Page 23 of Untroubled Heart

Chapter eleven

CASPIAN:

You were right.

ME:

I love to hear that. What about?

CASPIAN:

Dad. He does have another life. A wife.

My heart plummets as I hit call on my brother’s contact instead of texting back, stepping to the side of the grand double doors that lead into Smoke and Barrel.

“Are you serious?” Disbelief clings to my question along with betrayal and anger. “How did you find out?”

“Mum.” Cas sounds drained as he fills me in. “She got antsy not hearing from him. Sent an email to his work. They called her back, stating they had no active record of his employment. She asked Grandma if she’d heard from him.”

“She’s using Grandma as a source of accurate information?”

“Mum figured she had nothing else to lose, and she was right. The nursing home had an alternate address for paperwork located in the city. Mum took a drive.”

“Oh, shit.” My body all of a sudden feels sluggish, like trying to stay afloat in violent waters.

“He was with another woman. Mum said the house looked pretty lived-in, like he wasn’t just visiting.”

West holds the door open, letting Maevyn through first as he looks at me with a silent question. I tip my chin up, indicating for him to go ahead of me as I lean against the cool, brick exterior.

“How’s she doing?”

Cas lets out a deep sigh. “I knew something was up. She’d been quiet all week, but she seems to have moved into anger this morning. That’s when she told me everything.”

“Maybe that’s better? It might help her move on quicker.” My heart still breaks for what she must be feeling, but I know my mum wouldn’t have a chance of moving on if it were any other way.

“She stayed at my place last night. Didn’t want to be in his house, she said.”

I chew my lip in thought. “I can drive down tomorrow?”

“I don’t know,” Caspian mumbles. “Maybe text her and see how she responds first.”

Mum has always been closer to my brother than me. I think it’s because he looks more like our dad, and that was comforting to her in the times he was away. I tried not to take it too personally.

“How are you doing with all this?” I ask.

“He’s a piece of shit. We’ve always known that. I’m fucking pissed at what he’s done to Mum, but honestly, I’m not surprised he’s proved to be even more disappointing.”

I nod, though he can’t see me. “You’ll let me know if you think I should come visit?”

“Of course.”

I don’t want to rush my brother off the phone if he still needs to vent, but this is my first event as Mason’s assistant. This is the worst time to get too deep into something so emotional.

“Do you need me?”

Cas lets out a breathy chuckle. “I’m okay, Cals. Promise.”

He’ll probably retreat to his shed, reworking the engine of his old Triumph, or sketch out some piece of art he’ll squeeze onto his body somewhere. Those are usually the ways he works through anything.