Page 87 of The Way We Are

How?

Because I would have reached the same conclusion Isaac did. If it came between choosing Savannah or a member of our families, I would always pick Savannah.

That's what Isaac did. He chose Ophelia before anyone else. He chose right.

Our driveback to Ravenshoe is quiet. I have over a quarter of a million dollars sitting in the glove compartment of my truck, yet excitement is barely registering on my radar. Isaac saved my ass tonight, but instead of thanking him for the third time, I’m going to throw him to the wolves.

My guilt wouldn’t be so bad if I hadn’t watched Ophelia slap his face again, and again, and again tonight. She didn’t want to hear reason, she just wanted someone to blame. Since Isaac was the safest option to project her anger on, she chose him.

She chose wrong.

My eyes stray from the nearly pitch black sky when Savannah suggests, “Let me give the ledger to Regina tomorrow.”

When I shake my head, she speaks faster, wanting to express herself before losing the chance. “She wants information, Ryan. I can give her the information she needs without naming Isaac. I don’t know him. He isn’t mentioned in the ledger, and before tonight, I’ve never seen him fight. I wouldn’t be lying when I fail to mention him.”

“I don’t want you involved in this...” My words shift to an angry roar when Savannah yanks on my steering wheel, making my truck dangerous careen toward the roadside. “Fuckin’ hell, Savannah. Didn’t you learn the first time what happens when you do that?”

The anger in my voice shocks me. I’ve never spoken to her in such a disgusting manner.

“Clearly not,” Savannah replies, her tone surprisingly firm for the pain clouding her alluring eyes. “But I’m not the only one acting thick in the skull. I’malreadyin this, Ryan. I’m in so deep I’m afraid I’m going to drown us both.” Her hot breaths add to the heat in the cabin when she pants through the tears threatening to spill down her face.

“This is why I didn’t tell you what was happening. I didn’t want you involved like this.Mydad’s desperation to keephisfamily in the lifestylehewanted for them madehimseek immoral ways to earn an income.Mymom stole Col’s money becausehergreed was more important thanherfamily.Ifudged the records to hidehertheft, thenIagreed to Axel’s terms whenIwas caught red-handed.Youdidn’t do any of this, Ryan. It was allmeandmyfamily.”

The tears she's struggling to hold fall down her cheeks when I seize her wrists and drag her across the cracked vinyl to sit straddling my lap.

Her tears flow more steadily when I say, “You aremyfamily, Savannah. Anything that happens to you, happens to me. That’s the way it works. What is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine. That doesn’t just include the good things but the bad as well.”

I sweep my index finger across her cheeks, catching her tears. “You can come with me tomorrow when I meet with Regina, but you're staying in the car,” I say, reciting the terms we discussed earlier tonight when I gave her a play-by-play of my exchange with Regina.

Although wary of what her reaction would be to my ousting her father’s shady business dealings, the first promise Savannah and I made last week was that we were not going to have any more lies between us. I plan to keep my promise.

“Ryan...”

“No, Savannah,” I reply, the strain in my voice revealing my constraint.

I hate saying no to her, but this is one time I am sticking to my guns. If Savannah speaks to Regina, she risks arrest. I’m not going to let that happen. She was backed into a wall when she made the decision she did; she's not a criminal.

When I saythat exact thing to Regina the following morning, her interests pique. “She? How do you know the person who doctored this ledger is a she?”

I swallow a lump in my throat. “I’m just assuming. The handwriting looks elegant, feminine, doesn’t it?”

“Hmm,” Regina half-agrees, half-murmurs. “Where did you stumble onto this ledger again?”

“I found it in the locker rooms after one of my fights. When I saw the name scribbled on the front, I stole it. Figured I might be able to use it as leeway to increase the purse of a future fight.” I cough to clear the nerves from my throat before continuing, “I lost the opportunity to test my theory after an incident with my taillight.”

Regina keeps her eyes fixated on the open ledger in her hand, hoping her downcast head will hide her smirk. It doesn’t.

“How did you become aware of the oversight in accounting?” Regina asks a short time later. “It isn’t obvious unless you're looking closely, and even then, the person who hid it did a remarkable job.”

She balances on the edge of her chair to extend the ledger to me. It's open to the exact spot Savannah adjusted to hide her mother’s theft.

“I know numbers.” Since my reply is honest, my voice represents it that way.

Regina doesn’t attempt to hide her smile this time around. I would like to say it's an impressed smile. Unfortunately, it isn’t.

“You know numbers?”

“Uh huh,” I reply, not trusting my voice to hide my ten trillionth lie for today.

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