“Tell me what’s going on.”
“It’s bad.”
“I figured that much out.”
“You aren’t going to like it.”
“That’s pretty obvious, too. I couldn’t possibly like anything that’s hurt you this badly.”
“You might not like me.” She started to cry and then took a deep breath, composing herself.
“I find that highly doubtful.”
“James . . . he did something really bad.”
Tim thought he was prepared. He’d gone through all of the scenarios—the lost custody thing, the affair possibility. And suddenly something clicked. The afternoon’s debacle.
Coupled with James . . .
He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear any more. And he knew he had to.
“Tell me.”
“We were on a date, and he took me down this deserted country road.”
He clenched his teeth. Needing to shut out the sound of her voice. And the pictures in his head.
“And?”
“He . . . he wanted to have sex, and I said no, and he . . .”
“He what?”
“No one knows. He told me never to tell anyone, and I haven’t. Ever. Not anyone. Not my mom. Not Chris. I don’t talk about it, Tim. Please, can’t we just leave it alone? Please?”
“No.”
“He put himself up in me, okay?”
He’d figured it out. And was glad for the darkness.
“He had sex with you.”
“Not normal sex.”
“What does that mean?”
“He didn’t go where you went today.”
Tim froze. All of him. His heart. His body. And his mind, too. Her words played themselves over him a second time. And a third.
“Where did he . . . go?”
But he knew.
God in heaven, how in the hell could this have happened? To his Tara? She’d been his, dammit. His. Her gifts, they’d been for him.
She’d been so sweet. So innocent. And . . .