The older Reilly shot Theo a scornful look. “And all this time I thought you liked me.”
“I like you just fine,” Theo tossed back. “I’m still positive I picked the right Reilly boy, though.” She turned her head and looked up at Jordan. He smiled and covered her mouth with a lingering kiss.
“All the time with the kissing,” Caleb groaned.
“Throw more wood on that fire,” Bex directed. “The heat feels good.”
“If you want to see Patty again, she’s coming home on Sunday,” Jordan informed his brother. “We’re throwing a welcome home party for her at the Madeleine. She’s not really in any kind of shape to give you another tumble in the hay, but maybe the two of you could share a piece of cake or something.”
Caleb watched the fire for a moment. “I heard about the accident. It sounds like it was really bad. Dad said it was touch and go for a while. I’m really sorry, Theo. That must have been really scary.”
“It was. She was in a coma.” Theo blinked and kept her eyes on the fire Caleb had built. “You could barely see her face she was so wrapped up in casts and bandages.”
“This your sister you’re talking about, right?” Bex asked.
Theo nodded. “You know the road you drove on coming into town?”
“Sure.”
“It’s called SH-96. Patty was taking some classes in Pueblo last September. She was on her way home one night and another driver crossed the center lane. She hit her head on.”
Bex gasped and Theo could see her profile as she turned to look up at her. “That’s so scary. It sounds like she’s okay though, right?”
“Well, the accident happened at the beginning of September.”
“And her welcome home party is on Sunday? Is that why her kid lives with you?”
“Oh, lord,” Caleb said, standing up. He began gathering empty bottles. “I need another beer. Anyone else?”
“I’ll pass,” Jordan told him.
Theo shook her head. “I think I’m done thanks.”
“Well, I’m on vacation,” Caleb declared.
“Something tells me you drink a lot even when you’re on the clock.”
Caleb smiled at his brother. “Another good thing about planning sporting events,” he said. “There’s always beer.” He walked off toward the kitchen.
Bex turned and stared up at Theo and Jordan. “I take it that was a question no one wants to answer.”
Theo took a breath, then sighed. “There’s a lot that Caleb probably didn’t share with you.”
“Like what?”
Theo wasn’t sure if Bex realized how pushy she’d become. Since she didn’t know Bex very well, she gave her the benefit of the doubt.
“Nothing I really want to talk about right now,” she said keeping her voice level. “It’s complicated. Everything about Cleopatra is complicated. The short answer is that Indigo is my niece, but I love her like she was my own. It just makes sense right now for her to live with me at the barn.”
“Got it,” Bex said, looking back at the fire. “Wait.” She turned her head again. “You live in a barn?”
Jordan couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, well, you can see why she might trip over that one.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Theo agreed. “No,” she clarified, “I don’t live in a barn. There used to be a barn where my house stands right now. Glory, my grandmother, was going to hire a builder to come in and renovate that barn into a living space, but after a few weeks, they both came to the conclusion that the existing building couldn’t do for her what she wanted it to. They tore it down and started from scratch, using some of the old wood for the mantle piece and a lot of the hardware for doors and other things. For some reason, she continued to call the new house ‘the barn’, and it didn’t seem strange to me or anyone else in my family until this second.” She shook her head and chuckled. “I guess I take it all for granted, this town, our lives. It all just seems normal to me.”
“Yeah,” Bex said with a tilt of her head, “not so for us outsiders. It is interesting, though.”
“I’ve had several people come and visit, and not one of them asked me why I call my house ‘the barn’.”
Bex gave her a shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just more inquisitive than most.”
Theo’s chuckle turned into a laugh. “You’re definitely inquisitive.”
“So,” Bex continued, either not hearing Theo’s comment or not thinking too much about it. “I heard you and Odette talking about the reception that’s taking place tomorrow. Who’s getting married?”
Jordan pulled his hand from Theo’s and draped his arm around her shoulder. She leaned into him. Sensing Theo’s reluctance to answer, Jordan spoke up. “It’s a funeral, actually. We’re holding the reception after the services at T.J.’s office.”
“That’s sad. Who died?”
Theo took a breath. “A woman was killed here last week up at one of the cabins by the lake.”
“Were you close friends?”
“No,” Theo told her, beginning to tire with all the questions. “I only met her once, but Ashley, my secretary was her best friend.”
Bex shook her head and her long, purple bangs fell into her eyes. “I can’t imagine any of the bosses I’ve ever worked for doing something like that for me.”
“Ashley’s special to T.J., and Mina was special to Ashley,” Jordan offered, giving Theo a squeeze.
