Page 241 of Things Left Unsaid

“It’s our resident poltergeist!” Cole greets, arms wide as he draws her in for a hug, laughing as she bats at his shoulders for him to let go of her.

Even Mum’s laughing as she’s chiding, “Cole, leave Ida alone.”

“Why would I do that? How would she know I love her otherwise?”

Mrs. Abelman snorts as Cole hooks Mum in a hug too. “I can cope with less effusive declarations of love, Cole.”

Mia grins as she holds out her hand for Mum. “So great to see you again, Lindsay.”

Mum tuts and kisses her cheek. “Less of the formalities, dear.”

The words rub me on the raw. “Somehow, I don’t think you’d say that if Zee were the one visiting.”

I’m not afraid of confrontation, but it’s not something I seek either. So my words are the verbal equivalent of a first punch.

Aware that I’m the center of everyone’s focus, I arch a brow at Mum who splutters, “I don’t know what you mean, Colton!”

“I think you do,” is my soft retort because I apparently woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

Guess that’s what happens when evidence rolls in, confirming that your father’s a lying, conniving, devious piece of shit.

Cole flicks a look between us. “Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” Mum quickly counters, her brow puckering with genuine confusion that irritates me more. “Colton can’t expect me to grow attached to Susanne when his marriage has an expiration date. Unlike with you and Mia.” She goes so far as to kiss Mia’s cheek for a second time, which is like tossing a red rag in front of a bull.

“My marriage has as much of an expiration date as Cole and Mia’s—it’s up in the air. Only the fates will decide how long we’re together for. What Idoknow is that Zee, her name is goddamn Zee and I’ve asked you a dozen times to call her by her chosen name, will be the mother of your grandchild. She deserves more respect than you’re currently giving her.”

Callan cackles. “Go, bro.” When he holds out his fist for me to bump, I scowl at him until he huffs.

“This isn’t a joke.”

“I never thought it was. I’ve told Mum to call her Zee but she won’t.”

Noticing that Mia’s cheeks are bright pink, I cup her shoulder. “This has nothing to do with you, honey. I’m making a point.”

Her timid smile has Cole squinting at me with displeasure, but I’m not going to apologize. Mum needs to listen to me, and if shaming her in front of the whole damn family is the way forward, then that’s on her.

“Cole, you’re with me.”

He harrumphs at my order but, after kissing Mia’s cheek, trudges over to the truck while the rest of the family gets sorted with the ranch hands helping out.

As soon as I’m behind the wheel, I purse my lips. “You going to treat Zee with kindness or talk to her like she’s dog shit?”

“I was thinking of pretending she doesn’t exist.”

“She didn’t set the fire, Cole,” I say with a sigh.

“If she didn’t, then who did?” he snaps. “You’re so certain that she’s innocent, but that fire had nothing to do with faulty wiring.”

His insistence has me studying him. “What are you talking about, Cole?”

“I’ve been thinking about that time a lot recently. Ever since Mia came into my life, I realized the wound’s still gaping and hasn’t been healing. We talked about it and… I remembered something.” He scrapes a hand over his head. “I overheard Pops on the phone with someone. Looking back, I think it was the insurance adjuster. It sounded like he was paying him off.”

It’s one thing for me to come outright and say that I think Clyde set fire to the stables, but Cole doesn’t trust Zee and despite this new revelation, why would he take her word for it?

Pensive, I stare at the range, finding the comfort in it that I usually do, but there’s nothing there that puts my mind at ease. Not with one of our sore spots being lanced like an infected boil, revealing decades’ worth of unhealed trauma. Because this doesn’t start and end with the fire—it’s one big amalgamation of a childhood gone awry.

We’re silent on the ride to the house. I didn’t mean to be quiet and I’m definitely not mad at Cole for getting in his feelings, especially when hedidcome home like I requested and in the middle of the playoffs, but neither do I know how to get the words out that I need to.

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