I lifted my head from her shoulder. I didn’t have the strength to tell her everything. But it was in the letter. “You can read it now.”
“Are you sure?”
I nodded.
She stood up and pulled me to my feet. She guided me over to the little table in the kitchen and put a kettle on the stove. “It’s going to be okay, you know.” She grabbed my hand and squeezed it. “Whatever’s going on…we’re going to fix it together.”
God I’d missed her. I nodded, even though it wasn’t possible to fix all of it.
She let go of my hand and picked up the unopened envelope on the table. I just stared at her as she slowly opened it and unfolded the paper inside.
Her eyes started going back and forth. But she paused almost immediately and closed her eyes. “If I had any idea you were still out there…” She squeezed her eyes tighter and then opened them. “Matt didn’t believe it, you know. He hired several PI’s to track you down. But every one of them came up empty. Until there was no other option but what we thought was the truth...”
“Don’t,” I said, cutting her off. Why did everyone keep bringing up Matt? I wasn’t here for him. I could so easily picture Matt sitting right here at this table with us. His face permanently frozen in my mind at 16. I swallowed hard.
“But I feel like you should know that,” Kennedy said. “That Matt really tried.”
I didn’t know what to say. Why would a man who asked for the engagement ring back and said nothing at my funeral try to track me down? Just to make sure I wouldn’t show up again and ruin his life? “Okay,” I said. Her words made me feel sick to my stomach. But they didn’t change anything. Matt and I had been done for years. I hadn’t mentioned anything about Matt in my letter to her and Mrs. Alcaraz. There was a reason for that. I just wanted the past to stay in the past. Matt breaking my heart all those years ago wasn’t important. It was done. I knew stepping foot in this city would bring the memories pouring back. That was why I didn’t plan on staying long.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m not trying to push you. But…why didn’t you come back?”
I took a deep breath. “Keep reading.”
“I should have known your father would do something like this. Kidnap you and keep you hostage.” She shook her head and started reading again.
After a couple minutes she looked up at me. “You got married.” It didn’t really come out as a question, but there was no judgement in her voice.
I thought there might be. She knew everything I’d promised Matt. And yet…she didn’t make me feel guilty. I nodded as my eyes filled with tears too.
“I remember him. That nice bodyguard. He always made you feel safe.” She smiled. “I could tell how much he loved you, even back then. You could see it in his eyes.”
God, she was going to make me cry. “Keep reading.”
She smiled harder as she read about Jacob. I’d left a few instructions in the note. About not making him wear a shirt all the time. And letting him watch football on Sundays. I needed to make sure Jacob never forgot his father. Football would keep them close. It would make him remember.
But Kennedy’s smile quickly fell. And a tear ran down her cheek. “Oh, Brooklyn.” Her eyes kept scanning the page. “No.” She kept shaking her head and more tears fell.
I wished it wasn’t true. God, I’d do anything to change it.
“Your father did this to Miller?”
I’d wanted to make sure I explained why I did what I did last night. There was just one problem…I hadn’t done it. “I don’t even know anymore.”
The tea kettle started whistling. Kennedy wiped her eyes and ran to the stove before the noise could wake Jacob. Her hand shook as she poured us each a cup of tea.
But she didn’t turn back around. She pressed her hands onto the counter, like she was trying to hold herself upright.
I stood up and put my arm around her back.
“No one deserves as much pain as you’ve been through. No one. Especially someone as kindhearted as you. You don’t deserve this.” She grabbed a paper towel and blew her nose. She choked out a laugh. “And you’re not supposed to be comforting me. I should be the one comforting you.” She grabbed the two teacups. “Come on. Sit down. You need to fill in some blanks for me.”
I sat back down and took a sip of tea.
“Do you want to tell me about Miller and your life with him? Or…is it…”
I shook my head. “I can’t talk about him right now.”
“Okay.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “How much does Jacob know? I mean…does he know about what happened to his father?”
