“What’s wrong?” Jade asked.
“I got a tattoo on my forearm. It itches.”
“What did you get?” She leaned slightly forward.
“It’s bandaged up. But it’s…nothing really.”
Yeah. He got a tattoo. Who cared? “We’re waiting,” I said again.
He finally met my gaze. “Would you believe me if I told you I have no idea what my father’s up to?”
“Not even slightly. Jade?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe.”
“Jade, we spent seven years together,” he said. “You know me.”
“The Colin I knew was committed to me. He wouldn’t have run off and left me at the altar. Do you have any idea how humiliating that was for me?”
“There are things you don’t know,” he said, looking down at his lap again.
“You’re lying,” I said.
“I’m not.”
“You looked down. It’s a classic tell. You left because you were selfish. If you had second thoughts, you should have discussed them with Jade beforehand. For God’s sake, you could have told her the day before and spared her the embarrassment. You could have called it off together, made it look mutual. You deserted her, Colin.”
“Marj…” Jade entwined her fingers.
“Sorry. I know it all turned out for the best. You and Talon belong together, but that doesn’t make what he did okay.”
This time Colin met my gaze. “There are things you don’t know,” he said again.
“Really? Spill them, then. And while you’re at it, you can tell us what your father’s up to.”
“My father doesn’t tell me everything he does.”
“Did you know he was trying to pin your abduction on Joe?”
“Not at the time he was doing it. No.”
“Did it surprise you to find out?”
“Honestly?” He looked down again, shaking his head. “No.”
I turned to Jade. “You knew Ted Morse. What kind of man is he?”
“He seemed fine to me. Polite. Always nice, but never overly friendly. Though I did think it was weird, Colin, that you waited until we were engaged to even take me home to meet your parents.”
“Yeah, that always seemed weird to me too,” I agreed.
“You didn’t know my parents,” he said. “I did.”
“So?” I said.
“Does it matter at this point?” he asked.
“Yeah, maybe it does,” I said. “What’s up with your parents? Your father?”