Page 131 of What Started In Deception

Mac returned her embrace. “I’m happy for you, too.”

She eased back. “We have thirty minutes before we need to head to the library.”

Mac wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, I remember.”

“It’ll just be a few pictures.”

“Whether I want pictures of Everly in the media or not.”

Lydia winced. “Unfortunately, a lack of privacy comes with our last name.”

Mac nodded. “Sometimes, I think I want to do for Everly and Maverick what your parents did for you and Burke. Move away and give them normalcy.”

Lydia winced again. “If their grandpa’s the next president, there won’t be any normalcy. Not for four to eight years.”

Mac nodded again. “It’s a good thing I really love my husband.”

Lydia touched Mac’s hand again. “Will chose his partner well. It takes someone really special who can deal with all the extras that come along with being a Monroe.”

Mac smiled. “You’re sweet.”

“It’s true.” She looked at Everly still playing with her Play-Doh while she spoke to one of her dolls. “Do you need help with the kids?”

Mac shook her head. “Ev’s romper is laid out on her bed, and I have mine and Maverick’s outfits picked out. I’m waiting until the very last second to get everyone dressed, so we have a somewhat decent chance of making it out of here without needing to change again.”

“Good thought.” She stood. “I need to get changed and do something with my hair. I’ll be back in a few minutes to give you a hand.”

“Okay.”

She hurried back toward the house, hoping to catch Ty before he left for his meeting with his FBI buddy, but she slowed her pace when she noticed that her Telluride was already gone. She’d wanted one more kiss, which felt a little silly, but that would have to wait till later.

Ty walked into the same coffeehouse that he’d met Nick in yesterday, sitting across from him at the same booth that they’d occupied less than twenty-four hours ago.

“How’s it going?” Nick asked, sipping on his iced tea.

Ty nodded. “Not too bad.”

“So, what happened yesterday?”

So many things. But he wasn’t about to tell Nick that he’d taken Lydia to bed—that he couldn’t get enough of her. Every time they’d finished, he’d wanted her again.

He’d sent off a five-word text just before midnight, in between sweaty bouts of sex, telling Nick to meet him here. “I caught the tail end of an argument between Asher Brookes and Will while we were at the country club.”

Nick raised his brow. “He’s got beef with his best friend, too?”

Ty nodded. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but I got the impression it was about money.”

Nick frowned. “Money?”

Ty nodded again. “Will told Asher that he would ‘get it back to him.’”

“And you assume that ‘it’ is money.”

Ty shrugged. “I guess it could be anything. But few things stir up emotions quite like money does, and there were plenty of emotions.”

Nick nodded. “Okay.”

“But then Asher said something about how Will was so far past being out of control that he didn’t know what to do for him anymore.”