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My heart is beating a million times per minute. I have tears spilling out my eyes. What is he doing to her?
I rear back and plow through the door, breaking it straight off the hinges. I look around and my eyes widen. I’m in shock at the scene before me.
My father is on the ground writhing in pain. His hands are over his crotch. Reagan’s standing over him. “Don’t ever fucking touch me without my permission.” Reagan then delivers a hard kick to his ribs and yells, “And that’s for disrespecting my father, you pig.”
She looks up at me. Her eyes are red and tears are streaming down her cheeks. She narrows her eyes at me, and says, “Roshambo.”
I start toward her, reaching my hands out for her. “Reagan, are you…”
She holds up her hands. “Don’t fucking touch me. You don’t get toeverfucking touch me again.”
She walks my way. She takes the fake engagement ring off her finger and places it in mine. “You can redeliverthis to someone who wants it, LeRond. Unlike my company, you and I are done.”
With my heart in her pocket, she walks out the door.
CHAPTERNINETEEN
REAGAN
The last two weeks have been a living hell. Carter has been hounding me, begging to explain himself. He comes to the store, to my apartment, and he even showed up at Mom and Jackson’s house when he knew we’d be having a Sunday night family dinner.
Mom encouraged me to let him in and hear him out. Trevor went outside and punched him the face. I prefer Trevor’s approach.
I can’t be around him right now. He lied to me. He deceived me. I don’t care what he says his reasons were. I don’t care for any explanation. I was just part of his plan to get what he wants from his father. Or maybe his father has been in on the plan all along. Either way, he lied to me.
My instincts are rarely this off. I can’t believe he was able to deceive me so easily. I haven’t been eating or sleeping very much. I’m completely gutted and, frankly, heartbroken.
As I would expect, my family has rallied around me. Everyone keeps checking in on me. I appreciate it, but, for the most part, I just want to be alone.
I’m also struggling with what Thomas told me. He mentioned my father having a girlfriend. It’s hard for me to believe that’s true. I don’t want to talk to Mom or my sisters about it. I don’t want to tarnish his memory for them. It would shatter Mom’s heart if she were to find out that he cheated on her. But I need to know what happened. I can’t just let this go.
There’s only one person I can turn to right now. I knock on her door. She opens it, surprised to see me. “Reagan, I didn’t know you were coming by.”
“I need you.” I start crying.
She pulls me inside and wraps her arms around me. I start to look around. She notices. “Trevor isn’t home. He took the twins to some gym class. They can’t even sit yet but, apparently, they need a gym class.”
I laugh through my tears. “Trevor is a full-on Mr. Mom.”
She nods. “He certainly is. Come in. Let’s sit.”
We move into her home office and sit on the big leather couch. She takes my hands in hers. “Talk to me. Is this about Carter?”
I shake my head as the tears reemerge. “Not directly. Aren’t you happy we broke up though? You didn’t think we would work out.”
“No, I’m not happy that you’re miserable.” She pauses for a moment as if choosing her words carefully. “I actually did think you were good together. Reagan, I do believe that he loves you. I know he’s been speaking with your mother every day. He’s completely broken-hearted right now.”
“I don’t give a shit about his heart. He’s a liar and a fraud. He can go to hell.”
She rubs my back. “I’m not sure, Reagan. I think when cooler heads prevail, and you’re willing to hear him out, you may see things differently.”
What the fuck? Now my damn family is on his side?
“I’m not here to talk about Carter. I’m here to talk about my father.”
She looks surprised. “Your father? What about him?”
I swallow at what I’m about to say. “I think that maybe he was cheating on my mother. I think he had an affair.”
