Page 29 of The Arrangement
“Everything okay, Peter?”
I darted my gaze back to her. “Yeah, why do you ask?”
“You seem…off.”
“I’m fine.”
“How are things between you two? I didn’t get a chance to check in with you the other night.”
I looked in the house, checking to make sure the kids weren’t around. “Things are fine, Glennon.”
“Have you told her?”
I groaned, locking my jaw as I looked back out into the yard. “I can’t yet.”
“You don’t have a choice, Peter.”
“I do. We do. We don’t have to hurt her like this.”
“She’s going to find out sooner or later. Isn’t it better if it comes from you than me?”
“We’re going to break her heart, Glennon… How can that be what you want?”
She stepped sideways, moving until I was looking at her, and I focused on the dangling golden moon earring hanging from her earlobe.
“Of course it’s not what I want. She’s my best friend, Peter. I love her more than anything. But she deserves to know the truth. We owe her that much.”
“I know,” I said, kicking the porch with my heel. It was the truth, but that didn’t make it sting any less badly. “I will tell her. I promised you I would. I just need time.”
“I’ve given you time. But I’m not going to keep letting you off the hook. Tell her soon, or I will.” She tucked a piece of her caramel-colored hair behind her ears.
I swallowed, looking down and squeezing my eyes shut. When I looked back up, I said, "I said okay, Glennon.”
She tilted her head to the side, reaching out to touch my arm, but I jerked it back. “You should probably get going. I need to get the kids up and fed before she gets home."
Glennon laughed without missing a beat. "Yeah. Good luck with that."
"Thanks for the coffee."
"Anytime." She turned to walk away, but it was hesitant. I knew she didn't want to.
"Thanks for the offer, too," I called, feeling guilty for asking her to leave. I needed to keep things peaceful between us. She had the power to end my marriage, and if I didn’t keep her happy, she just might. “About the pictures, I mean.”
She spun back around, meeting my eye. There was a sadness there I hadn't expected. "Anytime on that, too. You know I'm always here for you guys."
"I know," I admitted, taking another sip of my coffee for good measure. “Give Seth my best, will ya?"
"Sure thing." She skipped off down the porch back to her SUV in a flash, and the second she was out of the driveway, I let out a loud, exhausted sigh of relief, blinking back sudden tears. I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to live with such fear. It was terrifying, every minute of every day, having all my secrets weighing down on me.
I reached for the mop, remembering the blood on the column beside Glennon’s head. I was too afraid to leave the blood for even the amount of time it would take to get a cloth, so I lifted the mop into the air, wiping it away vigorously. Rust-colored water dripped down the white, wooden board, and I continued to wipe and dip, wipe and dip, until it was all cleaned.
Then, I looked around at the rest of the columns and back at the door, realizing how much I'd managed to miss. Everywhere I looked, there were specks of blood. Evidence. Proof of the horrible crime I'd committed. I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
How was I ever going to make this okay again?
Chapter Nineteen
AINSLEY