Page 106 of Bad Situation

“I’m sorry. I should’ve told you.”

“How long?” Her angry words sting like a slap. Her tears are coming heavy, taking every trace of makeup with them down her fair skin. “He’s representing you. How long have you known he was back?”

I lower my voice. “Not long. A couple weeks.”

“Weeks?” Her hands go to her head and she fists her hair, turning away from me.

“Please. Let me explain.”

She spins and puts a hand up to me. “No. I don’t need you to explain. Seeing you stand next to Trig on the steps of the federal courthouse was painful enough. Fuck, I can’t believe he’s back. I could forget, or at least pretend to forget, when he was across the country, but not here. Not back in Dallas. This is why I never wanted to come back. I knew it would hurt to be this close to him. Why would you keep this from me?”

I shake my head. “Because I knew this would happen. I had the investigation to worry about. I went to Chicago to find Eli … I just,” I pause and let my arms drop to my sides. “I didn’t know how to tell you. You’re married, Ellie. Nothing good would come of it. Not after everything that’s happened.”

She shakes her head and wipes her sleeve across her face. “I can’t go home. Not like this. Griff is with the sitter but I can’t see Robert. I can barely take him most days, but going home to him now?”

I take a step and hold a hand out to her. “Go clean up in my bathroom. I’ll cancel my meeting and we’ll go back to my house. I’ll pick up Griffin, make an excuse for you—we’ll tell Robert we’re celebrating my dismissal. He won’t want to be a part of that anyway.”

“No,” she seethes. “You don’t get to do this now—play the loving big sister. The time for that was the moment you found out he was back.”

“Ellie, don’t be absurd.”

But it’s too late. She’s moved around me, running out of my office with her blond hair and plaid shirt that’s cinched around her waist, trailing behind.

She’s already flung the door open and I rush after her. “Ellie, stop!”

She turns back to me one more time. “Don’t. Don’t you dare follow me.”

Shit.

Chapter 29

Wild and Terrified

Jen

Dammit. Of course, she picks today to throw her phone across the room.

“She hasn’t checked in?” I ask over the Bluetooth as I back out of my parking spot.

“No,” Ellie’s babysitter says. I hear Griffin squeal in the background. “She’s been gone all day—said she had some work to do at the new studio. I’m happy for her. She’s really excited about it.”

“Yeah, she is.” I pull out onto the downtown Dallas streets. I had to explain to Seth that we’d need to reschedule and, since Callie wasn’t at her desk, I had to do that on my own. By the time I grabbed my things and locked my office for the day, I left at least twenty minutes behind Ellie, maybe more. “When she gets home, have her call me right away. It’s important.”

“Sure thing, Ms. Montgomery.”

“I might be the one to come and get Griff later. Ellie and I are planning a girl’s night. It’s why I need to talk to her.”

“That’ll be fun,” she exclaims in a voice that sounds like she’s talking to a baby. I hear a rattle and the tunes of a baby toy in the background.

“Have her call me as soon as she comes home,” I reiterate.

“Okie-dokie,” she baby-talks to me again.

I disconnect. I’m at a loss. No way would she go to the ranch. My parents are the last people on earth she’d want to see after finding out Trig is back in town. I know I should’ve handled it differently—told her the second I left our first meeting at Lehmans. It was purely selfish on my part because I wanted to protect her and I knew this would happen, but I didn’t imagine it would be this bad.

Maybe she went back to the new studio. She has no one else she’s close to—right now, it’s my only option. I hop on the highway and head north.

My phone rings through the car and I cringe when I see who it is. It’s still officially work hours and I always make myself available whenever I can.

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