Page 165 of Creeping Beautiful

That’s what really happened. And that’s why I did it.

But here’s the thing I don’t understand. Why did McKay do what he did with Nathan?

He knows I know.

Because he shut up real fast when I brought Maggie back to Old Home and neither of us has said a word about it since.

I want to tell him, It’s gonna come back to bite you, McKay. Right in your do-gooder ass. You watch.

But fuck it.

That’s his problem now.

And besides, today is Maggie’s birthday. So it’s not a time to bring up secrets.

Everything is back the way it’s supposed to be. Hell, better than I could’ve ever hoped.

Donovan stayed for two whole weeks after I brought Maggie to Old Home. Then he left, packed up his shit in LA, and came home for good.

McKay backed off Indie. Told us all that we’re in a complicated relationship and we all have to consider the consequences before we go upsetting the balance.

I can’t argue with that. But… the sexual tension around here… it’s palpable. So some kind of arrangement needs to happen soon.

I ache for that girl.

No, that woman. Because that’s what she is now.

But I ache for McKay too. And Donovan… whatever. I don’t mind him being around. It’s all pretty exciting. Things are about to get interesting.

Indie seems… fine. And while fine isn’t wonderful, or amazing, or hell, even half as good as great. Fine is not bad all things considering. She and Maggie have been inseparable. I wish I could give back the years she missed but I can’t. And I’m not sorry about that. If I had not kept my secret then we might all be dead.

Maggie—like me, like Indie—won’t be going to regular school. I tutored her for the last three years, but it’s summer now, so we can just think about tutors again in the fall.

Maybe Donovan will be her tutor? That asshole has more education than any one person should. But we’ll see. Because Donovan still hasn’t come clean about Carter. I need him to come clean with me about all that shit if he wants to stick around.

But the Indie problem—AKA the Carter problem—hasn’t gone away. It’s just on hold for now. Indie goes nowhere by herself. She doesn’t even sleep by herself. We gave Maggie Indie’s old room and now Indie sleeps with one of us. And we always have someone on watch.

If Carter ever shows up here, he’s in for a surprise.

It took me a long fucking time to get to this place.

To get McKay thinking about what comes next between us. To get Indie calm enough to trust her. To get Donovan to think about switching his loyalties.

It was a twisted road of fucked up shit.

But you know what?

I’d do it all again.

We’re in the pavilion right now getting ready to start Maggie’s sixth birthday celebration. We have the lanterns and candle boats all ready for when the sun finally goes down. But we’re gonna do cake and presents first.

She has a pretty new dress, just like her mama.

And McKay, Donovan, and I are all dressed up in summer suits.

Maggie is sitting on Indie’s swing surrounded by presents and birthday cards. Donovan is pushing it, making her giggle and smile as he jokes around.

McKay is drinking a bottle of beer, sitting on his swing across from Maggie. Indie is sitting next to him, her head on his shoulder.