Pride and Papercuts (The Austens #5) - Staci Hart Page 0,92
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Laney’s accusation against Catherine followed me, niggling at my thoughts until I mentioned them to Georgie. Once we looked, it didn’t take much to find traces and trails that didn’t make sense, invoices and emails. It was enough to solidify the suspicion that she was, in fact, involved. I only had to take what I’d found to Catherine and hear what she had to say.
So we’d dropped our bags at home and headed to the firm.
The offices were busy as they ever were, and we made our way through the galley, greeting people when greeted. Catherine was due back from lunch, so Georgie and I made for our offices where we could clear out desks while we waited.
But once the door closed and I was alone for the first time in a week, the silence deafened me.
The unfamiliar sense of hopelessness was perhaps the hardest emotion to grapple with, the most persistent, elbowing to make room for itself in my heart. I was the reason for so much unhappiness, for the misery of my sister, for the ways I’d hurt Laney. And then there was the matter of my own unhappiness, driven by the things I wanted and could never have. And all because I was everything Laney had accused me of.
I felt every word she’d said in anger and gladness both. They hurt equally, one for her rightness and one for her joy that I’d never see again. She was gone, and it was for the best. I couldn’t go on having to see her every day. At least now it was over. I’d said what I needed to say, told her the truth and hoped she understood. But I meant what I’d written—I didn’t expect anything from her. How could I after all I’d done?
Georgie said I didn’t have closure, though I disagreed per the finality of Laney’s words. The letter, she insisted, left a window open. That deep down, a candle still burned on the sill with the hope that she’d come back. But it was an impossibility that she’d absolve me. And that was okay.
Or that was what I was working toward. Acceptance. It seemed a thousand miles away, but with one foot in front of the other, I’d get there. Eventually.
I’d told Georgie about the letter too, as well as the lies Wyatt had spun. The knowledge made her even more miserable. Laney had tried to talk to Georgie about Wyatt, Georgie said, but they’d misunderstood each other. Georgie blamed herself for Wyatt tangling himself up in Laney—she’d had a chance to step in, but she hadn’t. And it didn’t matter how I tried to soothe her, it didn’t work. Instead, she sent Laney a brief apology via text and they made coffee plans on our return to clear it all up.
And I hated that the thought gave me hope.
I spent an unknown amount of time staring through my laptop screen before Caroline came in wearing a shrewd smile.
“Oh, good. You’re back,” she said, moving to sit without being asked. “How was your trip?”
“Fine. Everything is running smoothly here, I presume?”
“It is. We’re still waiting on the final word, so we’ve been in a holding pattern.”
“We’ll know soon enough.”
“I think they’ll pick yours. How could they not? It was inspired.”
By Laney.
“You’ve missed all the fun,” she said with a wicked smile. “Catherine has been on a rampage since you left. It’s a good thing Laney went back to the bookstore. Catherine torched her on the spot when she got Laney alone, and I’d hate to think what would happen if she dared come back.”
I stilled. “She did what?”
“Which part?”
“Both.”
“Well, Laney came here the day after you left, looking for you, I assume. But she found Catherine instead, and it devolved into a battle royale of insults. Catherine’s convinced you’re seeing Laney in secret and wanted details from the source. Threats were made—by Catherine, of course. What could Laney do about anything?”
“And I wonder who gave Catherine the idea that I was seeing Laney?”
“Oh, come on. Everyone can see it, Liam,” she fired. “Anyway, I almost feel sorry for the Bennets. Between Catherine’s vendetta over Evelyn, the fact that Jett Bennet slept with your sister, and Laney Bennet having a thing for you, Catherine’s well on her way to some Old Testament, scorched-earth destruction.”
Laney? Feelings for me beyond her hate? But the thought was set aside for later at Laney’s voice in my mind.