Page 80 of Buried Secrets

Matt looked down at Agent Cook’s unconscious form, then at Kaitlin.

“Remind me never to underestimate you,” he said softly.

Kaitlin sighed, still trembling, and smiled up at Matt. It may have been her imagination, but she was sure something shifted between them.

She hoped it was forgiveness.

Annie’s Diner was quiet in the late afternoon lull between lunch and dinner. Kaitlin chose a booth by the window, ordering coffee she didn’t want just to have something to do with her hands. Outside, the October sun was already beginning its descent toward the harbor, painting the sky in shades of amber and rose.

She’d changed clothes three times before settling on jeans and a simple sweater. How did you dress to meet a brother you never knew existed? Every choice felt weighted with significance.

The bell above the door jingled, and Kaitlin’s breath caught. A man entered, tall and lean with shiny dark hair. But it was his eyes that made her grip her coffee cup—vivid green.

Ryan spotted her immediately, as if drawn by the same recognition. He approached slowly, and Kaitlin could see him taking her in just as intently as she was studying him.

“Kaitlin?” His voice was deeper than she’d expected, with the same island accent she’d grown accustomed to hearing.

“Ryan.” She stood awkwardly, unsure whether to shake hands or hug or simply stand there cataloging all the ways they were alike.

He solved the dilemma by extending his hand. His grip was firm but gentle. “This is surreal.”

“That’s one word for it.” Kaitlin managed a smile as they both sat. “Thank you for meeting me.”

“Are you kidding? I’ve been hoping for this my whole life.” His enthusiasm was genuine but tinged with something protective.

The waitress appeared, and Ryan ordered coffee and apple pie. “Make that two slices,” he added, glancing at Kaitlin. “You can’t come to Annie’s and not have the pie.”

“I’m not really hungry.”

“Trust me.” His smile was warm. “Besides, we’re celebrating, right? Finding each other?”

The simple optimism in his voice twisted something in Kaitlin’s chest. Of course he could be happy about this. He’d grown up knowing exactly who he was, where he came from. He’d had their mother’s love every single day of his life. She was still not certain how she felt about it.

“Two slices it is,” she agreed.

When the server left, Ryan leaned back, studying her with undisguised curiosity. “So. London. Tell me about your life there.”

“Not much to tell, really. I work—worked—as an archival researcher. Mostly Victorian-era documents for museums and private collectors.” She paused. “What about you? Your profile mentioned construction?”

“Project manager for a firm in Portland. Mostly commercial buildings, some residential.” He smiled. “Not as glamorous as London museums.”

“I wouldn’t say glamorous. Dusty is more accurate.”

They fell into a rhythm of careful questions and measured answers. Ryan told her about growing up on the island, about summers spent fishing with his father before he died, about Marissa’s bakery and her famous cinnamon rolls. Each detail was a small knife—the life she might have had, should have had.

“Mom’s an amazing cook,” Ryan said, cutting into his pie. “This is good, but her apple pie is better. You’ll have to try it sometime.”

The casual assumption that she’d be part of family gatherings made Kaitlin’s throat tight. “Maybe.”

Ryan’s eyes grew more serious. “Look, I know this is complicated. But it would really mean a lot to my mother… our mother, if we could have a connection, a relationship.”

Kaitlin took a careful bite of pie to avoid responding immediately. It was excellent, tart apples with just enough cinnamon, flaky crust that melted on her tongue.

“I just wanted to understand why she gave me up. And I guess in some way I had a vision of a Hallmark ending…”

Ryan leaned forward. “I’ve always felt she had some sadness about her, something missing I couldn’t fill. No matter how I tried. When I found out she had given a child up for adoption, it all started to make sense.”

“But she had you.” The words came out sharper than Kaitlin intended.