Words Left Unsaid (Love Hurts 3)

My mouth drops open. “Are you suggesting it’s my fault he hasn’t improved?” I gasp. “You’re ridiculous! There is no point to this whole thing because you’re never going to see reason.”

Heather stands up, leaning forward, until her hands are resting on the table. She glares at me, her expression menacing.

“You’re right about one thing, Kiara. Nothing is going to be resolved today.”

I sit there, open mouthed as she stalks out of the room, Jim and her lawyer trailing behind her.

“That went well,” I mutter to Kaitlin.

“Believe it or not, I’ve seen worse outcomes,” Kaitlin replies. “Don’t let it get to you. We knew the chances of settling this out of court were minimal.”

She’s right, but a small part of me was hoping Heather would come around. I nod, determined to stay positive. It’s just a minor setback.

We’re still going to win this.

***

/> As I leave the courthouse, my phone rings. I see that it’s Kaitlin and answer right away, my stomach twisting in knots that something is wrong. We just spoke. What could she possibly want with me so quickly, unless it’s bad news?

“Hello,” I say, my breath catching in my throat.

“Sorry to bother you, but we’ve been given a court date for next month. The twenty-second of June.”

“Wow,” I murmur. “That was fast.”

“Yes, much faster than I was expecting, too. We have a few weeks to prepare, but as I said to you before, they really don’t have much of a case.” She pauses before adding, “If there’s anything Heather can bring up that might hurt your credibility, let me know, okay?”

“Like what?” I ask, confused. I reach my car and slot the key into the lock, juggling my bag and the phone.

“Past relationships, anything that can show you in a different light.”

“I haven’t had a relationship since Aiden,” I say, my voice quiet.

“And the man who came to our first appointment? Is that still ‘just friends’?” she asks.

Even though she can’t see me, my face heats up. I duck inside my car, resting my arm against the window.

“Does that really make a difference?” I ask, a wave of annoyance jolting through me. “This is about what’s best for Til—”

“Right, and Heather is going to use anything she can to show that you might not be the best role model for her.” She sighs, her tone softening. “I’m on your side, Kiara. You need to be prepared for the kind of things they’re going to throw at you. They have little to cling to, so they’re likely to grip onto whatever they can. Do me a favor and come see me next week. We’ll go over what to expect, okay?”

“Fine, I’ll make an appointment,” I agree, feeling bad about taking my anger out on her. I know she means well, and that she wouldn’t be taking this direction without good reason.

“Oh, one more thing,” Kaitlin cuts in. She hesitates, which makes me nervous. “You should prepare yourself for them wanting Tilly on the stand.”

“No,” I say, shaking my head venomously. “There has to be a way around that. I don’t want them guilting her into feeling worse than she already does about everything.”

“You might not have much of a choice,” Kaitlin replies, her voice grave.

***

Max looks shocked when he opens the front door, but his expression is quickly replaced with concern. I already doubt myself for turning up on his doorstep unannounced, but it’s too late now. He guides me inside, his hand on my shoulder.

“You don’t look that great,” he comments, reaching out to touch my cheek.

“Yeah, well, I look better than I feel.” I grin. “Sorry to turn up without calling or anything.”

“Nah, it’s fine. Though you’ll have to excuse the mess. I wasn’t exactly expecting visitors.” He glances behind him and back into the house, his brow creasing as his cheeks turn a slight shade of red. “How did you get my address?” he adds, curiously.