Jesse grinned back at me, but his smile faded when he spoke again. “The thing is, I was right about him. He can’t be trusted. It wasn’t just the other women. Don’t give me that look, Lil. I said women, plural, not just that lady architect you kept worrying about. It was more than that. The only thing Martin Sklar ever loved is himself.”

“That’s not true. He loves his son.” I felt sad even as I said the words. Yes, I was positive Martin loved his boy, no matter how much trouble Ridley caused him. I’d wanted him to love me in that same unconditional, reckless way.

“Fine, can’t argue with you there. But if I was a parent, I figure I’d be gettin’ my kid help instead of sweepin’ his problems under the rug,” said Jesse. “But that’s not what this is about. I caught Martin Sklar cheatin’ on you with another girl. He’d taken her up to the Berkshires for a weekend, and I was here with Ted. He had his arms around her and I thought he’d swallow his tongue when he caught sight of me, but he was smooth as twelve-year-old scotch. ’Course, he knew you wouldn’t leave even when I told you.”

I stood there, thunderstruck. I remembered the weekend; Martin had told me he had a corporate retreat to go to. When I’d mentioned that Jesse had spotted him with a woman, Martin said that she was one of the corporate trainers and that she was surprisingly attractive for a lesbian.

“I know it sounds bad, Lil, but that’s why I decided to help Claudia.”

It took me a minute to unknot my tongue. “Help Claudia?”

“That time Claudia sat in Martin’s lap? That was maybe a little… staged. We figured that the only way you’d leave that bastard was if you caught him cheatin’ on you with your sister.”

Suddenly I remembered Tariq’s words on the drive home from New Jersey. Claudia has always found your fiancé particularly loathsome. She said that he was a charming, shallow ne’er-do-well like your father, and that he’d drive you to drink and an early grave like your mother.

“How could you?” I asked Jesse. “How could you do that to me?”

“I love you, Lil. I can’t stand the thought of anyone hurting you. You wouldn’t listen when I tried to tell you how awful Sklar is. Claudia and I talked and decided this was the only thing you’d pay attention to.”

I felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over my head.

“Lil, this happened ages ago. I’m sorry, I really am. I know you’re angry right now, but I’m hoping you’ll understand I was just trying to…”