was part of Daddy.
And now Gerald had one.
“Oh my God.” I said it louder than I meant to.
Gerald turned. The second his eyes met mine, his expression changed. He knew exactly what I’d seen.
“Claire?”
“I need to leave.”
“What happened?”
“I forgot something.”
“You just got here.”
“I told someone I’d call.”
He frowned. “You didn’t have a sitter tonight.”
I stared at him, realizing how badly I was lying. “I have to go.”
I collected Lily and drove home.
THE BOX OF PHOTOGRAPHS
After Lily fell asleep, I pulled a plastic storage container from the closet. I’d avoided opening it for almost a year.
Inside were photographs from Nathaniel’s life before me. College. Road trips. Cheap diners. Bad haircuts.
Then I found Lake Thornwood. Nathaniel standing outside a tattoo shop, nineteen years old and grinning, a square of gauze taped behind his ear.
I flipped
