I’m pretty sure he married me due to his savior complex. He thought of himself as rescuing me from a poor, rural upbringing. Whispering Pines is a small town with a decent tourist economy. My father works for major agriculture corporation. I didn’t need rescuing. But in contrast to the lifestyle Mark was raised with, I was very much in need of his help. My fault was believing he had more to offer me than I had to offer him.
I'm afraid one day he's going to find Lara inconvenient. He absolutely adores her now, but her wishes also align with his. I wonder what will happen when she doesn’t want to go on the vacations he chooses? To the schools he thinks are best? Or visit when it works best for him?
Mark never questioned the terms of the divorce. He’d rather endure blunt force trauma than be thought of as a deadbeat dad or give me reason to complain to everyone we know.
I hate that it feels right letting him step into the savior role. Relying on him is a habit I can’t break. It always seems like the logical thing to do.
Mark nods at something Josh says, and they point toward the wooded area down the shoreline. I head up the pier, readying myself for the volley of suggestions they’re going to throw my way. At the bottom of the stairs, I pull out my phone. Message from Gabriella.
It’s been a while since I heard from her. Is she finally planning her trip to Whispering Pines? I assume she’ll bring the kids. Her oldest is like a sister to Lara.
I click on the message.Sammy, If you're reading this, I can’t tell you how grateful I am. I want you to know I treasure every minute of our friendship.
I never planned for this to happen. Looking back, I'm not even sure how it all started. Last month, I ran into Mark at the Foster's place in Tahoe. We started talking and things evolved.
I can't tell you how confused I've been. I just want you to know that I love you and I love Lara. Whatever happens, that will never change.
I reread the message, my tongue thick in my mouth. I tighten my grasp the phone to keep it from falling.
Gabriella is apologizing for getting together with Mark.
They’re a couple.
Tears sting the backs of my eyes. Gabriella and I were friends. Not acquaintances, but good friends. The type of friends who have wine and pizza nights with the kids at least once a week. The type of friends who take weekend trips to Disneyland and Legoland. How could she possibly think it was okay to get involved with my ex-husband?
How serious are they? It's only been going on for a month. She must think Mark already told me. Why else would she begratefulto me for opening her text?
What the hell is going on?
I stomp up the stairs and across the lawn to where Mark and Josh are facing the lake and talking. I must be completely transparent because one look at my face and Mark loses color in his.
“How are things going?” I mean to ask brightly, but my voice comes out high-pitched and strained.
Mark shoots me anot-here-not-nowlook.“Josh thinks you might want to consider a more dispersed layout for the retreat. You could have a central dwelling for the restaurant. Or for the dining room and kitchen like you were thinking about. Then you could house the guests in cabins. He thinks the property could hold about fifteen cabins comfortably. But that depends on theBearclaw Lake building provisions. Do you know anything about the regulations?”
The very last thing I’m capable of discussing is Bearclaw Lake building regulations. “I'll look into it later. In the meantime, we need to head back to town.”
Josh looks at his watch. “Yeah. My flight to Aspen leaves from De Clair in a few hours.”
I turn to Mark. “Can I have a word with you before we head back to town?”
“Ah, yeah.” He looks around like he’s searching for privacy. “Why don’t we head down to the pier?”
“Actually, I’d like to get another look at the pier,” Josh says.
In silence, we watch Josh walk to the pier. I fold my hands across my chest. I’m hurt. I’m angry. All the time I spent with Gabriella, talking about her ex-husband and what a dick he was. Her pain was my pain. I’d come home and tell Mark what she was going through and how she didn’t deserve it.
Hell, maybe she did deserve it.
I stay facing forward, beyond caring to witness his reaction. “I just received a text from Gabriella. What’s going on between you two?”
“I didn't think she'd jump the gun. I told her that I was going to talk to you.”
“You’ve been here for three days, and you haven’t mentioned a word about her.” I bristle with anger. He’s such a fucking wimp not to tell me. Does he realize how weak this makes him look that she was the one who told me? “I take it you’re seeing each other.”
“We are. I like her. She likes me.”
Neither of them gives a shit about me.
