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“I don’t know.” Austen touched her arm. “You all right?”
Tia nodded. “Tired.”
“It’s been a wild week,” Austen said. “And now this horrible tragedy.” She appeared drawn too, a little grime on her face, her shirt dirty. She gave Tia a tight smile. “Doyle is lucky to have found you.”
Tia frowned. “Um...”
“Please. I know my brother. He’s been... very dark, and lost, for a long time. But he’s different. I noticed it the minute I arrived. He looks at you and something sparks in his eye?—”
“Annoyance.” Except, that wasn’t fair. Maybe once upon a time, but...
Although, she did seem to keep getting him in over his head. What if she’d dreamed up... well, not the kiss. Because that had definitely happened,hello.
But perhaps the meaning of it.
It was probably just a panic kiss. The kind of kiss people shared when they were trying not to give up.
Austen laughed. “Intrigue. Maybe even challenge. And that’s good. Doyle always reminded me a little of MacGyver, the guy on television who could fix anything. Quick thinking, and...”
“Smart. Brave.”
Austen smiled. “Handsome.”
Tia blinked away the image of Doyle handing her his shirt. “Mm-hmm.”
“The thing is, I know he loved Juliet with everything inside him, but she was larger than life in his head. When they got back together, he was so in love with her that I’m not sure he ever really fought with her. Stood up to her.”
Tia sat on the table, folded her hands.
“Don’t get me wrong. Doyle is a good man. A godly man. And he’s not weak. It’s just... it’s good to see him working alongside you... you’re his equal, his partner.”
“And Juliet wasn’t?”
“You know how sometimes it feels like one person in a relationship loves more than the other? Like it’s a little lopsided?”
Um, yes. Tia swallowed.
“Doyle definitely loved Juliet more.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
Austen lowered her voice. “Don’t ever tell him this, but I think he made Juliet into a little bit of an idol. She was everything to him, and when she died, he fell into a hole, completely lost.”
“What do you mean, anidol?”
“He worshipped her. And yes, Juliet surely loved Jesus—but she also loved having a man who would do anything for her. And that’s not healthy. Every woman needs a man who can stand up to her.” She winked. “Because we’re not always right—even if it feels like it.”
“Why, why, why are you so intent on getting yourself killed?”Doyle’s words speared into Tia’s head.
“No, we’re not,” she said quietly.
Austen smiled, then reached out and touched Tia’s hand. “I like seeing my brother smile again. Laugh again. And act like the guy I used to know.”
“Ornery and bullheaded and impulsive and?—”
“Yep, that guy.” She grinned.
Tia laughed, and...okay, yes. She liked the idea of putting spark back into Doyle’s life. So... maybe...