“Thank you, Soren,” she says.
“For what?”
“I guess for not killing me.” She smirks, then she turns and heads for the door.
I want to tell her to stop, to come back. Beg her to stay so we can work through this. And while I have always been a selfish man, something about her makes me not want to be with her. The last thing I want to do is cause her more pain. I’ve already done enough of that.
THIRTY-SEVEN
CRESSIDA
The time Oliverand I spend with my family is really good, but I miss home. I haven’t heard from Soren since I left. I didn’t think I would, but you know, there’s always that little devil on your shoulder that whispers to you.
Mine needs to shut up.
I’m sitting at the firepit when Izzy approaches. Her daughter is currently running around chasing chickens while Oliver chases her. It’s so cute.
“How is Noah?” she asks.
My other sister, Anna, sits on the opposite side of the fire, holding a glass of wine. Their husbands are inside watching a game as our father is preparing food. Our mother comes over with two glasses and passes me one before she takes the seat next to me.
“He’s doing well. He sent me an invite to his wedding. I told him I regretfully decline.”
“And how is Soren?” Izzy asks, smiling behind her glass of wine.
“Soren? Who is that?” my mother asks.
“Google Soren Nixon,” Izzy tells Anna. And Anna immediately grabs her phone. I know the second she gets to aphotograph of him because her eyes go wide, and she stares up at me. Her gaze flicks to Izzy, who nods in confirmation before she looks back at me.
“Who is that man?” Anna asks with a sly grin.
“He’s Cres’s new friend,” Izzy unhelpfully says.
“He’s my boss,” I correct.
Anna hands the phone to our mother, who raises her brows when she sees the image.
“You like this man?” Mom questions.
“No.”
“Now, Cressida, you know not to lie to your mother,” Mom chides.
I look over to where Oliver is and let out a sigh. “I do, but I can’t be with him.”
“Why?” Izzy asks.
“I haven’t told you what happened.”
“What happened?” Mom prods.
I’m sitting with the three most important women in my life. I heave out a breath because I know they’re going to kill me for not telling them before now. But everything happened so fast that night, and afterward, I didn’t want to think about it anymore. Didn’t want to relive the panic clawing at my chest or the silence that followed when I realized he was gone.
“I went to pick up Oliver from the after-school program, like I usually do when I have to work late, but when I got to the school, he wasn’t there.”
My mom puts her hand over her heart, and her gaze searches for Oliver before she lets out a relieved breath. That small motion, the way her shoulders drop, and the tremor in her exhale nearly undoes me.
My voice is shaking, but I stay put together as I continue, “Soren’s sister hates me. She believes I’m the reason Soren cuther off financially. So, she decided the best form of payback was to take Oliver.”
