Page 65 of Love Like Lightning

Before following after her, Cam looks over his shoulder. A crease forms in the middle of his forehead, but I’m speechless. And worried.

I try my best not to jump to any conclusions. Mostly because if I do, I’ll start and never stop. Maybe Henry is here fixing something for his parents. Or maybe he dropped by randomly.

Maybe he forgot something here the last time he came by.

He can’t be here for the same reason we are. That would be…that would be bad. Tonight’s not the night his parents are going to tell him and his siblings about Cam and me. It can’t be.

Gina just wants to show off one of her famous cake recipes or something, and Henry being here is a coincidence. One that can be explained away.

I’m halfway to convincing myself that all of that is more likely than the worst-case scenario that’s pinballing around inside my head when Gina stops outside of the small dining room where we usually meet. The two pocket doors are closed almost all the way. The small crack allows the not-so-quiet conversation that’s happening on the other side to filter through.

“I hate to spring this on you two, but Marc and I spoke to the kids. It’s going…” Gina takes a deep breath and smiles a patient smile only a mom could pull off. “Well, it’s going as well as expected, I suppose. We’re just about to cut the cake.”

With that, she slides the doors open, and suddenly Cam and I are face to face with the entire Wright family.

No, that’s not right. Two of the brothers aren’t here.

But Henry is. He’s sitting at the large table next to his sister and dad.

And he’s staring right at me.

“Gia?” His voice stokes the anxiety that’s been spreading through my limbs from the moment he opened the door.

“You know her?” the man sitting across from Henry asks gruffly.

I remember him from the night I met Henry, and the face he’s pulling now doesn’t change my impression of him. He looks angry. The complete opposite of Henry’s usual demeanor.

Except Henry doesn’t have a smile on his face like usual. The confusion I saw in his expression at the door is still there, but only for a moment.

“This is Gianna.” Henry pulls his stare from me long enough to give his brother a meaningful look.

“Oh.” His brother seems to think for a moment. “Oh. Fuck.”

“This guy? This is who you think is going to bring us back from the brink of bankruptcy?” Mackenzie gapes at her mom before swiveling her head to her dad.

I watch in real time as Henry puts together all of the puzzle pieces, and his face crumbles into something worse than confusion. Worse than the anger on his brother's face.

He’s upset, devastated even.

He looks betrayed.

“Let’s all table the discussion for a few minutes while we enjoy dessert.” Gina gives her kids a stern look before returning to her seat next to her husband.

Glancing at Cam, his face is beet red, and he looks as uncomfortable as I feel. Despite that, he takes a few stiff steps to the table and takes one of the open seats at the end. I join him, taking the seat to his right in an attempt to avoid Henry’s gaze.

Everyone stays quiet while Gina takes her time slicing into a truly wonderful looking chocolate cake. Too bad my appetite is long gone at this point. Once everyone has a slice, forks are passed around, and I have to force myself to wait to take a bite.

Not because I’m hungry or because it looks so good that I can’t wait. Because I need to do something other than sit and wait for this whole thing to blow up. And it’s going to; it’s just a matter of time. When Gina and Marc start eating their cake, I take that as my cue to do the same.

As I shove the first forkful of cake into my mouth, I almost whimper. I can’t even taste it. I know it’s good—everything Gina makes is—but it sits like tar on my tongue.

“So did you know who my brother was when you slept with him, or did you just not care?” This comes from the angry brother, of course.

And that’s when I start choking.

27

Henry

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