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She ht, anchoring her hair in a ponytail while the strands were still wet It was her mother’s hair, and she’d alrabbed the scissors, she’d remembered the way her mother used to brush and braid it, the way her father used to call her Mini Kerry, after heron the ends

Her brother Her beautiful Robby

We’re sorry, Miss Lane, but your brother was thrown--

Nope, not going there Thinking about him opened wounds that had never really healed So, she always rehts before they had ti her chin, she marched out of her room and decided to check on her sister first But Laila’s bedroom was empty, the bed unh the living roon of her sister--and into the kitchen Nicola breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted Laila at the table, her head resting in her upraised palm A cup of tea steamed in front of her

"Don’t talk," her sister croaked "Justdon’t"

"Hangover?"

Laila groaned "Co Co! Please"

"Sorry," she whispered Nicola fixed a cup of tea for herself, and sipped at the hot, sweetened liquid

"You should eat the fruit," a roan

Nicola’s heart sped into a faster beat as she twisted to face Koldo He wore the sa white shirt and pants he’d worn at the hospital There were lines of tension branching from his eyes A tension that ht

He paused to look her up and down, and his jaw dropped He began a"Youyou"

"Yes?" she asked hopefully Are beautiful? Stunning? Worth trying to kiss again?

"Are wearing the clothing I picked for you" A croak

"Yes" She waited He said nothing ot? The obvious? "I’ll eat if you eat," she gruht for a moment, nodded stiffly and sat at the table Nicola eased into the chair beside hies, strawberries, bananas and melon She selected a strawberry and bit into the center, the juice running down her throat and h to et Koldo’s lack of appreciation for her makeover Almost

He reached out and swiped a droplet that had dribbled onto her chin Her eyes widened as he brought the finger to his reed, a husky note to his voice

Her skin tingled where he’d touched her, burning in the aze lowered to where his finger had been, a glealowed in his eyes

Okay, so she finally forgot

"You’re in better spirits today," he said

She liked that he was so attuned to her "I am"

"Why?"

Her unease with yesterday’s kiss was private, so to be shared even with her beloved twin "So," she said, changing the subject "Who decorated your house?"

There was a pause before he shrugged, and said, "I did," surprising her What, no pushing for an answer? No deep concern for what had bothered her?

You’re a mess "Just so I’m clear, you decorated every room?"

"Yes, every room"

"Butthere’s so much pink in mine"

"And I can’t like pink?"

Her eyes widened "The rooer and foolish, I hoped ether "Never mind"

Hoped hismother would stay with him? What had uys, but I’m in desperate need of a thousand profees" Laila stood, pushing back her chair "Andshower and a TV marathon of How I Met Your Mother"

"Profees?" Koldo asked

"Ibuprofen," Nicola explained