Page 111 of Someday You Learn

“I know, but I barely closed my eyes and the next thing I knew you were walking through the door.” She glances at the clock on the wall. “It’s after eight already?”

“Yeah.” Pushing a hand through my hair, I take my glasses off and set them on the coffee table, preparing to tell her everything I’ve been holding back.

“Uh oh. The glasses are coming off,” she teases. “Is everything okay?”

I look her straight in her amber eyes, hoping like hell that what I’m about to say doesn’t destroy us. “I just came from your dad’s house.”

Her spine straightens. “What? Why?”

“I told him everything, Cashlynn.”

Sheleaps from the couch and clutches her hands to her chest. “Are you serious? Please tell me you’re joking!”

Looking up at her, I say, “No, sweetheart. I’m being completely honest with you.”

Her hands cover her mouth, and her eyes are wide as she stares down at me. “Why on earth would you do that without even talking to me about it, Parker?”

“Because if I didn’t, Seth was going to.”

She squints at me now, her expression hardening in an instant. “So to save yourself, you jeopardized everything that I’ve been working toward for the past three months?”

I stand now, not wanting her to run from what I’m going to say. Reaching out to her, I place my hand on her upper arm, but she swats me away. “Cashlynn…”

“No, Parker.” Her voice cracks as tears fill her eyes. “How could you?”

“I know you can’t see it right now, but this was the best thing to do. Your father deserved the truth, not the half-assed version that Seth was likely to give him, and now he won’t make a scene on Saturday if he shows up.”

A tear slides down her cheek. “I thought…”

I reach out to her again, hating to see the pain and betrayal filling her eyes, but she steps away from me this time, putting even more space between us. “I’m sorry. I know you asked me not to, but I did what I thought was best.”

“Yeah, what was best for you.”

“No, forus. He knows everything, and now he can decide if he will support you in this decision. In therealdecision. I couldn’t stand by while he kept hurting you, Cashlynn. I told him because I refuse to watchyou crumble under fear of his judgment any longer. I’m asking you to trust me, sweetheart. Please…”

“You’re asking me to trust you, but you won’t even trust me enough to tell me what the hell happened in your last relationship!” Her words sting, but they’re true.“Telling my dad wasnotyour choice to make, Parker.” She starts to walk away from me, down the hall to her room, but I follow her because we arenotdone talking. I’m not done convincing her that this was the right choice, that I only had her best interests at heart.

“I’m involved in these lies too, Cashlynn.” She steps inside her room, and I trail her closely. Reaching inside the closet, she grabs a duffle bag and starts stuffing it with clothes. “Where are you going?”

“I don’t know. I just…I can’t be around you right now.”

I grab her arm and turn her to face me. “Look at me, Cashlynn.”

Her eyes are brimming with tears and her face is starting to turn red. Fuck, I hate seeing her like this, so hurt, so torn up because I wanted to prevent her from hurting further.

After I talked to my mom, I decided to tell Robert immediately, to give him time to process everything before the gallery opening on Saturday. That way, if he does show up, he’ll have had time to cool down so maybe he can be open to what she’s created for herself. Hopefully Beth, who was at his house when I showed up, can smack some sense into him. The two of them have some things to admit to Cashlynn themselves, but now’s not the time to bring that up.

“I heard your father on the phone with you earlier today.” That gets her attention. “I heard him telling you that he was disappointed that you lied to him, so I ambushed him when he ended the call and sort of went off on him without knowing exactly what he was talking about.” I smooth my hand down the side of her face.

“He found out I never talked to Timothy McDonald about a job like I said I would…”

I nod, also knowing the truth about that now. “Regardless of what you were talking about, the fact that you can’t tell him anything without fear of his reaction is bullshit, Cashlynn. I told him that he should be supporting you, not tearing you down. He didn’t like it, of course, but I told him that if standing up for you meant losing the practice, so be it. I don’t want it if it comes at your expense.”

Her lips part, stunned. “You said that to him?”

“Yes.” My voice is steady, though my heart is pounding. “I don’t give a shit about the practice anymore, Cashlynn. Truth be told, I’ve been questioning it for a while.”

“What made you come to that conclusion?”

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