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“Yeah, yeah. I get it. We both do.” Shep nodded slowly. “But you don’t need to go running over there half-cocked and demanding answers.”

“So, what the hell am I supposed to do?”

“Give the dust some time to settle,” Shep urged. “She’s got your number. Give her a chance to come to you.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Well, then, you take matters into your own hands.”

8

TALLIE

“You’ll never guess who I saw tonight.”

“Who?”

I dropped the bags I’d gathered from the apartment on the floor, then watched her expression as I answered, “Holt.”

“What?” Her eyes grew wide, and her face was marked with a mix of surprise and worry. “But how is that possible?”

“Because you and everyone else in this stupid family lied to me, and he didn’t really die overseas!”

I‘d spent over an hour sobbing in my apartment, and I still felt like I was on the brink of tears. I felt so betrayed, but more than that, I felt so stupid. I believed them all when they told me he was gone. I never even questioned it. I just couldn’t imagine that the people I loved most would lie to me and watch me fall apart for months on end.

And it killed me that I would never be able to trust them again.

Mom gave me one of her looks as she placed her hand on her chest and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, give it, Mother! It’s not going to work anymore. I know you’re lying. You’ve been lying to me for years!” I could feel my cheeks burning with anger as I hissed, “How could you! You are my mother! I trusted you.”

“Tallie.”

“No! I want to know,” I pushed. “How could you do this? How could you let me think he was dead?”

“You don’t understand.” Tears filled her eyes as she toyed with the hem of her sweater. “It wasn’t my decision.”

“Oh, here you go,” I snapped. “You’re going to put it all on Dad.”

“I was trying to protect you!” she shot back, her voice raising defensively.

“Protect me?” I scoffed. “Protect me from what!”

“Your father and I worked very hard for you and your brother to have a good life, and we didn’t want anything to jeopardize that.”

“And what about what I wanted? Did that not matter at all?”

“Of course it mattered, but I was…”

“Youletme grieve for years and for no reason!” My voice trembled as I told her, “You stole my life, Mom. You stolehislife from me. And for what? Because he wasn’t good enough for your perfect little plan?”

Her silence was deafening. Her lips pressed together like she couldn’t find the words, or maybe she just didn’t want to admit the truth. I stepped back, the weight of betrayal nearly crushing me. “I can’t even look at you right now.”

Before she could say another word, I turned on my heel and walked out, the door slamming behind me. For the first time in my life, I didn’t care if she was hurting. I was heartbroken, and I needed some time to clear my thoughts.

I went downstairs and went to the bar. I had a glass of wine and just breathed for a bit. I tried to clear my head, but I wastoo distraught. I felt like my entire world had been turned upside down. I didn’t know who I could trust or if I’d ever be able to trust again.

I sat there for over an hour just trying to process it all, but it was futile. This was too much for anyone to accept, especially from their own mother. I had no idea what I was going to do, but I knew I couldn’t stay in that bar all night.

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