“That’s not what I said!”
“Subtext, sugar. I guarantee that’s what he heard.”
Before she could reply, a knock came on the office door. Adele tugged it open to reveal Pete.
“Thought you might be here.” Without waiting for an invitation, he stepped inside. “Give us a few minutes, Adele?”
“Take all the time you want. I need to start close up.” She left, shutting the door behind her.
Sandy scowled at her brother. “I don’t want to talk to you.”
“That’s fine. You don’t have to talk. But you do have to listen.”
“To what, Pete? More reminders about how I should have dumped Waylan sooner? How I should have let the family help? Or how I should have left him even though I was pregnant? Forgive me if I’m sick of having my life choices thrown back in my face as the wrong ones.”
He went brows up. “Is that really what you think we’re saying?”
“All I have ever felt from y’all on the subject is your disapproval for how I handled things.”
He had the grace to look chagrined. “That wasn’t our intention. Ever. We just…want him to pay more than he has.”
“Your way wouldn’t make him pay. It wouldn’t bring any kind of restitution or remorse. It would just make things worse for me. I’ve endured enough gossip because of Waylan. I have paid for the mistakes of that marriage a hundred times over, and going after him the way y’all want to do is just going to create a spectacle that will drag it all back to light again. I’m tired of it.” The embarrassment of being in the public eye for scandal again was worse than almost anything she’d endured being married to Waylan.
“We just want to protect you.”
“You all keep saying that, like it makes everything okay.” Didn’t they understand how much of an insult it was? “I don’t need protecting. I protected myself and my son perfectly well for years. In case you all missed the memo, I am a strong, independent woman, who was a successful single mother, a respected public school administrator, and who now runs an entire damned town.”
“We’re not questioning your capabilities.”
“Aren’t you? The fact is, your desire to attack Waylan isn’t about me.”
“And what is it about?”
“Your own guilt for the fact that you weren’t there. You didn’t see and didn’t act when you think you should have. You’re my big brother. You look at what I went through and think you should’ve done something.”
Pete’s hands curled into fists. “Okay. I’ll admit there’s truth to that. It kills me that I can’t go back in time and change what happened. But it’s only because I love you, and I hate what that bastard did to you.”
“Well, so do I. But Jesus, Pete, if this was really about me, you’d let it go, like I have. Because that’s what I want. That’s what I need.”
Her brother fell silent, clearly weighing his words. “All right. I’ll do my best. And I’ll talk to the others about the same.”
Sandy blew out a long breath. “Thank you.”
“The rest of us aren’t as even-tempered as you. You’re always the calm lake.” He turned to her. “Except for tonight. Except with this Peyton guy.”
“Your point?”
“We Campbells only really lose our tempers over those we care about.”
Unbearably weary, she dropped onto the loveseat. “What do you want me to say?”
“Do you love him?”
“I loved him enough thirty years ago that I was going to walk away from my husband.”
“And now?”
She thought of the resignation in his eyes as he’d turned away from her and walked out and felt fresh cracks open in her heart. “After tonight, I’m not sure that it matters.”