“And you went, after she urged you.” Cait followed him as he paced around the coffee table.
“Only after my parents died. They were on their way to check out the school after I said I wasn’t going.” He leaned against the fireplace, as the familiar ache pierced his heart. “She made an appointment and I was supposed to drive up there, but I didn’t want to go.”
“Are you saying your parents went in your place?”
“Yes, they did.”
Cait drew in a gasp and clapped her hand over her mouth.
Brian’s gaze met her wide eyes. “It was my fault they died.”
“You don’t know that.” She shrank from him, backing herself toward the door. Swallowing hard, she pointed at him. “What happened next? Why did you ask me to marry you?”
“You needed me, Cait.”
“I did?” Two spots of red infused her otherwise pale cheeks.
“You did, and you thought I didn’t know.”
“Know what?” Her voice grew sharper. “What did you know?”
“Something you didn’t want your family to know.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Cait puffed herself up and came at him. “I married you to do you a favor because of your parents’ will. You didn’t want to lose the house.”
“Right.” He didn’t want to argue with her. She thought she’d had him fooled, but people always thought he was dumb. Just because he was quiet didn’t mean he was slow. He happened to have a photographic memory, and he remembered details, like times and dates, and things found in wastebaskets, or in her case, things that should have been there, but were not.
“Right,” she repeated. “So, now we have a problem on our hands. You think Glen’s your son, but you don’t know it. You announced it to the entire diner in Colson’s Corner, and word is sure to get back to Senator Thornton that we have his dogs and that you want Glen to come and live with us. Have I left anything out?”
“I contacted Glen on Twitter and he wants me to help him get away from school.”
“You have to delete your Twitter account immediately.” Cait grabbed her car keys. “The FBI could be on your tail right now. Conspiring to kidnap a senator’s son. How can I get it through your head that he’s a kid and you’re an adult?”
“I know that,” Brian grumbled. “I’m not an idiot.”
She closed her eyes and shook her head slowly. “I know you’re not, but you need help.”
“That’s why I need to talk to a lawyer. Let’s go back to San Francisco and figure out what to do.”
“What about them?” Cait pointed to the two dogs lying by the fireplace. “Mom’s allergic to dogs, and I can’t take them to our house.”
“Oh, right, then can you stay here while I go back?” Brian remembered that he should give her a kiss on the cheek when asking for a favor.
He kissed her cheek and gave her a hug, and she hugged him back.
“Sure, but you have to promise me you won’t talk to Glen on social media. Do everything your lawyer says, and don’t try to reach out to him, or you’ll be in big trouble.”
“Promise.” Brian took the keys to the Subaru Outback.
“Wait, take my car,” Cait said, handing him the keys to her Toyota. “If I have to schlep the dogs around, I need the larger car.”
“Okay.” He gave her another kiss for good measure, and she seemed to enjoy it. “You’re the best. Maybe Linx will watch the dogs for us, and you can come with me.”
“Yeah, that means I have to go into town and find her at the shelter,” Cait said. “You take care of yourself, okay? And no doing anything crazy.”
“I promise, I won’t.” Brian gave her his scout’s honor salute. “I’m glad you understand me.”
“I try.” She flashed him a smile, but the two lines between her eyebrows didn’t disappear.
She had a secret, and he knew what it was, but she didn’t know he knew.
Just like Alana, who thought he’d never figure out Glen was his son.
Brian pulled the locket out of his pocket and smiled. He had proof, and he was going to take care of his son no matter who stood in his way.
