I gave her hand a pointed look. “Have you moved on? Really?”
A slow smile spread across her pink lips, and all I could think about was the kiss she stole the last time we were in close vicinity and the sickness I felt when Helen had to see Abby’s gloss on my mouth.
“Of course I have. Did you really think I’d be pining after you forever?”
“Good. I’m glad for you.” I said the words, but there was something I didn’t like behind her smile. It read false to me.
“Are you?” She stepped closer, tilting her head back to peer into my eyes. “There isn’t some small part of you twisting into knots when you hear I’m with someone else?”
Shrugging her off, I backed away. “Absolutely no part. Like you said, I’ve moved on.”
I strode from the kitchen, finding Helen with Miranda and Abby’s mom, Jill. They were talking about Helen’s dress when I joined them, hooking my arm around Helen’s waist. Jill gave pause at the sight of me with someone other than her daughter, but she kept her opinions to herself, thankfully.
“We were shopping in this little boutique Madeline found online.” Miranda bit her bottom lip, but it didn’t stop her chin from quivering. “She was always finding little places like that, taking me on adventures. I miss so much about her, but our adventures might be the thing that tops the list.”
Jill’s gaze swept over Helen. “It’s lovely that Madeline’s treasures are getting the chance to live another life. That dress looks so pretty on you, Helen. Madeline would undoubtedly approve.”
“Thank you for telling me the story behind the dress, Miranda.” Helen squeezed my hand at her hip. “And, Jill, I hope she would approve. She was always teasing me for wearing cutoffs and holey Vans.”
Miranda swiped a knuckle under her made-up eye. “Oh, please. Mads would have been wearing Vans and skateboarding with you if she’d been up to it. That sounds exactly like her.”
Helen laughed. “She made me take her to the skate park so she could watch, so I have no doubt that’s true. Her Vans wouldn’t have been holey, though.”
Miranda released a watery laugh. “Oh, that’s very accurate.”
Abby approached our group, holding out a Bloody Mary to her mother. “I ran into The in the kitchen, and he had the best idea.” She raised her drink, then took a sip. “Mmm...this is delicious, Mir.”
Miranda sobered, her eyes bouncing between Abby and me. “Thanks, sweetheart. Why don’t we all go outside to the patio? I have some absolutely delicious fresh fruit set up.”
The three of them were on their way, but I held Helen back. “I had no idea she’d be here,” I murmured.
“Would you not have invited me?” she asked.
“No. I would have disinvited myself.”
Helen snorted a short laugh. “It’s no biggie, The.”
I groaned at the terrible nickname. It was like nails on a chalkboard to me. “You’re sure? We can leave if you’re uncomfortable.”
“I’m sure. She doesn’t bother me. I know you’re with me.” Helen flipped her hair, spilling soft waves of chocolate behind her back. “Was your father awful?”
“Entirely, but I’m used to it.”
She hooked her arm in mine, and we headed to the patio. “How did he land Miranda?”
“He’s on his best behavior around her. Wait and see. He’s like a lovesick puppy with his wife, though I haven’t figured out if it’s her money or her he’s more crazy over.”
“He’s really dumb if the answer isn’t his wife. She’s cool as hell.”
“That she is.”
Brunch went by in fits of awkwardness, followed by fits of eye-rolling boredom. Abby’s dad, Bob, liked to golf, and Andrew liked to talk about it, so that dominated much of the conversation. I was grilled by both Bob and Andrew about my classes, and Abby took it upon herself to talk about hers. All the while, Helen ate her fruit and waffles and periodically held my hand under the table.
Toward the end, I had started to relax, probably due to the extra vodka in my two Bloody Marys, but a lot came down to sitting beside Helen, who was so unbothered by it all, it was impossible not to take that in. She really didn’t give a fuck what any of these people thought about her, but she’d also made an effort with her dress, her smiles, her answers, to make a good impression—and that was all for me.
Leaning close, so my mouth brushed her ear, I whispered, “I love you.”
She smiled without turning her head and squeezed my fingers with hers. The words didn’t need to be spoken back for me to hear them.
“Theo, son,” Bob wiped his mouth with his cloth napkin, “I didn’t see the i8 in the drive. Is it in the shop?”
Abby giggled. “Daddy, Theo doesn’t have the i8 anymore.”
“Oh, really?” Bob sat forward, resting his arms on the table. “What are you driving these days?”
I cleared my throat. “The Toyota in the driveway is mine. I wanted something less flashy.”
Andrew scoffed. “He sold the i8 without saying a single word to me and came home driving that piece of shit parked out front. Let’s just say I was not pleased.”
Miranda laid her manicured hand on his arm. “I explained to Andrew what happened. Theo had a friend in an emergency situation that required money to solve. Theo didn’t want to ask me for a handout, so he proposed selling the i8. You know me, I can’t say no to helping a friend, and I am well aware Theo never liked my old car, so I helped.”
Helen’s ease had disappeared, leaving her stiff and shifting uncomfortably in her seat. I took her hand in mine, stroking her knuckles to let her know I was right there with her.
Andrew sent me a hard glare from across the table. “I’ve yet to hear who this friend is and exactly why they needed the money.”
“It’s private,” I gritted. “All of this is private.”
Abby giggled again, and her eyes landed on me. “Well, it can’t be Helen. She has a job I’ve heard is very lucrative.”
I stood so fast, my chair scraped on the patio stones. “Enough, Abby.”
Abby’s eyes rounded. “What? It’s not like it’s a secret Helen’s a stripper. Everyone knows. All the frat boys like to go watch her dance on the weekends.”
Bracing a hand on the table, I leaned across, jabbing a finger in her face. “What happened to you? Are you so fucking jealous and spiteful you have to go after a girl who never did a single thing to you? Or is this who you’ve always been, and I was too stupid to see it?” I shook my head when her mouth fell open. “I don’t give a shit what your answer is. Anything good we ever had is erased. I don’t know your name anymore. I don’t recognize your face. You do not exist.”
Abby gasped, and she wasn’t the only one, but I didn’t care. She could be jealous and rude and get her little digs in. I’d swallow it down. It didn’t matter what she said to me. But this? No, this would not stand. She’d gone way too far.
Helen’s warm fingers wrapped around my wrist. “Theo, come on. It’s okay.”
“Is this true?” Andrew boomed, his face bright red and throat mottled.