Page 111 of Crash Course
"Your contact at the EPA," Phin said. "How much of a stickler is she?"
"A company knowingly polluting? She doesn’t play. But outing the EPA as incompetent? I doubt she’d agree to that."
"There might be another way," Cilla said. "We have toxicology reports from the soil samples we took. Depending on what Rohan can . . ." she peered at Kayla, clearly thought twice, and turned back to Cruz. "Whateverwecome up with, we can leak it to the press."
Cruz cocked his head, considering it. "Not a bad idea."
"If it gets enough traction," Cilla said, "the EPA will have to cover their rears."
"And do what?"
"If they do what I think they should," Cilla said, "they’d turn everything over to the North Carolina attorney general, who could sue Randolph Industries."
The room went silent, all of them staring at the dark-haired woman Cruz might be in love with.
"Whoa," he said. "That’s. . .big."
Cilla met his gaze, her sea-green eyes clear and direct. "Believe me, I know. But Kayla just told me companies aren’t afraid of the fines. A lawsuit from the attorney general? That’ll terrify my father. We’ve discussed this very thing because other states have done it. The highest settlement so far was a few years ago: $850 million. The threat of that? It’ll force my father to clean up his mess."
Upon decidingto table the conversation until Rohan could do some digging, Cruz and Phin led the ladies out the back door to the patio where Mom and Grams had the outdoor kitchen in full work mode.
Someone had gotten the fire pit going and Zeke, Liv, Maddy, and Brodie, Liv’s son, stood around it while Rohan and Lena shared the bench across from them.
These people were his family. All here to spend time together and laugh over stupid shit only they might find funny. Something Cruz had always loved. Now, with the setting sun dropping behind the mountain, he breathed it all in, absorbing the scent of burnt wood and fresh air.
The Craftsman cottage flashed in his mind. Could he leave here? All this open space and peace?
Leave his family?
"Finally!" Mom called. "Y’all just about ruined these ribs."
She closed the cover on the grill, wiped her hands on a towel and marched toward them. "Hello, Kayla."
Mom stepped to Kayla, bringing her into her arms. Between giving Phin a job that made him happy, helping Zeke locate a priceless family heirloom and assisting Rohan in finding a cyberstalker, Kayla had rescued a Blackwell more than once.
"Thank you for having me," Kayla said. "I always love spending time with your family."
"There’s always plenty for friends."
Releasing Kayla, Mom set her sights on Cilla. "And this must be the famous Priscilla I’ve heard so much about."
"Oh, boy." Cilla laughed. "I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not."
Mom grinned. "It is." She peered at Cruz, then Phin. "I like to think my sons, although late to my cookout, are excellent judges of character and they’ve spoken highly of you."
Cilla and Mom shook hands and watching them, seeing his mother touch Cilla for the first time, made Cruz's chest do a weird bumpety-bump. What that was about, he wasn’t sure, but it definitely had something to do with the first woman he ever loved meeting Cilla.
"Cilla!"
Maddy’s voice. Thank God for that distraction because Cruz was somehow turning soft.
Mom let go of Cilla’s hand and spun to Maddy, who moved toward them like a freight train. Her curly hair bounced, her smile took over her adorable face and Cruz once again saw how his brother had fallen so hard for this woman.
Maddy, in short, brought joy.
"Hey, you." Cilla opened her arms and the two women hugged. "How are you?"
Maddy gave her a squeeze and stepped back. "I’m good. These boys are keeping me busy. It’s been fun."
