“That’s not what we’re doing,” Dad says, but his voice lacks conviction.
“Yes, it is.” I wipe angrily at my tears. “That’s exactly what you’re doing. And if you can’t see that, if you’re going to keepsiding with him over me, then maybe I don’t want to be part of this family anymore.”
“Don’t say that.” Mom sobs.
“Why not? It’s true.” My voice breaks. “I came here today thinking I’d have a nice dinner with my family. Instead, I walked into an ambush designed to manipulate me into taking back a man who doesn’t deserve me. So yeah, maybe I don’t want to be part of a family that thinks that’s okay.”
“Sloane, please …” Chett starts, but I cut him off.
“We’re done. Really done. Stop calling me. Stop texting from burner numbers. Stop showing up at my family’s house. Move on with your life and let me move on with mine. If not, I’ll be involving the authorities.”
“You’re making a mistake,” he says again, desperation creeping into his voice. “We’re good together. We fit. That guy can’t give you what I can.”
“You’re right,” I say quietly. “He can’t. Because what you gave me was anxiety and self-doubt and the constant feeling that I would never be enough. Jax gives me the opposite of that. So no, they’re not comparable.”
I turn to leave, but Mom grabs my arm. “Sloane, please. The turkey is almost ready. Don’t leave. We can ... we can ask Chett to go if that’s what you want. Please stay.”
I look at her. Really look at her. At the desperation in her eyes. The tears. The makeup that’s starting to run. And I feel ... nothing. Not anger. Not hurt. Just emptiness.
“I can’t stay here,” I say quietly. “I can’t sit at that table and pretend everything’s okay. I can’t break bread with people who think so little of me that they’d pull something like this.”
“We don’t think little of you.” Mom sobs.
“Yes, you do. You think I’m making a mistake. You think I’m being irrational. You think I should give him another chance because nine years is too long to throw away.” I pull my armfree. “But you know what? Those nine years were already thrown away. By him. Not me. And I’m done carrying the guilt for his choices.”
I look at Maggie. “Are you coming?”
She doesn’t hesitate to quickly grab her coat. “Yeah. I’m coming.”
“Maggie Elizabeth …” Mom starts, but Maggie is already heading for the door.
“I’m sorry, Mom. But Sloane’s right. This was wrong. This was so wrong.”
We’re out the door before anyone can stop us, and I’m halfway to my car before the sobs really hit. Big, ugly, gasping sobs that shake my whole body. Maggie catches up, pulling me into a hug right there in the driveway while our parents watch from the window.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispers.
“It’s not your fault.” I pull back, wiping at my face. “It’s theirs. How could they think that was okay?”
“They’re delusional. And Mom has always loved Chett. She thought you two were perfect together.”
“We weren’t. We never were.” I dig in my purse for my keys, but my hands are shaking too badly. “Fuck. I can’t ... I can’t drive like this.”
“Then I’ll drive.” Maggie takes my keys gently. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
We’re pulling out of the driveway when my phone buzzes. Mom’s calling.
I decline it.
It buzzes again. And again.
I turn it off entirely.
“Where do you want to go?” Maggie asks quietly.
“Riley’s, I guess. I don’t ... I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
“You could go to him. To Jax,” Maggie suggests.
