Page 81 of Two Wrongs

Audrey notices every person around us is staring. If they weren’t actively gossiping, they will be. This time it won’t be only about me. Judging by the looks on their faces, now they had a villain for their story. I know Audrey sees the same thing because her head drops down and she rushes out of the store.

Ignoring all the people still staring at me, I move forward in the line. “Hi, Mr. Phelps. I need the medications for Mrs. Howell.”

“Sure thing. How are you?” There’s a prying quality to his question, and I know he’s fishing for more information.

“I know you just heard all of that.” I wave my arms around gesturing emphatically at all the eavesdroppers. “Everyone in here did. I also know that you like being the center of town news, but I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t actively try and spread my pain for the amusement of all the bored old biddies in Harriston.”

His mouth gapes open. “I wouldn’t. Of course—“

I hold up my hand. “Just the meds, please.”

He hands me the bag and I shove the cash at him. I hold my head high and stroll with confidence I don’t feel out the door.

33

Griffin

Keeping myself busy while Wren is out running errands is exhausting. There are a lot of things I’ve neglected taking care of the last few weeks while I’ve been spending time with her. Just knowing how short our time together will be makes me want to treasure every second I get.

I worked on the gutters for a couple hours, winterized my garden beds, and she still hasn’t come back. I’m running out of projects, and not being busy is giving me too much time to think. Like, how many projects am I going to need to keep me busy when she’s out of my life forever?

The loud rumble of a truck disturbs the silence of my quiet street. I stop my last project of the day, organizing my tools in the garage, to see who’s mechanical beast needs a tune up. A truck that is more rust than metal turns the corner and comes to a stop in the driveway.

When I see the driver I groan. “What the fuck are you doing here, Liam?” I ask when he exits the truck.

“Nice to see you too, dad,” he snaps back at me.

“You’re supposed to be in rehab. Your counselor made it sound like you were going to be there for at least the full thirty days,” I explain.

He shrugs, flippantly ignoring my concern. “I’ve dried out, the rest of the program is just a bunch of foo-foo bullshit.”

“Thatfoo-foo bullshit, as you call it, is what helps you stay dried out. Who’s truck are you even driving?” I ask.

He waves away my question. “My roommate checked himself into the facility and drove himself there.”

“And he just let you take his truck? Liam, please tell me you didn’t steal it,” I beg.

Liam rolls his eyes, and if I didn’t know he was twenty-four I’d have assumed he was a teenager. “C’mon dad, you know me. I’m not a thief.”

I stare at him, wondering how he has the audacity to say that after everything he’s done. “I thought I knew you, but you’ve done many things recently that make me wonder if I ever really did.”

“This has been a lovely heart-to-heart,father, but I only came to get my car. Then, I need to go find Wren and make her listen to me.”

“Good to see you have your priorities straight, car then wife,” I reply sarcastically.

“Whatever, save your judgment. Where is my car? I went by my apartment and it’s not there. It wasn’t at the garage either,” he says, looking around.

“That’s because I sold it,” I say, and wait for him to explode.

“I’m going to need you to repeat that,” he says in a deceptively soft voice.

“I. Sold. Your. Car. Where do you think the money for rehab came from? You practically ruined my business with your creative billing and skimming money from the over-inflated profits. Wren doesn’t have access to any of your accounts, and you took out thousands of dollars in her name without getting her approval. So, yeah, I fucking sold your car.”

The vein in the side of his head starts to bulge. “Get it back. You had no right to sell my car. Your name wasn’t even on the title.”

“No, Wren’s was. I can’t believe you had her spend the rest of her parents’ insurance money to get you a fucking car.” I’ve been dying to confront him about this since she told me how he got the car.

Liam shakes his head. “She wouldn’t do that.”

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