Jake laughed. “Of course you did.”
“I was ashamed.”
“Join the club.”
Ryan nodded. “I thought if I could get a job first, maybe she’d tell you after I had something to show.”
Jake said, “So you helped her lie.”
“Yes.”
“Great start.”
Ryan winced.
“I’m sorry for the hurt I have caused.”
Megan started crying.
“I just wanted to help him.”
Jake turned toward her. “I understand that.”
“You don’t act like it.”
“Because helping him is not the part I’m angry about.”
She looked at him.
“I’m angry that you lied to me for three months.”
Megan wiped her face. “I knew you’d refuse.”
“I might have.”
“You definitely would have.”
“Maybe at first.”
She shook her head.
“You wouldn’t even let me mention him after what happened.”
“Because he stole from us.”
Ryan said quietly, “He’s right.”
Megan looked at him.
He continued.
“You don’t get to make Jake the bad guy because he didn’t want me back in his life.”
Ryan sat forward.
“I did what he said I did.”
His voice was steady.
“I stole money. I lied. I blamed both of you when you caught me.”
He looked at Jake.
“You had every right to throw me out.”
