My Better Life

“Are you married to someone else?” he asks, his voice hard.

“What? No.” I shake my head and frown at his relieved look.

“Okay. Were you or are you cheating on me?”

I let out a stunned breath. “No. That’s not even possible. No.”

He closes his eyes in relief. When he opens them he asks, “Were we planning on divorcing? Did we hate each other?”

A hysterical laugh bubbles in my throat. You can’t divorce if you’ve never been married. “No. We weren’t getting a divorce. That’s not even a remote possibility.”

He lets out a relieved sigh and his lips curve into a smile.

“Are you a felon?” he asks.

“No.”

“Am I?”

I shake my head. “I don’t think so.” I hope not.

“Do we have massive debt?”

“No.” I throw up my hands.

“I’m just trying to cover all the bases.”

I nod my head, then reach out and link my hand with his. This just might be the last time I touch him. I want to take a moment so I can remember how it feels.

Gavin looks down at our entwined hands and smiles. “Okay then. I’m ready. Anything else you have to say, we can handle together.”

Gosh, I wish.

Together is a really, really nice word.

Slowly, I pull my hand free. I don’t think he’ll want to touch me after I’ve told him what I’ve done.

“Okay.” I clear my throat, pushing away the sharp pain. I reach up and touch my locket, the glass shard inside. I started all this because of a promise I made to Bobby. I expect he’d want me to tell the truth, because more than anyone, he believed in my ability to do the right thing. “Here’s the thing…”

I trail off at the chirping of my phone. I pull it from my pocket, ready to ignore it, when I see it’s the school.

Gavin looks at the screen. “What is it?”

“The school. Hang on.” I pick up and take a breath to get my emotions under control. “Hello?”

“Jamie. This is Ms. Crum. Your children missed the bus. This behavior is unacceptable. They are in my office—”

“I’ll be right there.”

I glance at Gavin’s concerned expression. It looks like our conversation has to wait.

“What is it?”

I’ve hung up and am hurrying toward the studio door. “The kids missed the bus. They’re in the principal’s office. She’s the worst sort. I need to get them before there’s trouble. There’s no telling what Tanner will try.”

I look back at Gavin, and funny enough, beneath the concern, he’s hiding a grin. Of course. After the egging and the feather bath, Gavin became Tanner’s biggest fan. I’m sure he’s imagining Ms. Crum covered in rotten eggs.

“I’m coming too.”

I don’t have time to argue.

Hopefully, when we’re there, Ms. Crum doesn’t out us all. That would be worse than me telling Gavin myself.