“Wait in the car,” Marco tells me as he opens the door and steps out, then closes it behind him. He doesn’t approach Holton, but his hulking presence does drag the older man’s gaze away from me and I swear for a moment, there’s a flash of insecurity there. A twinge of fear or even panic. And I know Marco is making sure Holton sees him. Making sure he knows he’s been seen.

Holton clears his throat. I don’t hear it, but his hand moves to cover his mouth as he does. He nods once to Marco before he slips into the back seat of his own vehicle, and they’re gone.

“What was that?” I ask Marco as I climb out of the car.

“Like I said, a prick.” Marco closes the door and reaches for the bag I’m carrying.

“I can carry it,” I say. It’s a gift for the baby.

He nods, and we walk up to the house together, where even through the door, I can hear Jackson and Colette arguing, her voice higher than usual, her upset audible from here. His is lower but obviously agitated.

“What should we do?” I ask Marco, who is making no secret of listening.

He puts a finger to his lips.

“You can’t listen!” I ring the bell when there doesn’t seem to be any break in the conversation inside. As soon as I do, the house falls silent. Marco and I look at each other momentarily before I hear hurried steps and a baby’s cry. The door opens, and I see Colette. Jackson is a few steps behind her. The men exchange a look, but I don’t bother with them. I’m worried about my friend. It’s obvious Colette has been crying. Her skin is blotchy, and her eyes red and puffy.

“Ivy,” she says, trying to pull a smile together. I’m not sure if I should make an excuse or ask if it’s a good time which would reveal that we heard them arguing and possibly make things more awkward but I’m grateful when the baby’s crying grows louder. “Come in, come in. Ben must be hungry.”

She takes me by the arm, and we hurry through the living room and to the stairs. I barely have time to smile a hello to Jackson whose eyes are hard when I meet them. Unreadable. But there’s no mistaking the ice inside them.