“Why’s that?”
“You came here, trying to get me to come back to you.”
“Oh yeah, I hadn’t thought of that.”
She nudges me. “Sure you hadn’t.”
“No, really, I was thinking about the years our families got together, here.”
She doesn’t say anything for a long time.
“You okay?”
“Stop, just stop.”
Unsure what it is I’m stopping, I simply say, “Okay.”
“You know you were. You were sitting here, thinking that if I had gone back with you, Collin wouldn’t be dead, Ashley wouldn’t have left you, and that’s bullshit, Lucas.”
She starts to stand, and I grab her. “Hold up, okay?”
“Get your hand off me,” she growls.
“Baby, it’s been a rough—”
“Don’t call me that ever again …”
“I apologize. I just hate to see you like this.”
She laughs superciliously. “Then leave, because seeing you makes me sick. Knowing that just a few months after my husband died, I betrayed him with you of all people—” She stops.
The surprise on her face must mimic mine. She covers her mouth, and I stand slowly. She’s really close to the edge, and I’m afraid she may fall.
“I’m stepping back. Can you please just step this way? You’re awfully close—”
“I’m not stupid,” she snaps.
“I know that, Tessa. Why don’t you walk with me back to your house? I’ll get Logan and Ava, and we can head out.”
“Ava is staying here with Harper, and Logan is more than welcome to stay, as well.”
I look at a Tessa that I have only seen a few times, one that is lashing out because she can’t hold on.
I turn to walk away, hoping she’ll follow.
“So, what are you gonna do? Go tell them I’m being a bitch and you have to leave?”
“I wouldn’t do that, Tessa.”
“Of course not, because you’re perfect now.”
Fuck!
“I’m not. Please, go on ahead of me. I don’t want anyone to say anything to upset you further.”
“Fuck you!” she snaps and stomps by me.
If no one was there, I would have grabbed her up, held her kicking and screaming, and not let go. She would have cried, but it would not have ended there.