Zell sat with her magazine in the driveway, but instead of reading she found herself mostly just staring at James Doyle’s house. She caught glimpses of Cailey trudging back and forth, lugging those rocks, and occasionally, as promised, she popped her head around the corner and waved, her wave growing less enthusiastic each time. It was hot as Hades out. Zell decided she needed a spray bottle to spritz water on herself and dashed inside to get it.
She was coming out of her house with the water when she saw Debra walking toward her, emerging from the heat waves like a mirage. Zell nearly turned back to hide inside her house, but Debra had already seen her. She still looked as fabulous as the day she’d left. Zell made her mouth do something that came close to a smile, and waggled the water in Debra’s direction.
“Hello,” she said, being neighborly. “I didn’t realize you were back.” That was a lie. She knew everything that went on in Lance’s house. (Sometime in the past ten months she’d started thinking of it as his house, not Debra’s. This, she felt, was significant.) She’d seen Debra’s car pull up just a few afternoons ago, watched from her kitchen window as she let herself in just as pretty as you please. Zell had thought to herself, Oh no, you don’t.
She paused on the stairs and let Debra come to her, her heart pounding away, knocking against her rib cage more urgently the closer Debra got. She tried to gauge what the other woman would do. Yell? Deny? Apologize? Threaten? She hadn’t spoken to her in so long. In that last encounter, there hadn’t been much said. This moment had been inevitable, coming as certainly as the end of summer, Cailey’s departure, and everything else she’d dreaded.
“It sure is hot out,” Zell said, just to talk about something. But she knew Debra hadn’t come over to discuss the weather.
“Yes,” the other woman responded, her voice hesitant.
“Was it this hot wherever you were?” Zell regretted the question the minute it was out of her mouth. Debra might think she was prying into where she’d gone when the truth was it didn’t matter a hill of beans where she’d been. All that mattered was that she’d run away from her family, her home, her responsibilities. A good mother didn’t do that. Zell tried to take comfort in the difference between them. No matter what she’d done, she’d never abandoned the people she claimed to love.
And yet, she thought of Ty, how she’d avoided him ever since the truth had come out, the shame she’d taken on over what he’d done. But it was more than that; it was her shame, too. She’d been too ashamed to seek help for her injury, too ashamed to admit what had happened.
“I just wanted to . . . clear the air,” Debra said. “Make sure there was nothing we needed to say to each other after . . . what happened.”
Zell was quick to reassure her. “No, not at all. Things are fine. It’s your business.”
Debra’s voice was quiet and even. “Well, you kind of made it your business.”
“I’m sorry about that,” she said. “I really am.”
“Yes, well, I also just need to know what you’ve said about what happened. To Lance, or to anyone else who might say something to Lance.”
Zell looked away. “I didn’t say anything to anyone,” she said softly.
“Good.” Debra nodded to herself. “That’s good.” She looked in her own backyard, right at the spot where it had happened. “We’re going to work on our marriage and . . . make a fresh start.”
“Are you moving back in?”
“Well, not right away, of course. But in time I expect that to happen.”
“Does that mean you’re not going to tell him what happened?” Zell couldn’t keep the incredulity out of her voice.
Debra swallowed, glanced over at her house. “It’s in the past. There’s no need.”
“I just think secrets can be harmful. They can eat at you, wear away the foundation of—”
Debra’s face changed, and she held her hand up. “You’re hardly one to lecture me about keeping secrets, aren’t you?”
Movement over at the Bryson house caught Zell’s eye, and she looked over to see Alec standing on the side porch, watching them inquisitively. She would miss the children. She sensed Debra would do whatever she could to keep them away from her now that she was back. She didn’t exactly blame her.
Alec waved at her and hollered, “Miss Zell, we’re going to the pool as a family!” Both women heard that last word, his emphasis on the word family.
“I think that’s my cue,” Debra said, taking a step back toward her house. “I’m glad to know you won’t do something that would hurt our family.” She waved at Alec. “I’m coming, honey,” she called to him.
Debra hustled back toward Alec just as Cailey came trotting up the drive, running like someone was chasing her. She was caked in dirt and sweat and smelled like it. She came to a stop beside Zell, and together they watched Debra trudge across her own driveway and disappear inside her house.
“Is that Lilah and Alec’s mom?” Cailey asked. But instead of watching Debra, she glanced over her shoulder at the Doyle house. She moved closer to Zell.
“Yes,” Zell answered idly as the door closed behind Debra. She directed Cailey into the house, still trying to process what had just happened. She might’ve been the reason Debra had left, but she wasn’t the reason she’d stayed away. And now that she’d decided to return, she expected Zell to keep her secret. But Zell was tired of doing that. And yet, could she tell Lance what she knew? Now, after all this time? Did she dare confess what she’d done and what she knew after everything else that had happened?
“I wish she hadn’t come back,” Cailey said, giving voice to Zell’s thoughts.
Zell said the right thing in response, instead of what she wanted to say. “I’m sure Lilah and Alec don’t feel that way. Let’s let them have their family time,” she said, thinking of how Debra had used that word against her. “And you and I will get cleaned up, then go get some ice cream. How does that sound?” She feigned more enthusiasm than she felt. The heat combined with her conversation with Debra had left her winded and exhausted. But this was Cailey’s last day with her, and she wanted it to count.
BRYTE
Walking across the hotel lobby, Bryte felt less propelled than pulled by the sight of Trent sitting alone on one of the couches, talking on the phone, holding court even though he had no subjects at the moment. When he turned, saw her, and smiled, she knew she wasn’t there about the job.
She paused and let the truth hit her, the force of it surging through the core of her. It had never been about the job, no matter what she’d spent the past weeks telling herself. She swallowed the truth down, let it settle inside of her, and continued toward him, focusing on his face. How uncanny the resemblance to Everett was.
Trent gestured for her to have a seat and held up one finger. She did as she was told and sat down, smoothing her skirt and wondering if she looked OK.
He ended his call and turned his smile on her. He reached across the space between them and rested his hand on her knee. “Wow. It’s good to see you.” He nodded as if agreeing with himself.
She smiled. “You, too.”
He shook his head. “I’m still sort of shocked you wanted to meet. I thought I’d lost you for good.”
He’s talking about the job, she coached herself. He’s not talking about the two of you. She willed her smile to stay in place. “No, just been busy.”
“You said you’ve been out of work for a time and are looking to break back in?” His brows drew together in concern. “Everything been OK?”
“Oh, sure, everything’s been fine. My husband and I moved, and we, um, had a child, and things have just been crazy. I’m just now able to start thinking about going back.”
“Aw, man, you had a kid?” he asked. His face shone. “That’s cool! Boy or girl?”