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17
The Truth
WYATT
“What the hell do you want, Jones?” I ask as I answer my phone.
He’s called six times in as many minutes. I’ve tried sending him to voice mail. He calls back. I’ve answered and hung up on him and he still calls back. If this isn’t an emergency, I’m going to kill him. I told him I needed time alone, time to think. After reading Chloe’s note this afternoon, against my better judgment, I headed to the one place where I find solace these days.
The pond.
The house I built for us on the shore. The one place that holds the best and worst memories of my life. The days we spent in each other’s arms watching the sunset together. It’s also the place I found the note. The one she left me with no explanation, only an apology, before she disappeared without a word.
That note is framed, in my bedroom, hung on the wall above the fireplace. I’ve considered tossing it in, but I can’t bring myself to do it. It’s a reminder of what I used to have, of what I lost, and to protect my heart at all costs moving forward.
When I bought the land from her parents, I asked them about her. They were tight-lipped. I pressed the issue until her father told me that he wasn’t going to sell me the land if I asked about her again. Something was off with them, but I didn’t care. I wanted the land, I wanted to build the house I promised her, and they were the only thing standing between me and that dream.
We had done business before, when I bought the land for Old Town. At first, I was surprised they were selling pieces of their property. Then the rumors began to spread about Mr. Warren’s money troubles.
Gambling.
His debt was exceeding his income, and the only way for them to stay above water was to sell off their land. His loss was my gain, both financially and personally. When he listed the acreage around the pond, I jumped on it, stopping at the bank and filling out loan papers before I even called him.
“Hey, I know you’re dealing with some shit right now, but I need you to come over here. Are you at the house?”
“Yeah. I just finished the railing for the porch.”
“Well, wipe the sawdust off and get your ass over here.”
“You know I can’t go there,” I say.
He knows how I feel about seeing Chloe right now. Why in the hell would I show up at her mother’s birthday party? At her parents’ house? That is the opposite of staying away from her. That’s walking into the fire and expecting to get burned.
“Listen. This is important. If it weren’t, I wouldn’t ask you to come here, you know that.”
“Bullshit. You’ve been trying to get me to talk to her since you found out she was back in town.”
“True, and I still think you need to. In fact, there’s a very good reason that you need to. I can’t tell you what it is, but I can promise that you’ll thank me later. So get your ass here. If you’re not here in ten minutes, I’m coming to get you.”
The tone of his voice, the seriousness, catches my attention. I’ve known Jones my entire life and I’ve never heard him push for something so hard. I trust him with my life, and if he thinks that I need to be there, it must be important.
Rushing to change and get there before he sends out a search party, I’m walking across the meadow and up the Warren’s driveway as Jones is about to get in his car.
“Hey, man,” I say when he begins walking my way. “What’s so important you have me at the one place I never wanted to be again?”
“Her name is Lola,” he says.
“And who is Lola?”
“That’s what you need to find out. Ask Chloe. It’ll all make sense in a few minutes, I promise.”
Nodding, I follow Jones around the house to where three large white tents are set up. Chloe’s voice echoes through the middle tent, so I slip inside and try my best to blend into the crowd.
The moment our eyes meet, a look of relief washes over her. After her speech, she shares a few words with her mother, words that were said with a smile but her mannerism gave away as angry. Then she’s walking my way and my heart begins to pound against my sternum, attempting to get out and run away.
“Mama!” A little girl runs past me and into Chloe’s arms just as she bends down. “Aunt Addy gave me cake. Don’t be mad at her, I promised I would still eat my dinner.”
Laughing, Chloe stands and says to the little girl, “Come here, Lola. I have someone I want you to meet.”
