“I was going to tell you…”
Hope closed her eyes.
“Did you think I’d stop you?” I asked.
“No.”
“Then why hide it?”
Hope’s voice cracked.
“Because I knew it would hurt you.”
“Did you think I’d stop you?”
I almost laughed.
“So instead you lied.”
“I didn’t know how to tell you.”
Rachel stepped forward. “She was trying to protect you.”
Hope immediately snapped, “Don’t speak for me. You still haven’t explained why you’re here.”
Rachel stopped.
“So instead you lied.”
Rachel said softly, “Hope, we discussed this. You said you wanted to meet me, to stay with me for a while so we could get to know each other…”
“Eventually, not today,” Hope replied. “I told you not to come here, not until I was ready.”
“Wait.” I turned to Rachel. “You lied to me?”
Rachel’s face hardened.
“You lied to me?”
“I didn’t come here to be attacked.”
