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He took a breath. The damage was done—time to face the music. “I saw them at the airport a while ago. He, uh...he introduced me.”
Bernard grimaced and tiptoed a safe distance away to the bank of elevators where he’d probably eavesdrop.
The innocent distress that had painted Colleen’s face a minute ago slid off, and in its place came a horrible nothingness.
She took a step away from him.
“Youknew?”
Well, shit. “Yes.”
She closed her mouth. Opened it. Closed it again, then spoke. “You saw them together, and you never told me?” Her voice bounced through the huge, vacant foyer.
“I didn’t know how to break it to you.”
“So you did nothing? Let me sit there like an idiot, thinking my father was the best guy in the damn world, and he was screwing another woman the whole time?”
“Colleen—”
“What was this? A man-to-man agreement or some such shit? You didn’t think I’d want to know about this?”
“Okay, look. I should’ve said something, and I didn’t. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, you’re sorry. Well, that’s fine, then. You’ve been lying to me for—how long? How long have you known? Specifically, Lucas.”
He grimaced. “Since February.”
“SinceFebruary?” The last word was a shriek. Bernard peeked around from the elevator banks again and shrugged, male sign language forDude, if I could help you, I would, but you’re up shit creek, man.
Colleen’s breath was coming in gasps.
“Coll, I think you should calm down.”
Again,sucha dickhead thing to say.
“I should— Wow. Wow, Lucas. Months! You’ve known for months! Did it ever occur to you that if you’d said something, maybe I could’ve stopped this? Maybe I could’ve talked to him, and he would’ve seen how wrong this was, and I wouldn’t have a baby brother or sister on the way right now, did that ever occur to you?”
“Colleen, if you’d just listen—”
“I would’velovedto have listened a few months ago. Now, not so much.”
He took a deep breath. “Look. I know how you worship that guy. Okay? And I didn’t want to say anything, since this is exactly what would happen. You’d get hysterical.”
Dickheadthing to say. He winced and tried to take her hand, but she pulled it away. Folded her arms and looked out the window, her jaw hard. “I’m going home. Don’t call me.”
“Colleen, I didn’t mean to...” Here came the part where he would beg.
“In case it’s unclear, we’re breaking up.”
Her words sucker punched him in the gut. “What?”
“You have to go to law school, my family’s imploding, and maybe we’re not the people we think we are.”
“I don’t even know what that means.”
“It means,” she barked, even as tears spurted out of her eyes, “that I thought you were the kind of person I could trust! But no, Lucas, you’ve been keeping this huge secret from me, and it’s aboutmyfamily andmyfather, butyoudecided who gets to be told and who gets to stay in the dark!”
“Colleen, just—”
