“He was your family.”
“He was a liar and a traitor.”
“So you say.”
My hands curled. “What are you implying?”
“I’m implying nothing. Just showing you how the court will be. No one will be on your side, Mr. Clark. Except me.”
“So you believe I deserve to go to jail?”
He sighed with exasperation, as if he’d had this conversation with so many criminals. “It’s not about what I believe. It’s about what the facts prove. I’ll do my best to ensure they work in your favour. But you confessed to the murder. You are being lynched online. The possibility of this all blowing over and you remaining a free man are slim to none.”
Silence filled in the gaps.
I had nothing more to say.
He cleared his throat. “Tomorrow at my office. We’ll go through everything and I’ll make sure you’re prepared. Until then, enjoy today, Mr. Clark. Enjoy all your days because you might only have six free ones left.”
He hung up.
I stared at the traffic surrounding us.
I tripped back to Olive and collapsed beside my daughter just as a stopwatch started a countdown to the end.
Tick.
Tock.
It’s over.
Chapter Twenty-Three
______________________________
Olin
I DIDN’T KNOW how much longer I could take it.
Seeing Gil every day.
Having him in my house.
Watching the incredible way he loved his daughter.
Suffering a stupid heart that still wanted what it couldn’t have.
It was too much.
I needed space.
Time alone.
I needed to rein in my rapidly fraying life before I was left with tattered pieces and no hope of ever sewing myself back together again.
The civility between us was worse than fighting.
The fakeness between us far more draining than being honest.
But we couldn’t have a fight, and we couldn’t be honest because Olive was there.
Every night.
Every meal.
Every morning.
That sweet, adorable little girl who watched me and Gil with far too much understanding in her grey gaze. She saw what we were trying to hide. She heard what we weren’t saying. And it worried me because the longer we skirted around each other, pretending we could be friends when it was obvious that we couldn’t, the more Olive watched with a plan gleaming in her eyes.
A plan that little girls make up when they think they can play matchmaker to two people who are stubborn and broken and successfully ruining any chance of happiness.
I couldn’t let her do that.
I had made my choice.
I’ve made it.
I have.
I won’t fall into the same patterns.
Not this time.
Yes, being a supportive friend and offering free accommodation was harder than I thought. Yes, being kind wasn’t nearly as rewarding as it used to be. But at least I had my work. I could lose myself in the repetitive routine and find salvation from an unsolvable complication until five p.m.
Unfortunately, the moment I climbed on the bus and travelled home, all those jumpy, itchy needs swarmed me, and by the time I walked in the door, I was exhausted, frustrated, and just plain twisted up with barbwire-filled knots.
Tonight, I honestly didn’t know if I could walk through the door and do it all over again. To smile and laugh and let Gil cook me and his daughter a simple but tasty dinner.
It was far too domesticated.
Way too dangerous for my heart.
Sighing, I fished my keys from my handbag and sucked in a deep breath.
Unlocking the door, I braced myself, schooled my features from tortured to serene, and stepped into my apartment.
“Oh, hi.” I stopped on the threshold, finding more people than I expected.
Justin immediately got to his feet where he sat at the dining room table with Gil and Olive. A tower of pizza boxes rested in the middle of the table, along with wedges and garlic bread. “Great, you’re back. We’ve been staring at this food like slobbering hyenas for twenty minutes but didn’t want to start until you were here.”
Olive giggled. “I wasn’t slobbering.”
“You were too.” Justin stuck out his tongue at her. “I saw drool on your chin and your tiny fangs.”
“Did not.” She crossed her arms, a cross between a smirk and a pout on her face.
Gil just sprawled in his chair, his gaze once again pinned on me, his body wound tight despite his relaxed pose. I didn’t know how I knew, but something had happened today.
Something bad.
I read it in the way he studied me as if he’d never see me again.
I felt it in the electrified air between us.
I grew wet despite myself.
I grew angry because my body kept betraying me.
Ripping my gaze from his, I kissed Justin on the cheek as he kissed me. Gil stiffened in his chair.
I smiled. “You could’ve started without me, you know.”
“Nah, that wouldn’t be fair.” Justin took my handbag, tossed it on the couch, then escorted me to the table. “Gil called and asked me round. Hope you don’t mind me imposing.” Sitting down, he divided up the boxes and opened them.
A punch of cheese, barbecue sauce, and grease filled my nose.
“I don’t mind. You’re welcome anytime.”
“I bought pizza as a guest tax.” Justin grabbed a piece of veggie-something-or-other and plopped it onto Olive’s plate. “After you, tiny one.”
Olive plucked a piece of onion off, then took a dainty bite. “Yummy.”
“Great. I’m glad it’s approved.” Justin chuckled, placing a piece onto my plate then onto his. He didn’t serve Gil, just shoved the box his way. “All yours, mate.”
“Cheers.” Gil took one and ate quietly. Once again, that intensity, that wrongness scratched down my spine.
What’d happened?
Why was Justin here?
How could I ask when it wasn’t my place?
Conversation was few and far between as we ate unhealthy but delicious takeout. Olive managed two pieces and a handful of wedges. I ate three pieces. And the guys managed to devour almost an entire pizza each.
By the time everyone had their fill, Olive looked ready to pass out and threw herself on the couch amongst Gil’s blankets and turned on the TV.
Justin passed out napkins for greasy fingers.
Gil raised an eyebrow, catching Justin’s attention.
“Yeah, yeah.” He grinned, hiding the scary urgency in his tone. “Prove to her I’m trustworthy before it’s too late.”
“Appreciate it.” Gil sat forward in his chair as Justin went to Olive and struck up a conversation about whatever show she’d selected. He perched next to her on the couch, his gaze on the screen but his attention entirely on her.
“What are you watching?” he asked gently.
“Dunno. What do you want to watch?”
Justin grinned. “Anything you want to watch.” The strain in his shoulders relaxed. He’d successfully proven not to be the monster she’d feared just a few weeks ago.
Once again prickles shot down my back, suddenly understanding why Justin was here. Gil had invited him to bond with Olive. To ensure they could live harmoniously when the time came.