Page 81 of Blindsided
Declan looks up, his expression unreadable. “It’scoordinates. And a date—next week. He wants us to meet him at a location in Alberta.”
“Alberta?! What the hell is in Alberta?” Kane says.
Rory is switching between looking at his phone and over Declan’s shoulder, and then he laughs. “You will never believe this.”
Sighing heavily because I’m so over this game, I ask, “Believe what?”
“Those coordinates are for a ranch just outside Calgary.”
Chapter 29
Kori
I watch Kane’s face as Rory’s words register. A ranch outside Calgary? I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn’t that.
“A ranch?” Kane repeats, his voice hollow with disbelief. “They are hanging out on a ranch in Alberta?”
I squeeze his hand, feeling the tension vibrating through him. “At least we know where they are now,” I offer gently.
Marie nods, her weathered face creasing into a sympathetic smile. “Tomas always loved horses. Said they were the only creatures who never asked questions or expected explanations.”
Kane runs his free hand through his hair, that familiar gesture of frustration I’ve come to recognize. “So, what now? We all fly to Calgary and show up at this ranch like it’s some kind of family reunion?”
“That seems to be what dad wants,” Declan says,studying the letter again. “The date he’s given is next Friday. That gives us just over a week to get there.”
I feel a strange hollowness open in my chest—a week. In a week, Kane will be reunited with his sister and father in Canada. And where will I be? The question hangs in my mind, unexpected and unwelcome.
“I need some air,” Kane mutters, releasing my hand and heading for the door.
I watch Kane disappear through the door, his broad shoulders tight with tension. Part of me wants to follow him, but I sense he needs a moment alone to process. Finding out your long-lost sister and father are casually hanging out on a ranch in Alberta would throw anyone off balance.
“Is he always like this?” Marie asks, looking concerned.
“Only when his entire life gets turned upside down,” I reply, trying to keep my voice light. “Which seems to happen a lot lately.”
Declan folds the letter carefully, tucking it into his jacket pocket. His eyes meet mine, and I’m surprised by the understanding I see there.
“You should go check on him,” he says quietly.
I nod, grateful for the permission, though I didn’t need it. As I step outside, the cool mountain air fills my lungs. Kane stands at the edge of the small clearing, his back to the cabin, staring out at theendless green hills.
“Hey,” I say, approaching slowly. “You okay?”
He doesn’t turn around. “A fucking ranch in Alberta. All this drama, all these clues and treasure hunts, and they’re just... living their best lives with some horses.”
I stand beside him, not touching, just being present. “It is pretty anticlimactic.”
He snorts, a harsh sound that’s not quite a laugh. “Understatement of the century.” He kicks at a stone, sending it skittering across the ground. “What the hell am I even doing here, Kori? Chasing after a father who never wanted me? A sister who probably doesn’t give a shit?”
“You don’t know that,” I say gently. “Maybe they’ve been waiting for you all along.”
“Then why the games?” he demands, finally turning to look at me. His eyes are stormy with emotion. “Why not just pick up a fucking phone?”
I don’t have a good answer for that. “I don’t know. But we’re here now. We have the information. What do you want to do with it?”
Kane runs a hand over his face, his stubble rasping against his palm. “That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?” He looks out at the mountains again. “Part of me wants to say fuck it all, walk away, go back to my life in Toronto.”
“And the other part?” I prompt when he fallssilent.
