Page 130 of In Case You Didn't Know

I give them a weak smile. “I hope so.”

And yeah, I probably will. But will she? If I lose her because of this…

I can’t even finish that thought. I’m between a rock and a hard place. Either I lie and protect her, or tell her the truth and throw her to the wolves.

Neither of them says a word. But I can read the expressions on their faces. I’m well and truly fucked.

Francie deserves better than this. Better than secrets and manipulations and some twisted white-knight fantasy where I martyr myself for her safety.

But I don’t know how to stop.

“I need to go to my lawyer’s office,” I say hoarsely.

Hudson nods.

West stands up. “You want me to come with you?”

I shake my head. I love them both. But this is my mess, not theirs.

“But I’ll keep you updated.”

“And you’ll send me the draft agreement, right?” West asks. I nod, grateful for his support. Knowing I don’t deserve it.

Then I look at Hudson. “Are you going back to Liberty today?”

“I have a few meetings tomorrow. I’ll go after those.”

I let out a breath. I need him to be there. To make sure she’s safe.

Before I can tell him that, my Nokia buzzes and a text message appears in black across the tiny screen.

Made it to the ferry. When will you be back? I need some writing inspiration, Asher style. – Francie x

Her words feel like a fist around my throat, squeezing tight.

My thumbs hover over the keypad. I could lie. I could tell her I’m coming back now. That we’ll celebrate with wine and words and that thing she does with her tongue that makes my brain short-circuit. But I don’t. Because lies might feel like comfort, but they’re still fucking lies.

Instead, I slide the phone back into my pocket and say nothing.

She still thinks I’m the hero of her story, but instead I’ve turned into the fucking villain.

thirty-five

FRANCIE

“Welcome home, stranger,” Skyler says, hugging me tight as I step off the ferry. “I missed you.”

“It’s only been three days,” I point out, but I’m still smiling because it’s so good to see her.

After I left Misty Lakes – promising to return soon so that my brothers and I can start working on my brand new cabin – I took a charter plane from Virginia to the local airport, where a car was waiting to whisk me onto the ferry.

And now Skyler is here, her face beaming, and it feels like everything is slotting into place.

I get into her car, and as she drives out of Main Street and into the country lanes that weave to the middle of the island, I tell her about my revelations to my brothers, and how well it went. She tells me about Ayda’s latest obsession with unicorns, and how she wants to be one when she grows up, when I realize she’s taken a wrong turn.

“You missed the road to the lighthouse,” I tell her, smiling.

“You’re coming to the Captain’s House,” she says. “Didn’t Asher tell you?”