Faked - Karla Sorensen Page 0,27

got married?"

From the kitchen, Lia burst into hysterical laughter.

Paige smiled, her shoulders sinking as her rare outburst of watery emotion dried up. "You were terrors, created for the sole purpose of destroying my sanity."

I nodded. "Testing the boundaries of someone new to a parental role is completely developmentally normal and expected for situations like that."

Leaning her shoulder against the doorjamb, Lia joined us, watching the scene with a grin. "I did some of my best work those first few months you were around."

"Remember the lizard in the shower?" I asked.

My sister's face took on a dreamy quality. "Her screams were a thing of beauty."

Paige rolled her eyes, which made Lia laugh heartily.

At the sight of her smile, I felt something uncoil inside me. A cool sweep of relief because all morning, we'd danced around each other.

When she was on edge, I couldn't help but absorb some of that energy. It was the same way with her.

Our unease might have been born from different places, but I could tell that we were doing this particular sidestep all last night and early that morning because we didn't need to add to our current supply by unconsciously adding the other person’s.

Lia was uneasy because a relatively innocent plan had turned into something far larger. She couldn't help these people she loved, and she was still annoyed at her friend for not giving her (and by extension me) a heads-up. All of that left her feeling uncomfortable and out of control.

I knew because I could feel the edges of it. Like she stepped into water, and that water was lapping up against me.

I was uneasy, because I was about to spend twenty-four hours with Finn's parents, who knew I lied to them. Because a rich dude was impressed with my random yet-so-far useless knowledge of childhood development. And because last night, standing in the parking lot, Bauer Davis basically told me he wanted to kiss me, and that it was entirely in my control to make that happen.

Yeah. That was nothing I needed Lia to absorb.

It was hard enough and took enough time to hone my ability not to be swayed emotionally when Finn was around because I didn't want her to feel it.

This was something else. Not bigger—because my crush on Finn, which was hardly the problem right now—but big in a different way.

Paige and Lia started swapping stories, and I slowly lowered my hand from where it was still resting on Paige's back because I hadn't thought about Finn once since Bauer left the night before.

Not once.

His half-brother, bold and unapologetic and tattooed and fearless and completely opposite of him in every way, wanted to kiss me and would probably have the opportunity to if I wanted, and I hadn't thought about Finn once.

It wasn't easy, but I tried to keep the confused furrow from my brow as I made my bed, simply to busy myself in a way that wouldn't show my face. My sisters chattered away, oblivious to the way my brain had started spinning in circles, wobbling dangerously off-kilter at the realization.

"Claire," Iz said. "Earth to Claire."

After tugging on one last wrinkle in my bedspread, I smoothed my face as well and turned. "Sorry, what?"

"Do you have thick socks packed?" Paige asked.

I blinked. "Umm. I have normal socks packed, why?"

"It's cold up there, and they're supposed to get snow."

Rubbing a hand across my forehead. "Snow? It's spring."

"It's the mountains," Paige said. "You should pack wool socks."

"I'll be in a mansion, you guys. I'm pretty sure it'll have heat."

Iz grinned. "Bauer can keep her feet warm."

Speaking of warm, my face was probably bright-ass red.

Lia scoffed. "He better not."

"Damn right, he better not," Paige said.

Isabel grinned at me. "Pretty sure that's up to Claire, not you two."

"Claire does not go for guys like Bauer," Lia argued. "She likes her men sane and kind and polite and not liable to drunkenly cuss someone out."

I held up my hands. "Okay, enough. Bauer isn't needed to keep anything of mine warm. I've been keeping my own feet nice and toasty, all by myself, thank you very much."

Lia smirked. "If you say so."

Isabel tapped a finger against her chin. "I need a new foot warmer. Mine broke last week."

"I have your brother," Paige said around an unrepentant grin.

"Gross," the three of us replied in perfect unison.

I pressed my hands to blazing hot cheeks. "Okay, he will be here any minute. Please ... just ... don't embarrass me, Paige."

"Me?" Her eyes widened dramatically.

"There's no chance you'd