Page 121 of Ice Dance Hockey

They’re not acting like divorced people.

“It’s better we keep appearances,” Mother says. “We’re still best friends. We have four beautiful children together. We’ll always love each other.”

Nothing makes any sense. Father is the type to follow someone to the ends of the Earth to keep them. That’s what he’s doing with Jack on my behalf. I’ve seen him get horrendously jealous.

Oh. Oh, I see. “Which one of you has a new someone?”

Father. It’s got to be Father.

“Both of us,” Mother says.

My blood pressure rises. Logan grips my hand. “Did the three of you know?” I accuse my siblings.

“Mom told me last year when we were in Paris,” Angelique says. “I didn’t want to bother you with it. It’s not a big deal.”

“I didn’t know,” Mav says, scooping a handful of nuts from a bowl with his wet paw. “But I had my suspicions. Oh, c’mon. Tell me you had no suspicions?”

Clenching my jaw, I seethe. I won’t overreact. Won’t have an outburst. There’s a calm and rational explanation. “Father?”

“Hey, you’re not gonna ask me?” Rich says.

“We didn’t tell you either, dear,” Mother says. “You would have told Rhett.”

“Was this a secret from Rhett?” I say, laden with sarcasm, squeezing Logan’s hand.

“Yes,” Father offers. “I knew it would upset you and you were already upset about Jack.”

Logan flinches.

“Then why tell me now, right before the start of the season?”

He nods toward Logan. “You have the support of your man.”

His tone is laced with sarcasm. This is a test. Do I actually have the support of my man? Or is he a stand-in for Jack?

“Poor fragile, Rhett,” Maverick says, stoking the metaphorical fire.

He’s just being my idiot brother who believes that I got all of Dad’s positive attention for being a suck-up.

I turn to Logan whoismy man, damn it. Whose support I do have. I’m my own man, too. I’m the youngest millionaire in Vancouver. I do what Father says because I love and respect him.

I don’t need fucking coddling.

My wicker chair scratches against the stone as I stand and gently tug Logan up with me. “I’m taking you for breakfast, darling dear.”

He’s going to eat something more than egg whites and black coffee.

“Sit down, Rhett,” Father says.

Turning, my body shadows his sun. I’m twice the size of him. Maybe three times the size today.

“Nope.”

With Logan by my side, I head the hell away from here.

* * *

We walked until we ended up at one of the restaurants in the hotels on the beach. Maybe we’ll stay here tonight.

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