Page 4 of Purity

I reread the text and then hit send.

Jesus, help me. There’s no going back now.

TWO

Cole

My pulse starts to pound as I read her text, and a prickle of foreboding runs down my spine. “Huge news”? And not just huge, but “huge” in all caps. What could that possibly be?

This is nothing to worry about. Livvy is thoughtful and sensitive. Often, things that are huge to her are minor to me. She may have had a conversation with a friend that inspired her, or she pushed through her shyness and spoke up more in class.

She has been different these past few weeks in a way I can’t quite pinpoint. I’ve been so busy finishing my last quarter of college, I haven’t seen her nearly as much as I usually do, but in our brief interactions, I’ve sensed a change.

Oh God. Please say she doesn’t have a boyfriend. Please say she hasn’t met some upright Christian guy that she wants to tell me all about. What if she brings someone to the party tonight to introduce us?

I’ve always known that once she gets a boyfriend, our relationship will change. Not that she would abandon our friendship. She’s too good a person—too steady and strong in her principles—to do that, even if her boyfriend was a jealous prick. But she wouldn’t be mine anymore.

Her deepest loyalty would be to him.

Fuck, I hate him already.

“What’s wrong?”

I jerk up from my phone to see my mom walking down the pathway from the main house. A breeze brushes over my face, cooling my hot cheeks, and reality settles over me. It’s stupid to let myself get so worked up when I don’t even know what Livvy has to tell me.

I smile at my mom as she sits down on the porch chair across from mine. “Zac just told me he got a keg of Coors Light,” I say, “and I told him to get Stone IPA. I refuse to drink cheap beer now that I’m a college graduate.”

She sets her hands primly on her lap. “Well, I don’t want any cheap or expensive beer on my carpet, so make sure you keep everyone outside tonight. And if anyone needs to crash, they’re sleeping in the guesthouse with you. I don’t care if you have a lady friend overnight and want privacy. No one is sleeping in the main house this time.” She clenches her jaw. “I had to replace the whole living room carpet after your party last summer.”

I pretend to wince. “I’ve actually already told everyone to crash in your knitting room if they get too drunk. The couches are way more comfortable there, and those yarn-bowl things will be perfect if they have to puke.”

My mom smiles, rolling her eyes. “If there’s even the faintest scent of vomit in my knitting room, you’re starting your apartment hunt tomorrow.” As if a sudden thought occurs to her, her smile fades, and her dark brows draw together. “Honey, I do have to talk to you about something. I wish I could save it until after all of your graduation festivities are over, but it can’t wait. I’ve already waited too long to tell you.”

“Okay.” I can’t keep the apprehension out of my voice.

She opens her mouth and closes it. “I asked your dad for a divorce last week.”

The words hit me like a meteor. My pulse starts to pound in my throat. I push myself up from my seat and walk to the edge of the patio. The outer edge of my vision blurs for a moment.

Why am I so surprised when I’ve been waiting for this? My dad has been an utter shit husband for as long as I can remember, and it’s not like it’s going to affect me much. I only plan to live in the guesthouse until I find my own place.

What is this strange tingling over my skin? Why do I feel like I’m being swept back in time to that horrible night when I walked in on my dad with that woman, and the whole world shifted?

“Your dad didn’t take it well.” Her words come in as if from a distance. “I’m not sure if he even fully accepts that I’m going to do it. I asked him to move out as soon as he can, but he looks like he’s going to drag his feet.”

Finally coming back to myself, I huff. “That sounds about right, since he treats you like your whole life revolves around his.”

“Well, I don’t know about that, but he’s having a hard time. I think getting a divorce lawyer will be a good reality check for him. I’m planning on starting my search tomorrow.”

I turn around to face her. “Mom.” I try to say the word firmly, but my voice quivers. I clear my throat to keep it from shaking. “Let me find you a good divorce lawyer. That’s going to be crucial. I’ll start looking—”

“Absolutely not. I’m not letting my son find a divorce lawyer for me. That’s not why I told you. I wanted you to have time to process it all before you start at Walker Industries—”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll feel better if you let me take care of this. Zac’s dad is a lawyer, and he knows all the best lawyers in Santa Barbara—”

“No, Cole.” She stares at me for a moment before her hard expression softens. “I love that you’re looking out for me, but I need to navigate this process myself. If I’m going to live on my own and take care of myself without your dad’s help, this is where it starts.”

I want to protest, but I only nod. I know that she’s right, but it doesn’t stop this itching anxiety crawling over my skin. She may not find the right lawyer. The fact that she hasn’t even started looking for one attests to that, especially since she asked my dad for a divorce a week ago. She’s so vulnerable after years of having all of her basic needs taken care of by him. That’s probably why she stayed with him, even after years and years of heartache.

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