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I walk over and take it from him begrudgingly, placing it down on my desk without taking a drink as my nostrils flare at the sight of him in my office. I snap my head toward the windows, needing a distraction from him. He reminds me too much of her.
“So?” he asks. “What’s been going on?”
I turn my head from the windows toward him, tilting my head to the side. I don’t know whether to tell him that Harmony is back in town and that I saw her, or whether to keep it quiet. I’m sure they’ll run into each other at some stage—if he hasn’t already.
The four of us were a unit: Harmony, Natalia, Nathan and I. I suppose that’s what made it even worse with my father making me marry Natalia, the fact that we were all so close. Nate had no choice but to choose sides, and he chose us. When we all started college, he took Natalia under his wing, looking out for her. She was always quiet, never saying much, but she was his cousin, and family is everything to him.
Deciding to omit that I know she’s here but knowing he won’t stop with the questions unless I give him something, I say, “Pete tried to turn the board against me.” I wince as soon as the words leave my mouth. All I want is to tell him to leave me the hell alone, to get out of my office and not to come back, but instead I’m making conversation with him.
“You’re shitting me!” He chuckles, throwing his whiskey back and getting up to pour another one. “What happened?”
I narrow my eyes at him, tilting my head to the side as I decide to test him. “He arranged a meeting with the board on Saturday while I was at the kids’ art show.”
“Fucking hell.” He shakes his head. “I can get my people to look into it?” he asks.
I nod my head in reply. “Yeah, get the team on it.” I tilt my head, watching him carefully before I say, “You know the art class the kids go to? ‘Willow Arts.’”
I wait for any telltale signs that he knew about all of it—about Harmony being back—but after several seconds, all he says is, “I think you mentioned it, would’ve been nice if you had invited me.”
I huff out a breath, feeling like I can never get a read on him anymore; not since he became a lawyer. I shake my head as I think about it, isn’t that what they’re paid to do anyway? Lie.
“I didn’t think it necessary after the stunt you pulled at the recital.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “I did nothing wrong and you know it, stop being an ass.” My arms cross over my chest, but he blows out a breath, changing the conversation back. “Did he really think he’d get away with it?” he asks, bringing the glass to his lips and cocking a brow.
“He did. Worked in my favor though, the board saw him for the slimy traitor that he is and now he’s gone for good.”
“What a dumbass.”
“Yep.”
I stand up, walking over to the windows and placing the palms of my hands on the cool glass relishing in the silence for a few seconds.
“How’s the kiddiwinkles?” he asks.
I wait a beat before I clear my throat. “They’re good.”
“We haven’t spent any proper time together in a while, we should do something fun!” I see his face break out into a big grin in the reflection of the glass, his eyes sparkling. “How about a cookout!”
I turn around to face him, narrowing my eyes as I start to think it over. Being around family and having fun would do the kids a world of good and maybe it’s exactly what they need. I can feel the selfish side of me rearing its ugly head because I don’t know if I can be around everyone at the same time, having them all studying me and asking if I’m okay every five seconds. But it’s not about me, this is for the kids. I can’t even remember the last time we had people over at the—
Wait, no, I can. It was Izzie’s baby shower.
Shutters slam down in my mind, shutting down the idea right away. My mind wanders as I think back to that day, to all of the people who came to wish us luck; to celebrate Natalia’s pregnancy. It was the last time many of those people saw her alive.
I swallow at that thought and close my eyes, trying my best to keep my composure.
“No, I’m busy.”
I straighten up, pulling the cuffs of my jacket down, twisting the buttons that sit on the outside.
“You know what,” Nate says while slamming down his glass on the table in front of him. He stands up, a frown on his face. “You need to get your shit together.”
My head reels back and my hands clench into fists at my side. “You need—”
“No.” He slices his hand through the air. “I don’t need to do anything.” He takes two steps forward. “If you opened your fucking eyes, you’d have an idea of what is going on around you, but you’re too stuck in your own selfish bubble to realize that people need you.”
“That right?” I ask, a sneer pulling at my lips. “Do you have any idea what it’s like going back to that house every day knowing that she’s not there?”
