Seemingly satisfied with my answer, she went back to rearranging the blocks. Rhett had watched the exchange with what could only be described as a wistful expression on his face. I stood back up and faced him, ready to hear this confession.
“You remember the summer when you stayed over at my house? Just after Nate left?”
Oh boy did I remember that summer. I was staying in the Cormack’s guest bedroom for weeks, heartbroken that Nate had left and confused about my feelings for Rhett. Oma was busy taking care of Freddie. I tried to help as much as I could, but a fourteen-year-old wasn’t exactly interested in watching her younger sister play with her Barbies.
Rhett started playing with his pen, clicking it open and shut, open and shut. He was nervous. Something I had never seen him be. I nodded at his question, indicating him to go on.
“Then you’d also remember that my mom and dad were fighting the whole time. He was hardly ever home, but when he was, they were going at it.”
We had stayed out of their way, shutting ourselves into Rhett’s bedroom, watching bad television and talking about everything and nothing. I was happier then than I ever remember being.
“Dad had an affair. They nearly divorced when Mom found out.”
Made sense. Rhett’s dad had been a harassment suit in the making. He hit on anything with boobs. Openly and without shame.
“It was with your mom.”
“What?” I croaked out, not able to process what he just said. I didn’t expect that. What the hell was going on? My mom and Rhett’s dad? How? When?
“It was going on the whole summer. She said she was pregnant and wanted money. Turned out that she wasn’t but we paid her off to keep quiet. A scandal like that would have seen our shares plummet. The company would have suffered.”
I was now staring at Rhett, blinking rapidly. This couldn’t be true. Was it?
“She signed a non-disclosure after we paid her. And she is wrong. Her non-disclosure still stands, even with dad’s death. So we could sue her. But that would just mean poking a hornets’ nest. My guess is she wants more money and once she’s got it, she’ll go away.”
I would say his guess was right. She wasn’t only trying to get Josie’s money but also squeeze more out of Rhett. It was so her.
“I don’t know what to think. This is crazy.” I wrung my hands and started pacing. “Is this why you disappeared? Did you think I was as bad as her?” Holy crap, this explained everything. He didn’t want to have anything to do with me anymore. Like mother like daughter. I felt sick. Did he still feel that way?
He was in front of me within two seconds, pulling me close. “No, Emmi. Never. I know you’re nothing like her. Please don’t think that. My reasons were much more selfish. Dad promised to fund my company if I left Butler. He wanted me as far away as possible. I couldn’t say no. You knew how much that company meant to me. And he knew how much you meant to me. But I ran. I’m so sorry. I chose wrong.”
His company was worth more to him than I was. Tears pooled in my eyes. This was too much. I couldn’t do this. I had to get out. “It couldn’t have been that important since you aren’t running your own company but your dad’s.” Yet he still chose it over me. Bile rose in my throat, threatening to choke me. “I need to go. I can’t be here.” I pushed away from him, putting up my hands when he tried to grab me again.
“Emmi, please, I didn’t do a very good job of explaining myself.”
“I think you did just fine. I have to go.”
Without a second look, I grabbed Josie and left. I had to get out and I had to get out fast.
