Page 94 of No More Spies

“You know I am always on your side,” Lou began cautiously.

This would hurt most of all, and it was precisely why sheshould have thought this whole thing through. Lou and Cooper had been friendsfor years. It wasn’t fair to ask her to choose. She wasn’t going to ask her tochoose.

Lou was the only one who had always been hers. Always.Except now she was TJ’s and she was happy.

“It’s okay.” She was going to stay calm through this. Getthrough it. Tomorrow would be easier. After they settled the situation withZach, she could move into her new role and start to find the distance sheneeded. She could sink into a long-term op and not come out for months, maybeyears. “I’m not going to make things difficult.”

Her mother’s brow cocked. “You’re not going to make thingsdifficult? This time? You choose this time to go down easy, baby girl?”

She should have known her mother would have problems withher stance. But there would be no explanation that would serve her mom or anyof her and Cooper’s friends. He was the sunny guy everyone loved and she was…She was Kala. They were always going to come down on his side. So she wasn’twasting her time and energy. “Yes.”

A frustrated huff was her mother’s only response.

Good. They were getting the picture. “So can we get off thetopic of my love life and get down to business since I’m due to leave for DC ina couple of hours?”

More like eight, but who was counting. She’d made thearrangements to travel back to Langley with Lena. The big bosses wanted anupdate on the situation with Zach. Her father had agreed with the way she’dhandled things, though he’d wished she’d tried harder to get him to come home.

Her father stared at her like he could see straight throughher and knew everything she was thinking and planning on doing for the rest ofher life. He didn’t, of course, but this was one of Ian Taggart’s patented dadstares. It worked like a charm on her siblings every single time.

Not on her. She simply stared right back.

“Should we go and make some coffee or something?” Lou asked.“This looks like it’s going to last for a while.”

Her mother’s head shook as she sat back. “They can do thisfor hours.”

“There’s zero reason for you to go to DC right now,” hesaid, obviously giving up.

“On this we will have to agree to disagree,” she replied.

“Who convinced you to go to DC because I know it’s notDrake,” her father shot back. “I talked to him this morning, and he’s happywith a conference call.”

“Kala, you can’t leave Cooper hanging like this,” her motherargued.

What had he been saying to her parents? “I didn’t. I saidwhat I needed to say in Colorado. It’s not like I up and refused to talk tohim, but at some point the argument is done and things are over. I’m going toDC for work. I need some time to think about my career.”

“He told me what he said to you,” her father explained. “Iknow it was shitty, but you have to understand that he was in a bad place. Healso told me that in the middle of that shitstorm he questioned whether or notI knew and let it happen.”

She should have known that Captain America would own up tohis mistakes like the stalwart hero he was. “If it helps, he thought I was inon it, too.”

Her father sighed. “He had a bad reaction to some shockingnews and he’s trying to own it. You do neither of you any favors by hiding likea coward when I know damn straight you aren’t one. You chose to let him in.”

“I think what your dad is trying to say…” Lou began becauseshe was always the peacekeeper.

“My father doesn’t need a translator, Lou. He’s trying totell me I made my bed and I better fucking let Coop lie in it, too.” She knewexactly what her dad was saying.

“He’s trying to say you can’t fold the first time there’spressure on you,” her mother argued.

“First time?” Kala felt her eyes go wide. “I assure you thisis not the first time.”

“Don’t you think I understand that?” Her father stood andstarted to pace, a sure sign he was getting emotional. “I know how much thatone night cost you. I do not intend to allow you to waste another fifteen yearsof your life because you can’t handle the fact that he said some stupid words.I know they hurt you. I’ve said shit to your mother that hurt her.”

“Same.” Her mother nodded in agreement.

They were always in tune. Always.

And yet she knew they fought.

Her father stopped in front of her, kneeling down. “Kala, Iknow it’s hard for you to process a fight like this. I know because that’s howit was for me in the beginning. It feels like there’s no way out, but thereis.”