Page 91 of Holding Hope

She released my hair with a dramatic shake of her head and fluffed her own. “You’ve spooked the family, Avalon. They’re worried about you. Even the twins have said something about your disappearance⁠—”

“I did not disappear!” I raked both hands through my hair, trying not to lose my cool—especially not with Clarke still sitting on her horse watching us. “I told you I was coming here.”

Brie’s tongue slid across her lip before she tucked it into the corner of her mouth—her signature tell that she was about to say something smart.

“Right, and you decided it was my job to let the family know? When did I become the middleman? I haven’t played monkey in the middle in dec—ages.”

“Brie, please.” I pressed my palms into my eyes. This had to be a nightmare. Any second now, I’d wake up back in the barn with Clarke, everything simple again.

Brie lifted her hands in surrender, laughing before pulling me into one of her signature bear hugs. She always smelled expensive — like eucalyptus and jasmine and something impossibly warm. I melted into her arms despite myself.

Had it really been that long since I’d had one of her hugs?

“I’m glad you’re here,” I said when we finally pulled apart. “But where is my doctor?”

Her eyes widened. She turned toward the driveway just as a cloud of dust approached. A white sedan rolled to a stop beside her red Audi.

“It’s funny,” Brie said as the door opened and a tall, dark-haired woman stepped out. “Corrin and I actually went to college together. We ran into each other at the airport and realized we were headed in the same direction, so I moved her up to first class and we reconnected the whole flight.”

I groaned. “Jonas didn’t even book her first class? That’s embarrassing. I’m so sorry⁠—”

Dr. Corrin Mwangi waved me off with a brilliant smile. “Don’t be. I insisted on main cabin. I was just de-boarding my flight from Pennsylvania when he called.”

She was everything I’d read about—poised, sharp, warm, and intimidatingly accomplished. A woman who carried her brilliance like a second skin.

“I’m happy to work on this case,” she said, “but I’ll need more information. Jonas didn’t have much detail. Is there someone here who can fill me in?”

“Yeah,” I nodded toward the house. “Follow me.” Then I pointed at Brie. “Stay. No wandering.”

“Oh, please,” she said, hooking her thumbs into her belt loops. “I’m sure there are a few handsome cowboys around here who’d be happy to get me into—oops, I mean keep me out of trouble.”

“Brie!”

“Okay, Mom!”

I rolled my eyes and led Corrin inside. “I’m sorry about her,” I murmured.

Corrin chuckled. “Aubrielle has been a troublemaker as long as I’ve known her. You should’ve seen her in college.” Then her expression softened. “Avalon, can you tell me anything about what I’m about to see when I walk through this door?”

My hand hovered over Melody’s door handle. I swallowed hard. I knew what was behind this door. I’d spent days training myself not to flinch at the sight of her getting weaker. The first time I realized she was actively dying, I couldn’t stop staring—not out of fear, but out of awe. How could someone so close to death still look so alive? Her sunken cheeks and dark circles couldn’t dim the spark in her blue eyes, or the tiny mischievous curl of her lips when she smiled.

When she had the strength to smile.

“Melody,” I whispered. “And I need you to fix her.”

Corrin’s face softened. “Oh, Avalon.”

I pushed open the door. Mr. and Mrs. King sat at Melody’s bedside with Dr. Ferguson. All three turned toward us, confusion flickering across their faces.

“Avalon,” Mr. King said, rising quickly. “Who is this?”

I braced myself for anger—for someone to tell me I’d crossed a line. But Melody smiled faintly and beckoned me closer.

“Don’t be mad at her, Daddy,” she said, reaching for my hand. Her skin was still cold, but there was more color in her cheeks than earlier. “She was just trying to help.”

I turned to her parents. “Dr. Corrin is one of the best oncologists in the country⁠—”

Mrs. King broke. Her face fell into her hands as she sobbed, shoulders shaking. Mr. King wrapped an arm around her, his expression dark and unreadable.