They move through the living room toward the door. I’m sure we’re safe and we’ve pulled this off when Tabby stops short.
“Dad... what’s that?”
I suck in another breath, going still as I peek through the crack in the door.
Tabby’s pointing at the coffee table where, sitting in plain sight, is my lip gloss. The pink tube couldn’t be more obvious as it sits there, the tiny cartoon strawberries on the tube standing out more than ever.
“Crap,” I whisper under my breath, quiet enough only I can hear.
“That?” Silver spares a quick glance, obviously thinking on his feet. “That… must be yours. Isn’t it? From last time you were here.”
“That’snotmine.” Tabby picks it up, turning it over in her hands like she’s examining evidence at a crime scene. “I hate lip gloss. You know it’s so gross how sticky it makes my lips feel. I only wear ChapStick.”
“You sure? Maybe one of your friends left it last time they came over?”
“Dad, it’s been months since I’ve had any friends over your place.” Tabby sets the tube of lip gloss down and peers up at her father with an arched brow. “Are you seeing somebody new?”
Her question is met with the most excruciatingly awkward silence as Silver’s as thrown off as I am. His ears turn red as the gears seem to turn in his head and he thinks up how to respond.
“It’s okay if you are,” Tabby goes on. “Mom is. She thinks we don’t know about Fred, but we totally do. Jack saw them kissing in the driveway when she thought we were both asleep. Why else is she dumping us off on you for Spring Break? She and him are going off somewhere, right? How long have they been together? Dad… did she leave you for him?”
“That’s adult business,” Silver says firmly, using his dad voice. “You and Jack need to stay out of it.”
She studies him for a moment longer, squinting up at her father as if she’s debating whether or not to push the subject. Then she seems to decide it’s not worth it. At least not right now.
She looks from him to the lip gloss to the abandoned container of food on the coffee table and the movie paused on the TV screen, and it’s obvious she knows something’s up.
“Fine,” she huffs. “But I am excited about Spring Break though. It’ll be fun staying here for a whole week. We never get to spend much time together anymore.”
A whole week.
My heart clenches as I realize Spring Break starts next week. I can’t stay here with his kids around, but the thought of returning to sleeping at home where Kel died practically gives me an anxiety attack.
“Yeah, Peanut, it’ll be great,” Silver says. He gives his daughter a parting hug, asking her to tell Jack he says hi.
“Okay. Bye, Dad. Enjoy your... tacos.” She almost smirks at him as she turns and leaves.
Once I’m sure Tabby’s gone, I walk out the guest bathroom, my nerves still shot from the close call.
Silver’s standing in the middle of the living room, running his hands through his hair, jaw clenched.
“That was… that was too damn close,” he says without looking at me.
“I know.”
He sighs, his shoulders losing their straight posture as if pulled down by invisible weights. “I hate lying to her. She’s my daughter, and I stood there and lied right to her face.”
“I don’t like it either,” I admit, frowning. “You know, since I’ve started phone therapy and journaling, one thing Dr. Cortez mentioned was that keeping secrets can be toxic. It can really eat at you from the inside and destroy your mental health over time. Keeping everything bottled up is part of what made me so vulnerable before. It made me an easy target.”
Silver finally glances at me, his expression conflicted.
“We’re not doing anything wrong,” I explain, stepping closer. “We’re both consenting adults. You’re not married anymore. I’m twenty—almosttwenty-one—which is a grown woman. We care about each other. Why should we have to hide like it’s something shameful?”
“Solana—”
“Maybe we should just tell people,” I go on boldly. “Come clean about us. Yes, Uncle Eddie might be upset at first, and…and Moses’ll probably lose his mind, but they’ll get over it eventually. They’ll have to. Your kids might be shocked, but they’ll adjust. Rachel and you are divorced, and she’s dating someone new. People will talk, but they already talk about everything in this town anyway.”
“No,” he answers immediately, leaving little room to question him. “We can’t do that.”
