Free A Simple Twist of Fate by Helenkay Dimon Page A

for him and spend every cent in the bank account to do it. If Beck needed Sophie, Cal would figure out how to stay out of the way and let that happen, no matter how much he itched to shake the truth out of her now.
    He squeezed Leah’s hand. “I don’t doubt you or your concern for this family.”
    A soft smile played on Leah’s lips. “You did at first, with good reason. All I’m suggesting is we give Sophie more time. I think she’s worth the effort and Beck doesn’t seem to have a defense against her.”
    “Poor bastard.”
    “Maybe she’ll come clean and none of this will matter a few days from now. That’s what I did with Declan.”
    “No, you were honest with Declan from the beginning. You didn’t hide your anger at our family or dislike of the situation. Sophie is playing a different game. She’s pretending to be something she’s not.”
    “As I said, I think she wants to tell us, or at least tell Beck, about whatever secret is driving her.”
    “You really believe that?” The idea of scraping Beck off the ground after Sophie emotionally pummeled him was one of the things that kept Callen up at night.
    “I really want to.”
    “Meaning?”
    Leah nibbled on her lip. Her telltale sign of indecision. “Nothing.”
    An idea flashed in Callen’s brain. It flickered then clicked to full wattage. “Why, Ms. Baron, are you still investigating Sophie?”
    Leah dropped his hand and sat back in her chair. “How could you even—”
    Nice try
. “Skip the fake shock. That might work with the others but not with me.”
    “Right.” She exhaled. “But I’m really not.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “I’m befriending her. Truly, honestly, completely, and hoping that will give her whatever comfort she needs to come clean about this thing with your grandmother.”
    That was some woman-speak thing and Callen refused to get sucked into it. “That sounds like we’re saying the same thing.”
    “No, but that, my dear Cal, sums up why you’re not a people person.” That smug smile of satisfaction returned.
    “I think I’m lost.”
    “You’re being a guy.”
    He didn’t see a reason to duck that one. “Obviously.”
    “By that I mean you want to rush in and bumble your way through this by ordering everyone around and trying to solve it even though no one asked you to.”
    He picked at the label on the bottle. “Yeah, and?”
    “We have to step more carefully.”
    That was not the strategy he planned to use. “I like my way better.”
    “Of course you do, but it’s not going to work here. We’re dealing with something delicate that needs a softer touch.”
    The argument forming in his brain faded when Leah continued to stare him down. Whatever her plan was for solving this mess, she intended to implement it. Despite the message screaming through his brain to confront the Sophie issue head on, he knew he had to sit back, let her have a few days, then step in and demand answers as he’d wanted to do from day one.
    “Just figure it out fast. Beck’s getting wrapped up tighter about her every hour,” he said.
    “I’m on it.”
    Nothing about the promise eased Callen’s anxiety. He trusted Leah, but Sophie was a wild card.
    He was about to point that out when gravel crunched in the driveway outside. “Sounds like Declan’s home.”
    Leah didn’t do anything to hide her feelings for Declan and her joy at seeing him. The freedom and love in her smile burned away some of the frustration tumbling in Callen’s gut over Sophie. Declan had chosen well. Callen had to hope Beck possessed the same mate-finding skills.
    Leah stood up and brushed her hands down the front of her slim-fitting sweater as she moved to stare out the back window. “Then Operation Sophie will have to wait until tomorrow.”
    Oh, yeah. No question what was about to happen next. The one person in the house Callen didn’t have to worry about was Declan. He was doing just fine.
    The lucky bastard.
    Callen grabbed the bag of pretzels,