“I can’t talk about this now.” She knew that if she stayed, she’d start worrying about Nicole and Nicole’s feelings, and she needed to focus on herself. She needed to work out how she was going to deal with this. What she was going to do. What it all meant. “I’m going to get Zoe, and we’re leaving. Lock the door behind me.”

Chapter 21Zoe

Zoe sat on the edge of her bed, listening to every word of the conversation going on in the room beneath her. It wasn’t as if she had a choice but to listen. The wood used in the construction of the boathouse ensured excellent acoustics. Sound traveled easily, and her mother and Nicole weren’t exactly using indoor voices.

She’d heard what her father had said (and it was a weird feeling suddenly discovering that your father could behave so badly: she’d preferred it when she thought he was a perfect human being, although admittedly she’d have to go back a few years for that), and she’d heard every word her mother had said.

She’d sympathized with Nicole because overhearing something like that was major and seriously heavy, and the fact that her mother was upset because Nicole hadn’t told her what she’d seen made Zoe’s skin prickle with guilt.

And it was no good telling herself that unlike Nicole she hadn’t actually overheard the conversation. Maybe she hadn’t known exactly what was going on, but she’d had a strong suspicion. Because she’d overheard a conversation between her father and Avery too. Weeks before they’d visited LA. Weeks before her father had walked out.

And she hadn’t told her mother either.

Chapter 22Connie

I don’t know how to thank you for your kindness. Bringing me home. I’m not used to being a burden on anyone.” Connie poured wine into a glass and handed it to Brian. Her whole body ached. She felt like a walking bruise.

“You’re far from a burden. And I would rather have taken you straight to the hospital.” Brian took the glass from her and settled himself at the kitchen table. “Are you sure I can’t change your mind and take you to have a checkup? It would put my mind at rest.”

“Definitely not. I don’t want to waste precious hospital resources. It’s just a few scratches and a little bump on the head, that’s all. Fortunately I was wearing a helmet, so no real harm done.”

Brian gave her a long look. “It was a nasty fall, Connie. Helmet or not, you hit that rock with force.”

And didn’t she know it. Her head hitting that rock had sounded as bad as it had felt.