Page 141 of Surprisingly Us

That’s when it occurs to me, if they’re selling their apartment, what does that mean for our other family property?

“What about the Lake George cottage?” I sniff.

They exchange another look, and I know what’s coming even before the words leave my mom’s mouth.

“We’re going to sell it.”

Something inside me splinters. Hearing the fate of our beloved Lake George cottage sends me over the edge. It’s the final straw, and I can’t be here anymore.

I bolt upright, breaking the gentle hold my mom’s arms had on me.

“I have to go,” I announce in a rush, furiously wiping at my face to stop the tears, but they’re persistent.

“Colette, please stay,” my mom pleads. “We can talk more.”

“We know this is overwhelming.” My dad wraps his arms around me, his soft baritone warm and soothing near my ear. “We’ll get through it together.”

There’s no more together, though.

Not here. We’re broken. Our family, the family we once had, doesn’t exist anymore.

And I can’t stand to be in this heartbreaking moment any longer.

“I’ve got to go,” I sob, moving toward the front door.

“I’ll walk you home,” my dad insists.

I don’t bother answering as I rush out the door.

On the short walk to my apartment, we don’t talk. His presence is somewhat comforting, but also a reminder of what just took place.

At the stairs to my building, he waits on the sidewalk while I let myself inside. I can’t look at him without bursting into tears, so I give a quick wave, then go straight up to my apartment.

By the time I get inside, I’m completely numb.

I know they’d wanted me to stay for dinner, but after their news blew up my life, I couldn’t stomach it. Food or watching them tactfully exchange pleasantries. I’m not ready to navigate that yet. The news is too raw. I can’t go from the idea of my parents together and happy to knowing they’re divorcing and witnessing the aftermath in less than an hour. No, that’s going to take time.

Maxine ambles over to where I’m sitting on the couch, so I scoop her up and bury my face in her fur. As the tears start to flow again, her fur turns damp, and she wiggles out of my arms.

I look around my empty apartment. I’m alone now, but I don’t want to be. Maybe I should have stayed at my parents’ place. The thought has my stomach clenching.

I reach for my phone.

I expect my fingers to navigate to Hannah’s name, but they don’t. They scroll to Rhys’s name.

He answers on the first ring. “Hey, Princess.”

Just the sound of his voice has the emotion taking over. My throat tightens, making it difficult to talk.

“I—I need you.” That’s all I can get out before I crumple to the floor and burst into tears.

CHAPTER 42

Rhys

My dinner with Sandeep has been insightful. I’d arranged it as part of my plan to have one-on-one sit downs with each of the board members to get to know them better with the sole purpose of swaying their vote to me instead of Jerrod, but we’ve been having a good time getting to know each other, and the topic hasn’t even come up.

He has two children in college now and the shit he’s telling me about parenting puts my baby vomit incident last night into perspective. It was nothing compared to what he’s been through.

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