He Gave My House to His Ex, So I Took My Life Back novel · Chapter 14 of 24

Chapter 14: The Signature

Robin came in with a bag of groceries on her hip and her keys between her teeth.

She saw me, and then she saw the coat in my hands.

She took the keys out of her mouth very carefully.

"Jo," she said. "Honey. It's eleven o'clock. Why are you standing in the dark?"

"I turned on the light," I said.

"You're upset. Put that down and I'll make tea."

"Colleen got a key from you last April, in my kitchen."

She set the grocery bag on the floor.

She did it slowly.

"Who told you that?"

"I watched it. Cody was filming the dog."

For a moment her whole face emptied out.

Then it filled again, and what came into it was not guilt.

It was relief.

"Well," she said. "I'm glad it's over."

"Glad."

"I've been so tired, Jo. You have no idea how tired."

She walked past me into the living room and sat down on the arm of the couch.

I stayed in the hall with the coat.

"Say it," I said. "All of it. Start at the beginning."

"Colleen and I were friends at fifteen." Robin smoothed her cardigan over her knee. "We sat together in chemistry class. She was in my wedding, before it fell apart. She's the only person who stayed."

"I never knew that."

"I never told you."

"You introduced me to Carlton."

"At the Fourth of July picnic. You were so lonely after Dad." She almost smiled. "I picked him because he'd never fight you. Colleen told me he never fought anyone."

My ears were ringing.

"You gave me to him."

"I gave you a man who'd take care of the house payments and leave you alone." Her voice sharpened. "You think I wanted him to love you? He was a place to put you."

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