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Lake didn’t comment and just ate her yogurt, although she’d wondered the same thing.
“She doesn’t treat him right. He’s a good guy, treats her like a princess, but all she thinks about is herself.” Ginny tossed her hair over her shoulder. “She doesn’t even want to see us.”
“You asked him about that?” Lake asked, and then cursed internally for even bringing that up.
“Of course I did, although I knew she wasn’t good for him when I first met her before they got married. She’s way too conceited, and because he has a large bank account thanks to the trust from our parents, she got her claws right into him. Thank God I know he got a pre-nup.”
“I’m sure she loves him.”
Ginny snorted and shook her head. She stared at Lake for a moment. “Let me ask you if, when you first met me, you thought I wanted your dad partly because he had money.”
Lake swallowed the yogurt in her mouth. “Honestly? Of course.”
“Sure, but it was a small part.” Ginny had always acted younger than she actually was, and that had been an annoying trait that Lake noticed right away. But then she’d realized Ginny had her own money from the trust fund her parents left her, and that her father and Ginny really did love each other. “But then I understood that you were a good person and would treat my dad the way he deserved to be treated.”
Ginny smiled softly, reached out, and patted Lake on the hand. “And I do love your dad, so much, Lake.”
Oh man, this was getting into a conversation that was too heavy with emotions. Lake didn’t want to go down this road. She didn’t want to have to get all sentimental. That always led to her thinking about her mom and sadness engulfing her, even all these years later.
“Well, now I have to go make dinner for Reese and Brittany, because apparently they have some news to share.” Ginny stood. “I just hope she isn’t pregnant, because I don’t think she deserves to have Reese’s baby.”
Lake didn’t know what to say, even if she would have said anything.
“So how about you help me make dinner for your uncle,” Ginny said and grinned, a teasing note in her voice.
Lake groaned. “Please don’t call him that.” She stood up and walked toward the trash to toss her yogurt cup away.
“I’m only teasing, but it’s true, you know,” Ginny said and started grabbing a few packs of meat out of the freezer. “I mean technically Reese is your uncle.”
“Step-uncle, and I emphasize the step part,” Lake said, but she smiled. She was glad she was at a good place in her life with Ginny.
She wasn’t her mother, and didn’t act like it, but having her around did make Lake feel better.
5
“I don’t think me going will help anything, Reese,” Brittany said as she packed the last of her bag. She was going to stay with her sister in San Antonio for the week. Things with them had been rocky since they’d said their vows, and how shitty was that?
Reese sat on the edge of their bed, his forearms on his thighs, and the need to just give up on all of this, to just forget about Brittany and this marriage, was strong inside of him. He was tired of trying, tired of this marriage.
He’d been trying for the last two years to make this work, to make Brittany happy, but nothing he did seemed to please her. Aside from her spending his money, she was content living her own life. She didn’t even want to discuss children.
“Brittany, I just think it is the respectful thing to do to tell everyone we’re getting a divorce together.”
She didn’t even look at him as she held a dress to her body and stared at her reflection in the mirror hanging on the back of the door. “I don’t think telling your family that we are splitting up will be beneficial.” She turned around and faced him. “This has been a losing battle, Reese.”
“Because you’ve made it that way. Ever since the honeymoon you’ve kept your distance—that is, until you needed money from me.”
She tossed her dress on the chair beside the mirror and glared at him. As she crossed her arms over her chest, they stared at each other, neither speaking for several seconds. “That’s a shitty thing to say, Reese.”
But it’s the truth.
He didn’t say that out loud, though, didn’t bother even trying to tell her the interest she had for him had been about his money and sex, but he’d been too fucking stupid and thought he was in love to see through the bullshit. “Listen,” he said and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’d like for you to come, but it’s clear you’re too interested in packing. I guess I’ve just been too optimistic this whole time, Brittany.”
