Soft snowflakes fell, leaving a hush over the surrounding wilderness. Sorene took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the silence before getting out of her Jeep and entering the Wilde home.

When she entered the house, Zoe met her at the door.

“Where have you been? Cat came home thirty minutes ago.”

“Did you ask her?”

“No.”

“Well, if you had, she would have informed you that I drove…a friend home. Why? Were you worried about me?” Zoe didn’t worry about anyone but herself.

“I needed to talk to you.”

“What about?” Though Sorene had an idea.

“You need to talk to Dad. I can’t work at Wilde Log Homes anymore.”

“You’ve only worked there one day, and yes, you can. We all have. Now it’s your turn. Since you refuse to return to school, you need a job. No Wilde sits on their backside all day.”

“But I don’t want to work there,” Zoe whined.

“Then find other employment. Until that fateful day, you will work at Wilde Log Homes.”

“That’s not fair.” Zoe stamped her foot.

“Life isn’t fair.” She hated the parental tone coming out of her mouth. What she wouldn’t give to talk with Zoe like they were sisters. That probably wouldn’t ever happen since Zoe had been nine when their mother died. Sorene had been her mother longer than their own mother.

“I won’t have time to find another job if I’m stuck in the office all day.”

“You’ll have to figure it out.”

“I’m talking to Dad about this.”

“You do that.”

It would sure as heck give her a break from the constant arguing.

Oh, goodnight, she was tired. She needed to talk to their dad, too, about Quinn, but that would have to wait until morning. Jack was most likely already asleep.

“You should head to bed,” Sorene told Zoe.

“Now you’re imposing a bedtime for me? A curfew? Geez, you aren’t my mother.”

“You’re right, I’m not.” For the first time since her mother died, Sorene was angry with her. She’d put her life on hold, sacrificed everything because Nicola Wilde had to go and die. Guilt quickly chased the anger, leaving her feeling incredibly tired.

Exhausted, she headed up the open, log staircase, wanting her bed.

The front door crashed open. “Sorene!”

She turned midway up the stairs to find Ryder storming in. If steam escaped his ears, she wouldn’t have been surprised.

“What’s wrong?” She rushed down the stairs. “Someone hurt?”

“Yes,” Ryder gritted out. “I’ve just spent the last few hours with Leia. You had her in tears.”

“Leia?” Her back immediately went up. “Are you kidding me?”

“Why did you say those things to her? It isn’t like you to be a bitch.”

The word had her stepping back. “Me, a bitch?”

“Yes, you said hurtful things to her tonight.”

“Wait? Do you know Leia Atwood at all? She tortured me all my life and you’re upset with me for finally stepping up to her?”

“You don’t know her.”

“And you do?”

“I’ve gotten to know her really well since I’ve been working on the Atwood remodel. I like her.”

“Like her?” What did that mean? “Please tell me you only like her as a customer.”

Ryder flushed and didn’t meet her eyes.

“You are not dating her, are you?”

“We’ve become close, yes.”

“Come on, you know Leia Atwood picked on me viciously in school and still takes pot shots at me. She ruined what was between Ash and me.”

“You ruined that on your own by breaking up with him. That didn’t have anything to do with Leia, and you don’t have the right to hold it against her.”

Sorene curled her lips over her teeth to keep from saying anything more. While he was half right, there was still plenty to hold against Leia.

“As for what happened between the two of you in school, don’t you think it’s time you got over that? You’re an adult now, and tonight you acted like a child.”

His words hit her like arrows dipped in poison. “How serious are you and Leia?” Oh, goodnight, what if he married her? She couldn’t have her nemesis as a sister-in-law.

“That’s none of your business,” he gritted out through clenched teeth.

“Yes, it is. If you plan on bringing her into this family, it is very much my business.”

He barked out a sound that was part laugh and part scoff. “Don’t worry, I don’t plan to marry for a long time. But that doesn’t mean you can treat Leia like you did tonight.”

“She’s got you bamboozled. Leia is not a good person.”

“She’s good with me, and you need to apologize.”

“When wolverines mate with hares.”

“You need to get over yourself and the past, Sorene.” Ryder stomped back out the door, slamming it behind him.

“Looks like you’re pissing everyone off,” Zoe said from the corner of the couch in the living room.

“Have you been eavesdropping this whole time? And don’t use that word.”

“Hey, I was here first, and I’ll use pissed if I want to. You’re the one with the problem with swear words. I’m perfectly fine expressing myself colorfully. So, what happened between Leia and Ash? Why do you hate her so much?”

“I don’t…hate her.” Just extremely dislike, abhor even. Hate is such a strong word.

“Right. You’re lying to yourself. I’d hate anyone who bullied me in school. And if she got her hooks into Ash Bleu, who is dreamy by the way, I’d want to scratch her eyes out and leave her for the ravens to pick the meat off her bones.”

Sorene choked out a laugh. She did enjoy the image Zoe painted. “When did you see Ash? How do you even know about him?”

“Come on, I remember the two of you. Just because I was young when you were dating doesn’t mean I don’t remember him. He was here all the time. You two were thick as birch syrup. You grossed me out with all your handholding and lip locking. I saw him at Pulse this morning. You should tap that. God knows it would mellow you out.”

“I don’t need to mellow out.”

Zoe scoffed. “Of all the people I know, you are the tightest wound.”

“I am not.”

“Are too.”

Geez, she was having the same argument with Zoe that she’d had with Cat earlier. Could there be something to it?

So, she hadn’t had sex in ten years. She was too busy to miss it…much. Yet, she’d almost suggested to Ash they get in the backseat of her Jeep, when they’d been fogging up the windows tonight.

“I really need to get to bed.” Sorene rubbed a hand over her eyes.

“Yes, you do.” Zoe smirked.

She didn’t respond and climbed the stairs.

Tomorrow looked to be as unpredictable as today. She needed to get the lowdown from Jack on Quinn’s health and somehow figure out how to work with Ash.