“What did Heidi say?”
He stares at me as if I’ve lost my mind. “I didn’t tell her. I’m not going to tell her. Or Murphy. No one can know. Not right now.”
I stare right back. “How exactly is that going to work?” I cross my fingers in front of my face. “You and Murphy are tight. I’m pretty sure the two of you communicate by telepathy sometimes. And Heidi? You have to tell her—”
“No. She’s so close to finally graduating. She’s supposed to be planning her wedding. This will… I don’t know how it will land with her. I won’t be responsible for ruining things when she’s finally on the right track.”
Heidi’s much more resilient than he gives her credit for. But the secrets I’m hiding from my own brother resurface. Out of love and my desire to protect him at all costs, there are some truths I won’t ever share with him. I’m out of arguments. “Okay. I understand. What about Hope and Rock, though? Murphy and Heidi are living at their house. That’s going to be difficult.”
“Hope’s a lawyer. She’s used to keeping things confidential.”
“Yeah, client matters. Not family.”
“She promised me she won’t say anything until I’m ready. And I trust her.”
“All right. So what’s your plan? Announce it after Heidi’s wedding?”
“I haven’t thought that far ahead.”
Obviously. I don’t know how the hell Marcel thinks he can keep this quiet for so long. But in one afternoon, his entire world has been rocked. If he needs me to lie to get through this, I will.
“We’ll tuck this secret away and pretend nothing has changed.” I wince at how sarcastic that sounds.
But if Marcel caught the disbelief that crept into my voice, he doesn’t react. “Thank you.”
I’d walk through fire to ease Marcel’s suffering. But it still twists my heart in complicated ways. I love Heidi like she was my own little sister. Lying to her won’t be easy. Murphy too. Sometimes, I feel closer to him than my own brother.
It’s not my decision to make. For now, I’ll keep the truth hidden.
Even though I know secrets this painful can’t stay buried forever.