"I don't want to guess what will happen with Brenda or Maddie but I know we're coming back to you," I said, pressing a finger to her lips. "All I want to hear is whether you want to stay in this house, this town—or if you want to find somewhere new for our family. And yes, that family does include Percy's brother Bagel."
"He'd riot if Bagel wasn't included."
"He'd tear this place apart brick by brick." I set her beside me on the mattress and then stood, yanking off my shirt as I went. Her gaze tracked my every move. The jeans followed. I shifted to the head of the bed, pulling down the sheets and blankets. "Come here," I said, beckoning her closer.
Weary eyes stared back at me but then a smile tugged the corner of her mouth and she crawled between the sheets. She tucked herself into my side when we met in the middle, her head on my shoulder and her hair silky where it spilled over my arm.
"You're sure you don't want me to come with you?" she asked.
"To hang around a hotel for a few days while I deal with the contractors working at Brenda's place? Or hang around the courthouse while the judge meets with Percy? No, princess, you don't need any of that in your life. And you have that math curriculum meeting and then you need time to set up your classroom."
She murmured as if she didn't like that response. "Bagel is really going to miss his brother."
"He loves that dog," I said, sweeping my palm down her back. "And he loves you too."
"Stop it," she said, hiding her face in my chest.
"No." I kissed the crown of her head. "I thought I knew what it meant to love you, but seeing my son love you a little more every day? And seeing you love him right back?" I pressed a hand to my chest. "I wasn't prepared for how hard it would hit me. How inadequate it feels to say I love you. But I need you to know there's nothing I won't do for you two. Whatever wrecking balls come our way, I'm ready for them. Even your parents and all the socially appropriate husbands they send after you."
"I love you too," she whispered. "But it's about time I deal with them. Once and for all."
"You could take them apart one-handed," I said. "That's how fucking strong you are, princess."
"I don't always feel that strong."
"You're not supposed to," I said, twisting her hair around my palm. "You're not supposed to carry heavy shit all the time. It's being able to put it down that builds the strength."
Audrey nodded against my chest though it didn't feel much like agreement. I reached over and switched off the bedside lamp. Darkness fell on the room and the patchworked quiet of suburbia settled around us.
"Wait. Is this finance guy the one who walked you to the door?" I gave her hair a slight tug. "The night we came in from Michigan?"
An extraordinary pause and then, "Yeah."
"Motherfuck." I slapped the sheets with my free hand. "I knew I should've broken his nose when I had the chance."
"It's good that you didn't."
"Debatable, Saunders. Highly debatable."
chapter fifty-eight
Audrey
Today's vocabulary word: instigate
My stomach wasa swirling cauldron of stress and anxiety and pure, uncut rage. It simmered the entire trip to my parents' house in the Hamptons, so much that my heart thudded in my chest and my jaw ached from clenching. I wanted to press a finger to the place where it twisted inside me, to hold it down and suffocate the strength from it.
I might've been able to do that if not for the prenuptial agreement that'd been delivered to my door this morning.
Silly me to think I'd seen the last of Brecken Wilhamsen. For another woman living another life, he'd probably make for a thoroughly adequate husband. Hell, there was a time when I was that different woman and I would've taught myself how to be content with him. But I wasn't her anymore.
I knew it wouldn't make me any less swirly and stressy but I opened my phone and went to the link Jude sent last night when he'd arrived in Saginaw, one with all our missing messages. It opened on that day, the one where it'd all fallen apart.
Audrey,
What the hell is going on? Why aren't you answering your phone?
Call me. I'm freaking out over here.
