Lina closed her eyes as soon as Phil spoke. It was amazing how much trepidation two words could evoke. She hadn’t told him, and he was going to be furious.

“He’s at the beach,” Alice said. “He returns tomorrow, right?” She looked to Lina for confirmation.

“Yes.”

“Who did he go to the beach with?” Phil asked.

“That delightful Dr. Drayton and his son,” Alice said.

“How come you didn’t tell me Logan was friends with his son?” Katie asked.

Lina could feel Phil’s eyes on her as she focused her attention on Katie. “I was going to. I just hadn’t gotten a chance.”

“I can see why you go on about him. Such positive energy, and his aura was so clear,” Alice said. “Your father was impressed with him too.”

“Oh, most definitely, I—”

“I’m sorry,” Phil interrupted. “Who are you?”

Drew Rayburn sat up a little straighter in his chair. “I’m Drew—”

“I know your Goddamn name! But who are you to give an opinion? Do you think any of us care about your opinion?”

“I do,” Katie said.

“Dad!” Megan gasped.

“Phil,” Lina whispered. “Stop it.” She gripped his arm and could feel the tension coursing through his body. “Please.”

He continued to stare across the table at her father, a look of pure distaste clouding his features, and then he took a deep breath and reached for his beer. “I don’t care to hear your opinion at my table,” Phil said in a much calmer voice, “or any table for that matter.”

“Have sex with him tonight,” Alice said as she hugged Lina goodbye later that evening.

“Mom!” Lina pulled back and looked pointedly towards Drew who was seated in the passenger seat and able to hear their conversation.

“Relax. I’m sure he knows you have sex. Phil is wound as tight as a drum. You need to release that tension. Go upstairs, put on something sexy and—”

“It had nothing to do with that.” Lina took several steps back from the car, pulling Alice with her. “He blames him.”

“Blames who for what?” Alice frowned.

“Drew. Phil blames him for what happened to me and Shiloh. He always has.”

“What?” Alice made a scoffing noise. “How could he blame him? He didn’t live anywhere near us.”

“Exactly.”

Katie sat alone at the kitchen table, staring down at her cell phone when Lina came back into the house. “How was your weekend?” Lina asked.

Katie shrugged. “Fine.”

“Do you feel okay? You look pale.”

“I’m fine.”

“So, did you like Drew?”