Page 79 of Phillip

“Mother,” Uncle Graham warned.

She ignored him, flipping her hand. “But go ahead and take all the time you need to clean up your own house. Such acrabbitof a man.”

Uncle Graham finished the last of his drink. “Good night, Mother.”

Phillip watched as his uncle walked away, noticing for the hundredth time that his step had slowed since Aunt Claire had had enough and left them all.

“Graham and Claire will be okay,” Nana said. Then she muttered into her whisky, “As soon as they pull themselves together.”

Phillip hoped so but was too tired to worry about them tonight. He gave Nana a kiss good night. “Don’t stay up too late.”

“Good night, dear.” Nana shook her hand at Phillip. “All of them jealous that they can’t keep up with their little old nana.”

“That’s the absolute truth.” Phillip took Ashley’s hand and led her through the quiet house to his bedroom.

Once inside, Ashley turned and waited for him to finish closing the door. “Does anyone really know what happened?”

That was a question Phillip had asked himself many times. “Between Uncle Graham and Aunt Claire? The secret?” He put his hands on her hips, inching them close together. “Nana knows everything about everything.”

“Do you believe what she said?” Ashley snaked her hands around his neck and leaned against his chest.

They swayed as if slow dancing, and Phillip sighed. “I don’t know if it matters. And Claire needed something that she couldn’t find here.” Admitting that hurt. It wasn’t just between her and Uncle Graham. How hadn’t he noticed that she’d felt ignored? He shrugged. “I hope she finds what she needs.”

“I love you,” Ashley whispered then brushed her lips across his. “Let’s not be like that.”

He grinned into her kiss. “Not even when we’re old and gray.”

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Ashley woke with a slumberous grin. A new day was upon them. A new chapter together, ready to unfold. She didn’t know what exact steps would come next, but she knew to trust in them.

The weight of Phillip’s muscular arm tightened around her waist. “Good morning, beautiful.”

“This might be my favorite good morning ever,” she admitted.

He rolled over on top of her. “I wonder how high I can move that bar.”

Before she had a chance to respond, her cell phone rang across the room. After it stopped, it began ringing again, and her eyebrows rose.

“It’s Bitsy,” Phillip teased. “She wants to hang out and gossip.”

The text message notification buzzed, and Ashley’s happy morning turned in her stomach. “Maybe something’s wrong.” She scrambled from bed, wearing Phillip’s T-shirt, which draped to her thighs as she raced to her phone. It only took a few seconds for her to come up with a list of possible disasters. Who would call and text if there wasn’t a problem? Finally, she found her phone at the bottom of her purse. “It’s Mary Beth!”

The text message notification preview popped up.

SOS. Answer your phone!

“Oh God, something is wrong.” Ashley dialed her best friend back.

Mary Beth answered immediately. “You need to come home. Now.”

“What? Why?”

“Your mother is here—without her people—but she brought your father in tow.”

***

Keeping the Porsche under the speed limit had never been a problem for Phillip. If he wanted speed, he would do it with intention.

---