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“Until a couple months ago, I wouldn’t have either.” His shoulders relaxed again. Now that he realized where I stood, he had a plan. “I don’t know what happened with her. We were together for years, you know? We go through a rough patch, and she just runs out? Leaves her family, her friends… I don’t even know what for.”

Because whatever you did to her hurt so bad, she would’ve done anything to get away.

“Yeah, that’s crazy shit,” I said.

“She was.” Now that he believed we saw the world the same way, that we were on the same page, he could tear down my opinion of Delilah. He could make her out to be the pariah he had convinced her family she was. “I think it’s the Internet. All that Me Too shit—I mean, these women hate men so much, they’ll ruin their lives with a lie.”

Over ninety percent of convicted assault allegations women made proved true. Less then ten percent were false. But to keep the conversation going, to keep from blowing my cover, I said, “Yeah, it’s a scary time to be a man. You make one mistake, and your life is over.”

“That’s what I’m saying.” He kept his voice low enough that the others in the hall wouldn’t hear him. “Shit with me and Allie, it was never perfect. We had our problems, just like anybody has problems. But for her to run out like that? Start a whole new life? I just can’t wrap my head around it.”

It took every ounce of will power to keep from rolling my eyes. “Yeah, that would’ve wrecked me, man.”

“It did.” Evan waved the bartender over. When he caught the gentleman’s attention, his posture changed again. Shoulders a little wider, chin held a bit higher. “Can we get a couple beers?”

“Sure thing,” the man said, giving Evan a once over before he turned away.

“You don’t know what she was up to, do you?” he asked me, eyes narrowed slightly. “Girls talk. Did yours tell you anything about her?”

Yours. As if Gwen was something that belonged to me. “Not really, no. She was just around sometimes.”

“You never saw her with anyone else?”

I almost laughed. He was feeling up Delilah’s sister a few yards from her damn casket, and he had the balls to ask if she’d been seeing anyone else? “I think she was just focused on school. That’s all I ever heard her talk about.”

“Yeah. Right, I heard your girl say that upstairs.” Nodding slowly, he squinted me over. “Just kinda odd to me. Allie never cared much about school. She barely graduated.”

Maybe because you tortured her all through high school. She didn’t have time to focus on her education because she was too busy coddling you.

“I don’t know, man. That’s just what Zoey told me.”

“Sure.” Evan gave the server a wave as he set the bottles of beer before us. “Yeah, I get that. I just wish I knew what was going on with her these past few months.”

She was doing her best to make up for the years you stole from her.

“I wish I could tell you more, but I only met her a couple times, man. You’d be better off asking Zoey.”

He smacked his lips together. “Yeah, well⁠—”

“Hey, baby.” Gwen’s voice approached from behind me. She managed a smile and ran a hand over my back. “I think I’m gonna head back to the room. Are you gonna be here a while?”

Thank god.

“No, I’m right behind you.” I started to stand. “You okay?”

She wiggled her brows but kept the smile. “Yeah, I’m good.” She glanced at Evan, who didn’t so much as look her way. Was that a sign of respect for me, or a symbol of disrespect for Gwen? Or for women as a whole? “Meet me outside?”

“Sure.” I gave her a quick kiss. As she turned away, I patted Evan’s shoulder. “It was nice talking to you.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Evan looked my way now. “It’s been lonely lately. Thanks for letting me talk your ear off.”

“Don’t mention it.” Were the drinks paid for, like they were at a wedding? Either way, I rummaged in my pocket for my wallet and came out with some cash. If nothing else, the tender got a nice tip. “Hang in there, man.”

“Right.” He forced a smile. “I’ll probably be down here all morning tomorrow if you’re looking to kill some time before the funeral.”

Yeah, no.

“Sure,” I said. “I’ll see ya.”