Mistletoe (K19 Security Solutions 3)

“Okay, so…why?”

“I don’t know. I told him it didn’t bother me, and then he said that if I changed my mind, he’d understand.”

“Hmm. That’s weird.”

“That’s what I thought. Do you think he’s trying to dump me?”

“No. Definitely not. It’s gotta be something he’s worried about, even if you’re not. What else did he say?”

“Not much.”

“What did you say?”

“That I wished he wouldn’t let me go so easily.”

Ava was thoughtful for a minute. “It’s his problem, Aine. It isn’t about you. Maybe someone dumped him in the past because of it.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. It kind of seemed like he was giving me an out.”

“When is he supposed to leave?”

“We were talking about leaving tomorrow and driving up the coast.”

“To where?”

“Yachats.”

“Wow. That sounds nice. I say, see how that goes. If it’s weird, then you know.”

“Here are my girls,” said their mom, coming in the bedroom door. “What are you talking about?”

“Striker told Aine he thinks he’s too old for her.”

“Ava!” Aine swatted her. “That isn’t what he said.”

“Men.” Their mother shook her head. “You never know what’s going to set them off. I mean, look at Paul. He finds out my ex-husband is a Russian mobster, and he asks for a divorce.”

“Right.” Aine didn’t think what Griffin said to her had anything to do with her mom’s soon-to-be ex-husband, but that’s how Peggy was. How do you give counsel to a daughter you never spent any time with? At least she wasn’t drinking anymore. Or it didn’t seem like she was.

“Thanks, Mom,” she said and got off the bed.

“Oh. I came to tell you we’ll be eating in forty-five minutes.”

Aine helped her sister off the bed too, and they followed their mother down the stairs.

“Where’s Striker?” Ava asked.

Razor stepped closer to them. “He went to pick up Dutch and Alegria from the train station. He said to let you know he’ll be back in thirty.”

“Why are you whispering?” Aine asked.

He motioned with his head toward Mantis, who was standing on the other side of the room.

“He doesn’t know they’re coming.”

“Oh. I’m lost, but that’s okay. I’ve got enough drama of my own.”

Razor’s head snapped up. “What did Striker do?”