My eyes sting. I hate this so fucking much. If I could get out of my own way, we wouldn’t be in this mess. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”
He tips my chin and brushes his lips over mine. “Please never stop yelling at me. It gets me hot.”
I slap his chest and push him away. “We have a birthday party. But Lanie is staying with Zoey tonight, so I have plenty of time later to…yell at you.”
He kisses me again. This time it’s a quick peck. He takes my hand and leads me downstairs. When we’re almost to the kitchen, he lets go, and I miss his hand in mine.
“Did you try her friend in Columbia?” Zye asks Isaac in a low voice. They’re the only two people in the kitchen when we enter.
His answer is cut short when he sees us. “Ready to do this?” Isaac smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes, which have dark circles under them. Zye races out of the room to check on the other party guests.
“Enough stalling, Isaac. What’s going on? Where’s Jane?” Garrett asks.
I’m thankful because now I don’t have to.
He bites his lip and stares at the cake, still on the counter. “Jane has been a mess. Last week, I convinced her to go to rehab.”
I’ve shared my concerns with Garrett, so he’s not totally shocked. “Is it that bad? I thought it was just a few pills.”
“It’s…not good.”
Garrett sighs. “At least she’s getting the help she needs.”
But Isaac is already shaking his head. “After three days, she checked herself out. I don’t know where she is now.”
“Isaac, I’m sure she’s close—” I stop when Lanie walks into the kitchen.
Her eyes take us all in. She tilts her head and fiddles with the paper plates in her hand. “Are you talking about Aunt Jane? I saw her a few days ago.”
Relief flashes on Isaac’s face. “You did?” He sounds like he wants to say more…ask more…but he clamps his mouth shut.
“Yeah, she—” Lanie cuts herself off, glancing at me with uncertain eyes. An uneasy feeling washes over me.
“She what?” I ask, gruffer than I mean to. Garrett touches my arm, and it helps calm me. “You can tell us, lass.”
Everyone in the room watches her, and I worry she might bolt. She gulps and holds the Spiderman paper plates in front of her mouth.
“It’s okay, Lanie.” Isaac smiles, and this time, it reaches his eyes. Still sad but sincere. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
Her gaze darts to me and back. Isaac isn’t the one she’s worried about. That uneasy feeling intensifies. When she speaks, her voice is so soft it’s difficult to hear. “She borrowed some money.” She glances at me, and there are tears in her eyes. “She said she wanted to get something for Simon for his birthday. And it was a surprise…” Her face falls, and the truth is there in her eyes. “She asked me not to tell you, Uncle Isaac. Or…my da.”
Fury tightens like a vise around my chest. “I’m going to fucking?—”
Garrett places his hand on my back as Isaac cuts in. “It’s not your fault, Lanie. I’ll pay you back. How much was it?”
“Two hundred dollars.”
My anger mixes with something between sorrow and, strangely enough, pride. “You were saving that money for your horse.”
Zoey’s family owns a farm, and Lanie has been learning how to ride. Her dream is to own a horse of her own. That’s why she’s been working extra hours at the diner and doing odd jobs around town. She worked all summer long. And Jane…I’m going to fucking kill her. But later. My daughter, with her kind heart, needs me. She’s just like Emily. Always so giving. I wrap my arms around her, and her sobs have me blinking back tears of my own. Garrett hands her a tissue.
“It’s all right, darlin’. You dinna do anything wrong.”
“You guys are yelling, and it’s upsetting Simon,” Zye says in a huff as he enters the kitchen. He stops, taking in all our faces. He places his hands on his hips. “What now?”
“I’ll tell you later. Let’s eat some cake.” Isaac nods to the dining area, his jaw set. I can see the strain on his face. In his eyes. Working part-time while still in college. Taking care of Simon by himself. Worrying about Jane.
“Zye and Lanie, can you get Simon calmed down? We’ll be in shortly with the cake. Isaac? Can we have a quick word?” Garrett manages to say exactly what I planned to. Is he worried about Isaac too?
