AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I gauge the weight of it in my palm, knowing at once there won’t be a letter explaining why Holly left. I tear the corner and tilt the envelope. Her engagement ring slides out.
My mom inhales. All my breath has left my body.
________________
37
________________
Raising my hand to knock on the door, I notice my bare finger for the umpteenth time. Someday I’ll stare at my hand and my throat won’t close up. Yet, I know my sadness is only a part of the doubt I have that I’m making the right decision.
I’ve survived a relationship ending before. My heart didn’t stop beating. Well, not the organ. The heart currently ruling my emotions hasn’t been ticking since I slid the diamond off my finger.
It was important to me to say goodbye to Davina. She spends so much of her time alone at the beach house. I’ve gathered Cary’s mother doesn’t have many true friends to count on. Sneaking out like a thief in the night would make her believe I wasn’t one either.
Giving the envelope to her seemed an immense burden to bear. However, the ring needed to be safe, and I knew she’d return it to its owner instead of Cary overlooking a small item on his nightstand, or worse, throwing something that valuable away by accident. It’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve owned and what it may have cost Cary exceeds the limits of my imagination. The rock was the size of Sloan’s and Carver doesn’t spare a penny on his wife.
I hesitate a moment longer. It’s before lunchtime at Sweet Caroline’s. Only a fool pretends they don’t know what that means.
Me.
I’ve played the fool the whole time I’ve been employed here.
But today I’m expected. Jake’s car is outside. I’ve asked for an audience with him.
I’m opening Pandora’s Box because misery has already found me. I don’t know how to combat it on my own, so why not let evil in too? We may be more deserving bedfellows than I’d previously considered.
What if he wants more from me than I have to give? What if Jake notices my engagement ring is gone and he expects Cary’s secrets in return for his help? I can’t do that. I’d rather cross the line with Jake than divulge Davina’s affair.
I finally summon the courage to rap. Jake barks at me to enter. He sees me and his eyes flash. His smile is sinister as he pulls at his collar, adjusting the top button.
His private bathroom door opens and a sheepish young woman slinks out. He ignores her attempts to claim his attention. Shooting him a glare, she says something about waiting in the theatre at the bar and leaves the office door ajar.
Jake rolls his eyes. I have a feeling the woman is about to become my problem.
“To what do I owe the great pleasure of your visit?” he asks as if I hadn’t begged on the phone for him to meet me here.
“Shut up man, and just… Just shut up!” Trig walks in with his dog, Tallulah on his heels. He aims his frustrations at Jake. “Give her the fucking file, jack-off. He snags a manilla folder off of Jake’s desk, shoving it my way.
“What is this?” Morbid curiosity gets the best of me and I flip it open.
The file is full of what I’m here for. Things I’ve intentionally kept my distance from. See no evil, hear no evil, and especially speak no evil.
Trig flops down on the sofa next to me. “I started pulling everything I could find as soon as… As soon as Kimber mentioned your problems. Let me know if you want me to dig further. But most of what you need is right there.” He taps the papers and photographs.
“You’ve had this… for months?”
I watch as Tallulah places her head on Trig’s lap and he strokes her short, dark fur.
“I figured where you were hot to have Cass checked out before he got near your kid…” Trig shrugs.
His explanation makes perfect sense. Except.
“Why didn’t you give it to me before?”
“What stopped you from asking for it?” Jake says with haughty reproach.
But Trig’s explanation hits the nail on the head. For me, there’s a huge difference between asking a guy with a security company to do a simple background check as a favor, compared to digging up evidence intended to ruin a person.
