Page 107 of The Lies We Told Ourselves

“And so will Delaney and I,” Trace said, coming to stand on my other side.

I looked at both of my brothers in shock. “You don’t have to.”

“We can’t let you always be the one that gets to save the day,” Xander said, shaking his head as he laughed. “What else have I got to do? Besides, you need a doctor, and I need a job. It’s a match made in heaven.”

“I don’t know what to say.” They couldn’t know what this meant to me. Not just because the project was going ahead, but because it would be a family project. For once, we were putting the Farrington name on something good. On something worthy of a legacy.

“If there’s anything I can do,” my father said. Then he held his hands up in surrender as if he was trying to hold me off from arguing with him. “I might as well sign it all over to you than let your mother have it.”

Delaney barked out a laugh, and I took the opportunity to look at Regina, who had come bursting in here thinking she’d be the center of attention and was now basically being ignored.

My father looked at her and shrugged. “You should have signed the papers, dear. It was a generous offer while it was still valid.”

Xander passed him the paperwork he’d collected, and my father tore it in two.

“I’ll have my lawyer contact you with a new proposal more fitting of our future financial position.”

“This isn’t over,” Regina seethed, taking one last look at the people who would never stand on her side.

She didn’t wait for a response. Apparently, that was all the goodbye our mother had for her family because she spun on her heel and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.

I should say something. This was probably the part where I was supposed to try to reassure my father. Tell him that the money didn’t matter. We’d help him fight her.

But Jasper surprised us.

He turned to Delaney with a look of relief on his face and smiled. “Now, did you mention something about pie?” he asked, rubbing his hands together.

Everyone moved at once. The conversation started up, and we walked to the porch like we’d intended before.

As soon as I had the chance, I grabbed Reece’s hand and drew her to a stop. When she looked back at me in surprise, I tugged her back into the dining room and pressed my lips to hers as I backed her up against the wall.

She hummed happily against my lips as her arms wrapped around my neck.

“You’re incredible,” I whispered against her lips.

“I’m not sure what I did to deserve that, but write it down or something so I can keep doing it.”

“I saw the way you were ready to stand up for Xander.”

“Well, he’s family, right?”

“Yeah, baby. He is.”

I kissed her again, my teeth nipping her bottom lip, so she gasped, and I deepened the kiss just the way I wanted.

“Ick, put the girl down, Booky bear, or I’m eating your pie for you.”

I ignored Blake, and kissed Reece again. Damn the pie. I had something else much better, and I couldn’t wait to get her home to take another bite.

Turn the page to read the first chapter ofThe Life We Left Behind.

CHAPTER ONE

Delaney

Death never came easily. As I stared down at my father in the hospital bed, I saw how hard he’d fought to stay this long.

The squeak of my shoes on the linoleum floors pierced through the air as I cautiously rounded the bed to take the seat at his side. I gently took his hand, the rest of the world falling by the wayside as my attention fell solely on the man before me. “It’s okay, Daddy. I’m here now.”

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