Chapter 16 Guy
Guy
Istare at my plate, my elbow resting on the arm of the chair, my chin on my fist. We’re sitting at the patio dinner table, the night warm, the sky clear of clouds and filled with stars.
The kids went to bed a while ago, exhausted from a day of swimming, and Ella has been going into detail about her next book.
Gable is listening with rapt attention, a frown on his face as he concentrates, asking questions, mouth agape as she reveals plot twists she’s considering.
Lina hasn’t said a word the entire meal, and neither have I.
“Okay, what is going on?” Ella asks, gesturing at us. “Why do you look so grumpy?”
I lift my eyes to her. “Sorry, baby, I’m just tired.”
“From doing what? Gable and I have chased the twins around most of the day. We cooked—”
“I cooked,” Gable says.
“We cleaned—”
“I cleaned.”
“We got two toddlers into bed, before six, bathed and happy!”
Gable nods. “Okay, that one is true.”
“So tell me, Father, what has been so tiring about your day?” my daughter asks. “Is it this woman you had over for Christmas? You’ve been different since then.”
It takes everything in me not to look at Lina. It seems Gable has put two and two together, because he tips his head back. “I think I can see the big dipper. Gibson, can you see the big dipper?”
Ella frowns and looks between us all. “What the hell is going on?”
“It isn’t about her. That’s over,” I say.
“Oh,” Ella takes my hand. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. It wasn’t anything anyway.”
Gable is still examining the sky, but Lina is staring at me. Her eyes are sad, and for a moment, I can’t look away, because like a fool, I want to believe that she’s actually sorry.
She looks it.
And maybe she is.
But it doesn’t change what she did. When I saw on the news about Seth Sinclair, the pain from her leaving resurfaced and I felt used all over again.
“Knock knock?”
Everyone’s head whips toward the gate to the patio, where Kate stands, holding a bottle of wine.
Oh, fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Lina grabs a knife, and Gable moves quickly, twisting it out of her grip. She tries to bite him, but he successfully removes all the cutlery from her and tosses it into the lake. He stands, gesturing at Kate enthusiastically. “This must be Kate! Everyone, it’s Kate!”
Ella stares at her husband, brows furrowed. “Are you all right?”
“I’m just so excited that Kate is here,” he says, looking pointedly at me, then at Lina. “Such fun.”
This is a nightmare. Someone is definitely going to die tonight.
And Kate, completely innocent and unknowing, opens the gates and walks right into the lion’s den. As Ella gets up to greet her, Kate gives her the wine.
“This is to say thank you for earlier in the restaurant,” she says, her gaze locking with mine. I don’t dare smile. Lina might murder the both of us.
Ella examines the bottle. “This is so thoughtful, thank you. Let’s crack it open—you can stay for a drink before you and Dad go out.”
Gable looks at me like Ella has just suggested we toss puppies into the lake. I mouth at him to calm down, and he runs his hand down his face.
It’ll be okay. We’ll just keep an eye on Lina and make this short.
Except Kate takes the seat beside mine, putting her directly across from Lina, and it’s more than a little tense.
As a rookie, I once had to clean out a holding cell where an inmate had smeared shit all over the walls. It took hours, and when I finished, there was another cell just like it waiting for me.
I’d rather spend the next week doing that than be sitting at this fucking table.
Kate is talking away, telling us her sister’s reaction to the blind date that ended with her in my lap. She’s smiling prettily, giggling, just generally being a sweet, kind person.
Lina looks seconds from stabbing her in the eye.
“So,” Lina says, interrupting Kate mid-story. “You and Guy are dating.”
“Oh my gosh, no.” Kate laughs, her cheeks flushing. “This is our first. Second, if you count the lap dance.”
Lina grips the arms of her chair so hard I’m surprised the wood doesn’t crack.
And she laughs. It’s such a terrifying, tinny sound that Gable and I share a look.
“You’re English,” Kate says. “What part of England are you from?”
Lina sneers. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
Kate blinks, and glances at me. I force a laugh and kick Gable under the table so he does the same.
“British humor,” I say. “So sarcastic.”
“Oh!” Kate laughs, too.
We’re all just fucking laughing.
“What do you do, Kate?” Lina asks, lifting her chin and examining my date as if she might carry the plague.
Ella returns with the wine and pours herself, Gable, Lina, and Kate a glass.
I decline. I have a feeling I’ll need to be alert for this.
Gable, on the other hand, throws his drink back in one and pours another.
“I’m a lawyer,” Kate says.
“Ew. Don’t cops hate lawyers?” Lina asks, looking at me. “She releases the bad guys you lock away.”
Kate chuckles, and I really wish she wouldn’t. “Oh, I’m not that kind of lawyer. I’m in financial law.”
“Yawn,” Lina sighs.
“Monty,” I say sharply, and her eyes meet mine. “Be polite.” She flushes and tenses her jaw before looking away.
Kate’s smile is a little brittle, and the tension ramps up. “What do you do?”
“I’m retired and incredibly wealthy,” Lina says, examining her nails as if this conversation is a favor to us all.
Kate brightens. “I’m hoping to retire soon, too.”
“Good for you. It’s fun. Right, Guy?” Lina asks.
My heart sinks, and I sigh. Lina looks confused, then her lips part when she realizes what she’s said.
I still haven’t told Ella. I planned to, but I’m weighing up the option of the cross-country trip alone, and that would take weeks, maybe even months of planning.
And the thought of moving closer, maybe cramping their new family lifestyle, had me losing sleep. So, I put it off.
“Dad, are you retiring?” Ella asks, her voice small. “Since when?”
“I was going to tell you, baby,” I say. “But yes, I’m going to be retiring before the summer ends.”
I wait for the uncomfortable smiles, the questions about whether or not I’m sure I want to give up a thirty-year career—but none of that happens.
Gable exhales. “Thank God.”
Ella smiles and claps. “Yay!”
It takes me a second to absorb the words.
“You’re happy?”
“Yes!” Ella cries. “Dad, you’ve been miserable. And you can move closer to us! This is so great!” She gets up and hugs me over the table, clinging to me.
I’m a little speechless. “You don’t mind?”
“Are you kidding? We’d love it,” Ella sits back down. “Won’t we, Gable?”
I glance at Gable. “You too?”
“Free babysitter.” He gives me a thumbs-up and pours himself another wine. “This is great shit. Thanks, Claire.”
“Kate,” she says flatly. Another thumbs-up from Gable. “So, you’ll be moving up here?”
“Seems like it.”
The tension in my shoulders eases, and for the first time since Lina left and I made the decision to retire, I feel hopeful about it. It’s silly that I felt like I needed permission, but maybe I did.
“Then maybe there will be a date number three,” Kate says, and puts her hand on mine, her smile bright.
Lina stares at where our hands touch, and I expect anger. I expect sassy remarks, maybe even a little violence, but instead I see something different.
I think I see her heart break.
She stands, knocking her chair over, and storms into the house.
Ella watches her go. “What’s wrong with Monty?”
“I’ll check,” Gable says, and follows her.
I want to follow her too, and I shouldn’t.
I’m falling for it again. Have I really not learned my lesson by now?
Lina has done nothing but lie to me. Even those “facts” about herself could be fake.
I couldn’t bring myself to look her up, because I was so deep into my feelings for her that if anything she’d told me had been true, I’d have clung onto it and convinced myself she actually cared.
But she doesn’t.
She fucking doesn’t.
As Ella and Kate discuss Kate’s work, my gaze strays to the house. Through the glass doors, I see Gable and Lina.
Fighting.
He’s covering her mouth, dragging her back into the kitchen, and she’s kicking and wriggling in his grip. I blink, watching as she twists out of his hold and punches him in the nose before running full speed for the living room. Gable holds his bleeding nose and chases her.
“What was his name, Dad?” Ella asks, and I drag my attention from the house and back to her. “Your friend who was in financial law.”
“Oh. I don’t … I don’t remember …” They keep talking, and I look back at the house.
Lina is running toward the patio doors, and Gable appears out of nowhere, tackling her to the ground. They disappear from view, and a hand appears at the window as if Gable is trying to claw himself to his feet, but then it disappears again.
What the fuck is going on?
Then Lina is back at the door, panting, her lip bleeding.
Holding a fucking crossbow.
“Shit!” I stand, and Lina strides over, pointing the weapon at Kate.
Kate gasps. “Oh my God!”
Ella slaps her hand over her mouth. “Monty, what are you doing!”
Lina fires.
And the arrow pierces Kate straight through the eye.