“Thanks to Hunter,” Tara says. She glances at me, then looks back at my mom. “Hunter’s the one who tracked me down after the accident, actually. He made sure I got the care I needed.”
I see my mother’s mouth tighten, just a sliver. She knows I’m hiding something, but she doesn’t know what.
“And you’re feeling more like yourself?” Robert says, his voice deep. “You’re recovered now?”
“Yes, pretty much. Some memories are still missing, but I’m getting them back, little by little.”
Catherine leans forward, elbows on the linen. “You poor thing. I can’t imagine how frightening that must have been.”
Tara nods—soft, but with a glint of steel underneath. “It was. But honestly, sometimes it was a relief. Being blank for a while. I didn’t have to be anybody. I could just… be.”
I squeeze her thigh, just once, and she lets the silence stretch.
Robert fidgets with his water glass, and I realize he’s not just uncomfortable—he’s nervous. Not for Tara, but for himself.He’s never faced a problem he couldn’t outwork, outspend, or outdrink. But this is different. His little girl is a bit of a stranger now, and he doesn’t have a blueprint for that.
The waiter brings the wine, and Catherine asks for a Chardonnay. Tara orders a glass of red, surprising everyone. I ask for the bottle, and Robert goes with bourbon, neat.
The drinks arrive, and the silence has started to feel uncomfortable. Our parents aren’t stupid and they can tell something’s off, so I decide it’s time.
“Tara and I have some news,” I announce.
Catherine’s mouth opens, but my lovely stepsister beats her to it.
“Hunter and I are together,” she says, eyes fixed on her father. “As in, dating. We’re in a relationship.”
The silence that follows is so absolute I think the chandelier bulbs dim a little.
Robert blinks, once, then twice. Catherine stares at me, then at Tara, then back at me.
Robert is the first to recover. “You’rewhat?”
Tara takes a breath. “We’re dating, Dad. I know it’s a lot, but it’s not as crazy as it sounds. We’re not biologically related, and we didn’t grow up together. It just happened when I was in recovery at Hunter’s place. We got to know each other, and fell in love in the process.”
I watch the blood drain from his face, then return in a rush. Catherine, to her credit, sips her wine and studies me over the rim.
“I understand this is awkward,” I rumble. “But we thought you would want to know.”
Robert’s jaw works, grinding invisible gears. “When did this start?”
Tara glances at me, then back at her dad. “Again, Dad, it was after the accident. When Hunter took me in, I didn’t remember anything. He was kind. Patient. I fell for him before I even knew who he was to me.”
Catherine’s hand trembles, just once, before she sets her glass down. “So you didn’t realize he was your stepbrother.”
Tara shrugs, her expression neutral.
“Hunter might have told me, but I can’t remember. I was an amnesiac and nothing really makes sense when you’re in that state. It’s like you’re walking around in a daze, and information can go through one ear, and out the other.”
Robert frowns.
“You realize how this looks, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Tara says. “But it’s fine. Hunter and I love each other, and that’s enough for both of us.”
I can see the old Tara and the new Tara, blended together in the cool calm of her voice and her poised expression. She’s unbreakable. I’m so proud that this is my woman and beam, watching her.
Robert looks at me, accusation loaded in his stare. “You seduced my daughter.”
I shake my head. “No. If anything, it was mutual. I tried to keep my distance because I knew I had a vulnerable woman on my hands. Trust me.”