“Anything we can do?” Zachary asked. Trace’s next youngest brother was the quietest of the siblings.
“I need to run,” Keegan declared.
“Good idea.” Trace turned toward Zachary. “You want to come along?”
“Sounds good. I’ll drive. I know just the spot.” Zachary headed for the row of hooks by the kitchen door and grabbed a set of keys.
Melinda rose from her seat. “You want me to come, Keegan? I’ll be happy to stay here if you’d rather go with the guys.”
Keegan nodded and stepped toward her. He loved how well she could read him after so few days. He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and tipped her head back. “I love you,” he said as he bumped his forehead against hers. “Do you mind?”
“Of course not. I would slow you down, and besides, you won’t worry about me if I stay here with Carlie and Sharon. Go.” She grabbed his forearms and lifted up on tiptoes to kiss him briefly. “I’ll be here when you get back.”
He watched her face. Blessed her for everything unspoken. She understood his need to run fast and free. His sweet mate already grasped how concerned he would be with her trailing behind him. And she also had the sense to stay safe inside the house. There was no way of knowing if this thing was over yet.
Keegan gave her a brief smile and turned toward Trace and Zachary. “Let’s go.”
•●•
Melinda sat curled up on the plush couch in the Masters’ great room. Sharon, Trace’s only sister, sat on the other end, her feet tucked under her in the same way.
The men had been gone for a few hours. Melinda wasn’t worried. Even though they had only communicated with her a few brief times, she knew they were fine. Trace wouldn’t let Keegan do anything stupid. And even if he got swept into a bad plan, Zachary was with them.
“You look a lot like Miles.” Sharon smiled warmly. “I did a double take when I first saw you at the housewarming party last week.”
“Except he’s three times bigger than me.” Melinda chuckled. She had been introduced to Sharon briefly at the party, but then Trace and Keegan had arrived and made the rest of the guests invisible. Plus Rebecca went into labor. That night had been long.
And several nights since then had been longer.
Carlie padded into the room and took a seat across from Melinda and Sharon. “How’re you doing, sweetie?”
“I’m okay.” Melinda was numb, actually. That was the only way to describe it.
“You know your grandmother is welcome to come to here if she’d like. I’m sure Trace wanted you to stay in the house for safety reasons, but I don’t want you to feel like you can’t have your family around if it would comfort you.”
“Thank you. You’re very kind. I’m okay. And I’ve spoken to Mimi twice. She would probably smother me if I had her under foot. She can be rather formidable for a tiny grandma.” Melinda chuckled.
“I can imagine. She raised you and Miles. She must be a tough woman.”
“She is. The toughest. I love her with all my heart.” Melinda hesitated for a moment. “She’s…sensitive.”
“We know,” Sharon said. “Griffen told us all about you and your grandmother. In fact he has always insisted he owes his mate’s life to your abilities.”
“I don’t know if I’d go that far. All I can do is nudge people on what amounts to a gut feeling most of the time.”
“Still,” Sharon shrugged, “you were spot on that time.”
“And I imagine this time too,” Carlie said, referring undoubtedly to the casino.
“Maybe.” Melinda leaned back and tipped her face toward the ceiling. She didn’t feel overwhelmingly helpful in this case. Sure, she’d had the intense sense of doom at the site, but there had been no way to be sure what that equated to. And in the end, Keegan was badly injured in the scaffolding collapse. He could have died. How did that make her gift worthwhile?
“Have you spoken to your mother?” Carlie asked. “I know you were just reunited last weekend. She must be worried sick.”
Melinda nodded. “She is. It’s weird. I only spent a few hours with her, and I already feel a connection. I still need to spend some time wrapping my head around her abandonment. Even though it wasn’t truly in her control, it hurts.”
“I’m sure it does.” Carlie’s brow furrowed. “I can’t imagine what you must be feeling with regards to her. The last thing you needed was an entire week of insanity dumped on you right after reuniting.”
Melinda swallowed back the pain.