“Grace is a goddamn traitor,” he growled. “Do you know where That Woman is staying?” He didn’t give me a chance to answer. “In her cottage, that’s where. The same damn cottage she rented back then. It’s like she thinks this is some kind of fucking fairytale reunion.”

“Kennedy is staying with Grace?” Talk about nerve.

“Yeah, I just found out. Gracie should have kicked her to the curb the moment she showed up, but you know what a soft touch she is.” He made a sound of disapproval, even though I knew he loved Grace’s big heart, just not at times like this. “I told Grace to pack her things for her and make sure she got the message she should leave. Do you know what Gracie said?”

I had a feeling I was about to find out. Usually, Grace could do no wrong in Nate’s book, but they’d clearly discovered how far his faith in his friend extended.

“She said they had a contract. I said to tear it up, and she said not to tell her how to manage her business.” He seemed to be running out of steam. “The woman is too fucking generous.”

“Kennedy is at Grace’s,” I repeated, because that was all I’d been able to process. I didn’t like the fact that Grace had rented her a place, but it wasn’t her fault Kennedy had returned, and I didn’t hold it against her. She was a businesswoman, and she’d never been one to cast judgment like Nate did.

“That’s what I said.” Nate sounded impatient. “Talk to her, Liam. Make her see reason.”

I rubbed my temples. I didn’t need this. Not today. “She’s running a business. Neither of us like it, but that’s the way it is.”

Nate scoffed. “Nope. I’m not going to accept that, and neither should you.” There was a buzz in the background of the call. Perhaps his police radio. “Shit, gotta go. There’s been a traffic accident on the highway.”

At that moment, an alarm blared through the fire station. I shot up and Asher did the same.

“We’ve got the call too,” I told Nate. “See you there.”

I’d have to mull over Kennedy’s reappearance later. For now, there were people who needed my help.

Chapter Five

KENNEDY

Hi Liam,

It’s been a year today since Mom and Malcolm died. We went to the cemetery and left flowers. The kids took turns talking to them, except for Blair, who has a lot of anger toward Mom for abandoning us. I don’t know how to help him. Especially when I’m so busy with the younger ones. I’ve tried to get him to talk to a therapist, but he’s not interested. He’s great with the others. A godsend, in a lot of ways. But I worry.