Page 101 of A Convenient Secret
I shake my head, grinning. “Your imagination is wild.”
“Look, you came here, and you found your footing. Whatever you had to leave behind is in the past. You’ve showed up for us enough times for me to know you would tell us if you could.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you. But—”
“I know, Lils. Don’t worry about it. I’m sure you won’t bring danger to us. And I hope that if you do feelin danger, we’ve proved to you already that you can trust us.”
“A million times over.”
“You showed up and fit right in. I’m glad I have you in my life.”
“You even drank the atrocious coffees I made at Cora’s. I don’t know why it’s so hard to foam milk and prepare a latte.”
She snorts. “I never drank them, and it really is not that hard.”
I laugh, and then suddenly I just can’t keep it all inside me. “My family is very controlling and set in their ways. There was a reason I had to leave…”
Perhaps it’s the added secret about me and Declan, but suddenly I feel that if I don’t share at least some of it, I will lose my mind.
Saar says nothing, waiting for me to either continue or to drop it. She would respect my choice, and it gives me courage.
“But it was only after I left and was forced to gain my independence that I realized how much I’ve been manipulated. How little choice I had growing up. How my path was decided for me, not by me. These past eighteen months have been such a great revelation. I learned so much about myself. And I met some amazing people.”
Saar smiles at me. “Will you ever go back?”
“I don’t know. A part of me is homesick, but I know that a lot will have to change. The newly discovered me wouldn’t be able to return to the status quo. And the status quo is too ingrained in my family.”
“Does your family know where you are?”
“No, and it has to stay that way.”
“You have no contact with any of them?”
I shake my head. I miss my father terribly, but when it mattered he didn’t choose me, so I’m not sure he would step up for me if I returned.
“Zoya.” Zach’s voice spurs us both up from the bench.
“Fuck,” Saar curses, but I’m already running toward the kids.
And dogs.
Zoya is wrestling with a large Newfoundland.
“No.” I try to stop Zach from rescuing his sister, but I’m too late, and his jerky move spooks a mongrel from Saar’s shelter. The dog topples Zach to the ground.
Luckily, Saar interferes, and I focus on Zoya.
With my heart pounding, I grab Zoya’s arm, ready to pull her to safety.
“Are you okay?” I gasp, keeping my panic at bay. For now.
Zoya giggles.Giggles.
The gigantic dog sprawled over her wags its tailhappily, its massive tongue lolling out as it licks her face with unrestrained enthusiasm.
“I’m cuddling!” Zoya announces, wrapping her tiny arms around the dog’s thick neck like she’s hugging a giant teddy bear. “His name is Mawshmallow, and he loves me!”
I blink. “You—you’re cuddling?” Relief washes over me.
