?”
Nora’s gaze rose and met Lucian’s. She’d known he suspected there was more to her being there than just her veterinary qualifications. She hadn’t, however, expected him to go running to his cousin. She also hadn’t expected him to be unabashed about it, and he held her gaze with a steady one of his own.
Finally, she dropped her eyes back to her phone and answered.“Yes.”It was all she needed to say. Not two minutes later, there was a group text, and all her friends were demanding to know what the hell was going on.
She shot Lucian a glare, but he shrugged and raised his glass to her before taking a sip. The jerk. She narrowed her eyes at him as another impatient text from Cyn came in. Then she smiled.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I have to get this,” she said to her opponents, raising her phone. “But I’m certain Lucian would be happy to take my place. Wouldn’t you?” she asked. She plastered a saccharine-sweet smile on her face and even batted her lashes at him. He scowled. Another text came in. This time from Six. “Oh look, a message from Six,” she said, directing her comment to Lucian. “I havesomuch to tell her.”
With a growl—which Lucian wouldn’t consider a growl—he rose from his seat and ambled over. She smiled up at him and held out her hand. He hesitated, then reached down to help her up from where she’d been sitting on the floor.
“Always so kind, Luc,” she said, giving him a little pat on his chest before turning to the others. “Please kick his ass.”
Craig laughed and Willa smiled. Angelo’s gaze bounced between the two.
