Page 37 of Sins of the Father

I put my arm around her. “Let him go home. It’s not like you lost a ticket. You still have your seat on the flight for Monday with our families.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m just going to say it. You can do so much better,” Piper says.

“Piper,” Noah warns.

“What? It’s true.”

“I have to agree,” Charlotte chimes in.

“Agree about what?” Chase asks behind us.

Anna stiffens.

“Mitch bought tickets to leave tomorrow morning,” Steven responds.

Chase’s eyes turn to slits. “Let him leave. We have plans.”

Anna’s face crumples. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“He’ll be upset.”

“So what? Let him mope.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Why don’t you fill me in?”

“Chase.” Vivian puts her hand on his arm.

“Look, he’s under a lot of pressure at work right now and—”

“We all have a lot of stress,” Chase insists.

“You don’t understand,” Anna cries out.

Chase lowers his voice, and his face reddens. “Anna, you need to leave him.”

“Chase,” Vivian tries again.

He looks at her. “No. Enough is enough.”

“Not now,” she quietly says.

Steven steps back. “I think it’s time we got some real drinks. Harper, do you want a cabernet?”

“Please.”

He steps back and pats Chase on the back. “Let’s go. Vivian, you want water or something else?”

“Water is great, thanks.”

The men leave, and we circle the table.

“Anna, what’s going on?”

“Nothing. He’s just stressed. You have to keep Chase away from him.”

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