Page 87 of The Confidant

“What the fuck?” I mutter in confusion.

Tera’s hand slips into mine. I look at her, unable to cover my shock.

“I’m sure there’s an explanation,” she smiles again, but this time it’s cautious.

“I saw her on Saturday,” I shake my head. “She said she was renovating.”

“Hell of a renovation,” Max mutters. Trevor clears his throat with a pointed look to shut him up.

I think back to Saturday and how odd she had acted. There was no hug or happy excitement. Now that I think about it, without my millions of troubles clouding everything, she treated me like I was a stranger. I was too focused on feeling guilty for not being at the doctor’s appointment with Tera to really pay attention.

Did she even agree to meet? I can’t remember. Some brother I am.

When did that kind of distance from her start? I’ve been so caught up with everything going on in my life that everything else has fallen through the cracks.

How long has it been since I really saw Addie? I know I told her about Tera’s pregnancy. We’ve texted since. It felt like every time we were going to meet, a new problem showed up.

My scowl deepens as I pull out my phone to send her a text. I scroll back, and my eyes catch on her freak-out over Dani’s move. I was arguing with Tera and Max about Amanda and didn’t really pay attention. Seeing it again and reading how panicked she sounds makes my stomach drop.

Addie isn’t the type to fly off the handle about anything. Why the hell did I brush this off?

I can feel my hands shaking as I send a text. It goes out but doesn’t show that it’s been delivered or seen. I wait a few minutes, getting tenser the longer time passes.

Another weird thing. Addie always answers right away.

I try calling and get an automated voice telling me to leave a message. It should be Addie’s chipper voice telling me to text and stop wasting my time. A gut-punch sense of dread almost takes me out.

“Something’s wrong,” I whisper helplessly.

“What is it?” Trevor asks me with a little impatience. When I turn to him, he takes in my expression. A change comes over him at that moment. A straightening of his spine that looks like he’s bracing himself for bad news, along with a look of fierce determination.

“Let’s be calm and contact whoever is next in line in the Broussard food chain,” he tells me with a firm nod.

Is it that obvious that I’m falling apart inside?

Screw being calm. Addie isnotthe type of person to shut herself off from the world without a word. She wouldn’t complain about something like the shop shutting down. She’d accept the blow with her chin up and a lot of cursing. Maybe a little pouting and some frustration.

I just don’t understand why she didn’t tell me. I was standing right in front of her on Saturday. I even asked if she was remodeling.

I think about all those messages. Her panic and my cold-as-hell responses. I’m starting to feel sick. I think the question should be whywouldshe reach out to me. For a brush-off or my icy, absent replies?

I call Maman next. She picks it up before it finishes the first ring.

“Hi, baby! Is everything ok?”

Considering how seldom I call her, she has to know everything isnotok.

“Call Addie, Maman,” I demand shakily. “Right now. Don’t wait.”

She pauses while I watch Trevor hug Tera on one side and Max on the other. The instant assurance that everyone will be taken care of while I lose my mind is something I need. Not that I would ever tell the asshole that. The way Tera leans into him and her look of stark concern is enough to have me trying to straighten myself out. To be strong so she won’t see this weakness.

Maman clears her throat and mutters, “I’d rather not, baby.”

My eyes widen in disbelief, that brief moment of strength deserting me. “You’d rathernot? Maman.Something is wrong!Her shop is gone.”

“It is?”

I frown at the excitement in her tone.

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