closest to the oncoming motorcycle-and took the full impact as

g gaze caught Andrew hovering over Xenia, carefully

, she found herself back in

ns swam into focus above

f pain up her arm, the tight bandage around h

ny, and now even her hand felt like

urning her head with effort, she found Xenia nearby, teary and

shielding me, you wouldn't have missed Kaelyn... an

your fault? Kay simply wasn't paying attention-she didn't even notice the motorcycle coming up behi

with fragile hesitation, Xenia searched his eyes.

ved his lips. "Of course

d concern, neither of them realized

ttle laugh. "If you two are going to act like that, take

a instinctively shrank against Andrew's chest, fingers clutching his

d color as her hands twisted together. "I-I was just talking with Dr. H

of it." Disgust flickered in her eyes as Kaelyn turned her face away, her voic

ntil her eyes turned glassy and rimmed with red, her whole posture shrinkin

a sob, she turned and hurried out, h

at on instinct. Yet Kaelyn's steady, unblinking gaze pinned him in plac

o his tone as he added, "You shouldn

y am I supposed to aim it at-should I be taking it out on you instead? Tell me something, Andrew, l

oked almost carefree, as if every other rol

as if he'd just realized he'd crossed a line. Lowering his voice, he said, "Xenia just happened to b

urse he would fall back on the same worn excuses,

ation, she shut her eyes, her voice turning

t into his tone as h

t o

faint sound of retreating footsteps echoed d

he breath she'd been holding, her chest loo

today's outburst felt necessary-something sharp enoug

ndrew seemed to return to his role, staying ho

expression cool and unreadable; nothing he said

's eyes, softening his expression. "What do I have to

hrough him, those gentle, carefully cho

tely-just as quickly as she had fallen for

, it carried the distant chill of so

ing her feel as though the two of them wer

een stuck eating bland food these past few days, and it's driving me crazy. I've been craving a

for its steaks, and even with a booking,

than an hour's drive away, the timing h

his expression tightening for just a second. Still, af

ust wait he

and Kaelyn promptly summoned the family's coo

ed uncertainly, "But Dr. Hudson said earlier.

ahead and make it lik

ething told her that steak was never go

nutes stretching into two full hours

he muttered softly, "Your father is away on business, but your si

g smile touched

taken Xenia out for

he would never pass up a chance to in

wo sisters were on bad terms, she had no idea just how bitter things had become.

ld her not to bother. There

ew was already

ires rolling into the driveway f

ut the easy laughter on their faces disappeared th

red quietly

ked at the two of them with a fai

takeout bag on the table. "This is the steak Dr. Hudson brought back for you. We stoppe

he looked at Xenia with sharp, deliberate interest. "T

kery in them almost impossible to hide. "And you rehea

rs together, flustered and una

es had already gone cool and distant. "Kay, Xenia's heart had been acting up, so I took her to get checked ou