Page 47 of The Secrets We Keep

I nodded. “Yeah, he became a teacher. A really good one, too.”

“Just like that?”

“I’m sure it wasn’t just like that, but he adjusted. He’s amazing.”

“You sound like you are close with your family.”

I winced, thinking about the brief text I’d sent them when I got here. “Usually.”

“Usually?” His brow lifted.

“They’re not entirely thrilled with me at the moment,” I answered, pushing the leftover syrup around my plate with my fork.

He waited for me to elaborate.

Oh God. How much do I want to tell him? The whole truth—boyfriend and all? Or just the bare minimum?

“They don’t understand why I’m here,” I simply said.

That’s truthful.

Exceptionally lacking, but truthful.

“Why are you down here?” he asked before adding, “I know I said it was none of my business, but I’m curious as to why you would uproot your life—I’m assuming that’s what you did since your family seems upset with you—and then come here, to a house you haven’t visited in five years?”

Oh God. I’m gonna have to tell him, aren’t I?

You should have told him the second you bought those gala tickets.

“I have a boyfriend,” I blurted out, the words tumbling out of my mouth as my gaze met his.

The look on his face was…unreadable. At first, he looked shocked, wounded even, but then his expression went blank, almost passive. “Okay.” The word came out slowly, and he gave each syllable extra emphasis. “Not sure how that answers my question.”

I opened my mouth to answer, but I was still stuck on his reaction. Did I upset him? Or was I just reading him wrong?

“What? Oh, um…he proposed. And I couldn’t say yes.”

“Why?” he asked.

Still unreadable. Still emotionless.

Is this what an interrogation is like?

“That’s what I’m down here to figure out. I quit my job and?—”

“You quit your job?” His eyes widened, and he set his plate on the coffee table. “Jesus.”

Well, at least that got some sort of reaction.

“That’s where I lost my parents, too,” I said jokingly.

“So, when you said you have no idea how long you’re staying…”

“I really have no idea,” I said, finishing his train of thought. I set my plate down on the table as well and rose to my feet. “I’ve held on to that house for five years and never managed to step foot in it, not a single foot since Daniel was in that accident.”

He looked away, and for the first time since I’d told him I had a boyfriend, I saw something in his expression. Pain maybe?

“The only thing I could think of when Curtis dropped to one knee was this house and the life I’d planned here. So, I quit my job, told my family good-bye, and came here to…” I paused. “I have no fucking clue.”

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