“I can picture us growing old in this house, making it a placewe stay in forever. I want to go to sleep and wake up next to you, with our girl safe and sound down the hall,” I repeated the words Linc had said to me the night before, because I knew that whatever my future looked like, he was going to be in it.
Chapter 21
Sophie
Sharing my concerns about custody with Linc, about my plans to change, was huge for me. Lou was my everything. It was silly, but part of me was so afraid to mention losing custody out loud, as if just saying it would make it come true. But I was working on taking control back, moving forward.
Once Lou went back to school, and we were back on a normal course, I made an appointment to meet with my lawyer. Brian wasn’t just my lawyer; he had become a close advisor and friend over the past few years.
“Are you sure you’re ready to do this? Once we get the ball rolling, there’s no taking it back,” he said kindly, knowing how much I had waffled over moving forward in the past.
“Yes, I’m sure. I can’t let my fear hold me back. It’s only hurting Lou,” I told him, tears filling my eyes as guilt poured through me.
“Then let’s bring them down. It’s not going to be a quick or easy process, my dear, but I will be by your side the entire time. You’ve done a magnificent job of preparing. All we have to do is share everything we’ve found and let them hang themselves,” he told me.
Brian had laid out how long it all would take and the variety of outcomes we could expect, depending on how they planned to respond. Nothing was guaranteed, but wasn’t that better than doing nothing?
The silence of the car ride home wasn’t doing much to soothemy circling thoughts. So, when I made it back to town too early to pick Lou up from school, I decided to treat myself to an afternoon snack. Parking at my favorite cafe and bakery, my stomach grumbled, reminding me that I’d had nothing to eat.
As soon as I entered the warm space, my stomach growled, and I found my gaze drifting to the bakery display. Before I could order, someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I turned around to find a woman around my age with long bleached-blonde hair. She was pretty, tall, and thin, with a bright smile.
“Sorry, did you need something?” I asked, assuming she’d asked me a question, and I hadn’t been paying attention.
“Oh, I just—are you Sophie? Townsend?” she asked, and I stiffened.
“What… Who is asking?” I hesitated, and the woman giggled, the sound hollow, grating.
“I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Lindsey. It’s so nice to meet you.” Before I could reply, she was wrapping me in a hug, her perfume invading my senses as her long nails dug into my back.
“Oh, it’s nice to meet you too,” I said.Lindsey? Linc’s ex?
“Didn’t Linc tell you I was coming? I spoke to him on the phone and told him I was moving back. Oh, you should come over for dinner! I can cook Linc’s favorite. He still likes that spicy chili, right?” The familiarity, the ease with which she said all of that, took me by surprise. Linc had made it seem like they hadn’t spoken in years.
“I can bring it by the house! Can’t believe he bought that place up on Birchfield. It was a mess when we were kids. Used to sneak in there for high school parties, you know.”
“Next,” The barista called, and I managed to paste a fake smile on my face.
“Sounds good. Nice to meet you.” I ordered a black coffee, not wanting to wait for them to make anything, then quickly left the shop.
Sitting frozen in my car, I didn’t know what to say or do. My stomach ached, both from hunger and anxiety.Did I do it again?Doubt creeped in, clouding my thoughts and memories.Have I misjudged Linc? Have I been blinded again?As I sat in the car, I went over the interaction again and again in my head. The forced smile, the way her eyes were searching my face for a reaction. It felt forced, not natural. Driving away, I picked Lou up and lost myself in her happy chattering from the back seat.
Linc was waiting at the door when we pulled in, his handsome face looking concerned and excited as he watched Lou try to get out of the car with her backpack and without damaging her cast. Once inside, I turned to Lou.
“Why don’t you go upstairs and pick a new book to start reading tonight? We can start your homework after,” I told her. Ecstatic at the idea of not having to dive into her spelling and math sheets right away, she ran upstairs.
Linc was already going through Lou’s lunch box, emptying the containers and preparing them for the dishwasher. I studied him, the way he held Lou’s unicorn thermos in his giant palm, rinsing it delicately because it was her favorite. Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, I sat down at the table. Rolling the bottle between my palms, I finally spoke up.
“So I had an interesting run-in today.” Linc turned around, one eyebrow arched.
“Friend, family, or foe?” he asked, and I snorted. I did happen to have all three of those.
“Not sure yet. A bit of both, perhaps,” I replied, which had him turning around to study me. Concern marred his face, his brow furrowed.
“Was it something to do with Max?”
“Actually, it was something to do with you. I met Lindsey. She moved back to town.” I watched as several emotions flitted across his face. Confusion, understanding, then something that was a mix between realization and fury.
“Motherfucker! What did she say to you?” he asked, coming to sit at the table.
