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I’m shaking now, breathing hard. This has been eating me for years.

I hate that it’s Dad sitting here and not Tate. That I never told him how I felt. How I never forgave him.

“You never came, son,” Dad says softly.

I stare at the brick of the back of the building. I can’t meet his eyes. “She was pregnant with my brother’s kid.”

There’s a moment of silence. Then Dad says gently, “She’s no pariah, Holt. Faye is as much a part of this family as you.”

I bare my teeth at the brick. Dad opens his door. “She likes them maple lattes from Cherry’s. But if she’s really having a rough one, the croissants usually do the trick. Seeing as she had a whole box of ‘em this morning, she probably had a go ‘round with Mabel before the sun even rose.”

Well, now I feel like an ass.

But I shouldn’t. Because she was an ass first.

Fucking fuck. Life sucks.

Dad grunts as he lowers to the ground. “And if you really want to butter her up for something, best feed her first. She likes the Italian sandwich from down the road. And if you happen to order pizza, she ain’t happy unless there’s extra olives.”

I scowl. “Faye doesn’t like olives.”

Dad holds the door with his hand. I think he’s mostly using it to hold some weight off his knee. “That changed after Owen was born.” He dips his chin before he looks at me with them sharp eyes I inherited. “A lot has changed in the last damn near fourteen years, Holt. But she is still the same sweet Faye we’ve always loved.” He starts to close the door but pauses. “You pull your head outta your ass long enough, you’ll see that for yourself.”

10

IT’S COMPLICATED

APRIL 2023 – PRESENT DAY

The last three days have been unpleasant to say the least. If I worked for anyone else, I think I would have quit. But I owe it to Herman and Elise to stick it out, no matter the discomfort I experience.

And boy, there’s discomfort. A whole bunch of it.

Between Holt’s gruff growls and barked orders, there are moments I catch him looking at me with a cool hardness that makes me wonder about the signs one observed before one was murdered.

The man obviously hates me. I know I deserve it, but it’s not easy to swallow none-the-less.

At least I’ve had Herman and Elise to buffer the very obvious animosity that radiates from him to burn me. But next week, that buffer will be gone. Herman goes in for surgery, and Elise will be with him through it all.

I stand from my desk, sliding my purse onto my shoulder.

Holt’s sharp eyes snap up from where he’s leaning over Elise’s desk, peering at the blueprints for a project we’re set to begin in two weeks’ time.

They narrow on my purse. “More coffee?”

“I’m off.”

“You leave at four,” he grinds, straightening to his massive height. To not feel so small, I’ve been wearing shoes with an extra inch, though I’m not sure I’m going to manage the upkeep. My calves are killing me.

“I leave at three-thirty on Thursday’s.” His eyes are like daggers pinning me to where I stand. I add, “Owen has soccer by four-thirty.” My eyes slide to Elise when Holt doesn’t reply. “Are you still good to grab Mabel from daycare?”

“Of course.” Elise sits back in her chair. I swear she can see the crackle of dangerous electricity that surges between me and Holt. She can see it and I’m pretty sure she’s amused by it.

“Thanks.” I start for the door.

She calls, “We’ll see you and Owen for dinner at the house tonight.”

I wave over my shoulder, because I can’t muster the courage to turn around again and face the glare I feel burning into the back of my head.