“That’s great, Cricket. Why don’t you go put them with your other socks so they don’t get lost.” Jax’s eyes never left Gretchen. Caleb scampered off. “What the hell were you thinking?”

Gretchen was clueless. “Excuse me?”

“I get home to an empty house—no Amanda, no Caleb, and no Gretchen. You have amnesia, you don’t remember shit, and you’re just gone. You should have told me where you went.”

“I was with Amanda. You could have called or messaged either of us.”

“I did message Amanda. That’s the only reason I didn’t call the cops.”

“Oh.” She had no idea. “Well, you knew where I was. And what does it matter? You’re not my keeper.”

“That is literally what I am while I’m living here.”

“Then don’t.” The hair on the back of Gretchen’s neck stood on end. The surge of adrenaline from anxiety and anger was sickening. “I meant it when I told you to go if you don’t want any part of this. You don’t owe me anything, and I’m sure Meredith misses you.” Gretchen didn’t have the energy for another case of emotional whiplash. Every time she was starting to feel good, another incident with Jax would pull her right back into the depths of being unwell. “Amanda won’t mind staying until I get clearance from Dr. Melendez to be on my own. She’ll bring me for my checkup, and you won’t have to worry about anything else but Caleb. No other responsibilities, free and clear, which is exactly what you wanted.”

“I don’t—”

“Save it. You don’t love me, and I don’t think you care about me, either. That’s a tough pill for me to swallow, but I will. So please go. Having you here like this won’t help me get better.”

“You don’t love Mama?” Caleb’s small voice came from the edge of the kitchen. His big brown eyes were full of tears.

Gretchen’s anger turned to guilt and regret immediately. “Oh…”

“I guess you also forgot how kids hear everything,” Jax said before rushing to Caleb. She knelt in front of him. “Of course I do, Cricket.”

“Mama said you don’t.”

“That’s not what Mama meant.”

Gretchen watched the exchange in horror. She backed out of the room, unable to listen as Jax scrambled to clean up her mess. She walked to her bedroom, bags of new clothing forgotten. She pulled out her phone and opened her messages to Amanda.

I hope you’re ready to be roommates again. I’ll explain more tomorrow.

Chapter Eighteen

31 days, 14 hours, 12 minutes