Page 41 of Awakening the Sheriff

Auden frowned as he scratched his beard. “Did you decide on your own to move?”

“No! At least, I don’t remember it that way. At the time, she was as concerned about Byron as I was, and she agreed we needed to get him out of Atlanta. But now she’s saying she never wanted to move, and I can’t help but question myself. Is she right that I made this call rashly, based on some pipe dream of mine? Was I selfish in wanting to move here?”

Auden studied me, his expression thoughtful. “You know, it sounds like Mandy might be gaslighting you.”

“Gaslighting?” I echoed, frowning. The term sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it in the context of my situation.

“Manipulating you by making you doubt your own decisions and motivations. It’s a common tactic used by people who want to maintain control over others. They twist the truth and make you question your own reality.”

I shook my head, reluctant to accept such a harsh assessment of Mandy. “She’s still the mother of my children. I don’t want to think she’s capable of doing something like that.”

“Keaton,” Auden said gently, leaning forward in his chair, “you’re an intelligent, compassionate man. You wouldn’t make a decision like moving to Forestville without weighing the pros and cons for your family. You’re here because you believe it’s the best choice for your kids’ future. And I don’t think you would’ve done so without considering their feelings and what’s best for them.”

“But Mandy—”

“Is trying to undermine your confidence and make you second-guess yourself,” Auden finished for me, his gaze steady and reassuring. “I know it’s hard to accept, but sometimes we need to face the truth about people, even if it’s painful.”

I allowed Auden’s words to sink in. Was he right? Had Mandy been playing me? “How do I know for sure?”

“Go back to what you know without a doubt, the facts. Start there.”

“The fact is that Byron got into trouble in Atlanta and it wasn’t the first time. I remember Mandy and I having a long conversation about it, and she was as concerned as I was.”

“That’s a good starting point. So you know that’s true. What else?”

I closed my eyes, recalling the exact order in which things had gone down. “We discussed options. A program for troubled teens. We both agreed we didn’t want to send Byron away. A mentor. I looked into that, but he didn’t qualify. I know we talked about grounding him and setting new, super strict rules. Mandy didn’t think she’d be able to do that, since it’s not her parenting style.”

Auden’s expression made it clear how he felt about that, and I chuckled. “I know, I know. Pretty ridiculous argument.”

“I’ll say. But you considered all those things, and then what?”

“I came to the conclusion that the environment was the problem. He was hanging out with the wrong crowd, and that would be all but impossible to prevent unless we got him out of there. That’s when I suggested moving.”

“How did Mandy react?”

“She wasn’t a fan at first, but mostly because of her work. As a flight attendant, she needs to be near a major airport, so any other big city would have the same problems as Atlanta. That’s when I came up with the idea of her living in a city and the boys and me moving to a much smaller town.” The talk we’d had that night came back in detailed clarity. “We pulled up Google Maps and looked at options, and then we decided I would start looking for teaching positions. I applied in a few different places, but mostly in the Pacific Northwest, since it’s where I’m from. Mandy’s an Army brat and grew up all over the place.”

“It sounds to me as if you two went through this process together.”

“We did. I got accepted in three different towns, and we chose Forestville together. She liked the idea of living in Seattle, and so we discussed it with the boys. Byron was furious, of course, but Milton seemed excited. So once Mandy had talked to her airline and got the approval to move, we set everything in motion.”

As much as I wanted to deny it, the more I recounted the entire process, the more I recognized the twisted manipulation woven into my relationship with Mandy. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Auden was right. Shehadbeen gaslighting me, making it all sound like it had been my fault. But it hadn’t been. I hadn’t been selfish. We’d made all the decisions together.

“You’re right,” I whispered hoarsely. “She was gaslighting me.”

His eyes were warm and kind. “I’m sorry. I know that’s not what you wanted to hear about your ex-wife.”

“I’ve always tried to keep a good relationship with her, but she’s crossed a line.”

“Is it possible Mandy might be playing a role in some of the trouble you’re having with Byron?”

My heart skipped a beat at the prospect. “What do you mean?”

Auden rubbed his beard. “It’s possible Mandy has been, intentionally or not, influencing his behavior.”

My chest tightened with a mixture of guilt and apprehension. “How do you know this? Did Byron say anything when you talked to him?”

“Keaton, I can’t betray Byron’s confidence.” Auden locked eyes with me. “If I do that, I’ll lose every shot at gaining his trust and building a relationship with him. But I promise you, when I talk to him again, I’ll try to figure out if my gut is right.”

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