Madly (New York 2)

“I have another friend at the student newspaper who’s been chasing rumors online all week,” Bea int

errupted.

May smiled. “That’s so good to hear. That means—”

“But it’s not what we need to know,” Allie interrupted. “I mean, that’s great, if Ben can get Dad back here—”

“He’ll get him,” May said. “You haven’t seen him when he’s got a job to do. I mean, if he’s not at the restaurant, he’s got to focus on something, and we gave him a mission, so he’s definitely going to bring Dad back. Don’t worry.”

“It’s not that I’m worried, it’s just that even if Ben brings him here, and Bea’s connections can find us a time and a place for the art thing so we can drag Dad there, it’s too late by then, isn’t it? I want to see Mom before Justin deploys the Harry Winston.”

“What Harry Winston?” Cath asked.

“He bought jewelry,” Chasity said. “Forty-three thousand seven hundred dollars and eighteen cents worth of jewelry, to be precise.”

Nev gave a low whistle. “How’d you find that out?”

“I followed the money.”

He looked at Winston. “Is this legal?”

“Strictly speaking, yes. We’re in a gray area as far as client confidentiality, however.”

Nev recrossed his legs and kept his eyes squarely on Winston’s. “Assure me this isn’t one of those gray areas where you’re manipulating people into doing things they’d prefer not to do.”

“Nobody’s manipulating anybody,” Allie cut in. “Winston’s just trying to help.”

“There’s helping, and then there’s invasion of privacy and blackmail,” Nev said coolly. “I’d like to ensure I haven’t wandered over to the wrong side of any fences.”

Cath put her hand on his arm. “This isn’t the same.”

A muscle ticked in Nev’s jaw. “You understand why I’m cautious.”

“I understand your brother was an absolute dickhead to you back when we got together,” Cath said, “and it’s taken a long time to mend things between you enough for us to be here, so, yeah, you have to be cautious. But also I’m right here with you, with excellent radar for dickheads, and I’m telling you, City, baby, this isn’t the same.”

“If you say so.”

Cath pecked him on the cheek. “I do.”

Nev blew out a long breath and softened.

“Shit, customer.” Bea danced back behind the counter, smiling at a stranger, and Winston reminded himself it took years to rebuild trust in a family, and that he wasn’t personally responsible for emotionally managing everyone in the room. His brother had the right to be cautious, and Allie’s sister had the right to squint at him with suspicion, and Chasity had the right to tap at her tablet and behave as though she might leave at any moment.

He took a sip of the chamomile tea his daughter had brought him, unasked for, and ate the shortbread she’d set on the saucer. It was crumbly, rich and buttery, and it made him wish, suddenly, that he could make her a girl again, take her home and put her to sleep in the room where she’d been born, alone with her mother one fierce and cold winter afternoon while he was at the office.

“Breathe,” Allie whispered.

“I’m trying.”

She squeezed his hand.

Chasity tapped the screen of her tablet three times, hard, and then turned her laser gaze on Allie. “How’d you know your ma was in New York to begin with?”

“She hacked into her computer,” May said.

“I didn’t ‘hack.’ She’s used the same three passwords since we were in elementary.”

“She logged into our mom’s credit cards and bank accounts when Mom left town and figured out where she went to.”