Lucky Break (Lucky 3)

“I’m sure we could find something more interesting on TV.”

She shook her head.

“Do you want to talk?” Jason placed a hand on her shoulder, his strong touch meant to reassure her.

But how could anything calm her now? His musky scent aroused her, but she wasn’t in the mood for sex or conversation. She still needed to process her sister’s escape. The charade. The lies.

She exhaled, her warm breath fogging the window in front of her. “No. I just need time to think.” About how she’d been so easily deceived.

She tried to reassure herself that she wasn’t alone. The doctors had been fooled, as well.

Jason removed his hand and, despite not wanting the attachment to him, she felt the loss.

“I just want you to know, I am sorry. I didn’t want to be right about your sister.”

She inclined her head. “I know. And you’ve been a gracious winner.” She couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eyes and see the pity there.

“There are no winners in this situation.” Without warning, he gripped her arm and turned her around. “And I don’t take any pleasure in your pain.”

She believed his words. She just couldn’t deal with anything beyond the fact that her sister, the sister she’d sold her car to protect, was an escaped felon.

“Did the prison say when Beth’s doctor would call you?” Jason asked.

They’d heard about the escape from the institution but not any details about how she’d managed the feat. Lauren only knew it involved fire. Her sister’s weapon of choice.

“Lauren?”

Jason’s voice brought her back to the present and she shook her head. “The prison says he’s tied up with the police.”

A loud knock sounded at the front door. Since receiving the news, they’d locked the doors.

Lauren wasn’t in the mood to answer. “Would you mind?” She waved toward the entryway.

“Of course not.” He headed for the front door.

No sooner had the creaky hinges sounded, indicating he’d opened the door for their visitors, than she heard familiar male voices.

“We came as soon as we heard the news,” Jason’s father said, his tone kind and concerned.

“I can’t believe the loony-toon arsonist escaped!” Hank wasn’t as compassionate.

Lauren cringed at the description. But she was forced to admit it was on target. Her crazy sister had set fire to The Wave last year and apparently she’d set another one today to facilitate her escape.

Nausea rose in Lauren’s throat.

“Uncle Hank, if you’re going to talk like that in this house, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” Jason defended her honor.

At this point, Lauren wasn’t sure she deserved to be defended. She’d talked to her sister for hours and never once detected something was off.

She straightened her shoulders and headed to the entryway to greet the men. “Jason, he has every right to be upset. Everyone does.”

Jason shot her a grateful look. “Lauren’s being generous. Now you do the same for her.”

Lauren smiled. “Well. I see you decided to come into this house after all. What changed?”

Thomas flushed, his cheeks turning red.

Nothing seemed to embarrass Hank. “We wanted to see how Jason was doing. Imagine if your crazy sister came here and realized you and my nephew were a thing. News like that might send her over the edge. If she’s not there already.”