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“Okay,” she says simply, flashing me a tight smile. I can’t tell if she’s proud of me, or disappointed.
“I’m still going to go check on Spencer though. Could you see if my dad could take the meeting with Casey at ten? Today’s his first day. I don’t want to ditch him entirely.”
She nods. “James’s schedule is open this morning. I’ll let him know.” She gets up, takes two steps, then spins around. Planting her ass right back down, she looks me dead in the eye. “I need to tell you something.”
I wave her off. “My dad already told me about his dirty dealings with Casey. Don’t worry, I fully intend on setting him straight?—”
“No, Nate. I saw Claire a couple weeks ago at that spa day. Charlie invited her best friend to join us.”
I nearly choke on the silence between us. A medley of emotions rips through me. Fear, excitement, jealousy…but anger most of all. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Is it my job to?”
I glare at her, clenching my jaw. I take a few calming breaths and remind myself that my anger is misplaced. Dawn didn’t take Claire from me. Ruby did. Purposely warming my icy tone, I ask, “How is she doing? Did she ask about me?”
“She didn’t seem to recognize me.”
“You were a platinum blonde when Elise died.”
Dawn bobs her head in agreement. “But she looked happy and healthy. She and Charlie get along really well.”
Shock still trembles through me in waves, like the aftershocks of an earthquake. “Charlie and Claire…I…” How did the PI not inform me of this? Probably because he’s only tracking her deadbeat father and conniving grandmother. “Does Spencer know who she is to me? Does she know about Elise?”
“No. It wasn’t my place to say. But it’s going to come out eventually, don’t you think? Better she hears this story from you.”
I nod. I’ve put this off for so long, but now it’s inevitable. It’s time.
“Nathan, I know what’s going through your head. Just try to think of how this impacts Charlie.”
“Charlie?” I question, my face screwing up in bewilderment. “What does that mean?”
“Imagine how hurt Charlie will be if she thinks your friendship is just a ploy to get close to Claire. Take it from a mother of a daughter, girls her age are like crows. They’ll take grudges to the grave. You understand?”
She effortlessly reads my mind. Admittedly, the first thing I thought of was telling Charlie she should invite her best friend over to her cool, new house. But Ruby would never allow that. In fact, if Ruby knew Charlie was living with me, she probably would take Claire away from Charlie. Ruby’s favorite thing to do is wait until a powerful bond is formed, then hack away at it with a machete.
“I understand.”
“Good.” Dawn rises again, this time smoothing out her skirt. “I’ll get that meeting on the calendar. I’ll email the new guy too and let him know what’s going on.”
“Thank you,” I say distractedly, eyes fixed on the little redheaded girl in the photograph.
“What’s his last name? We have about six Caseys in the directory.”
“He’s probably not in the directory yet. Casey Conrad.” When I finally pull myself away from the photo, Dawn is staring at me with wide, panicked eyes.
“Conrad?” She’s not blinking. “Do you happen to know if he played football in college?”
“No clue. He graduated from UNLV about five years after me. Yet another reason Dad thought we’d hit it off. Why?”
“No reason. It’s just strange.” Dawn suddenly looks weary. Like a fresh wave of worry just capsized her boat.
“What’s strange?”
She lifts one shoulder. “I’m praying it’s a coincidence, but I have a voodoo doll named Casey Conrad.”
I quirk one eyebrow. “Aren’t you a little old for voodoo dolls?”
She cuts me a look. “Did you just call me old?”