She kicks out her feet so I can see she’s wearing one of the pairs I bought her. Purple with a tapestry panel and row of buckles. Then she tucks them against the couch.
“I’m jealous,” she whispers.
She doesn’t need to explain. I felt it when she tried to ask Rock if he was her father too. I slide closer and slip my arm around her shoulders. Her body’s stiff, and she ignores my attempt to comfort her, but I don’t back away. “I understand.”
“That’s pathetic, isn’t it?”
“Not at all.”
Finally, she relaxes and leans against me, resting her head on my shoulder. “When do we finally outgrow all the trauma our parents inflicted on us?”
I sigh. “When I find out, I’ll let you know.”
Murphy
Things seem stable now that the air has been cleared.
I pop into Marcel’s living room to find Heidi and Hope.
“Hey, Murphy.” Hope stands and holds out her arms, then drops them to her sides as if she’s worried I’m mad at her.
“Come here, first lady.” I pull her into a tight hug. Couldn’t stay mad at her if I wanted to.
“Are you all right?” she whispers.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I pull back, holding her at arm’s length. “I don’t blame you.” Shit, I don’t even blame Rock. My issue’s with Marcel. “This must’ve sucked for you.”
She nods, then shakes her head, dismissing my concern. “I love both of you.” She reaches down and squeezes Heidi’s shoulder.
“We know.” Heidi smiles up at her.
I’m relieved they’ve talked it out. She and Heidi seem to be solid. That makes what I have to tell Heidi easier. I jerk my head to the side, motioning for her to follow me into the hallway.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
“Nothing. I gotta run down to Furious. Will you be okay here or do you want me to bring you home first?”
“I’ll ride up with Hope and Rock later.” Her mouth quirks. “My SUV’s still here in Marcel’s garage if I need to make a quicker getaway.”
My expression stays the same.
“I’ll be fine,” she assures me. “Go. Before Wrath dreams up some creative punishment for your absence.” She leans up and kisses my cheek. “Thank you for this weekend.”
I capture her in my arms, lifting her just a bit. “We needed it.”
“We did,” she whispers.
“You and me.” I press a kiss to her lips. “We’ll always be okay.”
The corners of her mouth lift. “Team O’Callaghan for life.”
“Yeah, beautiful.” I set her down but keep my hands on her waist.
“Are your hands ever not all over each other?” Marcel groans.
I turn and he’s standing in the hallway, hands on his hips and a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.
“Can we talk for a sec?” he asks.