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The group quieted.
Dennis held up his glass. “To a long, happy, and fruitful—”
“That means lots of babies,” Serena added.
The giggles took a second to subside.
Dennis continued, “Marriage. To the future Mr. Cartwright and Mrs. Benson-Cartwright.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright,” Kelly corrected him.
The laughs continued.
Kelly, Adam, and Robin disappeared toward the front for a while.
All I heard when they returned was an “I guess they’re not coming” from Adam.
Since the whole Benson clan was here, I could only guess he’d been referring to his parents. We wouldn’t have to worry about his father and my father ruining this for Kelly and Adam after all.
I downed the remaining scotch in my glass and poured a little more.
Debbie was alive, and she wanted to talk to me, of all people.
* * *
Nicole
An hour later,after toasts to the engaged couple and some hassle with a ring Adam had wanted to take off, I couldn’t wait any longer and corralled my boyfriend off to the side.
“You need to tell me what happened.”
Josh took my hand and pulled me toward the front of the house. He didn’t say a thing until we were out the front door. “I have to stay another day.”
“Why?”
Even though we were away from everyone else, he still spoke softly. “I’m not supposed to tell you this. It’s Debbie. She called in, and she wants to talk to me tomorrow.” His cousin Debbie’s name had only come up once before between us, but with her initials on his ankle, she was clearly important to him. She’d been kidnapped at a young age and recently found to be alive, out there somewhere, was all I knew.
I put my hand on his chest. “That’s great. Do you know if she’s okay? Where is she?”
His heart beat rapidly beneath my palm. “I don’t know any more than that until I talk to her. I need to stay here for at least another day, and I want you to go home with the others.”
I leaned closer. “I’ll stay with you.”
“No, you won’t.” His tone was the this-is-not-up-for-discussion one I’d heard before. “You’re needed back at Rossi’s on Monday, and I don’t know how long I’ll be.”
“Why not?” His secretiveness scared me.
“Because Adam says the FBI wants me to push for a face-to-face meeting, and that could take some time.”
“If the FBI wants to arrest her, is that a good idea?”
“All I can say is Kelly trusts Adam, and he’s one of us now.”
I nodded. It made sense, given the close bonds this family had.
I fisted his shirt. “You better come home to me soon.”
He pulled me into one of his tight embraces. “As soon as I can, Nickels. You can count on it.”
