“That's good,” Rad said with a relieved laugh. “Then I hope you don’t mind this.”
Before she knew what was happening, Rad stepped forward, pulled her gently toward him, and his lips crushed hers, and the world faded around them. That was until the alarm on her phone sounded and they jumped apart like teens caught in a compromising position.
22
HOLT
The house had finally quieted down.
It was the first thing Holt really noticed once the conversation at the table had ended and people had drifted away in little clusters, some tired, some uneasy, all of them carrying too much with them. The dining room no longer held the charged energy of accusation and confession. The living room had fallen still. Somewhere deeper in the house, water hissed through old pipes, and Holt knew from the sound that Margo was in the shower.
Harvey’s phone rang.
The sound cut through the silence sharply enough to make Holt lift his head. He’d been sitting for far too long on the dining room chair, trying to decide how best to deal with his mother now that the rest of the secrets had finally been dragged into the open. In truth, he was glad the phone had gone off. It gave the room a pause, and it gave him another few seconds to gather himself before turning his attention to his meddling mother.
“Oh, I’ve got to leave,” Harvey said, glancing at the screen. Then he looked at Mina. “I can stay if you need me.”
“No, Harvey, that’s sweet, but I’ll be fine,” Mina assured him.
Harvey still looked uncertain, but he nodded. He turned to Holt and June. “I won’t let them air the promo for Hidden Truths. Not until you both say so. And I’ll wait for your go-ahead before I agree to film anything else with the crew.”
“Good,” Holt said. “Thank you.”
Harvey gave them all one last look and headed out. The front door opened and closed, and the silence that settled after him felt almost unnaturally complete.
Now that the others had gone, the room seemed to breathe differently.
Holt turned to his mother.
“Now it’s your turn, Mother,” he said.
June turned toward Mina and leaned her elbows on the oak table.
“Yes,” she said. “I think it is, and you have some explaining to do, and we want the whole truth this time.”
His mother lifted her brows with all the innocence of a woman who had never in her life been entirely innocent and knew perfectly well that no one in the room believed she was. She passed one of those looks toward June that instantly made Holt suspicious, then she gave him that very same look.
“Are you both sure you want everything exposed?” Mina asked, cautiously.
“Mother, no more games.” Holt’s impatience sharpened his voice. “June and I would very much like to know how long you’ve been planning to push us back together.”
“Because it seems as though you’ve been planning this for over twelve years,” June pointed out. “Since you got my daughter and her family to move here.”
“I spoke to you about that first, June,” Mina reminded her. “Remember that day we had tea together in that lovely little park right there on the beachfront in Miami?” She frowned. “It’s closed down now, you know. Isn’t that sad? I hate it when good things change so suddenly, and you know it’s really not the best solution for anyone, really.”
Holt rolled his eyes and didn't miss the implication beneath that remark.
“Mother,” he warned, “stop wandering around the point and get to it.”
“Oh, all right,” Mina said with a sigh. “Yes, I wanted the two of you to reconcile. I never hid my feelings when you divorced, and I certainly didn’t hide them in the years after that. I thought you were both making a mistake.” She glanced from him to June and back again. “Well, I didn’t hide the fact that I thought you ought to call each other once you were both single.”
“Mina,” June groaned.
“I waited a good two years after Trevor passed before I tried to nudge Holt into contacting you,” Mina confessed. “But the stubborn fool didn’t.”
“Mom.” Holt dragged a hand over his face. “June and I had both moved on.”
“Yes,” Mina said. “But you left a great deal behind and unsaid.”
