Page 67 of Crazy in Love

Jeffreys was a bad guy. He’d eluded arrest for years, and it was long past time for him to pay for his crimes. Unfortunately, it fell to Nick to make that happen. He tried to reason that the ends justified the means but was still racked with guilt, knowing there was no way around using—and betraying—Faith to get what he needed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

You will get some unexpected news today, Libra. And while it may seem disconcerting, try to look for the upside. A problem you’ve been having with a friend will come to a head today. To avoid an argument, you may need to take a break and walk away. Today is not the day to invest.

Faith set aside the Sunday paper. It had been a few days since she’d looked at her horoscope, and she wished she’d skipped another. Both things on today’s to-do list—come clean with Tess and say goodbye to Nick—were vulnerable to tension. Tess entered the living room and sat, setting her coffee on her knee.

“Whatcha got goin’ on today?” she asked.

“Oh, thought I’d take a drive to Boston.” No time like the present to get this one over with.

Tess froze, the mug halfway to her lips. She knew Nick was leaving today, so Faith didn’t have to spell out what she meant.

“He asked you to drive him back? I assumed my parents were taking him. How serious is it?”

Faith shrugged.

“Oh, dear.” Tess resumed sipping. “You’re in deep, aren’t you?”

“I didn’t mean for it to happen. I don’t know how it happened. It just sort of did.”

Tess cast a dubious look. “That’s the only reason you’re coming clean, isn’t it? Because I would find out anyway?”

“I didn’t want to lie to you about where I was going. Plus, I’ll probably spend the night and didn’t want you to worry.”

“You okay?”

“We both understood it was short-term. Said we’d have some fun while he was in town and then move on when he left.”

“I don’t know, Faith. You seem kind of smitten. Are you sure it’s gonna be that easy?”

No. “Yes, of course.” They were too good of friends for Faith to get away with the lie. But also so good that Tess wouldn’t push her on it. The meat of the conversation was going unspoken, as could only be done with best friends.

Tess sighed. “I don’t know whether to kill him or to kill you.”

“No killing necessary,” Faith said. “It’s all worked out.”

“Uh-huh,” Tess said. “When are you leaving?”

“Not till like two. You gonna say goodbye?”

“Yeah. My parents are having a brunch. I’m heading over soon. You wanna come?”

Faith shook her head. “I’ve got a few errands to run.” It was a courtesy invite, and she knew it. They needed some family time to say their farewells.

She stopped by the bookstore to check in and clean Tiger’s litter box. They’d all taken responsibility for making sure the food and water bowls were full, but no one ever wanted to deal with the poop.

After packing an overnight bag and gassing up, she picked up Nick, and they hopped on the road to Boston. She had given herself a pep talk and decided rather than focus on the goodbye, she’d put on a happy face and have a good time with what they had left.

They weren’t in the car five minutes when Nick broke the “unexpected news” her horoscope had warned about.

“I found your biological father,” he announced without preamble.

Her jaw dropped, and she turned to look at him.

“Watch the road, woman,” he said, grabbing for the steering wheel as they drifted toward the shoulder.

Her attention snapped back to the windshield. “Your timing could use some work. Breaking news like that at eighty miles per hour is dangerous.”

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