If You Must Know (Potomac Point #1)(22)

The fact that he’d offered a detailed explanation before I’d even questioned him had struck me, too.

“Oh, and here I assumed you stopped by to make reservations for a romantic dinner with Amanda.” I’d waited for his reaction, which didn’t come. But Ebba’s mouth curled upward a touch. I looked over Lyle’s shoulder. “Where’s your client?”

He and I locked gazes. There in the depths of those striking blue eyes lay all the coldness he hid from my sister. “He left five minutes ago for another meeting. I had to stay and pay the bill. Now we’re on our way back to the office, so if you’ll excuse us.” He grinned insincerely. “You have a pleasant day.”

I’d waited on the porch, watching them wander down the walkway, scrutinizing their body language for any overt sign of something nefarious. They’d done nothing I could latch on to, yet I couldn’t shake my misgivings.

I’d never trusted Lyle—not from the first. But there hadn’t been any evidence that day to take to Amanda. And after the way she’d shut down on me the first time I’d criticized him, I couldn’t have simply shared my suspicion. Not with her basking in her first trimester and their recent move to this house. Plus we’d all still been reeling from Dad’s death, so I hadn’t wanted to stir up more drama without smoking-gun proof.

She’d fallen so hard for Lyle from the start, blind to all his faults. His boasting annoyed me, but worse was how he’d systematically made Amanda more reliant on him—sowing doubts about her friends, like making derogatory remarks about Cindy Dunlap’s influence simply because she planned girls’ nights out, or persuading Amanda to put off working toward her master’s degree because he could support her while she raised their children. He used my sister’s eagerness to please him against her, and got away with it by lavishing her with praise and affection. God, he made my skin crawl.

Meanwhile, I’d only ever been completely open with her, and yet she trusted him more than she trusted me—that much was as clear as her crystal chandelier. In a “he said, she said” situation, he would’ve won and she and I could’ve ended up seriously estranged.

But damn it. Damn, damn, damn. No way would I confess that sighting now. That’d be worse than useless, and the blame for everything would land back on me despite Lyle being the liar.

“Wait, wait . . .” I waved my hands after hearing something about Mom and her money. “I’m sorry. I missed everything you said after the very first sentence. What’s this about Mom’s money?”

Amanda set her elbows on the table and hung her head, hands covering her face, hair dangling all around. Now that drastic haircut made sense. What we women did to feel better I’d never quite understand, but I had a tattoo and an extra piercing as the result of various disappointments, so no judgment here.

My mom interjected with the clipped voice she always used to stop a discussion before it started. “I lent Lyle money to get this deal in Florida under his belt. We’re waiting to hear back from him about all that.”

My stomach dropped as if the floor had fallen away. I hadn’t asked for Mom’s money—Dad’s money—but Lyle took it? “Waiting to hear back?”

Amanda reexplained about the promissory note and the coworker.

I stole a look at her belly and completely lost my appetite. God, I wished I’d risked the argument back in February. I’d mentioned it to Max at the time, but he’d raised an eyebrow and warned me that if Lyle was as bad as I thought, then I’d better not alienate my sister, because one day she’d need me. Looked like that day was now. Still, if speaking up would’ve planted the slightest seed of doubt about him and prevented this loan situation, estrangement would’ve been worth it.

Crap. Biggest effing mistake in my life—and that’s saying something. “I’m so sorry, Amanda. What can I do . . . besides track down this other woman and make her life a living hell?”

My sister had never shared my bloodlust, but today a fleeting glimmer of vengeance lit her eyes. “Please don’t do anything. I’ll solve this on my own. It’s just been difficult because Lyle hasn’t been easy to reach these past few days.”

She twined her fingers together on top of the table, probably regretting the mini breakdown.

I narrowed my gaze, trying to read her better. She loved that man, no matter how foolish that seemed to me. This had to gut her. If only she’d be open with her feelings, maybe I would know how to help. “You seem strangely calm for someone whose husband is off with another woman.”

She lowered her hands from the table. “I’ve had a few days to get used to the idea.”

I crossed my arms, recalling how people in high school had taken advantage of her generous nature to get what they needed—study outlines, rides, extra cash because she was flush from babysitting money—but rarely had reciprocated. I would’ve dumped pasta on all their heads, too, if I could’ve.

How dare Lyle! My love for movies like Goodfellas prompted all kinds of evil ideas to the point where energy pulsed through my arms and shot to the fists that I’d formed. “We need to take Ebba down. I mean, she’s a class-A bitch to sleep with a married man whose wife is pregnant.”

“Language,” Mom admonished.

Amanda shook her head, looking sadder than I’d seen her since we buried Dad. Man, I was almost glad he wasn’t around to see this. He’d be devastated, and would probably be upset with me for not saying anything, too. Then again, if he’d been around in February, I would’ve asked for his advice. “I’d prefer it if this could stay between us for now. I’m not ready for the whole town to pick sides.”