“You leave this glass out special for me?” he said as he poured himself some.

“I don’t want you involved in my business.”

“Too late.”

He added ice from the plain bucket next to her pitcher using the plastic tongs. Taking a test sip, he closed his eyes.

“Still tastes the same.”

“Why wouldn’t it?”

He hobbled over and took the stool next to her. “Where are all your waiters?”

“Your brother told ’em to go home, and he was right to.”

Edward frowned and looked to the flap doors. “So truly, no one came.”

“Nope.”

He had to laugh. “I hope there is a heaven and my father sees this. Or that there’s a telescope in hell.”

“I don’t have the energy to tell you to not speak ill of the dead.”

“So how much longer do you have?” he said without any preamble. “And I won’t tell Lane, I promise.”

Miss Aurora’s eyes narrowed on him. To the point where he could feel his butt twitch. “You watch yourself, Edward. I still got my spoon, and I may have the cancer, but you are not as fast as you used to be, either.”

“True enough. Now answer the question, and know if you lie to me, I’ll find out.”

Miss Aurora splayed her strong hands out over the counter. The dark skin was still beautiful and smooth, the clipped nails and lack of rings a constant because of her job.

In the silence that followed, he knew she was trying out a scenario where she did lie to him. He also knew, ultimately, she wasn’t going to fudge it. She was going to want someone to prepare Lane, and she was going to assume the truth: that for all of Edward’s withdrawal from the family, there were at least two things that he would not pull out of.

“I stopped the treatment,” she said eventually. “Too many side effects, and it wasn’t working anyway. And that’s why I mean it when I say you shouldn’t get involved in this.”

“Time. How much time?”

“Does it matter?”

So it was that little, he thought. “No, I guess it doesn’t, actually.”

“I’m not afraid, you know. My Savior will carry me in the palm of his hand.”

“Are you sure? Even now?”

Miss Aurora nodded and brought a hand up to her short weave of tight curls. “Especially now. I am ready for what is coming for me. I am prepared.”

Edward slowly shook his head back and forth—and then figured if she could be honest, so could he. In a voice that didn’t sound like his own, he heard himself say, “I really don’t want to get sucked into this family again. It nearly killed me once.”

“You’re free.”

“By a baptism of torture in that jungle.” He cursed. “But as you know … I can’t bear to see my brother in pain. You and I suffer from a similar weakness when it comes to Lane, just for different reasons.”

“No, it’s the same reason. Love is love. It is that simple.”

It was a while before he could look at her. “My life is ruined, you know. Everything that I’d planned … it’s all gone.”

“You will create a new path. And as for this?” She indicated all around herself. “Don’t save what doesn’t need saving.”

“Lane will not recover from your loss.”

“He is stronger than you know, and he has his Lizzie.”

“The love of a good woman.” Edward took another drink of the tea. “Did that sound as bitter as I think it did?”

“You don’t have to be no hero anymore, Edward. Let this take its proper course, and trust that the outcome is pre-determined and as it should be. But I do expect you to take care of your brother. In that, you shall not fail me.”

“I thought you said I don’t have to be a hero.”

“Don’t sass me. You know the difference.”

“Well, I will say that your faith has never failed to astound me.”

“And your self-determination has worked out so well?”

Edward toasted her. “Touché.”

“How did you find out?” Miss Aurora asked after a moment. “How did you know?”

“I have my ways, ma’am. I may be down, as they say, but I’m not out.” He frowned and looked around. “Wait a minute, where did that old clock go? The one that used to be on the icebox you had before this place was renovated?”

“The one that clicked?”

“Remember that sound?” They both laughed. “I hated it.”

“Me, too. But I’m getting it fixed right now. It broke a while ago, and I miss it. It’s funny how you can be lost without something you despise.”

He nursed his iced tea until it was gone. “That is not the case with my father.”

Miss Aurora smoothed the edges of her apron. “I don’t think there are many that miss him. Things happen for a reason.”

Edward got up and took his empty glass over to the sink. Putting it down, he looked out the window. The garages were across the way, and then to the left, extending out from the house, the business center was a wing bigger than most good-sized mansions.

“Edward, you let this go. What will be, will be.”

Probably good advice, but that wasn’t in his nature. Or at least, it had never been before.

And it looked like some parts of his old self weren’t dead yet.

THIRTY-ONE

As Sutton’s limousine came up to Easterly’s main gates and stopped, she frowned and leaned forward to address her driver.

“I guess we go right up?”

“Yes, ma’am, I think so. The way is open.”

Usually, for large affairs such as William Baldwine’s visitation, the Bradfords ran a system of buses up and down the hill with invitees leaving their cars off to be valet’d on the flats. But there were no uniformed parkers. No boxy, twelve-seater vehicles on the ascend or descend. Nobody else pulling in.

But at least the press was nowhere to be found. Undoubtedly, those vultures had been camping out from the moment the story had broken. Clearly, though, they had been shooed away in deference to a property owner’s right to use their own grass as a parking lot.

“I can’t believe no one is here,” she murmured.