Page 63 of All Our Secrets

Things returned to normal after the bake sale. Silas was back to texting me every day—the same do you need me type of questions that did ridiculous things to my state of mind.

No. I did not need his help. Nor did I want it. At least that was what I told myself.

That mindset kept me focused as each day slipped into the next. Somehow, a week passed, and I managed to keep it together, despite Silas’s constant calls and texts.

I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO LEAVE YOUR HOME.

WOULD YOU ANSWER THE PHONE? THESE ONE-SIDED TEXTS ARE DRIVING ME FUCKING CRAZY.

PEYTON.

PEYTON.

DAMN IT, PEYTON.

I CAN’T HANDLE YOU BEING THERE.

The man wasstilltrying to convince me to leave my home. I didn’t get it. Nothing had happened since those first incidents.

Other than ignoring Silas, Ialmostfelt like myself again. T.J. and I got out of the house most days. I wanted to soak up the sun as much as I could before fall set in and school started again. I was excited to see my students, though. Getting back into my school routine—and having things to focus on other than my thoughts about Silas—would help too.

I hoped.

T.J. grunted in my arms, little fists tightening as he stretched. “What is it?” I cooed. He gave me a gummy smile, and my heart melted on the spot. “Goodness, you’re so cute. How did I make something so perfect?”

A sharp pang hit my chest when I realized that I had to be away from him once school started. Just like that, instead of excitement, an overwhelming feeling of dread hit me. It’d been the two of us all summer. A mommy could get used to that. I knew Gerald and Rosie couldn’t wait to keep him while I taught, but…

What am I going to do?My stomach cramped the longer I thought about leaving him.Oh my God. What if he thinks I don’t love him when I go to work?

It never really hit me until then.

My cell phone rang. Rubbing my temple, I ogled Klaus Michaelson on the TV screen as he killed someone.Ah, well, that’s therapeutic.Leaning forward, I grabbed the phone off the coffee table. “Hello?”

“You didn’t book your hotel, did you?” Sarah asked accusingly.

“I told you I wasn’t going.”

“Nonsense. You and little Junior need to get out more.”

“We’re doing fine.” I grabbed a chip and dipped it in salsa, then added, “We just got back from a walk in the park, actually. It was nice.” As I said that, a huge glob of my dip fell onto my left breast. Before it could slide into my tank top, I scooped it back up and ate it. I swore T.J.’s eyes rounded, like he was judging his mother for being such a slob. I wiggled my brows at him.

“That’s good, but I still want you to come with us,” Sarah whined.

“Hotel’s probably booked up by now,” I added.

She hummed. “There’s that hotel right beside ours, if so.”

“Ugh,” I groaned. “And don’t get me started on the drive. I get antsy thinking about having T.J. in a car seat for that long. Especially in the back seat all by himself.”

“Then ride with someone so you can keep an eye on the cutie.”

“I don’t know…”

“Why don’t you ride with King?”

I nearly choked on my chips. “What? Silas is going?”

Sarah chuckled. “Or you can ride with Devin and me if King offends you that much.” There was a lengthy pause before she added, “Becky is going too.”

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