Page 65 of Perfect Composition

“This conversation is not going in the direction I wanted it to,” Austyn announces.

“When does it ever with those two around?” Paige shrugs.

“You’re no help, Mama!”

“Listen, kiddo. We have a rule. These are the questions you ask me in private. I’m sure as hell not answering these things in front of your uncles, let alone your father. Try again later.” Paige sets a glass of tea in front of me.

Almost by rote, I lift the glass to my lips. “You actually talk about things like…like…”

“Sex?” Paige offers helpfully.

“Well, yes!”

All four Kensingtons laugh robustly. Ethan slaps me on the back. “We men will take you on the lanai later and we’ll tell you all about when little Miss A had sex education in the fifth grade. Funniest damn day of my life.”

Paige smirks while Austyn shrieks. “It was not funny!”

Jesse deadpans, “Would you rather we tell your father or your future husband?”

She whirls in my direction. “Enjoy your night with Uncle E and Uncle Jess. I’m going to—”

Paige interrupts. “Do some laundry if you want clean clothes that don’t look like they’re from the Kensington Borg.”

I come damn close to spewing tea across the immaculate island as I listen to Paige disparage her hometown even in the smallest way.

“Good call, Mama.” Austyn races over and presses a kiss to Paige’s cheek. “Though I could have raided your wardrobe.”

Paige’s smile is filled with malice. “Not if you want me to keep to myself when you started your period.”

The screech Austyn emits likely scares cats away for miles before she takes off running from the kitchen. Soon there’s pounding up the stairs. Nobody speaks for a moment until they hear a door slam. Paige’s energy deflates like a balloon. “Good. I didn’t want to worry her.”

“It’s not like she can’t look it up online, Paigey,” Jesse argues.

“True, but if she follows true to form, she’ll be angry at me for a while, lie down, and sleep. When she wakes up and is more rational, I’ll explain everything. She’s just too emotional to listen without overreacting,” Paige counters.

Jesse lifts his glass to acknowledge his sister’s words.

“Tell her what?” I ask.

“The damage to her grandfather’s heart was significant. They ended up having him on the heart-lung machine for much longer than they intended while they not only replaced a valve, but also repaired an aneurysm near his stomach that was ready to burst.” She slams her fist against the counter. “Damn him. This was so much worse than a simple blockage.”

“What are his chances?” I ask quietly.

“The next twenty-four hours are critical. After that, we’ll find out how much brain and motor function he lost.” She whirls on her brothers. “And you both know there’s no way I can go back to work now.”

“I wish there was some way I could argue otherwise, but…” Ethan’s hand lifts and falls.

“I’ve never seen anything like the way you cut through the crap at the hospital to get us answers, Paige.” Jesse’s voice is filled with pride. “He would be too, if…”

She waves her hand. “This changes nothing with him. He’s merely another patient.”

“What if it changes everything?” I ask.

Paige looks at me incredulously. “Beckett, he stole twenty years from you—all the time I was pregnant with Austyn and her entire life. How can you even ask that?”

“Because maybe this will change him, make him realize what he almost lost. If it doesn’t, then you can still walk away. But Paige, don’t throw it in the trash.” I take a sip of tea to let that sink in.

“I can’t have this discussion right now.” She rubs her temples to alleviate the stress.