Page 61 of Never After Us
“And broke people’s noses,” he interrupts.“So she’s aware of your past.Everyone has a past.What matters is who you become once you learn from it.If she were concerned, do you think she’d allow you to be close to her child?”
“I’m a lonely person because of who I am,” I mutter.
“That’s by choice,” Eddie says as his driver pulls up.“You have a family who cares for you and places to stay—if you stop avoiding us.”
“Dexter is with Ali.You have a thousand companies to manage.Then there’s B and Cleo, who take up the rest of your time.Rod and Kit have Arlo and a bunch of farm animals.”
“Very fun farm animals,” he says with a grin.“You should visit.It’s like going back to the eighteen-hundreds.You can make your own butter.Milk cows.”
“You’re serious?”I ask, arching a brow.
“Not even remotely.”He leans back.“But I like giving them a hard time.What I’m serious about is you needing to stop pushing us away.”
“I’m going to end up like Lina Lafferty,” I mutter.
“Your neighbor chose her path,” he replies.“But I think it’d be good for you to stick around and help Mara go through the things she left behind.”
“I wouldn’t mind going through the vinyl collection,” I admit, with a smirk.
“Of course you wouldn’t.”He looks satisfied.“Be there for her.It might teach you something.”
“Any ties to the O’Sheas?”I ask, needing to know whether this woman brings family drama that could throw everything off.
“No.But her in-laws are shady.They filed paperwork trying to get custody of Mila, claiming Mara was unfit.”
“Fuck,” I whisper.“Can they take the kid?”
“They filed five years ago, but when she was already out of the country.Nothing happened,” he says.“I have someone looking into it.”
“Are you going to tell her?”
He shakes his head.“No.I don’t see the point.It’s bureaucratic garbage that needs shredding.Why add to her fear when she’s already overwhelmed?”
I exhale.“You’re a good man, Edgar Reznor.”
He snorts.“I’m just solving things before they turn into problems.”
“Is that why you offered tutors?”
“Nah.Found out the kid’s homeschooled and wanted to help.”He shrugs.
“Anything else I should know?”
“Not at the moment.”He taps the dashboard.“We’re good.”
But we aren’t.
Because as he turns forward, something inside me loosens—too much, too fast, like a thread pulled without warning.
And the truth spills through before I can stop it.
“I can’t stay away from her,” I say quietly.“I don’t know why.I don’t know what the fuck is happening.Every time I try to leave her orbit, something drags me back in.”
Eddie glances at me, expression calm, almost resigned.
“There it is,” he murmurs.
“There, what is?”I snap.
