Emma's Secret: A Novel

brought her along with him.
    “You did?” Megan furrowed her brow. Her phone hadn’t rung. She reached inside her purse for her phone, only to realize she’d left it at home to charge.
    “If this is about you and Laurie…” She so did not want to talk about this. Not here. Not now, and especially not with him.
    Riley scowled before shaking his head. “No, but, uh—”
    Megan held up her one hand. “No. It’s okay. It’s cool. I was just caught by surprise. I had no idea about you and her.” Which hurt most of all. Out of every available woman in their small town he had to pick her best friend. Nothing like rubbing her poor judgment in her face. If whatever happened between him and Laurie became serious, how long would it take before the memory of their kiss faded away?
    Riley sighed. “She was going to talk to you. Is going to talk to you. She, ah…” He gazed around hopelessly as he struggled to finish his sentence.
    Megan swallowed her coffee and decided to take pity on him. She reached out and briefly touched his elbow.
    “It’s okay.”
    Relief eased the scowl on his face. “Good. Good. Listen.” He smiled at her. “I just wanted to let you know the restraining order against Jack has been lifted.”
    Megan took a step back. What? What did he mean it had been lifted? That was the one concession she had made instead of insisting charges be brought against him. That man was to have no contact with Emma. She had let his first few letters pass through because Emma wanted to send him pictures, but he wasn’t to call her, see her, or anything else.
    Riley must have seen the confusion on her face.
    “I promised Peter I’d let him know once it was taken care of.”
    Megan’s breath caught in her chest, constricting it until she saw tiny flashes of dark circles cloud her vision.
Oh my God
…
    Peter. Peter had done this. Why? Emma’s request to Peter last night now made sense.
    “Meg, are you okay?” Riley’s touch centered Megan, forcing her to let out the air stuck in her throat. She counted to five, breathing in deeply and releasing just as deeply, exactly like Kathy had told her to.
    She forced a small smile onto her face.
    “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll be sure to…tell Peter.” She held up the bag containing the cinnamon buns. “I’d better get these back to the house while they’re still warm. Thanks.”
    She pushed past Riley, ignoring him calling her name behind her as she wiggled her way through the crowded front door. She kept her gaze focused on the ground, steadying herself until she made it back to her vehicle.
    Even then, she wouldn’t give in to the rage growing inside of her. She’d talk to Peter first. Have him confirm why he’d do something she was so dead set against. Explain why he’d think it was okay to take away what little protection was left around their daughter without talking to her first.
    And if she didn’t like his answers, then he wasn’t going to like her reaction.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
    F ebruary 28
    Secrets. They can kill a marriage or make it stronger. I’ve always believed that.
    The worst secrets are those that eat at you inside, when you know you need to be honest and face the consequences but are too afraid. Then there’s the other kind. The secrets that are kept for the preservation of sanity.
    Jack has his own set of secrets that he thinks I don’t know about. The ones that he thinks he keeps to protect me.
    The only thing he’s protecting is himself.
    I don’t have many secrets that I keep from him. Most days I don’t even remember them; other days they weigh down on me until I feel like I’m buried so deep that I can’t breathe anymore.
    Today was one of those days.
    My husband sleeps like the dead beside me—other than the snoring—while I toss and turn, unable to find rest. My secret weighs on me too heavily. But there’s no release, no way out. Not that I can see.

    With a tray of coffee and cinnamon buns in her hands, Megan tapped her toe on the slightly ajar door to Peter’s study before nudging it open with her foot. A slow simmer of anger burned inside of her, but instead of confronting Peter right away with her accusations, she’d taken time to calm down by making coffee and calling Laurie.
    Except she hadn’t answered. Again.
    “Hey.” Peter barely glanced up at her as he sat hunched over his computer. There was a small ding, which Megan recognized as a chat notification.
    “Talking to a client?” She put