Page 19 of Jersey

Therewas no morality clause in the contract that I signed. The emphasis was honestly all on Eli, and never discussing the meetings or anything I saw or heard inside the walls of the cabin with anyone else. It sounds bad, but it's very typical non-disclosure stuff.

How could I have possibly missed the damn wedding ring on his finger?

I feel like such a fool.

What that man wants or sees in me means nothing. My skin actually crawls at the idea of him at the club, circling around me with a wife at home.

God, have I met her?

If she's here, I don't think I have.

Aspen is with Jericho, and Cora and Zara are with Ace and Mr. Hart, respectively. Those are the only three women I've been introduced to.

Does he leave on his trips to go back home to her?

"Ack," I spit, shaking my hands as if I could dispel any and all thoughts of him.

It doesn't matter what he does. I've done nothing wrong.

I would have a serious problem if I were married and my husband spent time in a sex club, but honestly, not all couples are the same. It's not up to me to decide what's okay in their marriage.

What I do get to decide is that I want no part of any of it.

With these thoughts, I climb out of my car and rush toward the front door.

Instead of it being Mr. Hart as I suspected it would be, Jericho answers the door with a smile.

He no longer offers me a hand to shake. He learned very quickly that it's just something I don't do.

"Good afternoon," I say.

"Good afternoon." He steps to the side, giving me a wide berth to enter the home.

"I think I'm going to work with him one-on-one today and then we can meet after in about an hour so I can go over any notes or issues of concern."

"Sounds good," he says as he closes the door. "He's in the living room. We'll be in the kitchen if you need us."

The cabin is massive, but it's also a complete open floor plan on the main floor. There's nothing that separates the two rooms other than the strategic placement of the furniture. I commend him for letting me know without saying it that he's not willing to leave his son alone with anyone, including his therapist. Maybe there would be fewer kids needing therapy as adults if everyone were so diligent.

"Oh," I say, stopping in my tracks. "I forgot my bag."

Jericho is quick to open the front door for me again, waiting just inside while I run to my car and get the things I brought for therapy today.

Eli is sitting in front of an oversized easel when I enter the main room.

"Hey there, friend," I say with a wide smile, knowing by now that it's best to put my bag down.

"Miss Caitlyn!" Eli yells. He's so happy to see me, I wonder if they don't remind him he's meeting with me in case I have to reschedule.

I know from experience working with the family that they protect this little guy at all costs. I'm sure that would include a little disappointment about his day looking differently than they had planned, but it's one of the things we'll have to work on. No one lives in a perfect world, and we have to prepare him for adversity at some point.

I open my arms, crouching to catch him just in time for one of his hugs.

I might need this from him as much as he needs it from me, but I release him the second he shifts to take a step back.

"Come look at my drawings!"

He tugsmy hand and guides me toward the easel and a thick stack of drawings beside it on the table.

---