Page 120 of One More Secret

“Hospital?”

“Before I found out there was new evidence proving my innocence, I was shanked.”

Kellan allows what he’s thinking to show on his face for barely a fraction of a second. His expression is a mix of a frown and a grimace. “How bad?”

I reach behind me and lift the hem of my T-shirt, exposing the jagged four-inch scar. “The good news is it missed my kidney.”

“Fuck, how are you even alive?”

I drop the T-shirt back into place. “Guess my guardian angel finally decided to do their job.”

“You should tell Troy,” Kellan says, his voice less hard this time. “About everything.”

I push myself to stand and search the ground for something to hurl into the still lake. I can’t let anyone know about my past. I don’t want them to know how I failed my daughter. I don’t want to see that look in their eyes, wondering why I didn’t just leave my husband. It’s easy to believe escaping an abuser is simple when you aren’t the one in the abusive marriage. It’s easy to believe when your boyfriend isn’t manipulative and controlling.

“No. I don’t want anyone to know about my past. I’m seeing a therapist. That’s good enough. As it is, I have to be super careful. I can’t risk my true identity being exposed. All it takes is for my picture to get out on social media and for the wrong person to see it, and my life, the life I’m trying to rebuild, will be destroyed again because of the media. I’ve already lost more than five years of my life. I don’t want to lose any more of it.”

“What about Troy? Where does he fit into all of this?”

“He’s my friend.” Who happens to be an amazing kisser.

“What if he wants to be more than just friends?”

I spot a stick near the water’s edge and walk over to it. “I’m not looking for a boyfriend, if that’s what you’re asking. And I’d be the worst possible girlfriend. No one needs a partner who has gone through what I have. Who is broken and has abandonment issues. My parents were a lot like yours.” I grab the stick and hurl it into the water, away from where the ducks are swimming. Bailey barks, straining on her leash to go after it.

Thankfully, Kellan doesn’t bother with fake platitudes that I’m not broken or some crap along those lines.

He, more than anyone, knows what I said is true. I’m not girlfriend material.

Especially for someone like Troy.

As it is, I’ll have to tell Troy we can’t kiss again.

Strike that.

I’ll have to tell Troy we can be nothing more than friends who occasionally kiss. I’m sure he’ll be fine with that.

48

TROY

May, Present Day

Maple Ridge

My jeans pocketvibrates with an incoming call. I turn off the drill and check who’s calling. Jayne, my assistant.

She wouldn’t be phoning while I’m at a job site if it wasn’t important. “Hey, Jayne. What’s up?”

“Hi, Troy. I just found out my mom had a stroke this morning.” Her voice is thick with tears.

“I’m sorry to hear that. How is she?”

“It wasn’t a major stroke, which is the good news. But the doctor said it’s impacted her language center, and there might be some residual damage to her motor cortex. She’ll need someone to look after her for a few months. Maybe longer.”

“Don’t worry. Your job’ll be waiting for you when you return. I can hire a temporary assistant in the meantime.” Jayne’s stepfather died last year. She needs to be there for Mary.

“Thanks, Troy.” She takes a deep breath, the sound stuttering through the phone. “But I’m not sure if I will be returning. I’ll need to convince Mom to come back with me. And she’s not a big fan of the place. Too many bad memories for her here.”

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