“Wait, that’s the name of your old band, right?”
“Yeah, that was our name, baby.”
Chase’s answer surprised me. But I was happy he spoke up since Tal and I were trying to swallow past the huge lump that had taken up camp.
“I know it was a long time ago, and I know it wouldn’t be the same without Kim, but I would love to hear you guys play something. For old times sake? Please, maybe?” Lil sounded hopeful.
“Maybe, Blue.” Chase kissed the tip of Lil’s nose.
He really had come so far. After Kimi died I never thought he would ever consider his guitar again. I looked back to Tal who seemed to be frozen and still not breathing with her glass in the air.
“I’m sure we could work that out,” I finally chimed in. “To friends. Cheers.” My words were repeated.
Tal’s mouth moved, but I never heard her voice. We clinked and sipped.
“Oh, I’m so excited. I can’t wait to hear your voice, Tal. Ash and Chase both rave about it.” Lili literally bounced in her seat and quietly clapped. I cringed for Chase’s sake; Lili still seemed a bit too chipper. “On another note, any plans on coming this way? We just moved to Boston a few months ago, and we love it.”
Yup, leave it to her to dive right in.
“Um ... working on it.” Still white as a ghost, Tal gave her a small smile and picked up her drink.
After her last visit here we had finally discussed a possible move. She hadn’t shut me down and now that everything was out in the open, she was seriously considering it. Halle-fucking-lujah. I was breaking her down layer by layer, and I wasn’t averse to begging if needed. She assured me she had some calls into some of the larger dermatology groups. Hell, if it were up to me, she never needed to work another day in her life. I had us covered. But that wasn’t Tal, and never would be.
“Not fast enough for me,” I teased. Even though I wasn’t teasing.
“That’s awesome. Then we just have to get Sierra and Dodd here, too.” Lili beamed.
“I’ve been considering selling my derm practice for a while—been wanting to spend more time teaching. I’ve dabbled in it over the years and have really enjoyed it. I’d like to get involved with some research too. Now seems like as good a time as any.” None of what she said was a surprise to me, but Tal’s eyes were glued to mine as she struck a chord. “And I have to admit, I’ve missed home.” Home, make that a really sweet chord.
“I bet Chase could help with that, right?” Lili asked, looking at Chase to agree. “You must have some derm friends at the hospital.”
Chase’s demeanor shifted, he finally looked comfortable. Medicine was safe ground. “Of course. University hospitals are always looking for faculty wanting to get involved with research, and we have a pretty large derm residency, as I’m sure you already knew. I can put out a feeler, if you’d like?”
“Thanks, I appreciate it, but I’ve already been in touch with the chairman.” Good answer. I would’ve been a little perturbed, to say the least, if she accepted his help. I might not have been a doctor, but I sat on the board and was responsible for half the donations rolling in. Jealous much? I never knew what jealousy was until Tal. And this was one trait I wasn’t feeling particularly proud of.
Chase half smiled, half laughed. “Tal, don’t take this the wrong way, but how the hell did you pick derm? I don’t see it.” His wife backhanded his stomach.
“Could you be any more egotistical? Not everyone wants to be a surgeon.” Lili huffed, shaking her head and frowning at Chase.
“No, it’s okay. I probably would’ve chosen surgery, he’s right, but quality of life was more important. It wasn’t just about me.” Her breath hitched and she blinked a second too long. Oh fuck. “A mother’s priorities and all.”
“Oh wow.” Lili didn’t miss a beat. “You never mentioned it, and I can’t believe I never asked. I just assumed … that’s amazing. How many kids do you have? How old?”
“Just one, he’s eighteen.”
“Eighteen? That’s crazy. You don’t look like you could have a child that old. He must be, what, in college now?” Lili continued the conversation, oblivious to Chase’s sudden rigidity and ticking jaw. It was like watching a train derail in slow motion.
I squeezed Tal’s thigh, hoping my strength said it all. I got you. Her fingers found mine. Yeah, she heard me. She was done carrying this load alone. Lil kept talking, about what I had no clue. I was busy watching Chase’s abrupt exit from the room, screeching chair and all. The terrace French door opened and slammed shut. Talia tensed. Lili finally stopped talking, the silence filled in around us. Her wheels were turning as fear crept in, darkening her baby blues.
“He’s not his.” The words erupted from Tal without warning, fast and sharp, slicing through the silence. Lili stared with wide eyes. This. Sucked. “I know what you’re thinking, I lied about having an abortion, why wouldn’t I lie about this? But I swear on my life, he’s not Chase’s son, he’s his brother.” You could’ve heard a pin drop. Lil’s jaw dropped open. It took me a second to get my bearings. Tal’s verbal diarrhea approach took me by surprise as well. Didn’t see that coming.
“What … wait ... you never had an abortion. Chase’s thought all these years … do you know what he put himself through … the guilt.” Lili’s voice was punctuated and deliberate, like she was trying to process what the hell was going down. For a minute I thought she didn’t even hear Tal’s last statement. “What do you mean they’re brothers?” Lili’s wide eyes welled with tears. Talia’s were already dripping down her cheeks. “Oh my god. No, Tal. Oh my god.”
“Lil, I need you to calm down. I’m going to grab Chase. He’s not gonna want to hear this, but he needs to. He needs to know the truth.” I lifted Tal’s chin to meet my gaze and whispered, “Okay?”
“Okay.”
The terrace door closed behind me, but Chase didn’t budge, his sights were fixed on horizon. “How long have you known?”
“You need to calm yourself down and hear her out.”
“How long? It’s a simple question.” He was seething. “The sex that fucking good, worth stabbing me in the back?”
Now I was seething. Leeway passed. “I’m going to try and forget what you just said. This time. Disrespect the woman I love again and we will have a problem. To answer your question, two weeks and NO ONE stabbed you in the back. I get you’re in shock, I’ll give you that. But you need to check it and get your ass inside and hear what she has to say. The only person who got royally fucked in all of this is Tal.”
One look and he saw I was telling the truth. Without a word he stalked back in. Jack Colton better have been rotting in hell.
The women were back in the living room sitting across from each other when we came in. With one knee bent against her chest and the other tucked beneath her, Tal silently massaged her bare foot.
Lil rushed to calm Chase. “Babe, please just listen, please.”
He said nothing. His angry eyes did not waver from Talia. I stood in between and not because of torn loyalties. I had Tal’s back, no matter what. But I also needed to be at arm’s length to shut Chase down if he was too stubborn to rein it in.
Tal’s eyes met mine. She didn’t need encouragement, the woman redefined brave. I nodded anyway, letting her know I wasn’t going anywhere.
“His name is Tack…” She spoke uninterrupted for a good five minutes, reliving her nightmare all over again for Chase. She opened by admitting she was already pregnant when she slept with Chase, that there was no possible way he was Tack’s father. Her genuine remorse was undeniable. Lil quietly sniffled against Chase’s shirt, while he shook his head, confused. There was no mistaking his moment of clarity. The second Tal uttered Jack Colton’s name, the tension exploded. Chase raked his hands through his hair, his eyes cemented to the floor. His telltale sign that he was losing it. Lil’s sniffles turned to sobs, but Tal stayed focused on me and finished. Her recap was almost identical, without disclosing the pictures. That was her decision to make and I gave her that.