Peighton turned, not bothering to say anything else, and walked into the elevator. She pressed the six, watching the button light up as the doors closed. Her hands were ice cold, her pulse pounding in her ears as she rode up to the sixth floor. Everything in her screamed that she should turn around, leave before he saw her, but she couldn’t. She needed to see him.
When the elevator doors opened, she exhaled, not realizing she had been holding her breath. She walked out, looking around for the room. It didn’t take her long to find—613 was only three doors down from where she stood. She walked forward slowly, almost unaware she was moving. When she reached the door, she held up her hand to knock, hesitating slightly.
The door swung open before her fist made contact with the wood and he stood there, his jaw slightly hung open. “Peighton?”
She nodded.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to hear you out,” she said softly. “You obviously came here for a reason. I want to know what it is you wanted to tell me.”
“Okay,” he said, taking a breath. “Well, okay. Why don’t you go ahead and come in?” He stepped back, holding his arm up to let her past him. She moved past him quickly before she could change her mind and walked into the hotel room. She sat at the edge of one of the queen beds, crossing one leg over the other and placing her hands on her knees. Drew made his way to the other bed, sitting down. “Thank you for coming.”
“I wasn’t sure if you’d let me in.”
“Of course I would. I have no hard feelings against you, Peighton. I know you don’t feel the same.”
“No, I don’t. What you did—I don’t know if I can ever forgive you.”
“I understand,” he said. “I would love your forgiveness, but I don’t expect it.”
“What do you expect then?”
“To tell you the truth. To explain to you why I did what I did.”
“Why you tried to ruin our lives, you mean?”
“It didn’t start out that way. I never meant to hurt anyone. I just…fell in love. I couldn’t help it that you were married. I couldn’t help it that my love came at the expense of a marriage. I know none of that makes it right—I do. I know that nothing I say can take away all of the hurt I caused you both, but it wasn’t one-sided. My heart was broken when we split up. I acted out of spite because I was devastated. I would have never actually told anyone what happened between us. I’m not that kind of a person. It was fear and anger fueling me and I’ve since realized how horrible that must’ve been for you guys. Senseless worry.” He shook his head. “I’ve lived with what I did every day for the past fifteen years. Not just the affair, but everything after.”
Peighton felt a tear drift down her cheek and she reached a finger up to catch it. She hadn’t realized she’d started crying. “Todd was so hurt. I’ve never seen him…so hurt.”
“I know. For years, I had hoped to get up the courage to be a man and face him. To apologize to him in person. But, I saw how happy you were. Your family. I didn’t want to interrupt what seemed so perfect. I couldn’t bring myself to interfere again.” He stopped, then spoke suddenly, his hand up in defense. “Not that I think we would’ve, you know, started the affair again, I didn’t mean that—”
“I know what you meant,” she cut him off.
“Good.” He smiled halfheartedly. “I’m sorry for your loss, by the way. I never got to say that at the funeral.”
She nodded, not sure what to say. “Todd was a good man.”
“Kyle is growing up to look just like him.”
She frowned at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Just what I said, he looks just like Todd,” he said defensively.
“Is that what this is about? Kyle? If you think for one second that you’re going to see him or be around him or that…that he’ll ever know who you are, you’re wrong. He will never know you.” She stood up, wagging her finger in his face, her skin growing warm.
“Peighton, slow down.” He stood up too. “I’m not here for Kyle—honestly, I’m not.”
She took a deep breath. “Have you seen him? How do you know what he looks like?”
“I saw him at the funeral, Peight,” he said, his voice calm. Suddenly, realization filled his eyes and he covered his mouth. “Oh my god.”
“What?”
“He never told you.”
“Told me what?”
“Peighton,” he paused, taking a breath. “Kyle isn’t my son.”
Fourteen
FRANK, 2001
Frank walked into Todd’s study, handing him a beer. He sat down on his friend’s desk. “What’s up?”
Todd sighed. “Work. The answer is always work.” He took a swig of his beer. “You’re off early.”
“I’m at work, my friend.”
“Oh, is that right? What are we paying you for again?” He laughed.
“You and Peighton want to go with me to Harding? I need a vacation.”
“From your oh-so-stressful job, you mean?” Todd smiled, shutting his laptop. “What did Peighton say?”
“I didn’t ask her yet, I was going to let you have the pleasure of that. She’s out there with Drew.”
“Oh, not Drew. If I ask her, he’ll have to come.”
“Can’t you just send him home?”
“He isn’t a dog, Frank. He doesn’t mind me.”
Frank laughed. “Tell Peighton to send him home then.”
“Yeah, that’ll work. Hey, why don’t we just try to outrun him?”
“Why, your Mayoral Highness!” Frank donned a British accent. “You wouldn’t want that to end up on a campaign trailer, would you?”
Todd scoffed. “Well, since the two people supposed to be running my campaign are currently planted on my couch downing whole bottles of wine, I don’t think I stand much of a chance anyway.” The men walked out of his office and headed down the hallway toward the living room. Peighton was lying on the couch, her head resting beside Drew’s lap, two empty wine glasses on the table.
“Who’s up for a trip to the lake?”
Peighton sat up. “We have work to do,” she said softly, eyeing the wine glasses. She burst out in laughter, covering her mouth. Todd grinned at her.
“You big dork,” he said, walking over and planting a kiss on her head. “Are you drunk at two p.m.?”
“No,” she said, looking as though she were a child with something to hide. She laughed again.
Drew looked at him happily, his own cheeks red. “She’s a little buzzed.”
“You think?” Todd laughed. “Do you want to stay here and sleep it off?”
Peighton shook her head ferociously. “I want to go to the beach!”
“The lake,” Frank corrected from across the room. “We aren’t going to the beach. Your drunk ass will get us kicked out.” He smiled at her dotingly as he took another drink of his beer.
“But the beach is much more fun.”
“It’s also in Florida,” Frank said, “and in case you didn’t know, it’s November. So, big fat no, sweetheart,” he teased her.
“You’re a party pooper.” She giggled.
He shrugged. “I’m rubber, babe.”
“All right, I’m going to go then, so you guys can head out,” Drew said, standing up.
“No way, man, not like that. You can go to the lake with us or stay here and wait it out. I’m not letting you leave here after you’ve been drinking.”
“I’m fine, man,” he assured him.
“No,” Todd said firmly. “Not a chance. I can take you home if you want.”
“Yeah, I’d appreciate that,” Drew agreed, nodding his head. He grabbed his jacket from the back of the couch, taking the wine glasses into the kitchen.
Isabel appeared from around the corner, taking the wine glasses from him. “Anything special you want for supper, dears?”
“We’re going to have fish, Izzy,” Frank said.
“Fish? I don’t know that we have fish.”
“We’ve got to catch it first,” Peighton said. “Come with us, Izzy! Come, come!”
Isabel laughed. “There’s plenty for me to do around here, lassie. You all just have a good time. I’ll be here when you get back.”
“There’s no reason for you to stay, Iz. You can go on home when you finish up dishes.”
“Thank you, Mr. Todd, I don’t mind a bit though. I have a few other things I’d like to tidy up and then I’ll be on my way.”
Drew pulled his jacket over his shoulders. “All right, are we ready then?”
Frank stood up from the couch, handing his beer bottle to Isabel.