Page 91 of Reticent

The beginnings of a smirk touches Skylar’s lips. “Yeah, so there’s that.”

“I’m sorry if she made you uncomfortable.”

“It’s all right. She was trying not to look. But I thought she had a boyfriend.”

“Not when she was out here.”

The front door opens and in walks Esme. I thought she was upstairs. “Traffic was ass today. I swear to God, everyone needs to stop moving to Texas.”

“Uh, hey.” I tilt my head.

“Oh, hey, Yas. Oh, wow. I love your haircut!”

“Thank you.” I cut my eyes to Skylar, who gives me a pleading look. My brows draw together before I look back to Esme. “You were stuck in traffic?”

“Yeah.” She smiles at Liam. “He’s getting so big, and he’s so stinkin’ cute!”

“Thank you.”

She lets out a breath and puts her hands on her hips. “Welp. I’ll be upstairs.”

As soon as she’s gone, I whip my head to Skylar, who’s gnawing on her bottom lip with her eyes glued to her magazine. “What the hell are you doing?”

She doesn’t answer right away, and she won’t look at me. “It’s not what you think.”

“It’s not?” I whisper, looking over my shoulder to make sure Esme isn’t nearby.

Skylar looks too before her stricken gaze lands on me. “I’m going to marry Ian. I—I love him.”

“And Victor? Where is he in all of this?”

Skylar gives a quick shake of her head as a deep flush creeps up her face. With Liam in my arms, still feeding, I scoot next to her and take her hand. She squeezes it tightly as her eyes water behind her glasses.

Esme’s laughter rings throughout the house, coming closer to us, followed by her footsteps down the stairs. “You’re so cringy, Mom.”

“I can’t talk about this,” Skylar whispers as Esme walks into the kitchen with a phone to her ear. “Please don’t say anything.”

“You know I won’t,” I whisper back.

I don’t know what the hell is going on here. But if I had to guess, I think Skylar cheated on her fiancé with her best friend’s boyfriend.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Skylar carries Liam in his car seat to the Bentley, while I load his portable playpen into the back. I close the trunk and walk around the side of the car as Skylar locks Liam’s car seat into the base. “You know I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”

“I know that,” she says, kissing Liam on the cheek before closing his door.

“I hope you know what you’re doing. Because this could get real ugly.”

Skylar wraps her arms around herself. “It won’t. I’m not a bad person, Yas.”

Skylar is the sweetest person I know. “I know that. I’m just worried about you.”

“Don’t be. Seriously.” The smile she gives is not at all convincing.

“I love you, Sky-Sky.”