Page 98

“What the hell is this about, Jake?” Fallon asked through gritted teeth.

“Are you seriously going to pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about, or have you just lied to yourself for so long that you honestly don’t see it?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t you?” Jake asked.

“No. I don’t.”

Jake chuckled. “Why didn’t you move with Olivia to Washington?”

“Excuse me?”

“Well? We’ve all heard the tales of your broken heart. It didn’t need to break. Why didn’t you move with her?” Jake asked.

“That’s not really your business.”

“You can’t answer it, can you?”

“I don’t need to explain my choices to you,” Fallon replied.

“Why do you think Olivia wanted to leave here?”

“I think this conversation is over,” Fallon said, leaving the room.

Jake grabbed Fallon’s arm to stop her.

“Let go,” Fallon warned.

“I don’t think so. This is overdue. Are you telling me you can’t see it?”

“Apparently, you know something about my life that I don’t. Let’s hear it,” Fallon said.

“You really don’t see it.” Jake shook his head. “You and Andi.”

“Jake, if you want me to apologize for taking Andi as a lover, you’re in for a disappointment.”

“I don’t expect your apologies. Your honesty would be appreciated.”

“Myhonesty? What does that mean?” Fallon asked. “I love Andi. I love the boys. That’s not a secret.”

“No. Now, youloveher. You wereinlove with her long before you slept with her.”

Fallon’s temper flared. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I guess the thing I didn’t want to admit was that she was in love with you. All those years, you’d run to pick up Jacob when she had to take Dave somewhere. You spent weekends teaching the boys to ski or helping Andi in the yard. Where was Olivia, Fallon? Why do you think she wanted to get you away from this town?”

Fallon felt like something had stabbed her in the back, straight through her heart. She stared at Jake.

“You took them from me a long time ago, Fallon. But like it or not, Jacob and Dave aremysons—mine and Andi’s. It’s not your choice how to parent them, and it isn’t yourplace.”

“Fuck you, Jake,” Fallon said. “You don’t knowanythingabout me. I never tried to parent your boys. You’re pissed off because Dave made a choice you don’t like. Underneath your Mr. Nice Guy act, you’re pissed because you lost Andi. I get it. You don’t often find women like Andi. You think I don’t know that? Whether you like it, she’s still my best friend. She’ll always be my best friend. Was I in love with her before we slept together? Yeah. I was. What about it? I never told her how I felt. I never asked her for anything because she was my best friend. And the boys? You weren’t here. That wasyourchoice, not mine.”

Jake looked over Fallon’s shoulder. “Andi.”

Fallon turned. Andi’s expression was unreadable.

“Andi,” Jake said.