When Thomas signed off, Kayla took the controller and killed the TV. “Amazing what one little old television program can do all by its little old self.”

“Hey, Okay Martin begged you to-”

“Sell my soul for a few minutes of fame before the bruises healed,” she cut in. “No thanks. I understand why St. Kilda shuns the spotlight.”

“Public theater is necessary for society.”

“So are public sewers.”

Rand gave up, laughed, and pulled her into his lap. “Speaking of things that float, do you suppose Elena watched the show?”

“I doubt it was televised in Brazil.”

He nuzzled against her hair. After all of it, she still smelled like cinnamon and vanilla. “Last time I talked to Joe, he was still wondering how you conned Grace and Steele into letting Elena get a slice of Bertone’s pie.”

“It was a very small slice. Microscopic, actually.”

“It was a big pie.”

“Her kids no more deserved poverty and privation than the kids in Camgeria. And there was no way to punish Elena without punishing them.”

Kayla leaned against Rand, remembered his injury, and straightened.

He pulled her back against his chest.

“Your ribs-”

“Are healed,” he said. “Cracked, not smashed, thanks to Joe’s body armor. I owe him a new set.”

Kayla savored the warmth of being close to Rand. After a few minutes she stirred and kissed his neck. “Are you going to do it?”

“Buy Joe body armor?”

“Keep working for St. Kilda.”

“I don’t know. But whatever happens, I’ve got a lot of painting to do for me. And for Reed.”

“I wish I’d known him,” Kayla said.

“He’d have loved you the same as I do.”

“We talking three-in-one-bed kind of love?”

“Hadn’t thought of that.”

“Well, don’t. One of you is all I can take.”

He laughed and held her while they watched twilight deepen into night.

“Rand?”

“Hmm?”

“If we have a boy, I want to call him Reed.”

Rand went still, then held her even closer. “We’d like that.”