kept an eye on his so-called father, letting Archie get some distance before I followed. Once back in the cart, he turned it and accelerated away like we were in a sports car. We were both damp, and I raked a hand through my wet hair.
He was dead silent all the way back up to where we picked up the golf cart, and as we walked through the club and back out the front to where the car waited for us. Once inside it, he closed the divider to the driver and slumped back in his seat.
It was already late afternoon, the weather outside looked like it wasn’t going to improve anytime soon, and what light was left in the day would be gone before we made it all the way home. Exhaustion crawled through me, but I sucked it up. Today was not about me.
“Do you believe him?” Archie asked into the silence.
“I don’t know him, Arch. What I know about him says he’s a selfish jackass. So…does it matter what he thinks?”
Archie sighed. “No. But he wants Frankie to be his kid, you can see it all over his face.”
“We love her and we know she’s awesome, he’s just a dick who wants to put his stamp of ownership on her. But I don’t think it has anything to do with either of you.” It had everything to do with her mother.
“Because she left him. She was the one who got away.”
I shrugged. “Or maybe he loves her as much as someone like him is capable of. I don’t see the appeal and I don’t want to try. What I want to know is what you want to know. So that you can put this behind both of you.”
That, and I wanted to knock his fucking teeth out.
I dug my phone out and checked it. No messages. I debated whether to send something. “Can I do anything?”
“You’ve been doing it all day, Jake. I’ll be fine as soon as we have answers.”
“You’re going to be fine as soon as you see her.”
He didn’t argue.
I sent the message to let them all know we’d be at the apartment soon. My phone lit up with a message from Frankie almost immediately.
Frankie: Is he okay?
Me: No. But he will be when he gets there.
I could lie to her I suppose. A part of me wanted to, but he wasn’t okay. Archie had pretty much cut himself all the way down to the bone today to get answers for both of them. She needed to know that, and he needed to let her help.
We all did.
Frankie: I’m here. Thank you for going with him. For looking after him.
Me: Don’t have to thank me, Baby Girl. He’s family.
She sent me a kiss emoji, and I smiled.
Archie’s phone buzzed next, and some of the darkness in his expression eased as he glanced at it. I knew exactly who was texting him.
She was waiting for us when we pulled in, and she was right there as soon as he got out of the car. I caught Coop’s gaze as Archie scooped her up close, and they held on so tight. At his questioning look, I shook my head.
We still had questions.
Too many of them.
Now we just had to get answers.
Chapter Five
I Don’t Want To Get Over You
Frankie
Waking up before Archie, I had a few seconds to just stare at his sleeping face and savor the soft sound of his breathing before reality crept back in. Those few seconds were the most peaceful I’d had in the last forty-eight plus hours since Mr. Standish dropped that bomb on me. Not that I hadn’t escaped with Ian and Coop or been comforted by all of them, but that knowledge was always there, preying at the back of my mind like one of those slasher movie monsters that gave me nightmares.
The guys had left us alone the night before after dinner. They’d all gone home rather than stay in the other room. They wanted to give us privacy and comfort, but they’d all promised to check on us today and made us promise to check in with them. Archie hadn’t said much as they left, and Jake whispered it had been a long day and to give him room.
When they were gone, I curled up in his lap and just held him. We didn’t talk. Well, not much beyond what we’d discussed earlier. Neither of us were going to school today because we were going to get a