I didn’t want to betray Scarlett’s confidence. But her safetywas more important. “Yeah, she did.”
James sighed. “She’s as impossible as she is adorable.” Heshoved his hands into his pockets. “So what’s going on? I’m assuming the two ofyou didn’t just stop by to get Scarlett in trouble?”
“She said it was an accident,” Tanner said.
James laughed. “How was it an accident that she opened thedoor?”
“I don’t know, but she’s too cute not to believe.”
“That’s the whole problem.” James sat down on the edge of hisdesk. “I give in to her too much. With everything that’s happened over the pastfew months, I just want her to be happy.”
James’ family had been through enough devastation. And Icouldn’t be the reason for any more. “I need to tell you something.”
“About Scarlett?”
“No. Well, yes actually. I should just start at the beginning.Ever since Brooklyn died…” my voice caught saying the words out loud. “Mr.Pruitt has been sending me texts. A few a year. Sometimes more often. He alwayssays he needs to speak with me. And I never reply.”
James pushed himself off his desk. “Why didn’t you tell meabout this?”
Because I was mad at you. Because you married hispsychotic daughter. The list was endless. “I don’t know. I didn’t think itmattered. I didn’t care about what he wanted. But the last few texts he’s sent saidit’s urgent. I didn’t respond to those either and I started noticing a womanfollowing me around. At first I thought she was just some woman I’d sleptwith…”
“You slept with her?” James asked.
“Months ago. I think. Actually, that night’s a little foggy. Butshe looks familiar. And that doesn’t matter. What matters is that she startedshowing up at my games. And she was at the graveyard the other night.”
James pressed his lips together. He didn’t need to ask why I wasat the graveyard.
“Tanner did some digging and Mr. Pruitt hired a few hitmen recently.One of them is some woman who’s really good at her job. We think it might beher.”
“Jesus.” James shook his head. “Okay, well, we’ll figure thisout. No need to panic. Do you want to spend the night here? I can let mysecurity team know about the woman if you give me a description. And maybe Ican call Mr. Pruitt. I expected him to hate me after everything that happenedwith Isabella. But he was surprisingly understanding the last time we spoke. Ican…”
“That’s not everything. Poppy showed up at my office. Sheactually may have mentioned something about Mr. Pruitt making certainallowances with my friends because he still thinks of me as family.”
James lowered his eyebrows.
I got how that sounded. I had never technically been part of Mr.Pruitt’s family. James had. And he was probably insulted by that. But I didn’tcare how insulting Mr. Pruitt was right now. I only cared how violent he was. “Poppysaid that if I didn’t return his texts he wouldn’t be as forgiving. Shethreatened Scarlett.”
The color drained from James’ face. “So what did Mr. Pruitt saywhen you called him?”
“I didn’t call him.”
“What? When did you say Poppy told you this?”
I hadn’t said. I was really hoping he wouldn’t ask. “Monday.”
“Today?”
I swallowed hard. “No, last Monday.”
“You didn’t tell me for a week?”
“I tried to tell you after the game but you had to leaveearly…”
“You mean on Friday? When I had to go home early to put mydaughter to bed? Matt, that was still five days after Poppy threatened Scarlett.Why the hell would you wait so long?” He pulled out his phone and sent a text. “Youwon’t be happy until you destroy my family, will you?”
“James, that’s not…”
“Don’t. I’m not a fucking idiot, Matt. You think I haven’tseen the way you look at Penny? I don’t know how many times I have to tell youthis. She’s not Brooklyn.”
“And you think I don’t know that? Brooklyn’s dead. And shedied thinking I didn’t love her because of you, you piece of shit.”
“Hey, guys,” Tanner said. “Let’s all take a deep meditative breathon three, shall we?” He stepped between us. “Now I get that Matt’s a disloyallittle bastard on occasion, but you know he has a good heart. And James, fromwhat I’ve heard, that shoe fits you as well. I think it’s best that we get allthe animosity out right now before anyone messes up anyone else’s life.”
“I’ve apologized for kissing Brooklyn so many times,” Jamessaid. “High school sucked for me. I was drunk and high half the time. Brooklynwas my friend and I crossed the line, but I was freaking drowning. I wasn’tthinking clearly. But you’re thinking clearly right now, Matt. And what doesthat say about you?”
I wanted to yell at him. And punch him in his stupid face. Buthonestly? He was right. He hadn’t been thinking clearly back then. I knew that.And yet… “It was me who cleaned up your mess half the time. And covered for youshowing up to school hammered. It was me who was worried that you’d take it toofar and fucking kill yourself.”
Tanner sighed. “This isn’t going well. How about we take a lobsterbreak? It’s getting cold.”
James stepped around Tanner to look at me. “Kill myself? Whatare you talking about?”
James knew what happened to my aunt. He had been there thatnight when we found her. And not once had he asked if I was okay. He’d been toobusy getting shit-faced while I was worried he’d do the same thing. I was theonly one that cared about him, and he’d pushed me away because of a stupidrumor. He hadn’t even given me a chance to tell my side. “You’re a hypocrite. Anda liar,” I said. Those had been Brooklyn’s last words to me, and I knew howdeeply they could sting. I regretted them as soon as they were out of my mouth.But I wasn’t going to stand here and tell him that. He’d messed up my wholelife and he was too blind to see it. He’d gotten the wife, the family, thekids. He’d gotten everything I’d ever wanted. And I hated him for it.
“I’ve never lied,” James said.
Well at least he knew better than to deny
