accident. He’d been home in Seaside Cove, only three blocks over from Lily.
“Did she seduce him?” Lily must be paying her back for not letting her move in with her and transfer to a high school in the city. Dwight shrugged and her throat tightened around a sour knot of disgust. “Did he take advantage of her?”
“Don’t know. She wants to keep the baby.”
Olivia looked past her dad’s shoulder, not really seeing anything. “Are you going to let her?” She couldn’t fathom watching Lily’s belly swell knowing it was Ethan’s child growing inside.
He shook his head. “I told her she needs to abort it. I can’t afford to raise another child. You three kids about bankrupted me.”
The whole family knew Lily was an accident, and it didn’t take a brain booster pill to figure out the only reason Olivia had a little sister was because her mom didn’t believe in abortion.
“What about Mom?”
“Oh, you know your mother. She still resents dropping out of college to support me. She doesn’t want Lily to ruin her future. She’s trying to persuade your sister to put the kid up for adoption.”
“And Ethan? What does he want?” Because Olivia wanted to break up. She was falling apart as their relationship crumbled around them. Ethan’s betrayal had cracked their foundation and she wanted to move out and far away before the roof came tumbling down. She’d never recover.
“You’ll have to ask him.”
She nodded absently, thinking of what she’d say. What could she say? The deed was done. So were they. The tears she’d been fighting not to shed filled her eyes. “Take me home, please.”
Dwight did, and after he hugged her goodbye and promised to call later, she flipped open her phone and speed-dialed Ethan.
“How could you?” she accused. “And with Lily!”
“What are you talking about?”
“She’s pregnant.” She cried. Tears, fat like raindrops during a thunderstorm, fell. Despair swirled like the storm’s violent winds. Here she thought Ethan got her. She’d felt happy with him when she didn’t think she could after losing summers at the lake and Blaze. Could she have been any more foolish? She never should have opened up to him, or anyone given what Lily had done to her.
“And you think I what . . . slept with your sister?” He sounded appalled.
“Not think. Know. My dad just told me.”
“And you believe him.”
“Are you saying it’s not true?” As if there was the remote possibility her dad lied to her. He loved her, which made her wonder if Ethan ever did.
He remained quiet for a long moment.
“Ethan,” she sobbed. “Tell me it’s not true.”
“Why? You’d never believe me over him.”
“Did you sleep with her?”
“No.”
“Liar,” she cried, beyond reasoning.
“See what I mean?”
“I hate you,” she yelled into the phone. Too many people she loved had betrayed her. First Lucas, then Blaze, now Ethan. She should have known he’d eventually break her heart. But Lily? She never saw that one coming.
“Olivia,” Ethan said, sounding defeated.
“Don’t call again. I don’t want to speak with you. I don’t ever want to see you again. Goodbye, Ethan.”
Years later she’d think back on their conversation and realize she should have waited to call him, given herself the chance to calm down after Dwight left. She also should have waited before she called Lily. But her thumb skimmed across the keypad and pressed the number combo for home. Charlotte answered.
“Mom,” she said, her voice watered down with tears.
“Olivia, darling. Did your father tell you?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry. This must be awful for you. It’s difficult for everyone. We need to decide what to do before word gets out. Your father is mortified.”
“Where is she?”
“Lily? She’s resting.”
“I want to talk to her.” She wanted to grab her sister’s shoulders and shake her until her neck snapped. What was Lily thinking? If she was upset at Olivia, there were other ways to get her revenge. Spray-paint her bedroom. Tear up her magazine collection like she’d done before.
“I’ll let her know you called when she gets up. Be gentle with her. She just learned we aren’t letting her keep the baby.” Charlotte and Dwight couldn’t legally force Lily to give up her baby. But if she wanted their financial and emotional support, she wouldn’t have a choice.
Olivia ended the call and waited. And waited. Lily never called back. She didn’t text either. When the call from her parents’ landline finally came through, it was Charlotte. Lily had run away. Charlotte and Dwight had just returned from the police station after filing a missing