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“All right. I’ll give you Christmas, and then I’m telling Laura the truth.”
I said goodbye to the girls and drove home to decompress. My head was pounding, making concentration impossible. Clouds drifted from the south. The storm crossing the country hit the coast in the evening: rain followed by freezing rain followed by snow. All transportation stopped, sealing us in the city. A week passed before I found the nerve to drive to Laura’s, but it was Allie who opened the front door.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” I asked.
“Picking up some of my stuff. I assume you’re looking for Laura?”
“How is she?”
“Hurt. And she’s not here.”
“Where is she?”
“With her parents.”
“Can you be more specific?” I leaned against the doorframe.
“I thought you were an investigator.”
Her words hit me like a punch. She was the second person to question my abilities, and it was pissing me off.
“Laura needs space right now. She’s working remotely, and I don’t expect her back in the office until after the new year.”
Fuck.
“And my little boy? How is he doing?”
“Laura’s a wonderful mother, so I’m sure he’s fine.”
“Are you upset with me, Allie?”
“Yes. You hurt my best friend.”
“I know. And I’m sorry. I’m going to do everything I can to get her back.”
Her shoulders relaxed. “You need to make things right because I love you both.”
“Thank you. I will.”
I would move mountains, cross seas, and beg on my fucking knees for forgiveness. I wouldn’t give up on the family we all deserved.
CHAPTER 15
LAURA
Thump… thump… thump….
The sound of my beating heart drummed in my ears, deafening the world around me. I sat by the fireplace, sipping hot cocoa. Foxy sat on the rug, playing with the new train set my father had bought. I pictured James beside Foxy every time my son giggled or laughed, and my heart ached. The barbecue was supposed to be our beginning, and now I didn’t know how to move forward.
With Christmas one week away, my parents were rushing between work and surgical obligations, but there was never enough time. Though my mother was going on sabbatical, it wasn’t happening until the new year, and it looked like I’d be spending Christmas with Foxy, alone. Most of the Silvers, along with Allie, had already left to Austria for Sam and Gabe’s wedding. James was his best man. Three weeks ago, I’d been confident we’d spend the holidays together; yet here we were, further apart than ever, and I couldn’t find it in my heart to forgive him. I wanted to, but I couldn’t. Grudge and stupidity were bitches.
A rare thunderclap broke through the snowstorm and my thoughts. Foxy jumped up.
“What was that?” I opened my eyes wide and gave him a mysterious look.
“Boom.” He pointed to the window.
“Saythunder.”
