Page 107 of The Hardest Hit

“Aiden, Dominique, you’re being childish. I decide what’s best for this family. I always have and I won’t have you questioning me.” Eleanor was using her mother-knows-best voice.

“And I won’t have you treating Evan like this,” hissed Dominique, who clearly didn’t like Eleanor’s tone any better than Evan.

“I’ll treat O—Evan however I want!” barked Eleanor.

Silence fell in the dining room. They all heard the tell-tale wrong vowel sound in front of his name and Evan felt a click of recognition. Eleanor wasn’t angry at him. She was scared. And Eleanor Deveraux did not get scared, she got even.

“You almost slipped, Grandma,” said Evan, standing up straighter. “Want to try that again?”

“Stop being childish,” snapped Eleanor.

“Childish? You want childish?” demanded Dominique. She yanked open the glass case on the far side of the table. It housed the antique Wedgewood tea set.

“What are you doing?” Eleanor took a step forward.

“Who is he, Grandma?” yelled Dominique.

“This is ridiculous!”

Dominique dropped a cup on the floor. The white and blue pieces burst outward in a starburst on the floor. Evan stared at her in shock.

“Who is he?”

Eleanor was silent and Dominique threw two more cups on the floor.

“Answer the question!” Dominique swept an entire armful onto the floor.

“Genevieve! Stop that, this instant!”

Dominique grabbed the last cup and hurled it at the wall behind Eleanor. “I’m not Genevieve!” Dominique screamed, and Eleanor stared at her in horror. “And he’s not Owen,” Dominique gasped, breathing hard.

“Well,” said Aiden, “as long as we’re breaking things. Here’s what I want to break.” He grabbed the portrait of Henry off the wall and put it down on the floor, then he kicked it, his foot splintering through the braces on the back and sailing through Henry’s chin.

Theo appeared in the open doorway. “Mr. Jackson and Dr. Olivia West.”

Aiden looked up one foot stuck through the painting, and Dominique paused, a plate in one hand. Eleanor and Evan stared at the new arrivals from opposite ends of the table.

Evan burst out laughing. He couldn’t stop. He clutched the edge of the table, nearly doubling over. He tried to straighten up, almost made it, and then laughed again.

“You OK, there, sugar?” asked Olivia, looking doubtful. “Need to take a lap and walk it off?”

“No, no, I’ve got this.” He stared into the light fixture, took a deep breath, and looked back at Olivia. God, she was beautiful. “Olivia, have you met my cousin Aiden? He currently has his foot stuck in my grandfather.”

“Would you like some help with that?” asked Olivia, looking with concern at Aiden.

“Yes,” Aiden said, “but maybe just from Jackson?”

“I got you,” said Jackson, coming around Olivia, to help remove Henry Deveraux’s face from Aiden’s foot. There was a tricky moment of balance and then Aiden was extricated.

Evan took a deep breath. He knew what the problem was now and it was a problem he’d spent several years working on. It was probably the only one of his grandmother’s problems that he actually could fix. He smiled at Olivia. She looked worried.

“Theo,” said Evan, pointing to the painting, as Jackson freed it, “could you dispose of that for us?”

Theo glanced at Eleanor and then back at Evan. “Yes, Mr. Deveraux. I’d be happy to.”

“And also the one in the study, I think. Aiden says it gives him gas.”

“Yes, Mr. Deveraux,” said Theo, taking the painting from Jackson. Then he looked around in disapproval. “The young mister and miss have made a mess. Dinner will be delayed while it is cleaned.”