Reid sat again.
“I don’t know what she feels.”
“She came for money.”
“Yes.”
“She heard I nearly died and stayed home.”
“Yes.”
“She looked at me like the scar was inconvenient.”
He touched my hand.
“Yes.”
“She doesn’t love me in any way that is safe.”
Reid’s eyes softened.
“No.”
The agreement hurt.
It also gave the wound a shape I could understand.
“I kept thinking maybe she was afraid,” I said. “Maybe Leah told her not to come. Maybe she didn’t know how serious it was.”
“You wanted a reason that hurt less.”
“Yes.”
He lifted my hand to his mouth.
“I’m sorry.”
“She disowned me first.”
His thumb moved across my knuckles.
“That doesn’t make choosing distance painless.”
“No.”
I leaned against him.
His arm came around me.
“But I have Leah,” I said.
“Yes.”
“Emma and Clara.”
“Yes.”
“Caleb. Owen.”
