He blinked a few times. “Yeah. I mean...on some level, I guess I’ve always carried around a piece of you, even when I didn’t want to think about you. I suppose turning you into technology was an ode to my experience, the good and the bad. You made a big impression on my life in a short amount of time. And needless to say, I never thought I’d see you again, so I didn’t plan for you to find out about it. It was just my little secret…not so secret anymore, I guess.”
“You didn’t tell her, did you? About us?”
“No. Not yet.”
Not yet? “Good. I don’t want the awkwardness. Nothing good can come from her knowing.”
“I haven’t had time to process how to handle it. If you prefer I don’t tell her while she’s here, I won’t. But I have to be honest with her at some point.”
“Yes. I really do prefer that you not say anything right now.”
“Okay.”
When the weight of his stare became too much to bear, I said, “Anyway...I’d better get going.”
“Have somewhere to be?”
I told the truth. “I have a date.”
A couple of weeks ago, before Gavin’s arrival, I’d arranged a date for tonight with a man I’d met on a dating app. At the time, he was headed out of town on a business trip and said he’d be returning today. I’d totally forgotten about the prescheduled date until he messaged me a reminder this afternoon. I was in no mood to go, but given what happened today, I was going to force myself. The distraction would be much needed.
“Oh. Okay.” He set his glass down. “Boyfriend?”
“No. I don’t have a boyfriend at the moment. But I’m meeting someone for dinner.”
Gavin nodded slowly.
“Anyway, have a nice night,” I said.
“I was going to tell you to be safe, but who am I kidding? You’ll kick his ass.” He smiled, and it was like a knife to my heart.
As much as I knew I needed to go, I didn’t want to leave Gavin, and that was fucked up. I’d never thought I could suffer a second heartbreak when it came to him. But that’s exactly what was happening.***Outside, I was fishing through my purse for my keys when a man wearing black seemed to appear from the bushes.
He jumped in front of me. “Boo!”
Scared shitless, without thinking, I twisted around and kicked him before pinning him down.
“What the fuck?” he yelled from under me.
“Who are you?”
“Who the fuck are you?”
“I work here.”
“Well, this is my house,” he said.
What?
The smell of alcohol registered on his breath. I looked into his eyes and recognized him.
Oh my God. “Weldon?” I let him go.
“The one and only.” He stood.
My, had he changed. His hair was long and shaggy. He had a mustache and beard. I would never have recognized him from afar.
“I didn’t recognize you. I’m sorry. I thought you were about to mug me.”
He squinted his eyes. “Wait a minute. I do know you. You’re the girl who ripped my brother’s heart out.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “It’s Raven, yeah.”
“I heard he’s home. But what are you doing here? Are you fucking with his head again?”
“I work here, Weldon. I didn’t know your brother was coming home.”
“What do you mean work here? You took your old maid job back?”
“No. I’m a private nurse. I was assigned here six months ago to look after your father. It’s a long story, but he thinks I’m my mother, Renata. And I’ve never had the heart to tell him the truth or remind him that she’s dead.”
“No shit? That’s wild.” He looked over at the house. “Anyway, I’m…sorry about your mother. I never had a chance to tell you.”
“Thank you. And I’m sorry about yours.”
“You’re a good liar,” he scoffed.
“I actually am sorry, Weldon.”
“Well, thank you. I still haven’t gotten over it.”
Apparently. “Does your brother know you’re here?”
“Nah. I didn’t tell anyone I was coming. Gavin wasn’t answering his phone, so called his office in London. They told me he flew down here. So I figured why not make it a family affair? I was due for a visit to dear old Dad anyway.” He took a flask out of his jacket. “How many marbles has he lost exactly?”
I watched him take a sip. “Your father has retained a lot of his memory, but he’s suffering from dementia, and every day is different. You’ll have to see for yourself.”
“Fuck. I thought I had enough reason to drink. Being here might drive me over the edge.”
“From the looks of things, I think it will do you some good to be with your family.”
He chuckled as he closed the flask. “Did my brother shit a brick when he saw you?”
“It was quite a shock for both of us.”
“Awkward, eh?”
“Well, awkward was when his fiancée showed up this afternoon.”