“Your therapist literally called it… what was it?”
I scowl. “Conflict Avoidance.”
“Look,” Darren says, his tone softer now. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t be pissed. Hell, if Simone ever did that to me, I’d lose my damn mind.”
“Thanks,” I mutter.
“I’m just saying…” Darren continues, “don’t make permanent decisions based on how you feel right now.”
I stare at the floor.
“That’s exactly what Hayley said,” I admit.
He frowns. “Who’s Hayley?”
“This woman I met last night.”
His brows shoot up.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I snap. “I went to a bar to get drunk. She sat down next to me.”
“Uh-huh,” he mutters, smirking.
“Shut the fuck up,” I say. “She hit on me, alright? But I didn’t do anything. I just… ended up telling her more than I should have.”
Darren tilts his head. “You dumped everything on a stranger.”
I huff. “Whatever. Turns out she’s been divorced more than once. And she told me pretty much the same thing you just did.”
His smirk fades a little. “So, where’d the divorce talk come from then?”
I don’t answer right away.
He studies me, eyes narrowing. “Dad.”
I nod. “More like Manuel.”
Darren groans. “I hate that fucking guy.”
He pushes himself up slightly and does that weird stretch thing he always does, shifting his weight like he’s trying to work out a phantom cramp.
Darren lost both legs above the knee years ago in a work accident. He didn’t let it hold him back though, even after he found out he couldn’t bear the prosthetics because of exposed veins, he still stayed optimistic.
“Manuel didn’t even try to hide it,” I say. “Soon as I told Dad what happened, he started dropping hints about ‘protecting my assets’ and ‘preparing for worst-case scenarios.’”
Darren rolls his eyes. “Like he knows anything about what a real marriage looks like.”
“I knew what he was saying was bullshit,” I mutter. “But then he mentioned the kids.”
Darren’s expression shifts. “What about the kids?”
“He said fathers usually end up seeing their kids on weekends,” I admit. “Especially when the wife’s been a stay-at-home mom.”
“And you listened?”
“I didn’t listen,” I argue. “I just… heard him.”
Darren lets out a slow breath. “Logan, that man is using you.”
