“She told me she wanted to apologize, so I met her for coffee.”
“I’m gonna be sick,” Brit murmured.
“Since I don’t know her, and I definitely don’t trust her, I recorded our meeting,” Z said dryly.
“Using your phone?” Brit asked.
“No, the mini-camera in my glasses,” he replied.
“Good for you, James Bond,” Addison said.
Father and daughter shared a laugh. Brit didn’t join them.
“She apologized for leaving,” he continued. “Told me she regretted not trying to work things out. She has since left the cult.”
“Does she want to get back together with you?” Brit held her breath.
Please say no.
“No,” Z replied, and Brit breathed. “She’s remarried, and she has another daughter.”
“Wow, Brit,” Addison said. “We have a half-sister.”
“Happy day,” Brit deadpanned.
“She wants to meet you both, apologize in person. She moved back to the area several months ago, but was too nervous to call me.”
“No thanks,” Brit said.
“I’ll meet her,” Addison said. “Brit, please come with me.”
“I have her phone number,” Z said. “She said you can call or text.” He rattled it off and Addison typed it into her phone.
“Did you put her in as ‘Mom’?” Brit asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Addison turned her phone around. The entry said Liliana Skye.
As far as Brit was concerned, Liliana Skye could go fuck herself.
Their entrees were delivered, and Brit forced herself to eat some of the eggplant lasagna. It was absolutely one of her favorite dishes, and something she would never take the time to bake. As she swallowed down bite after bite, she prayed to the stomach god that she wouldn’t vomit it all back up.
“Enough of that,” Z said. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Please no more,” Brit begged. “It’s been a rough day.”
Z set his fork down. “What’s going on, dear?”
Brit glanced across the table at Addison, who offered an encouraging nod.
“It’s nothing,” she lied.
She wasn’t about to tell him she’d been with Rebel when he found the bodies. He’d specifically told her to stay away from him. While she loved defying her dad, she didn’t want to do battle in the middle of their daddy-daughter dinner.
“The move happened super-fast, then the new job,” Brit said. “It’s just a lot finding out Liliana’s back.”
“Well,” Z said, “you’re going to love my surprise.”
They finished their entrees and left. Outside, the rain had finally stopped, and Brit breathed in the crisp evening air.
