Lakeshore Secrets: The McAdams Sisters - Kate McAdams (By The Lake Series Book 1) by Shannyn Leah Page B

care.” Her voice was lost with sorrow.
    Was she serious?  Everything she had given up was for her, Abby, her other siblings, and her father! Did she think that their trust funds for college had just appeared out of thin air! No, she thought they were secretly created by their mother before her passing, just as arranged.
    “Oh enough,” Kate snapped, immediately allowing guilt to wash through her body, like a wild wave slamming against the sandy beach shore. Abby was hurting. “You know I care,” she said more softly, directing her around the corner towards the elevators.
    “You have a funny way of showing it, moving across the country.”
    Lots of people went away to school, that was life.
    When they arrived at the mirrored elevators, Kate pressed the button furiously, letting her sister go. If she ran, Kate was mentally prepared to chase her down the long halls in her heels, and she was prepared to tackle her to the ground, even in the tight fitted dress.
    “This was important today Abby, and you were expected to be there and you snuck away.” That wasn’t the worst part. “You didn’t even let any of us know where you were, or that you were okay.” If she couldn’t handle attending the visitations, she should have told them, not hidden unaccounted for all day long!
    Abby leaned against the wall and crossed her arms to match her ankles. “So, let me get this straight. You would like me to check in with you for the few days that you’re here and when you leave, we can reside our normal lives of no contact. Is that right?”
    They texted each other every day! All their sisters did, but this sister was just being abnormally frustrating. It is because she is hurting.
    “I would rather you talk to me instead of pushing me away with insults.”
    “I would rather not talk at all.”
    That would probably be wise, at least until they got to her room, where the walls weren’t listening. “Finally, we agree on something.”
    “Whatever’s easiest for you. It’s kinda like running away.”
    Argh! She was relentless!
    “Or sleeping with your married boss.”
    “Abby!” she cried horrified. Boy, Peyton had a big mouth.
    Her appalled squeal wasn’t the only sound that rang out Abby’s name. Isabelle Caliendo, the youngest of the clan, waved erratically making her way down the hall, directly towards them.
    From the not so innocent grin her sister flashed Izzy, it left no doubt in Kate’s mind that the finger clicking texting madness the whole ride here was them preparing a getaway plan.
    The friends embraced in a long, overly exaggerated hug, meshing together their similar outfits consisting of tights and long chiffon blouses like twisting sheets hung along a clothes line on a windy day.
    “Hey, fancy running into you here,” Izzy said, pulling away and squeezing her friend’s arms.
    Fancy? What young adult used such terminology, unless rehearsed, and was that a wink she caught from Izzy? No doubt.  Little brats, she thought forcing a half smile. Kate was exhausted and now found herself preparing for another fight.
    “Abby, why don’t you come to dinner?” Izzy suggested.  “With me and the family,” she added
    Kate crossed her arms skeptically watching the women’s getaway plan unfold. Dinner? She didn’t buy for one second they planned on going to dinner.
    The elevator doors opened. Kate tugged her sister inside with Izzy chatting away and joining them inside. She couldn’t very well forbid the blonde from entering the elevator, since her family owned it, but the thought did cross her mind.
    Abby was agreeing to Izzy’s plans as the door was shutting.  Kate was strategizing a game plan to prevent losing sight of her sister in fear she would lose the opportunity to speak to her before the funeral. And, they absolutely had to speak before that funeral, so Abby didn’t have her breakdown there.
    A hand slipped between the closing doors and a deep voice asked them to hold the elevator. Kate pressed