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After grabbing a snack from the kitchen, I screw around on the internet, effectively wasting at least forty-five ain Voicee and check out e, where John appears to be correct about the ao out with me even once But none of them know me I’m just a pretty face, a hot body, a fantasy stand-in, and though I appreciate their support, such as it is, I couldn’t care less about the shallow praise

Listening to Dori’s cheerful, e for the third ti the phone and the other gripping the back of my neck as if I could shake some sense into o at your pace, and I broke that promise Just … I trust youh – but I do’

My jaw clenches What I s We’re quite a pair, trying to find the round between our temperaments, our beliefs, our lives While she tries to repair her broken faith in everything, I’ to trust at all

‘Don’t give up onI could just learn to shut the fuck up when I’e to pitch the phone across the room, I focus and count silently My therapist (another novelty) is ada to uncoilon impulse He insists it’s a habit that requires persistence It works sporadically, at best – especially when I forget to use it Like when Dori was lying next to s, relief floods through me ‘Hey’

‘I have some news Are you alone?’

It takes me a second to catch up Fahs heavily ‘Don’t you ever look to see who’s calling before answering? Are you alone or not?’

I closeSo not working

‘I’m alone’ Teeth cla to say I’m not in the mood for Brooke Cameron A reserve of composure is essential to my ability to tolerate her, and at the moment I’m all tapped out

‘My PI found him’

Him?

Oh, shit The kid

‘That was fast’

‘Yeah We need to talk Can you coh maintenance I s a retort – my theory on the real reason phones were invented – nas with people we don’t want to see Ten to one Alexander Graha mother-in-law

‘When?’

‘Now?’

I glance atDori will call me back any minute ‘Can’t you just tellamicably – or as amicably as Brooke and I are capable of That’s bizarre in itself

‘Well, shit, Reid Neverinto her words and know that despite efforts to avoid setting her off, I have anyway

‘Don’t be that way’

‘What the hell does that mean?’ She huffs out a breath ‘This is i me off I should have expected asyou are?’

I shove a hand through h focus-and-count in the world to deal with Brooke Cameron ‘Why would I lie about that?’

‘Why won’t you answer the question?’

‘Because I already did answer it, goddaethas her pretty freaked out

‘Fine Here it is’ Her voice sounds off – now that she’s speakingWhat the hell? Is there so in the air today? ‘He’s in foster care’

‘What?’ I sit up, the gears in

‘Apparently, the people I chose to give him to transformed into shit-for-brains tweaker meth-addict losers and CPS re that! Don’t you have anything else to say?’

‘Well no, actually Give me a minute, Jesus, I mean – CPS? As in child whatever – the people who take kids away froine the exaggerated eye-roll I thankfully can’t see

‘Yes, Reid That’s what I mean’

My life flashes before ht then that I’ve not told Dori about this yet Not any of it There hasn’t been an appropriate ti up the fact that Brooke and I had a son four and a half years ago A son I’d denied was o A son she gave up for adoption right after she had hih school, this wasn’t a piece of my past I could disclose offhandedly, and I’ve never been the king of insightful situation e soul about this Not John, not -dammit’

‘Yeah,’ Brooke says She has no idea

Into the silence of our mutual shock, my phone beeps, and this ti o I’ll call you tos up, and I flash over, shelving our conversation for later

‘Dori, I’ the Please try to understand – this is difficult for them, especially after Deb’s accident It’s not about you, really They don’t know you They’re only afraid I’ll be hurt, and that’s all this response is based on’ She blurts her words like a practised speech, defensive and placating ‘They may … want to talk to you’