I wipe the smile off of my face. "I’d never lie to you, Isaac. Not to you or your sister or, for that matter, your mother. Perhaps I was too upfront with her; it’s why she left."
"You never loved her."
"And you tried to make up for it by taking her side." I squeeze my son’s shoulder. "I’m not saying she was right, but you did the right thing."
"And you’re doing the right thing by giving Lena space, even if it’s only the illusion of doing so."
I search his features. "So, no hard feelings about the fact that your girlfriend chose me?"
His jaw tightens. "That’s not a fair question."
"If the past has taught me anything, it’s that it’s better to talk things out than let them fester. It’s not easy for me to have this conversation, either, but I need to know, Isaac."
"And if I say that I’ll never forgive you for it?" He tips up his chin. "What then?"
"Then I’d say I deserve it."
His lips twist. He pulls away then runs his fingers through his hair. "I was pissed when she told me what she’d done. At first, my anger—and my pride—blinded me to the sense of relief I felt. Eventually, I realized I was glad she had because it gave me a reason to end the relationship. And I didn’t have to worry about hurting her feelings or being the ‘bad guy.’” He has the decency to look sheepish. I’m not sure if it’s because he feels guilty or because he’s comparing himself to me. He knows I don’t pull my punches when it comes to doing the ‘right’ thing, even if someone else might get hurt in the process.
"She thinks she cheated on you."
"I cheated on her first."
"What?" I stiffen. "What the hell are you talking about?"
He reddens. "All the time I spent time away from the house—"
"You were having an affair?"
"I strayed… once."
"With the pretty HR manager?" I guess.
He rolls his shoulders. "It’s complicated."
Something in my chest eases. Perhaps I felt I’d wronged him, too. After all, I ensured she was never too far away from me physically. I made sure we crossed paths in the office and at home, frequently. I felt her watching me as I swam in the pool in the evening, and I might have swam more often, just to show her what she was missing.
"You’re relieved," he says flatly.
"I am," I say honestly. "I didn’t think she was cheating on you. I knew the two of you weren’t going to last."
"You mean, you wanted us to break up."
I hesitate. "Not going to lie. I didn’t want her to be with you. And I might have urged things along faster in that direction. Even if I hadn’t, it was only a matter of time before she left you. This way, I made sure she’s still in the family."
His gaze narrows. "I don’t know if I should be pissed with you or just envious that, once again, you went after what you wanted and got it."
"So can you, son."
He snaps his chin up.
Yeah, I’ve never called him that. I’ve never acknowledged our relationship so openly. I can’t even say why, and that’s my loss. I have a lot of time to make up for. And I intend to do things right by him this time.
"You’re a brilliant artist."
He shakes his head, as if dazed. "You’re kidding me, right?"
I laugh. "I should have told you that a long time ago. I confess, I don’t always understand what you paint, but even to an untrained eye like mine, it’s clear that your work is nothing short of genius."