Page 134 of Faking Forever
“I’ve always wanted a sister,” Kenny confided. “So I was absolutely thrilled when Gideon had the good sense to marry such a lovely woman. And I hope we can be sisters to one another. You and me and Fern.”
Beth nodded and impulsively hugged Kenny. The womanwas so much shorter than Kenny that Kenny had to bend down quite a few inches to return the embrace.
“Are you okay?” Beth asked her after they stepped apart. Kenny’s eyes flooded at the question, hearing the genuine love and concern in the other woman’s voice.
“I will be. I just feel a little…blindsided. For a short while, I truly believed Smith and I would work it out.” She made a helpless little gesture with her hands.
“I’m so sorry, Kenny.”
Kenny nodded and swiped at the corner of her eyes with a fingertip.
“I refuse to cry tonight. There’s plenty of time for that later. But tonight is about family. And I’m damned if I’m going to let this ruin our evening. I will talk about this and how I feel, Beth. I’m done closing myself off from the people who love me. But not tonight, okay?”
Beth nodded.
The doorbell rang and Kenny plastered a smile on her face.
“Action stations.”
The evening was a success. It was just Kenny, Cade and Fern, Beth and Gideon, their dad and Nox who attended.
The latter had shown up looking travel-worn, still with that bushy beard, face drawn, and mouth grim.
Their always loud and brash father had been visibly emotional at the sight of his middle son.
“What have you been doing to yourself, lad?” he asked, sounding sad.
“I’m fine, Dad. Never been healthier and fitter,” Nox replied with a ghost of his usual cocky grin.
Physically, it was clear that Nox had never been fitter, given how much he’d bulked up in the nearly two years since he’d gone semi-prodigal son on them. Emotionally and mentally though? That was a different story. His eyes were so…sad. There were fine lines etched into his brow, around his eyes, and silver threads in that ill-advised lumberjack beard.
He looked nothing like the Nox who’d loved bespoke suits, sports cars, fine wine, and sophisticated women. The man who owned a penthouse in Manhattan, a villa in Tuscany, and a house right on Clifton’s sought-after Fourth Beach.
Thisguy was wearing torn jeans, a faded denim shirt, and looked like he lived in his car.
He stunned Kenny by giving her a long, tight hug.
“Hey, little monster,” he greeted affectionately. The silly nickname for Kenny was one only he’d ever used. He hadn’t referred to her as such in over two decades. “How are you? I’m sorry I’ve been such an absolute fucking…” He paused, then winced, before continuing, “Noxto you about your marriage.”
“I forgive you,” she told him with a smile, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him. “I’m so damned happy to see you, I’d forgive you just about anything right now. Except the fact that you’ve been so uncommunicative.”
He grimaced.
“Don’t worry, Gideon is always riding my arse about it too, as you know. I’ll try to do better, okay? It’s just been… I’ve been working through some stuff. I made a mistake and there were consequences. People were hurt, and there’s this woman who…”
He shook his head a little helplessly, the words sputtering to a halt. His eyes burned with what looked like anguish and remorse. It was more than he’d revealed in years. But he looked so pained to even admit that little, that Kenny knew it would take a hell of a lot more to get the full story out of him.
“I’m glad you came, Nox,” she told him, giving him another tight hug. “I’m sure it means a lot to Dad. Toallof us.”
“I came for you, Kenny,” he confessed. “Wanted to make sure my favorite little sister was okay.”
“I’m fine,” she assured, her smile fading. “Right now, with all of you here, I’m absolutely fine.”
She meant every word. Being surrounded by her family was a great comfort to her.
Kenny looked around the room of laughing people, and could almost convince herself that she was happy.
Almost.
