Once Upon a Friendship

“Does she know about me?”

His question came as a relief. And increased her tension, as well.

“Yes.”

“Since when?”

“She’s always known.”

“You’ve spoken with her, then?”

“No.”

He nodded toward the file. “It’s all in a report? That she knows me?”

“I spoke to her mother, Liam.”

He had to have done the math. To know that his father had been unfaithful to his mother during the last months she’d been suffering so horribly with the disease that had ultimately claimed her life.

The word that softly came out of his mouth was not one he’d be proud of saying. Most particularly in reference to his father. But she didn’t blame him.

“Who is she?”

“Someone he’s been in a relationship with for more than fifteen years. He’s been supporting the two of them all along. Until three months ago he was still seeing them.”

His steely gaze settled on Gabrielle and the skin of her face felt as though it had been touched. “That account I found—it led to this?”

She nodded. Using every bit of her self-control to keep her tears from falling.

“Tamara has always thought that you were ashamed of her existence,” Gabrielle said softly. Hoping she could do this right. For two people who hadn’t asked to be born and seemed to carry similar hurts in their hearts where their father was concerned. “She didn’t know until today that you never knew about her.”

“He never told her he was keeping her a secret.”

“No. He just told her that she was not to contact you. That she had to wait for you to contact her first. She has a picture of you in the back of her diary.”

He blinked. His nostrils flared. And he stared at the picture.

“She wants to meet you, Liam. Her mother, Missy Bolin, said that your father kept business files in the office he used in her home when he visited. She said that you’re welcome to them, too. Apparently she was shocked and hurt when he broke things off with her and now, with the arrest, doesn’t want any of his stuff in her home. She wondered if the files would have something to do with the FBI’s investigation and doesn’t want to get in trouble, but she doesn’t want to just hand them over, either.”

“Why would he leave files there after he broke up with her?”

“I don’t know. But I’d sure like to find out. Wouldn’t you?”

He picked up the picture.

“It’s not her fault, Liam,” Gabrielle said quietly, leaning toward him, getting as close to a touch as she could allow herself with the strange feelings wrestling inside of her.

He nodded.

“Missy said they’re free this coming weekend.”

He sat silently for another long couple of minutes and then looked up at Gabrielle. “Will you come with me?”

Her first thought was that Marie wouldn’t be able to get away from the shop on such short notice. She and Liam had never traveled together without her.

“Of course.” The words that came out of her mouth created all kinds of problems.

She was too eager to go with him to take the words back.