Nico could not believe the woman’s sheer hypocrisy.
“You would say that,” said Valerie, her voice high and shaky. “You and David are both hiding something.”
“And Alice isn’t?” Penny glared at her sister-in-law. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed how on edge you are around Roger.”
“It’s not what you think,” said Valerie.
Alice went red. “I’m getting married to Mark,” she mumbled.
“Oh.” Roger tried to smile. “Nice. Congratulations.”
Penny waved that away, then pointed at Valerie. “Since Little Miss Liar here thinks she knows everything, go ahead. Tell us what you know. Start with David.”
Valerie looked at the floor.
“It’s okay,” said Roger quietly. “Let’s get it all out on the table.”
She nodded, and Nico wished he could protect her from the Badgertons’ stares.
“David is in debt,” she said. “Heavy debt. It could be from paying Yvette’s family.”
“Total bull,” said David dismissively.
“Then why are you broke and renting out your house?” Valerie asked. “What’s the poor decision Jenn’s protecting?”
“You’rewhat?” said Roger. “Is that why you’re here for the entire summer? You said it was a reno.”
“I don’t have to answer you. This is my cottage as much as yours.”
“It’s not about the cottage, you dipshit. It’s about whether you paid off the mother of my child and kept her existence a secret.”
“The hell with you, Roger. You think you’re so cool because Dad picked you to run the company. You and Dad never respected me.”
“Who cares about that right now?” Roger stood up, fists clenched at his sides. “Where is Yvette? Is that where the money is going?”
David smirked at him, then flipped him the bird. Nico recognized elements of his relationship with Stefanie, the knee-jerk need to respond in the worst way possible. He was grateful they were moving past it before he ended up acting like this at David’s age.
“Go fuck yourself, little brother.”
“God, David, stop. Grow up.” Jenn glared at her husband as if she’d reached the end of her patience. “Roger, he’s not paying off your old girlfriend. He’s been buying into this absolutely ridiculous idea aboutbuilding some sovereign community out in the woods for when society crumbles. I said it was a scam.”
“It’s called seed money! You ever heard of that, seed money?”
“David?” Roger sounded flabbergasted. “Is this true?”
“It’s none of your business.” David was almost sulky now. “I have the right to protect my family.”
In the ensuing silence, Valerie leaned close to Nico, as if despite this mess and the fight, they were united.
Roger stood in the middle of the room, gaze moving between Penny and David.
Jenn was watching her husband with disgust. Fernie’s face was miserable, and Brayden, who looked suddenly much younger, put his arm around her shoulder.
Of all of them, Alice looked the most like Nico felt, her hands up to her mouth and curled up in her chair as if hoping the storm would pass without drenching her. To say feelings were heightened in the ancestral Badgerton cottage was not giving the level of tension its due, and Nico wished he was anywhere else. Home in Toronto. The bottom of the lake. Mars. He didn’t care, as long as he was far away from the heavy atmosphere that filled the room.
It was Penny who spoke first. “Incredible detective work, Valerie. I appreciate how you’re airing all our dirty laundry with no proof beyond a few wild guesses. Dad would never have trusted David with that kind of secret.”
“Fuck you very much, Penny,” snapped David.
