right-hand door open as the kids filed through, and Brie held the left-hand door open and smiled at him.
"Thanks, but I'm going with my mother tomorrow afternoon. Maybe D ... Jake will go with you."
Cable gave her a bland look. She knew damned well he hadn't been anywhere with Darcy since their breakup. She also knew he didn't really want to see the documentary; he wanted an excuse to be with her. And she wasn't falling for it.
So okay. On to plan B.
* * * *
"So Jake got roped into emceeing again. Not that he minds, because the cause is always important to him. And it's not like he's running the whole thing anymore. So there isn't the same stress. Still, it would be nice if the town stopped relying on him for everything."
"He's the mayor, Mom.” Brianna steered into the parking lot behind the theater. “Everyone is supposed to rely on him."
"I know, but with the baby coming, I want to see him get a little freer."
Brie paused halfway out of the car. “Baby?"
Elyse made an “o” with her mouth. “Kira didn't tell you yet?"
"No! She's pregnant?"
"Yes, just a few weeks along. I guess she wanted to tell us all tomorrow at dinner. I'm sorry, I forgot. Anyway, they're thrilled, of course, but like I said, Jake has so many demands on him that I'm afraid Kira will get overloaded."
Brianna stopped listening. She stopped walking. Her chest, which had tightened when her mother mentioned Kira's pregnancy, now flared into the full-blown pain she'd been trying to avoid for weeks. She'd somehow managed to be successful, relying on the ability she'd developed last year to compartmentalize and seal all emotion in a box. Happiness for her sister had unlocked it, longing had cracked it open.
And Cable, clearly waiting for them at the entrance to the theater, had thrown the lid back.
"Mother."
Elyse stopped mid-sentence.
"What is Cable doing here?"
"He's seeing this movie with us."
"Why?"
"Because he's interested, and I invited him."
"Bullshit."
"Brianna!"
"Don't give me that.” She whirled on her mother, her hands in fists. “You knew we broke up. You did this on purpose."
"Brie, honey.” Elyse stroked her daughter's hair back from her face. “Of course I did. I love you, and I love Cable. You're perfect for each other. When have I ever given you the idea I wouldn't interfere in your life?"
Brie blinked back tears and managed a smile. “You are so full of it."
"Yes, of love. I want you to be happy."
"I am happy."
"Bullshit."
Brie laughed.
"Cable is miserable, and I know you don't show it, but you're miserable, too. You can work things out, I know you can.” She shook Brianna by the shoulder. “Don't shake your head at me. Carothers hasn't left Florida. The police think the break-in was local and impersonal. And Darcy hasn't gone near Cable since he canceled the trip to Boston."
"I'm so glad everyone talks about my personal problems,” Brie grumbled, sniffing. “Did he tell you all that?"
"He didn't have to. I pay attention, Brianna. Now heads up, here he comes."
Brie walked slowly toward the theater, watching Cable's eyes as he approached. They looked just as haunted as they had for the last two weeks, but now they looked hopeful, too. She wondered why he didn't have the SEAL stone-face anymore, and if he was acting or really felt the things she saw.
"Ladies."
"Cable."
"Thanks for joining us, dear.” Elyse wrapped her arm through Cable's and propelled him toward the entrance. “Let's keep moving, or we'll miss the start of the film."
"I got tickets."
Cable's deep voice, as always, washed through Brie like warm water on sore muscles. A rhythm settled onto them, a rightness Brie hadn't noticed before. Dammit, why did it have to be so hard?
Her brain kept working during the opening credits and well into the film. The police believed the vandalism was kids or something, but Cable had said nothing but his mail was missing, and there were the knives in the pillows. That was personal. And no other
"Thanks, but I'm going with my mother tomorrow afternoon. Maybe D ... Jake will go with you."
Cable gave her a bland look. She knew damned well he hadn't been anywhere with Darcy since their breakup. She also knew he didn't really want to see the documentary; he wanted an excuse to be with her. And she wasn't falling for it.
So okay. On to plan B.
* * * *
"So Jake got roped into emceeing again. Not that he minds, because the cause is always important to him. And it's not like he's running the whole thing anymore. So there isn't the same stress. Still, it would be nice if the town stopped relying on him for everything."
"He's the mayor, Mom.” Brianna steered into the parking lot behind the theater. “Everyone is supposed to rely on him."
"I know, but with the baby coming, I want to see him get a little freer."
Brie paused halfway out of the car. “Baby?"
Elyse made an “o” with her mouth. “Kira didn't tell you yet?"
"No! She's pregnant?"
"Yes, just a few weeks along. I guess she wanted to tell us all tomorrow at dinner. I'm sorry, I forgot. Anyway, they're thrilled, of course, but like I said, Jake has so many demands on him that I'm afraid Kira will get overloaded."
Brianna stopped listening. She stopped walking. Her chest, which had tightened when her mother mentioned Kira's pregnancy, now flared into the full-blown pain she'd been trying to avoid for weeks. She'd somehow managed to be successful, relying on the ability she'd developed last year to compartmentalize and seal all emotion in a box. Happiness for her sister had unlocked it, longing had cracked it open.
And Cable, clearly waiting for them at the entrance to the theater, had thrown the lid back.
"Mother."
Elyse stopped mid-sentence.
"What is Cable doing here?"
"He's seeing this movie with us."
"Why?"
"Because he's interested, and I invited him."
"Bullshit."
"Brianna!"
"Don't give me that.” She whirled on her mother, her hands in fists. “You knew we broke up. You did this on purpose."
"Brie, honey.” Elyse stroked her daughter's hair back from her face. “Of course I did. I love you, and I love Cable. You're perfect for each other. When have I ever given you the idea I wouldn't interfere in your life?"
Brie blinked back tears and managed a smile. “You are so full of it."
"Yes, of love. I want you to be happy."
"I am happy."
"Bullshit."
Brie laughed.
"Cable is miserable, and I know you don't show it, but you're miserable, too. You can work things out, I know you can.” She shook Brianna by the shoulder. “Don't shake your head at me. Carothers hasn't left Florida. The police think the break-in was local and impersonal. And Darcy hasn't gone near Cable since he canceled the trip to Boston."
"I'm so glad everyone talks about my personal problems,” Brie grumbled, sniffing. “Did he tell you all that?"
"He didn't have to. I pay attention, Brianna. Now heads up, here he comes."
Brie walked slowly toward the theater, watching Cable's eyes as he approached. They looked just as haunted as they had for the last two weeks, but now they looked hopeful, too. She wondered why he didn't have the SEAL stone-face anymore, and if he was acting or really felt the things she saw.
"Ladies."
"Cable."
"Thanks for joining us, dear.” Elyse wrapped her arm through Cable's and propelled him toward the entrance. “Let's keep moving, or we'll miss the start of the film."
"I got tickets."
Cable's deep voice, as always, washed through Brie like warm water on sore muscles. A rhythm settled onto them, a rightness Brie hadn't noticed before. Dammit, why did it have to be so hard?
Her brain kept working during the opening credits and well into the film. The police believed the vandalism was kids or something, but Cable had said nothing but his mail was missing, and there were the knives in the pillows. That was personal. And no other
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