Chapter Six
Blake snaked an arm out, capturing her elbow.
Maddie turned, eyes filled with turmoil.
“You’re not the only one who’s lost parents.” He couldn’t hide the rough edge in his voice. “I know what it’s like.”
“But I refused to come home.” She shifted away, pinching the bridge of her nose again, obviously working to stave off more tears. He leaned back against the wall, giving her space and wrestling with what to say next.
“My last conversation with Jake was…” he searched for words that would convey the ugliness of their last encounter without going into the lurid details. “Less than pleasant.”
Did she notice he referred to him as Jake? Never ‘Dad’? Jake had never been a father. Not the kind he’d ever wished for, at least. She studied him intently, but continued to listen.
“Ja
