Page 13 of Everything We Give

Aimee yawns and presses a hand to her stomach. “The martinis aren’t settling well. You mentioned something about dinner plans.” I frown and she clarifies. “Back at Nadia’s.”

I shake my head. “It’s nothing. We’ll get Caty and grab some takeout.”

She nods and her gaze turns inward.

“What are you thinking?” I ask as we approach our neighborhood.

“Ah.” She rubs her temple. “James asked if I wanted to file charges against Phil.”

I cringe, immediately feeling like a cad. “That’s why you were upset earlier.”

She closes her eyes and nods. “It brought back James’s proposal, the assault, and the ensuing fallout.”

Before we married, Aimee had told me about Phil’s sexual assault. She buried the incident, programming herself to ignore the hurt, at James’s request. Out of love for James, which baffled me. The situation sounded as disturbing as the Donato family. How could she have agreed to such a request? But my own mom had made many outrageous requests of me. Except for one, I followed them all.

The things we do for love.

While pregnant with Sarah Catherine, Aimee met with a therapist to work through the trauma of James’s disappearance, Thomas’s machinations, and Phil’s assault. I dropped her off at her appointments, even attended a few, and was there to hold her when her hour concluded.

“Where is Phil now? Do we need to worry about him?”

Aimee shakes her head. “I’m of no value to him anymore. He used me to hurt James.”

Thank God, Phil’s out of the picture. I caress her cheek with the back of my fingers. She leans into my hand. “Do you want to file charges?”

“No, I don’t. The last thing I want is to be dealing with any of the Donatos.”

“Think about it, I’ll support whatever you decide.”

“That’s what James said. He offered himself up as a witness if I wanted to file charges against Phil. He even offered to turn himself in since he asked me not to file charges initially. I think he’s trying to come to terms with his mistakes.”

“Is that why he’s back in California?” I ask, parking curbside in front of the Tierneys’, Aimee’s parents’ house.

“It’s one of the reasons.”

Morbid curiosity has me asking, “And the other?”

Aimee’s expression turns odd. “He wants to meet with you.”

Me?

“What in the world does James want with me?”

My gaze moves beyond Aimee and I lift a finger. “Hold that thought.”

Caty must have seen our car from the front window. She bursts out the door, princess skirt flowing and wand sparkling as she waves the glitter stick over her head. She might have my coloring, amber eyes and sandy-brown hair, but her half-moon smile and wild curls are all Aimee.

I leave the car and scoop up Caty before she reaches the sidewalk. “Caty-cakes!” I smack a kiss on her cheek. She smells of peaches and ice cream.

She squeals. “Daddy! What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be celebrating. Hello, Mommy.”

Aimee joins us. She kisses Caty, then frowns up at me. “What are we celebrating?”

“Umm ...”

“Does this have to do with the dinner plans that suddenly aren’t important?”

I inhale through my nose. “Maybe.”

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