A Secret for a Secret (All In #3)(74)

I push through the door and step out into the cold, rainy day. I don’t run across the lot in a bid to outrun Corey, because he’s definitely faster than me, and also, running is exactly what he wants me to do. So I pop my umbrella, almost hitting Corey in the face with one of the sharp ends, and begin a leisurely saunter across the lot.

“Your Boy Scout coming to pick you up?” he mutters, then spots my dad’s car. “Or has he already dumped your crazy ass, and now you’re gonna live in your daddy’s pool house forever?”

I spin on my heel and tip my chin up so I can look him in the eye. “I wonder how you’d feel if you had a daughter and you heard someone speaking to her the way you are to me, right now. I hope Sissy has a girl, and I hope you actually give a shit about her so you’ll understand what it’s like to legitimately want to protect someone from others’ harm. I will never understand why you need to constantly tear people down to make yourself feel better about who you are.”

I don’t wait for him to process that comment, because I’m not sure he actually can. The driver’s side door of my dad’s car opens, and I physically feel Corey back off. The air is suddenly lighter, and it’s not such a struggle to move.

My dad rounds the hood, glancing in Corey’s direction. “You okay?”

“Fine. Good. Let’s just go.”

He opens the passenger-side door for me, and I slide into the seat.

“Queenie.” He’s gripping the frame of the car like he wants to tear something apart. Namely Corey.

I meet his gaze. “It’s done. I can’t move on if you can’t, so please, let it go.”

He exhales a breath through his nose but does what I ask. It isn’t until we leave the parking lot and are headed back toward my dad’s place that I allow all the emotions I’ve been holding on to out.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong? What happened?” My dad glances at me and back at the road as he reaches across the center console to squeeze my hand.

“I’m just relieved it’s over. That’s all. I want to be able to move forward, and having this whole thing hanging over my head this past week has made that impossible. Like there’s been a weight on my chest, and I can’t breathe.”

“I think it might be similar to how I felt when your mother finally signed over full custody. My whole life felt like it was suspended until that moment, so I get it, Queenie. I’m so sorry that you had to go through this at all.”

“Well, it’s done now, so we can leave it in the past, where it belongs.” I tap on the armrest, gathering my courage. “I asked for money and I got it. Not a lot. I mean, it’s a lot for me but not for him. I can pay for college now. I can finish my degree, and you won’t have to worry about helping me financially.”

“You didn’t have to do that. I will always be here to support you.”

“I know. But he owed me after everything that happened, and I know that you’ll never tell me I can’t come back and work for you, but I don’t think I should. I love you for helping pick me up every time I fall, Dad, but this was always supposed to be temporary. It’s too many layers of complication: for you, for me, for Kingston.”

“I understand, and I think it’s brave and ballsy of you to go in there on your own and face that douchebag. If I could take back bringing him on the team, I would.”

My dad drops me off at home, and I message Kingston to let him know everything went okay this morning before I tackle the slew of messages in my group chat with Stevie, Lainey, and Violet. Never in my life did I think that sending a message announcing my official divorcée status would garner so much excitement.

Things are finally looking up.





CHAPTER 27





UNPLEASANT SURPRISES


Kingston

Queenie messaged to say she was home from the lawyer’s and that she is no longer married. So I’m standing outside her door with a bouquet of flowers, a box of chocolates, and a helium-filled unicorn balloon that reads CONGRATULATIONS. Seems appropriate, all things considered. Besides, she and I both need a little levity after this crap situation.

She throws open the door. “Hey, hi.” Queenie looks beautiful, exhausted, and nervous.

“How’s my queen?”

All the relief that comes with seeing her disappears when her chin quivers and her eyes pool with tears. She lifts her shoulder in a wordless shrug. I drop the flowers and chocolate on the closest available surface, which happens to be her clean counter.

I open my arms and Queenie steps into me, her low, soft sob getting muffled by my shirt. I hold her against me, cupping the back of her head, and drop my mouth so it’s at her ear. “What’s wrong; what happened? How can I fix it?”

“You’ve already fixed it: you’re here.”

After a few minutes of just holding her, I cup her face in my palms and tip her chin up, brushing away the tears. “Why so sad?”

“Not sad.” She shakes her head. “Just emotional. I’m glad it’s over and happy you’re here.”

I brush my lips over hers. “That makes sense. So it’s official? The papers are all signed?”

“They are.”

“And Corey didn’t give you a hard time?”