Page 71 of Push

His hands landed on my shoulders, and he leaned forward as if he were going to peck a kiss on my burning cheeks. The clearing of Liam’s throat stopped him, and my childhood friend quickly stepped back with a mumbled apology.

“Isn’t this all so very touching?” Liam scoffed from down the hall. “Gwen’s best friend is here. My best friend is here. Her husband might murder someone. Welcome back to the family.” Another scoff. “Meanwhile, my contract—”

“Forget the contract.” Elias rolled his eyes. “A few more hours for the sellers to sweat over our answer won’t hurt if they’re desperate.” His smile at Marnie and me was bright. “How do you feel about brunch? Gwen, if we’re sure your husband won’tactuallymurder someone and the baby’s up for a morning out, we could try the café down the road.Liam’streat.”

My smile was uncertain, but it was still a smile.

I glanced at my brother. He dipped his chin in a nod.

Welcome back to the family.

And for the first time in a long time—and even though my world was probably about to explode—my mind was quiet.

Part 3

We See the Light

23

He Confronted the Friend

Toby

Ian was a deadman walking.

Even after the ten-minute drive to his place at Mosman, the betrayal howled inside me, raw and raging. My hand balled in a knot. I thumped it into my chest to dull the pain. It didn’t.

Ian was my best friend. He was supposed to raise me up and help me do the right thing, not set me up to fail. We’d known each other since we were kids. He was the best man at my wedding. My son’s godfather.

What the hell was he playing at?

I killed the car engine, closed my eyes, and leaned my head back against the seat. I needed to think. No distractions. Even if Ian’s building was across the road, I couldn’t just barge in, fists swinging. Gwen and Noah topped my list of priorities. If I made the wrong move, I’d need more than a team of cowboy lawyers to fix the damage I wanted to do to Ian’s face. I needed a plan.

My phone vibrated in the center console. I glanced down and threw my head back against the seat when I saw Gwen’s name.

This was a terrible time to talk. A hellstorm of anger roared in my mind. But how many times had I let her calls slip through unanswered before? Too many. I hit the green button.

“Toby?” Worry clouded Gwen’s voice. “Are you okay?”

No. God, no. “I’m okay.”

“Are you sure? Where are you?”

“Ian’s place.”

She sucked in a breath. “Is he…?”

“Not dead yet.”

Her nervous laugh took the edge off the ache gnawing in my chest. It’d been a long time since I’d heard Gwen laugh.

“Why don’t you come back?” she asked. “I’ve been thinking… I can blow everything else off today… We should talk…”

The silence yawned on.

I could imagine Gwen on the other end of the call, wringing her hands, probably already stuck in her thoughts. I wasn’t keeping her waiting to punish her. I was busy flipping through my priorities and trying to figure out what to do next.

Eventually, I agreed with her. “I want us to talk.”

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