Page 67 of The Wild Card

“That’s not sustainable.”

“I’m aware.”

“You have to talk to him.”

“Also aware.” I drain the rest of my latte. “But here’s the thing—after the boss dinner, when Daniels and Margaret left, we almost kissed again, for real this time, no practice excuse, but then Foster called and—”

“I’m going to kill Foster.”

“Get in line.”

“Wait, who’s Foster?” She laughs.

“His partner.”

She gives me a look. “Em. The man kissed you like that … I’m not sure that’s fake.”

I think about Crew with his hands on his head, chest heaving, looking at me like I’d wrecked him.

I think about the way he’d cupped my face after the dinner, so gentle, like I was something precious.

“I know,” I say quietly. “That’s what scares me.” I stare at my coffee. “There’s more,” I say.

“How can there be more?”

“My editor hates the manuscript.”

Sadie blinks, thrown by the subject change. “What?”

While I launch into my next round of drama, Sadie leans forward and gives me a sympathetic look. Yeah, my life is basically a mess right now. And one I have no idea how to fix.

Chapter Sixteen

Family Dinner

Crew

I clock the noise before we even make it up the driveway—multiple voices, a dog barking, and something playing from a speaker inside—country music, maybe.

My training catalogues threats out of habit. Two cars are parked in the driveway, and lights are on in four of the six windows.

Emmie squeezes my hand. “You ready?”

No. “Yeah.”

She opens the front door, and the wall of sound hits me.

“Mom, we’re here!” Emmie calls, tugging me inside.

The house smells like garlic and something sweet baking. Photos cover the walls, the mantle, and the side tables. Emmie as a kid with missing teeth, Emmie in a graduation cap, Emmie covered in flour, grinning at the camera.

A whole life, documented. Celebrated.

I don’t have a single photo of myself before age eighteen. And that was just the entrance photo from Army basic training—I had a buzz cut, and a blank expression.

“Emmeline Rose Marshall.”

A woman appears from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She has Emmie’s eyes and Emmie’s smile, but right now, that smile is nowhere to be found.