Gasp.
Nathan takes a step towards him but my hand shoots out and grabs his arm. “Nathan.”
He looks back at me, his eyes sad and showing his wavering control. His father doesn’t stop. “This business will fail. You don’t have what it takes. You’re lazy, incompetent and stupid.”
“I wonder who he gets that from,” I remark dryly.
“Stay out of this, Gwen,” Nathan warns and runs a hand through his hair. “Leave us.”
He’s asking me to leave? No, not asking, telling. “What?”
“Take the car keys and go out for an hour. There are things I need to speak to my father about.”
“I’m not leaving you. Not with him.” My face contorts in disgust.
Nathan flies around and tilts his head to catch my eyes. “I said leave. You’re my guest, you’ll do as you’re told. My father and I have things we need to talk about, without you present. Contact Jeanine, tell her not to come.”
I want to be angry but the pain in his eyes wipes that away in an instant. I speak in a hushed tone. “Are you going to be okay?”
His eyes soften and his body drops an inch. “Yes. Please. I don’t want you to be here while he is. Let me speak with him and then he’ll never have a reason to return.”
“I don’t like it,” I admit, but feel my previous decision begin to waver. “Call me if you need me.”
Nathan reaches into his pocket and pulls out a bunch of notes. I go to back away but he shoves them into my back pocket and nudges my forehead with his nose. I find the strange display of affection comforting, even though I shouldn’t.
“Paying for her services already?” His father bates but I ignore him. Nathan doesn’t though, he twists and grabs his father by the throat. I squeal and press my back against the wall as Nathan whispers into his father’s ear. I can’t hear what he’s saying and I’m not sure Mr Weston can either. His face is almost purple.
“Go. I’m not giving him the ability to speak until you’re gone.” Meaning if I don’t leave right now, his father will suffocate in about twenty seconds. I duck my head and flee the house, grabbing the car keys on the way.
Jeanine is pulling into the drive as I exit the house so I immediately rush to her and lie the first lie that comes to mind. “Nathan wants to be alone right now. He’s just had some… umm… bad family news that he needs to deal with.”
She doesn’t believe me, not in the slightest. She does promise to follow me back into the village for a drink, though. I need a coffee. Decaf or not, I still need it.
Mr Weston is vile. VILE! Grr, I just want to poke him in the eye.
Who would say that to their son? It’s disgusting. Nathan isn’t a failure. He’s talented and smart and he can actually be quite funny at times.
******
“Whatever it is, it’s none of your business,” Jeanine says softly, her hand cupping mine over the table. My free hand nurses my coffee close to my chest. “You’ve been mulling over whatever is on your mind for far too long. It isn’t your business and it isn’t mine.”
“I know.”
“Do you? Nathan is a complex man. There are secrets in the Weston house that even I dread to think about. If you want to help him, just be there for him.”
I nod quickly and chew on my lip. “I don’t think I like it here anymore.”
“Did you ever?” She seems to be joking but I can tell it’s to soften the tone of her sincerity.
I nod again. “Yes. Nathan is actually a joy to be around sometimes.”
“He’s no Caleb,” she comments, causing me to wince. “He’ll never be Caleb.”
“I know.” Why do people assume I don’t know this? “I don’t want him to be Caleb. Caleb doesn’t even enter my mind when I’m with Nathan.” Oh shit. Wrong choice of words. “I mean… he does but not in a comparison type of way… you know what I mean, Jeanine.”
She smiles, showing sparkly white dentures. “Yes. I do.” Her body tilts closer as her eyes scan the people around us. “Don’t try and figure it out.”
“Figure what out?”
“Why Caleb was loved and Nathan wasn’t. It…” She sighs heavily and leans back. “Forget I said anything.”
Oh no, she can’t leave it like that. “What do you mean Caleb was loved?”
“I’ve said too much.”
“Then say something more, what’s the difference?”
Jeanine frowns, her eyes shadowing over with past memories I’m eager to know. “I signed something. If I say anything to anyone, Nathan will take pleasure in destroying me.”
“Can’t you give me even the slightest hint?”
She looks out of the window and shifts in her seat. I want to shake her, scream at her, make her tell me what I want to know. “My daughter is only a year older than Nathan, as you know. She was playing out by the old barn,” the barn that is no more than charred wood I’m assuming, “when she saw some things that… well let’s just say it took quite a bit of therapy to help her get past it.”
“What things?”
“I’m not telling you to fuel your curiosity, I’m telling you because whatever secrets Nathan has, he likes to keep them that way. The entire family is one huge riddle and trust me when I say they’re a riddle you don’t want to solve. Nathan and Caleb are and were good men. He’ll look after you. That’s all you need to know. Other than that… don’t get involved.” Her stern tone is quiet, only loud enough for me to hear. What is she talking about? I need to know. “Don’t try to dig anything up, and keep out of Nathan’s way.”
“I don’t understand.”
She rubs her tired eyes and shifts again, her discomfort obvious. “You don’t need to. Just don’t get attached.”
“Why?” Not that I’m planning on it, for obvious reasons. “He won’t hurt me.” Why am I arguing this point? I don’t want to get attached in the way she’s assuming anyway.
She chuckles sadly, her eyes still gazing out of the window. “That’s not what I’m worried about, sweetie. I’m worried you’ll hurt him.”
My breath leaves me. Jeanine stands, thanks me for the coffee and exits the café with her head bowed. I mull over her words again and again until I no longer remember the exact conversation. Only her parting words stick in my mind.
How could I hurt him? Nathan is… he seems impenetrable. He’s his own fortress and nothing seems to affect him. I’d never hurt him intentionally. I’ve been clear about my feelings from the start. I think.
Although he is insistent that we’ll be more than friends.
Maybe he’s just toying with me, testing my loyalty to his brother. Do I even have any loyalty to Caleb anymore? It sure doesn’t feel like it. I’ve betrayed him numerous times since he died.
Chapter Twenty-One
It’s been three hours and I’ve heard nothing from Nathan. I decided twenty minutes ago that I wasn’t staying away any longer. Now I’m sitting in the car outside Nathan’s house, twisting my hands on the steering wheel and staring at the front door through the windshield.