Chapter 4: Thanksgiving Morning

My mother called at eight on Thanksgiving morning.

The ring was still on the nightstand, beside my phone.

I hadn't eaten, and I hadn't answered three messages from friends asking if Preston and I were okay.

"Tell me what happened," my mother said.

Her voice was soft, not sharp, and I couldn't make myself say I was fine.

"Preston went to Nashville."

"For work?"

"With Kendall."

She was quiet for a long moment.

"Your Kendall?"

"Yes."

"Why would he do that?"

"She won."

"Won what, Matilda?"

"Five days with him."

I told her about the card game, the canceled flights, and the suite.

I left out the champagne photo.

Saying the rest out loud was already enough to make my face burn.

"I'm coming to get you," she said.

"You live a flight away. And you have a dozen people coming for dinner."

"I don't care about the dinner."

"I do."

I would not let Preston empty her table too.

"I'll come tomorrow," I said. "I already found a flight."

It cost nearly three times what our canceled tickets had, and I didn't tell her that.

She made me promise to call again before her guests sat down.

A text from Kirk came in while I was still holding the phone.

Soup's in your fridge if you want it. I'm on shift till 7. Call if you need anything.

I read it twice and didn't reply.

Ten minutes after the call with my mother, Preston phoned.

"Did you tell your mother?" he asked.