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Last night at the guesthouse.
I hadn’t succeeded at forcing any of it from my mind, but at least I’d had something to do. Now? No way was I telling Jade any of this. I didn’t need to add to her distress.
Plus…I’d never confided in her about the cutting. It was the only secret I’d ever kept from my best friend. I was just too ashamed. Only Mel knew, and I needed to call her. This morning had been a little too close for comfort.
“Just wanted to use the hot tub,” I said, hating the acidic taste of the lie on my tongue.
“Marj, we have a perfectly good hot tub here.”
“I know, but I needed a little alone time.” Would she buy that?
“Oh. Yeah, I get it. It’s kind of a three-ring circus around here. Sorry about that.”
“I don’t mean it that way. I love being here, and I love you and my brothers and those adorable boys.”
“I know you didn’t mean it badly. I’m just saying I understand.”
I smiled—a forced smile, but a smile nonetheless. “If you ever need some alone time, just let me know.”
“Are you kidding? I spend most days alone in this damned bedroom. The time I have with Talon, the boys, and you makes my days.” She laughed. “Besides, no hot tub for me until I have this baby.”
I loved hearing Jade laugh, and I especially loved hearing her talk about having the baby. After her scare at the hospital, she’d been nervous about losing the child.
“Once you give birth, you and I will have a girls’ hot-tub date complete with bubbles—jacuzzi bubbles and Champagne.”
“It’s a date!”
I returned her smile as best I could. “I have something to take care of. Let me know if you need anything.”
I walked to my own bedroom, grabbed my phone, and pulled up my list of contacts.
Chapter Three
Bryce
I woke to my phone vibrating on the nightstand. Joe.
“Yeah?” I said.
“Come outside.”
I willed my brain to function. “Huh?”
“Come outside. Now.”
“Yeah, sure. Okay.” He didn’t want to talk on the phone. I got it. I wiped the sleep out of my eyes and pulled on a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and my slippers.
I walked out of the bedroom to find my mom feeding Henry in the kitchen.
“Hey,” she said. “You were out late last night.”
“Yeah. Joe and I had a lot of business to discuss.” I kissed the top of my son’s head. “Hey, buddy.”
He gave me a sloppy smile, and I tousled his hair.
“Speaking of Joe, he’s outside. I’ll be back in a few.”
“Tell him to come in. I just put on a pot of coffee.”
