Page 127 of Free Me (Free 1)

“Be patient. It doesn’t matter what some stupid piece of paper says. It’s what’s in here.” She pointed toward my chest. “There, you’ve been done with him for years. You don’t belong to him. You belong to you.”

I slung my arms around her because she was right. I did belong to me. That was how I’d started my life over and was making a good one for my daughter. I wanted Andrew to be a part of that, and I’d allow myself to hurt for him, but I accepted his choice. Now I had to make my own.

“Trish, there you are.” Baker and I broke apart at Mrs. Quinn’s strained face in the doorway. “Daniel’s tried to call you, but I guess you don’t have your cell.”

I patted my pockets and glanced at the counter.How did I not have that with me?“I must’ve left it upstairs. What did he say?”

“It’s Huxley. He’s in the city. And he’s asking about you.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Andrew

“Tie look okay?”

Marlow smoothed it, despite that it was perfect. I was nervous and doing anything to distract myself from the evening ahead.

“Now it is.”

“I taught him that,” Dad said, and I shook his hand.

“Yeah, you did.”

“Is there food at this thing? I’m starved.” Holt pulled at his collar as if it were choking him.

“It’s too early for you to already be thinking of loosening that,” I said.

“You’re wrong about that.” He tugged off his tie and undid the top two buttons of his dress shirt. “Ah. That’s better.”

“We’d better get a move on if we don’t want to be late.” Dad herded us out the front door of his apartment.

“You ready for this?” Marlow waited to ask until we were in the stairwell and I was trapped with Dad leading the pack and Holt bringing up the rear.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”No.I absolutely wasn’t ready for this. I hadn’t gotten down more than a piece of toast today.

“Because angel face will be there,” Holt chimed in.

I glared at him over my shoulder. “With her husband, I’m sure,” I said bitterly, giving away that I wasn’t so indifferent after all.

“I’m proud of you for going, son. It takes a lot to face the difficult things.”

“Like seeing the woman you love after you find out she’s married.” Marlow gave me a sweet smile and slid an arm around my waist as we reached the bottom of the stairs.

“I don’t lo—”

“Sure you don’t. That’s why you look like you haven’t slept in a week and have maintained a steady diet of whiskey.”

“If you’re going to talk about this all night, I’m not going,” I said petulantly, half-hoping she would. I wasn’t ready for this. It was too soon to think about seeing Trish. And if her husband was there, I couldn’t stay. No way.

“When are you getting your own place?” She turned her focus to our brother, who shrugged nonchalantly.

“All three of you have pretty decent places. I figure I’ll just shuffle around.”

He’d been staying with me since the blowup with Trish. I hadn’t told him, but I’d been grateful for the company, even if he was a slob.

“I’d let a hog live with me before you’re coming back.”

My sister didn’t mean a word of it. Holt did annoy her, but she wouldn’t let him be homeless.

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