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“Uh… yes.” Abagail shook herself and started to walk.

They were shoulder to shoulder as they went outside and met Cal with the vehicle. Abagail ushered Nicola into the vehicle first before sliding next to her and shutting the door. She relaxed into the seat of the car, tempted to close her eyes and truly rest. Butsomething prevented that, something she couldn’t name quite yet.

“Did you and Ted get along when you were younger?” Nicola asked as Cal pulled away from the rehabilitation facility.

“Ted’s much younger than me.” Abagail furrowed her brow as she looked over at Nicola. “Why do you ask?”

“Trying to make conversation. When I was younger, there were times I wanted to kill Alanna and times I wanted to wrap her up in my arms and never let go.”

“The joy and privilege of being siblings.” Abagail gave her a wan smile, knowing full well that that was the expected answer. But she and Ted never had the traditional sibling relationship.

“Yeah, it is. Warren never understood my relationship with Alanna.”

“He wouldn’t.” Abagail rubbed her hands together. “And his father and I were poor examples.” Abagail sighed.

Nicola scoffed. “Yeah. Maybe he wouldn’t have turned out to be such an entitled asshat.”

Abagail nearly choked. She slowly turned to look at Nicola with wide eyes. “I can’t believe you said that.”

“Why? It’s true. Not once did he come to visit Alanna, and you’ve already done that.”

“He never…” Abagail’s breath left her lungs. “You two dated for years.”

“Yeah. We did.” Nicola frowned and shook her head. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have?—”

“Just because he’s my nephew doesn’t mean you have to filter yourself around me. I know what kind of man he is.” Abagail reached over and took Nicola’s hand in her own. “And I know what he did to you.”

“You don’t know the half of it.” Nicola locked her lips together and they thinned into a line that was barely visible.

Abagail wanted to ask more questions about that. She wanted to know what Nicola wasn’t telling her, but she was acutely aware that this wasn’t the time or the place, and that while she had Nicola’s trust, she didn’t have it that fully yet.

If that was ever going to happen.

“You and Alanna are very close.”

“We are.” Nicola smiled, genuinely this time. “We have been since the accident, but even before then we were, too. She’s my baby sis. It’s going to take hell on earth to keep me away from her.”

Abagail nodded slowly. Oh to have that kind of family. “Good. You need each other.”

“We do.” Nicola looked out the window, turning away and effectively ending the conversation.

Abagail settled into the seat, watching Nicola carefully. What would it be like to have a family like Nicola did? One that was supportive and loving. Elia had that, and Abagail had gotten a glimpse of that growing up with her. Elia’s mother had nearly taken her in as one of her own, but Abagail had never quite fully relaxed into that ease of a relationship with her. She’d always kept her at an arm’s length.

But Nicola?

Maybe something could be different there.

Maybe this could work.

nineteen

“Do you ever not work?”

Nicola plopped down onto the sofa and eyed Abagail over. She was glued to her phone, and she had been since they’d walked into the house on the cape. And this was so unlike Abagail—at least what Nicola had seen of her so far.

“I take many vacations throughout the year.” Abagail flipped through something else on her phone quickly, not even bothering to glance up at Nicola.

“And now?”