Page 38 of Broken Promises

Belle is sitting next to me on the floor, stacking blocks for Cora to knock over.

“Nothing,” I say and try to smile. Belle looks at me with a face that lets me know she doesn’t believe me for a moment. Cora knocks over my tower and laughs. I smile genuinely at her. She’s the sweetest little girl, and I still can’t believe she came from Cal.

“Wanna try again?” Belle asks. I should tell her about Declan, but the words get caught in my throat. I don’t know if he’s going to show up for dinner. He isn’t responding to my texts. He told me last night that he wanted a relationship with me, and I couldn’t even make it past the morning before I ruined it.

“Things are awkward between Jo and I.” It’s part of the truth. Jo isn’t the friendliest person, but we got along really well until recently.

“What happened?” Belle asks.

“She accused me of sleeping with a married man.”

Belle’s eyes go wide, and her mouth hangs open. “Why would she do that?”

I shrug. “I’m not, by the way. I haven’t slept with anyone in almost a year at this point.” I sound whiney. But it’s hard to get laid when you’re concerned about your well-being. Or that you might get kidnapped for trying to find your missing friend.

“I’d never accuse you of being a home wrecker, Willa. But why would Jo?”

I tell her about the random rumors Jo found and how she connected them to Gideon Banks. Belle knew I was at that game, just like the rest of our group. So she wasn’t surprised that someone may have spotted me.

“I told you the wig wasn’t a good disguise,” she says.

“That’s all you have to say?”

“Are you sleeping with Gideon Banks?”

“No!” I scoff. Cora thinks that’s funny and giggles while clapping for me.

“Then yeah, that’s all I have to say.”

“Willa! Can you set the table?” Cal calls from the kitchen. Belle breaks out into a fit of laughter.

“Shut up,” I mutter, rising from the floor and sulking all the way to the dining room. I pause in front of the plates. There’s nine of us here right now, not including Cora.

I grab ten.

TWENTY

declan

I standin front of Callahan Griffin’s house. Willa has been texting me all day, but I haven’t responded. I was angry with her at first, but that quickly changed to hurt. I know all about the people in that house. We’ve talked about them in detail since we were kids. I feel like I know them, and yet they don’t even know I exist.

I understand Willa’s reason. I really do, but I wish she had told me from that start, instead of making me feel like a fool that’s been living on the outside of her life all these years.

“Fuck it.”

I make my way to the front door before I can change my mind. My finger pressing on the doorbell before I tell it to. I can hear the bell echo through the house and the sound of voices instantly quiets. Seconds later, the door flies open.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Princess.”

“You came.” Her eyes are wide, and her lip wobbles.

“Of course I came.” I lean down and kiss the corner of her mouth. “Introduce me to everyone.” I throw my arm around her shoulders and lead her inside. I follow the sound of soft voices until I find the dining room.

The moment we enter the room, we’re greeted by silence. Cal is at the head of the table with Harlow to his right. Their daughter Cora is at the corner between them in her highchair. Jo is next to Harlow with a man who I’m guessing is Harlow’s dad from the red hair. There’s another man next to him and an older looking one at the other head of the table. I’m not sure how they fit in with this group. Maverick, Belle, and Kai are all to Cal’s left and have turned around in their seats to stare at me.

Willa clears her throat. “Everyone, this is Declan. My husband.”

Forks clang on plates, but everyone is still staring. Except Cora, who is shoving mashed potatoes into her mouth with her small fists. I look around at all the different expressions. Mostly, it’s shock. But Belle looks as hurt as I felt this morning, and Jo looks horrified. I catch the moment Cal realizes who I am.

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