you’re here when my boyfriend is sitting in jail because of you.”
Shock covered my parents’ faces as they turned to Mr. and Mrs. Rowe, both wearing twin expressions of shame.
“Jesus,” Peter sighed before making his way through everyone. He set his hands on my shoulders, eyebrows drawn together in apology. “I’m sorry for my family. Love you, Anna-Hannah.”
“You too.”
He gave my shoulders a squeeze and moved past me, the door opening and closing as my dad asked, “What’s happening now?”
“Beau was arrested tonight. They’re suing him and pressing charges for what he did to Philip—also known as what Philip did to himself,” I answered for the Rowes before focusing on them. “And even after I told y’all what really happened, you stayed here. You knew what was happening to him tonight, and you didn’t care to fix your mistakes. Mistakes that Beau accepted even though he knew he had no fault in them. He let them arrest him without saying a word.” I looked at where Philip was trying to blend into a wall. “If you even make it that far, you are going to be the worst lawyer. How did you think this would end when there were dozens of witnesses?”
“Well,” my dad murmured, then cleared his throat. Everything about his expression and tone dismissive when he continued. “I don’t think there’s anything else to say other than we’ll follow you to the county jail to make sure you drop the charges and suit.”
“Come on, Jason, don’t be like that,” Mr. Rowe said, trying to laugh. “We’ll take care of this, and it can all be forgotten.”
My dad grabbed the keys to his car off the hook in the entryway, his head bobbing slightly. “We have our reservations about Beau and Savannah as a couple, you know that. It’s never been a secret. But he has never once treated her the way your son has apparently been treating our daughter for years.” He held up a hand when Mr. Rowe started speaking. “Years. And that was only the few things she said. What about all the others she still hasn’t told us? And you have the nerve to come in and question our friendship to that family all while you were having one of their kids arrested for something you weren’t even positive happened?” A humorless laugh left him. “I’m questioning our friendship with you.”
“Jason,” both Mr. and Mrs. Rowe said, sounding horrified.
When he only continued toward me, curling his arm around my shoulders to lead me toward the front door, Mrs. Rowe said, “Christi, please.”
“You heard my husband. We’ll see you at county.”
I wasn’t sure I’d ever been so shocked by my parents in my life. I also wasn’t sure if there would ever be another time where they were on Beau’s side for any reason—even if only slightly.
But I would take it.
I would take it and be so grateful.
“Thank you,” I whispered as my dad led me outside.
“You should’ve told us,” he said in response. “Doesn’t matter who the person or their family is. You tell us what’s happening.”
“Understood.”
We watched the Rowes leave the house with my mom trailing behind, then started heading for our car.
“Anything you need to tell us about Beau?” my dad asked as I reached for the handle of my door, sounding far too curious and expectant.
I rolled my eyes and released a deep sigh. “Dad.”
“Needed to check,” he said unapologetically as he ducked into the car.
“Wendy must be a wreck,” my mom muttered as she sank into the passenger seat and shut the door behind her.
“She is.” I looked out the window as I bit at my thumb nail and tried not to think about how long it took to get to the county jail as I added, “Mr. Dixon’s super mad. And that was before Hunter and I told them that Philip lied.”
She sighed and released her seatbelt before it could click shut. “The two of you go on ahead. I’m gonna check on her.” Glancing behind her, she pointed at me. “Stop.”
I forced my hand into my lap. “I’m not biting it.”
Her face softened. “I’m sorry about this. I really am, Savannah.”
I watched as she got out of the car and began walking down the drive, then crawled across the center console to sit up front as my dad began reversing. “How fast can we get there?”
“It won’t make a difference. He won’t be released until they drop everything.”
I nodded, already knowing that even though my heart couldn’t understand it.