Though, only Ethan was Josie’s and she’d only recently adopted him after recently marrying Jake. A long story she’d shared amongst planning sessions, but one that explained why she’d also only recently taken over league fundraising.

Not to mention, several other budding boxers and their parents had shown, with brothers and sisters.

It meant the crush hadn’t been overwhelming and the day had been a winner. I had no idea the ongoing tally but I knew we’d made thousands. Josie and Alyssa had started beaming at around eight o’clock and were now walking on air.

I had been too. I felt wonderfully free watching my old life walk out the door in the hands of people who were delighted to get a screaming bargain and who would enjoy my stuff far more than I ever had. And I just felt plain wonderful doing what I was doing to give good to a bunch of boys who wanted to learn how to box.

But right then, at Mickey’s question, both of these feelings fled instantly.

“They’re with their dad,” I mumbled, rearranging some of our wares (none of them mine) on the kitchen counter for better visibility.

“You got a big gig like this goin’ on, their dad doesn’t let them show?” Mickey asked incredulously.

I looked at him.

He took in my look and noticeably flinched.

This meant he read my look completely.

Seeing that, I decided the time was nigh to share with Mickey Donovan—my attractive neighbor who did not look at me like I looked at him, but even if he did he didn’t deserve to be saddled with the likes of me—some of why he might wish to keep distance from his neighbor.

“Their father would not be pleased if they came because he doesn’t want our children around me. But Auden and Olympia not being here is not their father’s choice. It’s theirs. My kids and I aren’t very close. We were. We aren’t any more. And that’s my doing.”

“Sorry, babe,” Mickey murmured, holding my eyes. “Wasn’t my business. Shouldn’t have said anything.”

The evening before, he’d given me his honesty.

I gave mine back.

“I don’t know what to say to that because it is and it isn’t. It would become your business because you live across the street. You’d notice I have them infrequently and when they’re here, they do their best to find reasons to leave.”

“Amelia,” he said gently.

I waited for more but that was all he had.

Then again, there wasn’t anything to say.

And anyway, he was speaking with his eyes. He was feeling my pain. He was feeling how it would feel if his children did the same.

And I could read the agony.

Looking at how I felt blazing out of his eyes, I knew why I buried everything.

Because if I didn’t, it would consume me in such a way that I would cease to be.

So that was it.

I’d used up my honesty.