Whatever their plan was, I was going to get to the bottom of it. If Grant Du Bois hurt my friend, I’d kill him.
Chapter Five
Present Day
Sam and I walked to the restaurant next door to the hotel, an upscale Italian place named Francisco’s. By the time our entrées had arrived, we’d fallen into step, conversation easy between us the same way it always had been.
“So, tell me about the twins,” he said, swirling the wine in his glass. “They’re what…four now?”
I nodded slowly. “Doesn’t seem possible, does it?”
“I feel like you were just pregnant last week,” he said, shaking his head. “What are they like?”
“Oh…amazing.” I closed my eyes, missing them. “They’re inquisitive and funny. They love to create; they think we can build literally everything with construction paper and tape. They’re always playing dress up and pretend, and as much as they drive each other crazy, they’re truly just best friends.”
He chuckled under his breath. “Sounds familiar.”
I shook my head, pursing my lips. “We didn’t drive each other too crazy.”
“Speak for yourself.” He shoved a breadstick into his mouth, a twinkle in his eye.
“Well, thank god we’re past that stage,” I said. “What about you? What have you been up to? Are you still freelancing?”
He dusted his hands, swiping his fingers clean with the cloth napkin as he waited to finish chewing his food before he could answer. “Yeah, lots of graphic design work here and there. I’ve started designing websites, too, which is about as much work and makes me ten times as much.”
“That’s amazing.”
He inhaled through his teeth. “Well, I’m no bestselling author, but hey, we both got our dream, right?”
“Did we? I seem to recall you wanting to be a scientist.”
He rolled his eyes, taking another sip of his wine. “Yeah, well, there was no one going to pay for that dream. But I’ve done okay for myself. I love what I do. I’m happy.” He said it as if he were trying to convince himself as well as me.
“I’m glad to hear it.” I lifted my glass to my lips as well. “Truly.”
“You seem happy, too.”
I took a gulp of my wine, not answering. I was, mostly. The same way everyone’s happy in the middle of their life. I had everything I wanted, but somehow it all felt a bit lackluster. A dream is its shiniest when it’s still inside your head.
“If you’d told me this would be us in ten years back then, I never would’ve believed it. I never thought either of us would leave Spider Lily. Certainly never thought my best friend would suddenly become famous.”
“I know,” I agreed, raking my fork across my plate. “But you know I’m not famous with you, right? I’m just Cait. I’m still me.”
He nodded, but looked as if he didn’t entirely believe me. “Tell that to the bartender earlier.”
“Yes, well, that was a one off. Trust me, I can count the number of times I’ve gotten recognized on two hands.”
“You don’t have to dim your light for me, Cait,” he said firmly. “Honestly. I’m proud of you. I know how hard you’ve worked for your success. I remember all the long nights and rejections, remember? You don’t have to convince me it isn’t as amazing as it is. I know we aren’t as close anymore, but I’m still cheering you on from the sidelines.” His soft smile was sad, and he looked down, taking a bite of his ravioli.
I felt a lump grow in my throat. There was so much I wanted to say to him. Thank yous and apologies and explanations. I felt I owed him, but I was a coward. Instead, I said simply, “Who says we aren’t as close anymore? I didn’t get that memo.”
“You didn’t?” He scratched his chin. “Odd. It was in all the papers.”
I snorted, covering my mouth with my fingers. “So, what else have you been up to, hm? Besides being a smart-ass and designing?”
“Nothing, really. I’m back in Wilmington again.”
“Did you leave?”
“I thought I told you,” he said, taking another bite. “Dad tore his rotator cuff, so I moved in with him for a few months last year to help out.”
“I’ll bet your mom loved having you home.” The instant I’d said it, I knew I’d made a mistake. His expression hardened slightly, and I saw the hurt in his eyes.
“They separated last year. Just before it happened actually,” he said, answering the question I hadn’t asked. “Dad’s got an apartment down by the lake now.”
“I’m so sorry, Sam, I had no ide—”
“It’s not your fault. They don’t really talk about it much. It’s all amicable, they just decided they were better not together.”
“It still sucks,” I pointed out. “I’m glad they’re happier, but I can’t imagine it’s been easy on you.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Ya know, it was a surprise in the beginning more than anything. I’d always thought they were really happy and it kind of came out of nowhere, but then again, marriages always look happier from the outside. We still do all the holidays and everything together, so really the only thing that’s changed is that I now have to visit two houses instead of one. As far as divorces go, it seems like it’s been an uneventful one.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” I said, processing what he’d said. The Dunnigans had always seemed happy. The idea that they’d gotten a divorce had ripped the rug out from under me. I knew Sam had already had time to work through it all, but I had to believe he was more hurt over it than he was letting on. “You know you could’ve called me.”
“I probably should’ve, but I didn’t want to talk about it in the beginning. I thought—hoped—that they’d realize it was all a mistake and work it out. By the time I realized it was real, they were in a good place, and I didn’t really know what to say…”
“So, is that why you’re staying at the hotel instead of with them?”
He hesitated, and I worried I’d overstepped. It was so strange, toeing the line of our new relationship. At one point, I knew everything there was to know about Sam, but now, he might as well have been a stranger. I didn’t know him that well anymore, not what he did on a daily basis, not what he did over the course of a month, or a year even. Was he dating anyone? What did he drive? Who were his friends now?
There was so much left unspoken between us, and I didn’t know how to cross the divide from then to now.
Why had we grown apart anyway?
When had it happened?
After everything happened, then after graduation… We’d gotten in touch now and again, tried to pick up where we left off, but the timing was never quite right. After the wedding, we’d been the closest of any time since high school, but even that didn’t last long.
We were just in different places in our lives…
He’d met the kids once or twice, but—
“Yeah, something like that,” he interrupted my train of thought, rubbing the back of his neck. “Plus, I wanted to be able to hang out with everyone without having to drive a half hour across town. This was just easier. I’m working on a new project, and I knew having Mom or Dad around would distract me, so this was a good chance for perspective without interruption…” He trailed off.