Page 81 of Silent Partner (Pine Falls 3)

I snatched up the phone and tapped the green button, careful not to cut myself on the broken glass that was shattered, just like my heart. “Tell me the truth,” I cried.

“Kinsley,” he said with great trepidation. “The truth about what?” he whispered.

“You know what I’m talking about. Don’t tell me you don’t. Jill just paid me a visit,” I yelled in anguish.

“Damn her. Kinsley, please listen to me,” he rushed to say.

“I don’t want to listen to you. All I want to know is if you’re sleeping with my sister and if . . . ,” I choked. I couldn’t say it. I don’t know why, but it killed me more to think that they were going to have a baby together. That was the most intimate of intimate relationships.

“If the baby she miscarried was mine?” he finished for me as if he were defeated. Then he broke my heart. “Yes,” he murmured. “Please, Kinsley, let me explain,” he pleaded. “I’m not—”

“I don’t want to hear anything else you have to say,” I barely managed to eek out, before the tears I had been holding back burst forth until I was sobbing. I dropped my phone, silencing it forever before sliding down the side of my car until I landed on the asphalt, my head falling onto my knees. There, the ugly reality hit me. This time there would be no Brant to wake me up. No Dani to protect me. No. They had delivered the final blow. I realized then that if I couldn’t count on them, I could count on no one.

I was truly alone.

Chapter Twenty-One

I found myself once again at my grandparents’ house, staring at the flames dancing in their fireplace, sandwiched between Grandma and Grandpa. I was too afraid to go home alone. I felt as if I was being watched. In the envelope Jill had handed me, there was picture after picture of not only me with Brant, but also of me walking out of M&M’S on Main and a local hardware store in Carrington Cove with Sheridan. How had I not known I was being followed? That was such a terrifying feeling. Worse were all the doctor’s notes that had been in Dani’s chart. I felt so icky for having access to something so private. I had started to look at them but stopped myself. What was the point? Brant had told me all I needed to know.

I couldn’t stop shivering, even wearing one of Grandma’s flannel nightgowns that covered me like a tent and with the fire burning bright. Not even Oscar on my lap provided any source of comfort. Grandpa had been kind enough to retrieve him for me even though it was late, or very early, depending on how you looked at it. It was close to three in the morning, and though I was exhausted, I was wide awake.

Grandma wrapped her arm around me, and my head fell on her shoulder. The tears had ceased, but in their absence was a numb void. Neither Grandma nor Grandpa had said much after I’d told them the ugly truth. I wasn’t even sure they believed it. If only I had the luxury of doubt. Minute after minute, the only sounds that could be heard were Oscar’s purrs, the crackle of burning wood, and a few sighs here and there as we all tried to process the outlandish news. This was the kind of thing that happened on Days of Our Lives or the Maury show. I kept thinking about poor Brock. He was going to be devastated when he found out. Was the baby Dani carrying even Brock’s? And what about sweet Gemma? Her world was going to be upended.

When I wasn’t thinking about Brock, I was having sickening thoughts of how often Dani and Brant were seeing each other. No wonder Dani was a basket case. She was living a double life. She was living the life I wanted with Brant. Except for the whole affair part. So maybe the tears weren’t gone; my eyes welled up. Once again, the big question ran through my mind. How could they? It was one thing if they had fallen in love and just been truthful about it, but they’d lied and cheated. I mean, Brock was his brother. I was her sister. Didn’t that mean anything to them? Obviously not.

Brant had played Prince Charming so well. I guess that made me the court jester, the joke to him. I squirmed, thinking of how ridiculous I had been to believe he actually wanted me. How stupid I was to go into business with him. Maybe, I could at least put a stop to that. It was a blessing in disguise that Giselle and Carter hadn’t signed the papers yet. I would let them have the restaurant and take their awful offer. Bankruptcy was better than being tied to Brant. I would go far away and never let myself be fooled again. I was no one’s choice. Ever.

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