“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Of course you do.”
“Huh . . . He’s not much of a talker, so I figured I’d match his silence.”
“Right. I’ll pretend I believe that.”
“What are you implying?”
“It’s not an implication. The energy between you two is thick enough to touch.”
“You’ve got quite the imagination, baby.”
Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. When I look back at him, I see a flush creeping up his cheeks. As tempted as I am to push a little more, something tells me Theo doesn’t want to open up in front of the other man, so I change the subject.
“Did they say when you’ll be discharged?”
“Tomorrow, it looks like.”
“Want to come stay at my place?”
He glances quickly over my shoulder. It seems unconscious, but I can sense the anxiety. “I don’t know. I think I’d rather be alone for a bit.” Then, as if remembering something, he watches me carefully. “Have you read today’s paper?”
“No, thanks. I usually catch a news summary in the late afternoon. Starting the day with bad news isn’t one of my top three favorite things.”
“Lilly . . .”
The hesitation in his voice tells me Theo isn’t saying everything. Instead of pressing him, I turn to the other man.
“My brother?” I’m doing my best to control the trembling in my body, but since I’ve already talked to Amos today, that leaves Ethan.
Even so, I try to reason. If something had happened to him, Amos would’ve come here himself to tell me.
The man shakes his head no. “Your stepfather.”
Maybe that makes me a bad person, but I immediately relax. “What’s wrong with Ramon?” I ask Theo.
“He was arrested.”
“Arrested? Why?”
Theo stares at me, then says, “You’d better ask your boyfriend. I have a feeling he knows a lot more about it than anyone else.”
Chapter 59
When I leave, the guards are waiting for me in the hospital hallway.
God, it must be incredibly boring to guard someone all day.
As soon as I get into the back of the car, Ethan calls. I was bracing for a storm. I thought he’d lose it after what happened yesterday and go straight after Amos. My brother tends to be explosive when things spiral out of his control. So I’m surprised—and a little suspicious—when he speaks in a measured tone.
I ask about Ramon, and he gives me a summary of the events without going into detail. Then he mentions that Nora wants a divorce, which doesn’t surprise me in the least. The only thing that matters to our mother is how she looks to society.
He also explains that my name and Theo’s won’t appear in the news.
That’s what my brother does—he fixes problems.
I get the feeling his mind is always racing and he’ll never be able to relax.
