Page 53 of Meet Me in Ivy Falls

‘What did you think of the P&P?’ I finally said to break the silence between us.

‘It looks the same. Feels the same. Which is comforting.’

‘You didn’t answer me before. Did Maisey say something that upset you?’

He bit into his lower lip. ‘She asked about Piper. What she was doing with her life.’

‘And did you tell her?’

He looked down and shook his head. ‘I lied. Said she was doing fine.’

‘Are you ever going to tell me what’s going on with her? What happened to your parents?’

‘I…’ His gaze dropped to the floor. ‘It’s too hard.’

He spun around and moved to the window. The edges of his shoulders heaved up and down. I’d seen that posture too many times when Tessa was overwhelmed. At a breaking point with either the store or her own life.

Grief was a hard thing to navigate. I understood that better than anyone, but it burned me to the core that he still couldn’t be honest with me about how his parents died.

I followed him to the window and planted myself right beside him. ‘Don’t you think it was excruciating for me to reveal what my dad did? To have you witness after all these years that with a single look, one terse word, my father can turn me into a frightened child again?’

‘You just stood toe to toe with him at the P&P. I wouldn’t call that frightened. I’m not even sure you understand the meaning of the word.’

His words were so sharp, I took a step back. ‘What the hell is that supposed to mean?’

‘It means that you have a parent who is still living and breathing. Things may be rocky between the two of you, but he is still here.’

‘You’ve been gone a long time, Beck. My dad and I are complicated and you are the last fucking person in the world who gets to pass judgment on me, especially after how carelessly you broke my heart.’

‘There are a thousand things you do not understand, Torran. That you will never understand about me or my life.’

‘You’re right – because you made the choice to walk away.’

He stood with a firm chin not saying a word.

‘Go home, Beck. I’m tired of doing this with you.’

‘Doing what?’ he snapped.

‘I share every single part of my life with you and in return you give me crumbs. If you want to suffer in silence that’s your choice, but I don’t have to stand by and watch it.’

‘I’m not asking you to.’

‘Good, because I’m sick of your angsty shit. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.’

I climbed up the ladder again, swallowing the sob building in my chest. Just when I thought things were getting better between us, that he was actually opening up, that door slammed shut tightly again.

‘You can’t order me out of my own goddamn house,’ he fumed.

‘Fine, but you can get out of this room,’ I tossed back.

He stalked to the corner of the room and snatched his suit jacket from the floor. His untucked shirt inched up revealing a large swath of scarred skin.

I tried but couldn’t stifle my gasp. ‘Beck, what happened to your back?’

His shoulders tightened and he stood painfully still. I wasn’t even sure he was breathing.

I climbed down the ladder and crossed the room, gently setting a hand on his arm. ‘Please, I’m begging you. Talk to me.’