Brian beats me there, pressing on the door with his palm before I can get it open.
“What are you doing?”
“How long does he plan to keep his secret for?”
“What?” I say, but there’s only one secret Everett has, and Brian can’t possibly know what that is unless… “You read her evaluation records.”
The blood in my veins turns to ice.He knows.When he looked up Quinn’s emergency contact he must have read her entire file. It’s written all over his face.
“Those were confidential! You had no right?—”
“I haveeveryright to know about the students attending my school.”
It’s my turn to press in closer to him. If he wants to have this conversation chest to chest like two gorillas, he picked the right contender.
“Did you come here to provoke me about Everett?” The red dress comment, the jab about him being my boss the last time we talked… “You can’t stand to see me move on with someone else, can you?”
“Psh.” He blows out a smug breath. “You think I’m jealous of a disabled guy?”
Anger boils like hot acid to the surface of my skin. It takes atrue coward to insult someone behind their back. I know Everett doesn’t need me to defend him, but I can’t help it. I’m protective because…I love him.
“Don’t youeversay that about someone again. You lead a school with a special education program. You should be ashamed of yourself! Not only is Everett smart and talented but he’s supportive of me and a better partner than you ever were.”
Brian scowls as he starts to walk away. “We’ll let the world decide once they know the truth.”
I straighten. “Is that a threat?”
Would he take something like that to the tabloids?
The answer to my question is written all over his face. A version of him far gone from the guy I once married.
“I don’t know who you are anymore,” I whisper.
He used to hold open every door I walked through. Planned FaceTime calls when he could tell I was missing my parents. Brought home all three flavors of ice cream when I couldn’t choose one. He used to be thoughtful and charming, but his actions are proving he’s capable of ruining every good moment we’ve ever shared.
Right now, my priority is Quinn. I need to get to the school. He could be lying about her getting picked up. She could still be waiting for me, and this was his plan all along—to make me late and look bad to Everett or Caroline. To look like the flaky fool he chose to divorce instead of the confident woman who fights for the people she loves. Well, to hell with that.
I jump in the front seat and slam the door in his face. Luckily I don’t pass any cops on the way to the school pushing fifteen over the speed limit. I’m breathless by the time I’m crossing the parking lot. Hopeless by the time I’m facing Quinn’s teacher.
“Summer, hi!”
I grab Henry’s hand. “Where’s Quinn?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you knew… her grandmother picked her up earlier today. Poor thing could barely keep her head off the table.”
My heart plummets. “Miss Amy, I’m… I’m so sorry. I should have known she was sick. I should have never sent her to school and?—”
She places her hand on my arm. “Do you know how many times I dropped my kid off and got that phone call? It happens to everyone.”Even momsis what she’s trying to convey. Even moms could send their child to school sick. But moms would also be the emergency contact, and I’m not either of those things.
“Thank you,” I say back. In five seconds flat an entire plan arranges itself in my brain, and it starts here. “Miss Amy, I might not be able to make it to the talent show practice on Monday. Would you run through everyone’s parts onstage if I’m not there? It’s our last rehearsal before the program next weekend, and I want them to feel confident.”
A nervous giggle escapes her lips. “I won’t be nearly as good at it as you are, but of course! Is everything okay?”
I give her a shaky nod because Ihopeit is. “Thank you.”
We lose eye contact when she waves at the next guardian. I try to make conversation with Henry on the way to the car, but my mind is already spinning a web ten paces in front of me. Mapping out what to do next, where to go, who to call. I don’t have to scroll very far into my contacts for the next person on that list. I text Julia once we make it to the car, but by the time I’m dropping Henry off at home it’s Jake who greets us.
“Hey. Julia couldn’t get out of class.”
