Cole’s lips part, eyes narrowing in confusion. “But she’s not—”
I hear the courtroom doors fly open behind me, then a sniffle as Willow’s familiar scent breezes behind me. Snapping my attention, I catch her racing down the hall toward the exit.
“Willow,” I call over the crowd.
She doesn’t stop, pushing past the double doors and down the steps.
“Willow, wait.” My tone isn’t anxious or pleading. It’s sharp and demanding. Like I can’t sort the variations of my anger between Noah, Cole, Glenda .?.?. and her.
I reach the front doors, pushing them open and finding Willow at the bottom of the landing with Silas. He’s holding her shoulders as she sobs. She says something and he nods, opening the passenger door for her.
He catches my eye and I nod my OK.
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I turn, finding Cole behind me, alone. His expression etched with concern as he watches Willow drive away.
I mutter a curse, ready to storm past him to find my lawyer whenhissteps out of the courthouse. She finds Cole, taking him to one side. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find this fair, considering you won at the very first hearing.” She hands him a piece of paper I can only assume is her invoice.
Cole grabs it, eyeing it closely. “This .?.?. is fair, huh?”
I shake my head, turning away. “You can call my office and work out a plan. Chat soon about the plan for pick-up.” She heads down the steps, leaving us alone.
I yank the paper from his hands, not bothering to look at the damage. “I’ll take care of this,” I mutter, folding it up and tucking it into my jacket.
“W-why would you do that?”
I exhale a sharp breath. “Because we’re family, Cole. That’s what family does. You don’t have to like everything they do, but you don’t leave them high and dry.” I eye him up and down. “No matter how old and mature they’re supposed to be.”
“Is she .?.?. is Willow going to be all right?”
I glare at him. “You better hope so.”
I grab Dad and we head back in my car—since his ride just took off with my wife.
“You in a rush to get home?” Dad asks, voice calm like he lives in some world where everything is going to be all right.
My heart aches when I answer, “No.”
“Didn’t think so. Grab a few drinks at The Shack?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
33
I wash my face for the third time since getting home—if this even is my home anymore.
Who can ever be sure?
It’s been hours and Dallas isn’t back yet. Silas left a little while ago after graciously giving me a ride.
He had stepped out of the room for a call when the judge ruled, so I sobbed through what happened and asked him to get me out of there.
Rose is leaning along the wall outside Ellie’s room when I step out of the guest bathroom. “Youneedto calm down. It wasn’t your fault,” she repeats.
I shove the towel at her and step into my bedroom. “You weren’t there. He had it. It was looking really good for him and then I got on the stand and blew it all.”
“Not you.Your mother.”
My eyes sting again. “No one would blame me for taking my money now that I’m married. But the house—Rose. The house was all me. I can’t put that on anyone.”
