Page 88 of Backup Plan

“I’m fine. It was weird seeing him sitting there. I mean, we all know he did it, so it’s weird to me that he won’t just take the plea deal.”

I’m surprised he’s saying it with such candor over the phone. If our dad taught us anything, it’s that someone is always listening.

Or maybe that’s just me being paranoid given everything that has happened over the last year or so.

“Are we sure he did it?” I ask carefully. I don’t know why I ask. Maybe in case someone is listening. Of course he did it.

“I guess it’s up to Paul to plant that doubt,” he says.

Our father has been horrible to all of us. He took money from what was supposed to be our inheritance and used it for these illegal casinos. He deserves to pay for his crimes.

He had all of us sign different papers, some of which associated us in different ways with his crimes. I’m still trying to piece together why he’d do that, and all I can come up with is that he truly thought he was building some legacy. He thought he was untouchable. He never saw himself ending up in prison…and yet here he is, on trial because he was caught.

Not a single one of us should ever forgive him for what he did to tear the family apart, and yet…

Madden is there at his trial. He’s allowed our father to live at his place while he awaited trial.

I’ve always seen Madden as a leader. He’s the oldest of the seven Bradley children, and he’s had a lot fall on him because of it. I think it’s why I tried my best to step up and take care of what I could when my mother was sick and my dad was facing these charges. I wanted to emulate my older brother. I wanted to be the one everyone could count on.

I wanted to simply be there for my siblings.

And now I’m doing quite the opposite. I’m lying to Everleigh, hiding the most important relationship in my life because I don’t want the woman I love to lose her best friend. Only by hiding it, we’re causing an even bigger divide. Madden knows but only because he all but caught us. I’m keeping the rest from everyone else, pushing me further from everyone when I was the one trying to hold them all together.

What the fuck am I doing?

Why are Penny and I hiding this like it’s some dirty secret?

Was it my idea or hers not to tell Everleigh?

It started as one drunken night, but at this point, it’s become something else entirely. She’s living at my place in Chicago. It was only supposed to be a temporary solution. It doesn’t feel temporary anymore.

I’ve gotten close with her kids. I want to build a life with her, with my new baby and the boys as a family of five.

Maybe it’s time to tell Everleigh the truth.

It’s in the back of my mind the entire week in San Diego. It’s there when my phone rings as I’m sitting at the kitchen table, and I see it’s Izzy calling.

“Hey, Iz,” I answer.

“I know the gender, but we haven’t talked about my financial situation yet.”

“Are you holding the information ransom?” I ask.

“I’ll be at the bar in an hour. Meet me there.”

“I can’t. I’m in San Diego.”

“Then text me when you’re in town.” She hangs up.

I FaceTime Penny next.

“You okay?” Penny asks when she sees the look on my face.

“Izzy won’t tell me if it’s a boy or a girl until I pay her.”

“Jeez, Liam. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine,” I mutter. “I’ve been putting her off, and I shouldn’t have.”