Page 38 of Unravel You

“It’s not your fault. Anyway, him and Wesley are very close. If Wesley’s here, it’s only a matter of time before my brother shows up too.” She plastered a smile on her face.

Her brother would come because Wesley was here, but what about her? She seemed so alone I wanted to hug her. From the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow move just on the other side of the picket fence. I did a double take

“You saw it?” She reached for my hand.

Was I not the only one spying on her? I peered at the trees and bushes behind the fence, but it was too dark to make out anything.

“Yes. Should we call the guards?” I pulled out my phone. “I’m texting Derek.”

“No, look.” Ana pointed at a small fox rushing out of the woods. Creases flashed across her forehead. “I’d hoped it was someone else.”

“Like who?” I leaned forward.

It was weird how comfortable I felt with her, as if I’d known her for a long time. Maybe I was still a little drunk from the wine.

“No one.” She shrugged. “I’m glad you’re finally here. Now that everyone is back, it feels like old times. You still haven’t met Tyler and Matt. They’ll be here next week for the engagement party.”

“Great. More family. I can’t wait.”

“Come on. It can’t be all that bad.”

I wiped my hands on my dress. “I’m glad I got to meet you. It will make this month go by fast having someone to talk to. Someone who doesn’t hate me.” Surely, she knew who I was talking about.

“What do you mean this month? I thought you were staying. Lilly said you were.”

“We’re not staying.” My hands turned cold at the idea of staying here under Lilly’s command for the rest of my life. I wanted to marry Derek, but that would be one high price tag. One he hadn’t told me about.

“Oh. I must’ve misunderstood.” She waved her hand in dismissal, slanting a glance toward the trees.

Who was she hoping was out there?

“Okay, I have to be honest. You seem nice. Lilly loves you. I need your help.”

“Absolutely.” She sat up a little straighter on her barstool. “What do you need?”

“Why does Lilly hate me? How do I fix it?” I was begging, and I didn’t care.

“She doesn’t hate you. She…um.” She winced. “She thinks you were the one keeping Derek away before. Though it sounds like she might be right if you’re still planning to go home after this trip.”

“How could she think that we’re staying? My son isn’t even here.” Was she hoping Derek and I would break up while visiting? Crap, if that was her original plan, she’d almost succeeded. And on the first day. I rubbed my temple. The slight headache I’d had since I ran into the tree earlier today had turned into a full-on migraine. “No one is keeping Derek away but himself. I can’t tell him what to do.”

“I like you.” Ana covered my hand with hers. “Derek wants to live in this house.”

“Did he tell you that?”

“The way he talks about it, I assumed so.”

She was right. From the beginning, Derek had been so proud of this house. He even mentioned living here and asked me to make the place a home for us. Jesus, how could I be so stupid? I was so worried about his mom I didn’t consider the fact that he might not want to be in Arizona anymore. I couldn’t leave home.

“Is that Lilly’s beef with me?”

“Yes. When Derek divorced, she figured he had a second chance at fixing his life.”

Derek’s life didn’t need fixing. He was happy in Arizona. Wasn’t he? Did he lie to me? Did he think that if I spent a month in this mansion, I’d agree to leave everything behind and move here? Everything he’d done since we left home would point to that. I took a deep calming breath. Why did this feel like entrapment?

“What do you think are my options? Move here or stay in Tucson without Derek?”

“Derek loves you. No way he’s letting you go. You didn’t see what I saw.” She fanned herself, beaming.

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