“Jack!” I stepped onto the trail. “Hey!”
“Sis, how’s it going?” Jack pulled me into a hug and introduced me to the woman he was walking with. “Jules, this is Sadie. Sadie, this is my twin—” Jack’s words trailed off as his eyes flitted to Patrick, who, to my surprise, hadn’t moved to meet them.
All of the joy on Jack’s face melted into a confused frown. His eyes narrowed, and I immediately noticed his “mad vein” pulsing over his temple. Pat slowly moved toward us.
Jack’s voice was taut. “What are you doing with my sister?”
Blood drained from my face. Red climbed Pat’s neck. Sadie’s eyes widened. Did Pat and Jack know each other? My heart thrashed. What on earth—
Pat opened his mouth to speak, but Jack stole his opportunity. His words were clipped. “Julia, where did you meet this guy?”
“What’s your problem?” I grabbed his arm. “Pat lives at my complex. We’re friends.”
“What’s my problem?” Jack was usually difficult to rattle. So the fiery anger pulling at the corners of his eyes terrified me. He swallowed before he spoke, in an attempt to not become unhinged. “This guy’s a felon. He’s got a heck of a record.”
My blood froze in my veins. Felon?
I didn’t look at Pat for fear he would confirm what Jack was saying. My world spun. It couldn’t be true. Words stuck in my throat. “Jack—you must be mistaken—”
“Not in the slightest. I pulled him over a while back, and he was acting so shifty and weird I looked him up to see what his story was.” Jack’s chest heaved, and his fists clenched by his sides.
Nausea twisted my stomach. I couldn’t believe this. Sadie chewed her lip and clutched her purse to her chest, Jack’s nostrils flared, and my stomach was dangerously close to rejecting the sub.
Hadn’t I known something was off? I’m so stupid!
Had I been taken for a fool? Is prison where he’d been all these years? Suddenly everything made sense. The loneliness and depression, the dog, the Pleasant Gap house, the just now finding out about whatever-her-name-is being dead! Anger replaced the fear in my chest, and I whirled around to face Pat. Accusation jumped into my tone. “Is what he’s saying true?”
Pat tipped his head toward the ground and palmed the back of his neck. His jaw slacked on an exhale. “Jules, I can explain—”
I exploded. “—What? I can’t believe this!”
“—it’s not what it seems.”
Jack scoffed.
“It’s not? Because what itseemsis you intentionally withheld the fact you have a felony record.” I brought my hands to the sides of my face, counter-pressuring the tears forming. My voice wobbled. “What the crap, Patrick?” Jack and Sadie melted away from my awareness. “I trusted you even against my better judgment.”
His voice was urgent, pleading. “Please listen, Jules, I need to tell you something.” I could’ve listened to him, but I didn’t want to. He had hundreds of opportunities to tell me. Of all the times we’d talked about our past. All his vague terms and one word answers.
“No! Anything you have to say should’ve been said already.”
Pat lowered his voice as Jack moved Sadie past us a few steps. I hated we were ruining Jack’s date. “I know. You’re right. I was scared to tell you.”
“This is why I need to trust my intuition more.” I put my hand on my stomach as the waves of nausea grew in intensity. “I knew there was something off with you.”
Pat reached to grab my hand, and I jerked it back. “Don’t touch me.”
His hazel eyes had gone liquid, and he blinked a couple times. “Please, don’t go. It’s a long story. Let me explain it to you.”
I shook my head. Was I more angry at him for not telling me or more angry at myself for not listening to the warning signs? “I need some space. I’ll have Jack take me home.” I turned on my heel and barked an order at my twin. “Take me home.”
Jack turned back to Pat, wanting to get the last word in. “Leave her alone, or you’ll have me to deal with.”
Before we walked out of eye sight, I turned to look at Pat one more time. He had sunk onto the bench and his head hung in his hands, elbows propped on his knees. I thought about all we had been through together. Hot tears burned trails on my face, and my heart squeezed. I adjusted the purse strap on my shoulder with shaking hands.
The park was a peaceful mockery to the war waging in my heart. Ducks skimmed the water in silence, and birds sang in the trees. The breeze picked up the ends of my hair and ruffled the bottom of the dress I’d chosen. I’d picked it because Pat had told me last week his favorite color was blue. He was no friend; I wanted to look beautiful for him.
I am so stupid.
