Chapter 3 - The First Thing My Husband Tried to Protect
I went home the next morning because half my life was still there.
Thaddius was sitting in the breakfast room with two untouched coffees.
“How are your parents?”
“You had all night to ask.”
He nodded.
“Fair.”
I remained standing.
“Did you know?”
“That Cordelia would slap you? Of course not.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
His mouth tightened.
“She’d been drinking.”
“She had one glass.”
“You were counting?”
“I plan events for a living. I notice people.”
He looked away.
There.
A crack.
“What did you know, Thaddius?”
He rubbed both hands over his face.
“Cordelia was angry that your father refused to help.”
I stopped.
“Help with what?”
His eyes came back to mine.
He knew immediately he had said too much.
“Nothing.”
“My father refused what?”
“Sara, don’t pull your parents into business matters they don’t understand.”
I laughed once.
“My father apparently understands them well enough to refuse something.”
Thaddius stood.
“Your dad has done contract work for Hale properties for years.”
That was true.
Dad’s company, Whitman Restoration, had repaired floors, paneling, stairs, and millwork in several Hale-owned buildings.
It represented less than fifteen percent of his annual work.
Or so I believed.
“Cordelia asked him for a favor on a project.”
“What favor?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Then tell me.”
Silence.
“Thaddius.”
“She wanted him to adjust an invoice.”
I stared at him.
“Adjust how?”
“It was an accounting issue.”
“You mean change the amount?”
“Temporarily.”
“Up or down?”
He didn’t answer.
That was enough.
My father had taught me one rule about his company before I was old enough to drive:
Never sign a number you cannot explain.
“When did she ask him?”
“A couple months ago.”
“And he refused.”
“Apparently.”
“So last night wasn’t about Mom’s dress or our family being poor.”
“Cordelia is a snob. You know that.”
“That’s convenient.”
I walked toward the stairs.
Thaddius followed.
“Where are you going?”
“Packing.”
“Sara.”
“You said divorce me.”
“I was angry.”
“So was I. Somehow I managed not to assault anybody.”
He reached for my arm, then seemed to think better of it.
“If you leave now, you’re going to turn this into something it doesn’t need to be.”
I faced him.
“What exactly are you afraid it will become?”
He didn’t answer.
Fifteen minutes later I was carrying a suitcase downstairs when my phone rang.
Dad.
His voice sounded wrong.
“Honey, did Thaddius tell you about the Marlowe renovation?”
“A little.”
“Then you need to come to the shop.”
“Why?”
May you like
Dad took a breath.
“Because I think the Hales used my company’s name after I told them no.”
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