Page 61 of Things I Read About

Oh yeah, Joe.

I lift a shoulder. “I think he’s fine with it.”

“Of course, he’s fine with it.” Sadie scoffs. “He’s the star receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. Total dreamboat.”

“Total what, now?” Shep yells from somewhere down the hall.

“Quit being pathetic, creeper,” Skye calls out.

“I’m going to pay for that,” Sadie says, but her blushing cheeks and breathy tone don’t match her words.

“Again, you’re welcome,” Sam sings out.

I smile.

Samantha gets giddy about Shep and Sadie reuniting after ten years and takes credit since it was her wedding that forced them to face each other. She loves seeing Sadie in love. Really, she loves love.

“Emerson says Fergus is literally the best at security, worldwide,” Sam adds, no longer singing. “And Fergus chose Nate. We’ve gotta just let him do his job. If Sally and Nate fall in love while he does said job, that’s an added bonus.” She sits back.

“She has a boyfriend, Sam,” Sadie says, clearly on Team Joe.

That makes sense, since Joe is Shep’s client. They set us up. And Joe is very hot, and very nice, and a pretty good kisser. But he is not my boyfriend. We’ve only been out a couple times. I’m about to say so, but Skye leans forward, serious.

“What about the actual job. I mean, do they have any idea what kind of stalker we’re talking? Do you guys have any idea who would threaten all of us?”

Sadie waves a hand. “Eh, we get weird threats all the time.”

“The Clarks, too,” Sam adds.

“Yeah, but the Clarks are quasi-royalty, billionaires, what would a stalker want with us?” Susan asks, her tone changing. At least she’s shifting from fretting over me to worrying about all of us.

“Um, look at us”—Sam gestures wildly around the room—“We’re fabulous.” We all laugh.

“I agree.” A deep British voice comes from the doorway. Emerson stands there, looking exactly like Susan’s Ken doll from the nineties. He's talking to all of us, but he only has eyes for Sam. It’s almost jarring, the way he is with her. He’s a bit of a grump to everyone else, silent and withdrawn.

Once at an event, I watched him, wondering what he thought about as he sat frowning, if he got lost in thought patterns like I do. Then as I studied him, his whole posture transformed, and his face lit up. His irises changed colors, due to how wide his pupils dilated. I followed his line of sight to see Samantha walking toward him.

Samantha's always been like human sunshine, but he seems to actually need her that way, along with the human need for water and oxygen. What must it be like to be so important to another person?

“Fergus is on top of it,” Emerson says, looking at each of us. “Try not to worry.” His eyes land back on his wife and, again, they melt. “I’m off to bed, angel.”

“I’ll join you.” She stands, “It’s going to be an early, interesting morning.” She says the last part to me, her eyebrows jumping up and down on her face. “Goodnight, loves of my life,” she says, walking with her hand out to grab Emerson’s, which he’s extended, waiting. “The female ones.” She adds as she reaches him. Emerson tugs Samantha into him, hard. She giggles a bit, anticipating how he’ll probably kiss the crap out of her as soon as they’re out of our sight.

“Tell Shep to stop eavesdropping and go to bed, will you?” Sadie calls after them.

“No, theywon’t tell me,” Shep answers, appearing in the doorway. His frame, topped off with blond hair and a bright smile, fills the space. He’s the shortest of my brothers-in-law. but he works out like a professional athlete and wears fitted clothing, so it shows. “It’s an early morning for us, too. C’mon.” He walks in, grabs Sadie, and throws her over his shoulder in one swift motion.

“Shep!” she screeches.

“What the hell do you mean, ‘dreamboat’,” he grumbles as he hauls her away.

“Goodnight, guys,” Sadie says through her laughter.

Skye and I stand.

“I better go save Matthew. Shep has him adjusting the smart home settings again.” Skye hugs me. “Goodnight, you secret, sassy, little, night-skiing rebel.”

I chuckle and she does, too.