“Luke knows, but you’re right. I never got a call from Dec or James, so he must be keeping my secret.”
“Are you two…”
Cara burst out laughing. “No! Just friends.”
“The look he gave me didn’t say friends.” Chris shot her a wry look as he stopped at an intersection.
“Really?” Cara hated that she sounded hopeful.
“I take it you didn’t tell him who I was before I got there? When he opened the door, he looked like he wanted to punch me.” Chris laughed.
Cara chewed her lip and looked out the window as Chris navigated through the congested streets of Atlanta. She wanted to believe Wes had been jealous, but he’d also made it crystal clear that he wouldn’t be acting on any attraction between them. Cara mentally shook herself. She didn’t want to spend the entire night brooding about Wes.
She had complained about not wanting a babysitter, but it was nice to see Chris. Cara hadn’t seen him since her father’s funeral. Chris pulled up to the valet stand, and after he handed off the keys, he gave her a pitying look.
Cara sighed. “You’re going to tell Declan, aren’t you?”
“He’s been my friend for almost twenty years. I have to. It won’t be as bad as you think. He knows you’re an adult.” Chris made a face making it clear he didn’t believe his own words, and Cara huffed a laugh at his wishful thinking.
“Right, I’m sure he’ll have no problem with it.”
Cara tabled any conversation about Declan until their dishes arrived.
“Have you seen Declan recently?”
Chris took a bite of his swordfish and shook his head. “Not in months, now that I think about it,” he said when he finished chewing. “I’ve been pretty busy with work myself.”
“But you talk to him?”
Chris must have picked up on the worry in her voice, because he set his fork down and looked at her with a serious expression.
“Not as much as we used to. Why?”
Cara wouldn’t normally share family business with someone, but as Chris said, he and Declan had been friends for what felt like forever, and his father, Dr. Keller, had been David Bloom’s doctor for just as long.
“I’m worried that he’s on this crusade, and he’s not taking care of himself.”
“What crusade?” Chris’s brows drew together.
“He is still convinced that Courtney had something to do with Dad’s death.”
Chris shook his head. “That’s crazy! I was there. He was really sick. My dad tried everything to help him…”
“I know.” Cara tried to smile. “It sounds nuts, but now Declan has a new theory about what happened, and if you think about the changes to the will… maybe she forged it?” Her shoulders slumped. It sounded so melodramatic spoken out loud.
Chris’s eyes widened, and he blew out a stream of air, leaning back in the chair. “I didn’t realize Declan was still hung up on all that. I thought he accepted it wasn’t possible.”
“Why wasn’t it possible?” Cara’s lips turned down.
“I told your brothers—I’d assumed they’d told you. My father and I both witnessed the will signing. Your father was very weak, but adamant. We tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t hear it. You know how he was.” Chris gave her a small smile. “I called Declan as soon as I left the house to give him a heads up. I thought he could call your dad, fix whatever the problem was, but we never connected. I honestly thought Mr. Bloom would change it back a few days later. There was no way of knowing he would die so quickly after.”
“You didn’t leave Declan a message?” Cara was incredulous.
He spread his hands wide. “In hindsight, I should have, but at the time, it wasn’t something I wanted to leave on a voicemail. I feel terrible about what’s happened to all of you. I know Declan was angry when the twins refused to contest the will with him—but they’re lawyers. They knew it was a losing battle. There were no grounds to challenge it.”
Cara’s mouth fell open. “That’s why they are all barely speaking now?”
Anger and resentment burned. They had never mentioned it to her, never asked her opinion—she was going to murder all of them!
