Page 108 of I Could Be Yours

Dad and I exchange a meaningful look. I shake my head.

“What’s going on?” Tristan motions between us. “What’s that about?”

“I can tell him,” I say.

“I think you have enough going on, son. This one should be mine.”

Tristan’s eyes go wide, head whipping back and forth. “What the fuck is going on?”

Dad positions himself between us and settles one hand on each of our shoulders. I wish it made me feel grounded, but it doesn’t.

“Your mom was here.”

“What? When? Brody didn’t see her, did he?”

“No,” I assure him. “It was just me, Essie, and Connor.” At least the focus isn’t on me and my fuck up anymore. Not that this hurts any less.

“How can we be sure she’s gone? What if she’s still here? Where’s Brody right now?”

“He went back to his room to sleep off his hangover,” Dad says.

“And Connor helped take care of the situation.” I swallow the pain. It’s too fresh. I’m too raw. Everything hurts.

Dad takes over, explaining what happened.

Tristan’s expression shifts from disbelief, to rage, to the deepest, most telling empathy. “Nate, man?—”

“It was better me than you or Brody. I’m fine,” I grind out.

“You’re not fucking fine.” He curves his hand around the back of my neck, and I see it, his despair, like he’s reliving what it was like when she left us.

“I couldn’t have her ruin your wedding. I couldn’t let that happen.” I can feel his pain as deeply as my own.

Tristan’s face clouds with anguish. “I’m sorry, man. I’m so sorry.”

“She’s never going to fuck with us again,” I assure him, and maybe myself. “She can’t get to Brody anymore.”

“I wish I could have saved both of you from all of this,” Dad says brokenly.

“We can’t tell Brody.” Tristan turns his pleading gaze on Dad. “He can’t know she took money to stay out of our lives. We can’t make that his.”

“It stays between us,” Dad agrees.

“Rix knows she was here,” I tell Tristan.

“What? When did she find out?”

“Essie told her before the wedding. She was planning to tell you eventually, but she didn’t want it to taint the day.” It’s astounding how much pain one person can cause.

“I didn’t have the slightest clue.”

“That’s how she wanted it.” Everyone has been carrying the weight of this secret to protect each other.

His phone buzzes in his pocket. It’s Rix, based on the chime. “Bea’s looking for us.”

“You two head back.” I thumb over my shoulder. “I need a little breather.”

“You sure you’re okay, son?”

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