Page 72 of Crazy in Love

A collective gasp rang out, and eyes sprung open wide.

“Whaaat?” Juliet said.

“Seriously?” Alex asked.

“Eddie isn’t your real dad?” Tess seemed to let her I’m-irritated-because-you-dated-my-brother thing go for a minute. “Faith. How long have you known?”

“A few weeks. I didn’t tell you right away because I wanted to find him first and see if it was even going to be a thing.”

“So did you? Find him?” Alex asked.

“Nick did,” Faith said. “I just came from meeting him in Manchester. My dad, not Nick. Although Nick was there.”

“And?” Juliet prodded. “How was it? What did he say? Did he know?”

“I don’t think he knew,” Faith said. “I handed him the letter and watched him read it. Before he could say much, the FBI charged the place and dragged him out in handcuffs.”

More gasping, followed by more questions. “Why?” “What’d he do?” “What’d you do?”

“Uh. Pretty bad stuff. You know, murder, extortion.” Faith finished her wine and pointed at Alex’s. “You mind?”

“Murder?” Alex pushed her glass toward Faith. “You definitely need it more than I do.”

“Accessory to, but yeah, that was a brutal twist,” Faith said, taking a swig. “Turns out daddy dearest is on the FBI’s most wanted list. Nick knew and didn’t tell me. Used me to lure the guy out of hiding and was there when the bust went down.”

“Hence the ‘it’s over’ part?” Tess guessed. “I’m sorry, Faith. I tried to warn you. His job means everything to him. It comes before anything.”

“Or anyone,” Alex muttered. “Ouch.”

“Yeah, well. It all happened so fast, I barely talked to Gary—my ‘father’—at all.”

“How’d you leave it with Nicky?” Tess asked.

Faith shrugged. “I just left.” She did her best to keep the tears at bay. Her feelings for Nick weren’t the point of this dinner. “I should’ve told you guys sooner. Maybe you could’ve talked me out of trying to find him.”

“I would have said go for it,” Alex said, raising a shoulder. “Curiosity can drive you nuts.”

“Me too,” Juliet agreed. “It would have weighed on you forever. The not knowing.”

“Same,” Tess said. “It’s so weird to think adults keep secrets. Especially parents.”

“I can’t believe my mom didn’t tell me.” Faith polished off what remained of Alex’s wine and looked hopefully at Juliet, who passed Faith her glass. “Thanks. All the months she knew she was dying, and didn’t say a word. Even on her deathbed, not a peep. I wonder if she even remembered the envelopes were in the drawer. Or did she think she would take the secret to her grave?”

“I’m sure she had a lot on her mind at the end,” Tess said gently.

“I guess it doesn’t matter now anyway.” Faith knew she shouldn’t be mad at her mom, but that didn’t stop her from speculating about why she hadn’t told her.

“What about your dad? Eddie?” Juliet clarified. “Does he know?”

Faith downed the last of Juliet’s wine, and Tess wordlessly handed Faith her remaining sips. She raised the glass in thanks, finished it off in one gulp, and set the empty glass on the table. “I gave him his letter a few weeks ago. He didn’t seem all that surprised. Said he always suspected, but that nothing would be different between us. He doesn’t know I met Gary today though, and I’m not sure I’m going to tell him. So, promise me nothing leaves this table?”

They each put up a pinky and intertwined them. Just like they’d done a million times as kids. “Swear,” they promised in unison.

“Uh. Can someone drive me home?” Faith said as the room started to spin. “I think I’m drunk.”

“Pft. Well, yeah. Three glasses of wine in twenty minutes will do that,” Tess said, and they laughed. “Let’s eat first. That’ll help.”

After they lingered over Cobb salads and breadsticks, Faith did feel better, but she still copped a ride home with Tess.

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