Iย made it outside to Libby and found Nash already there. โHey now, darlinโ,โ he murmured. โCome back inside. You didnโt do anything wrong.โ
Libby lifted her head up and looked past him to me. โSorry, Ave. When I saw her go down, I went on autopilot.โ Before our lives had gotten turned upside down, Libby had been an orderly at a nursing home. She grimaced. โThis is exactly what Alisa meant when she told me not to cause a scene tonight.โ
โShe told you what now?โ Nash said, his voice low and dangerous. Libby shrugged.
โYou had no way of knowing that Rebeccaโs mom was going to explode like that,โ I told Libby, then I cut a glance toward Nash, who sighed.
โSheโs the Laughlinsโ daughter. Grew up on the estate. It was before my timeโsheโs got about fifteen years on Skye. From what Iโve gathered, the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. L and their daughter has always been a bit tense. After they lost Emilyโฆโ Nash shook his head. โShe blamed my family.โ
Both Jameson and Grayson had been there the night Emily died.
โShe said all her babies die,โ I murmured. Belatedly, I processed the fact that sheโd been looking right at Rebeccaโher living daughterโwhen sheโd said it.
โMiscarriages.โ Nash said quietly. โShe and her husband were older when they started trying for kids. Mrs. Laughlin mentioned once that theyโd lost multiple babies before they had Emily.โ
If I thought about any of this for too long, I was going to start feeling even sorrier for Rebecca Laughlin. โAre you okay?โ I asked Libby instead.
She nodded and looked toward Nash. โCould you give us a minute?โ
With one last look at my sister, Nash sauntered off, and Libby turned back to me. โAvery, what did you say to Dad earlier?โ
I wasnโt going to have this conversation with her. โNothing.โ
โI get it,โ Libby told me. โYou hate him, and you have every right to.
And, yes, the thing with Skye is kind of weird, butโโ
โWeird,โ I repeated. โLibby, she tried to have me killed!โ It took me a full three seconds to realize what Iโd done.
Libby stared at me. โWhat? When?โย Libby knew Skye moved outโbut she didnโt know why.ย โHave you told the police?โ she demanded.
โItโs complicated,โ I hedged. I was trying to figure out how to explain my promise to Grayson, but Libby didnโt give me more than a second.
โAnd Iโm not,โ she said quietly, her chin jutting out. At first, I wasnโt sure what she was saying. โWhat?โ
โIโm not complicated,โ Libby clarified. โThatโs what you think. Itโs what youโve always thought. Iโm too optimistic and too trusting. I never went to college. I donโt think the way you think. I give people too many chances. Iโm naiveโโ
โWhere is this coming from?โ I asked.
Blue hair fell into Libbyโs face as she looked down. โForget it,โ she said. โI signed the emancipation papers. Pretty soon, you officially wonโt have to listen to me. Or Dad. Or anyone.โ Her voice caught. โThatโs what you want, right?โ
I hadnโtย askedย to be emancipated. That was all Alisa, but I recognized that it was probably the right move. โLib, itโs not like that.โ Before I could say anything else, my phone rang.
It was Jameson.
I looked back up from the screen to Libby. โI have to take this,โ I told her. โButโฆโ
Libby just shook her head. โYou do what you have to do, Aveโand Iโll try not to cause any more scenes.โ
