Page 44 of Delta Mission
I opened the car door, and a child squealed from somewhere inside the house.
Channing came around to me, and I glared at him. “Who else is here?”
His eyes bulged like he’d been caught stealing. “My sis came. You remember Charlotte? She’s married now.” He leaned into my ear. “Her hubby, Brad, is a total snooze. But that’s between you and me. Charlotte has two kids. You’re going to love Edwin and Sutton. They’re—”
I pressed my finger to his lips. “Shh. You’re scaring me with all this intel.”
He burst out laughing. “I’m just trying to relax you so you can enjoy the night.”
“IfI make it through the night.”
“Of course you will. You have nine lives.” He dragged me toward the front steps. On the porch, he cupped my cheeks. “Smile, babe. You’re beautiful.”
I poked my tongue out. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Let’s get you a wine, then.”
He opened the front door. “Mom, we’re here,” he yelled into the hallway.
“In the kitchen.”
We entered the large kitchen with a massive island in the middle that was filled with food and cooking equipment.
His mother, Valerie, turned to me, and her expression was a baffling mix of wariness and delight.
She opened her arms. “Makenna, it’s so good to see you.” She clutched my shoulders and pulled me forward to kiss my cheek.
“It’s lovely to see you, too.”
We eased apart, and she fiddled with her apron. It was a move I remembered from the day of Uncle Henry’s wake.
“Valerie, I want to apologize for—”
“It’s okay.” She shook her head, making the pearl drops in her ears sway. “Channing told me about the . . . mix up, and it’s all forgotten now anyway.”
Valerie was a retired schoolteacher. She never swore. She never drank alcohol. And the fact that she knew what happened all those years ago horrified me to my core. I truly hoped she could forget.
Channing handed me a wine glass, topped nearly to the brim. “See, I told you.”
I accepted the glass and took a large gulp.
“Come on, you have lots of catching up to do.” He tried to grab my hand, but I swept it away.
“Valerie, would you like me to help you with dinner?”
“Oh gosh, no.” She shooed me off. “You go enjoy yourself.”
“Okay, well, holler if you change your mind.”
She nodded and pretended to dry her hands on her apron.
Channing led me toward the sounds of kids playing, and we stepped through the archway that led to a large living room.
Talon jumped up from the corner sofa. As he strode toward me, my stomach tensed.
“Goodspeed. I didn’t think you’d show up.” He wrapped me in a bear hug that was awkward, yet also a relief. I knew how much family meant to Channing, especially his twin. I’d been the source of a rift between them for years. This was another step toward putting that behind us so we could all move on. And if Talon was willing to try, so was I.
Talon let me go, and I blinked at one twin, then the next. They were identical in every aspect, right down to their hairstyle and three-day growth.
