Page 36 of This Life and All the Rest
I will not let her see me break.
I glance at Eric, and the poor guy just looks like he feels terrible. Like he regrets whatever role he’s played in this fucked-up family reunion. I roll my eyes and put him out of his misery.
“Don’t worry, Masters,” I say flatly, “I think we all know you had nothing to do with this.”
Claire huffs, so I look back at her.
“I don’t care where you sleep, Claire. Just kick my shit out of your way, yeah? You’ve always been so good at that in the past.”
With that, I turn on my heel and stalk back out of the house.
I’ll get a fucking hotel, or I’ll call Sam and see if the Senator’s McMansion is safe to crash at, or I’ll sleep in my fucking car. I don’t even care. I’ll figure it out later.
I just need to get the hell out of here.
My fingers tighten around the steering wheel of my car as I pull onto the road. My skin itches and my stomach churns.
I need a fucking drink.
THIRTEEN
“Real fucking nice, Claire,”I say on a sigh as I watch Lennon breeze out the front door without looking back.
“What the hell did I do?” she says, faking innocence that fucking Masters falls for. He rubs her shoulder gently, and she leans into him. “I don’t know why she’s upset. I didn’t know she’d still be harboring feelings for him.”
“Claire,” my mom says, shaking her head, “I doubt it has anything to do with that.”
Claire huffs and shrugs Eric off before walking to the kitchen island and throwing herself onto a stool.
“Well, I don’t know what else it could be. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
She’s so fucking unbelievable.
“Claire, you show up at nine p.m. after she’s been at the hospital all day because her dad is in a coma,” I say, ticking off points on my fingers and trying like hell to keep my voice even, “and you kick her out of the room she’s been staying in so that you can sleep in it with your fucking fiancé, who also happens to be Lennon’s ex-whatever.And you’ve done all of this after years of nothing but bad blood. No warning. No pleasantries. Fucking nothing.”
“Well, whose fault is that?” she snaps back.
I run my hand through my hair, once again noting that I need to get it fucking cut, and squeeze my eyes shut against my frustration.
I’m exhausted, and I still have a few hours before I can crash. I don’t have the energy to deal with Claire’s bullshit, but if I don’t do it, Mom will, and she needs that like she needs a kick to the stomach.
“You could have handled that better,” I say slowly. “You cornered her, when she’s already uncomfortable, and dared her to react. Now you’re shocked that she bit back?”
“I’m not going to tiptoe around her,” Claire nearly shrieks.
“Keep your voice down or you’ll wake Evie,” I scold. She scowls at me, but her next words are hushed.
“I have every right to be here, Macon. More of a right than her, even, because I’vebeenhere. I didn’t abandon my family.”
I glance at my mom.
Her brow is furrowed, and she’s frowning at Claire, but she says nothing. There’s no point. Claire won’t listen to it, anyway. I look at Eric, and I want to laugh because he looks so fucking uncomfortable.
If this guy wants to save his future, he’ll jump ship and find someone less vindictive and self-righteous to tether himself to.
“You tell yourself whatever you need to feel better, Claire,” I say before giving my mom a hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” I turn to Eric with a smirk. “Welcome back, Masters.”
Masters mumbles a thank you, and Claire says something snippy as I walk past, but I don’t acknowledge either of them. I check my watch and head to my car. I’ve got to make an appearance at the bar for Payton’s birthday celebration, and I’d like to be in and out before everyone is blitzed out of their fucking minds.
