She needed that and he knew good and well Asa would do it for PJ in his shoes. You did that for people you loved.

She looked at the phone in her hand the whole way back to his place and then finally texted someone once he got to their street.

“Craig knows a guy on the Seattle PD. I can’t not say something. I just can’t. She said she’d deny it if the cops came. Told me all the stuff she usually does. She loves him. It’s passionate. If she’s okay with it, why can’t I be? I still want to scream every time I hear it.”

She sighed and they stayed in his driveway because he didn’t want to interrupt these moments when she finally shared and let him take some of the weight.

“So, I told her I would not call the cops. But I didn’t say I wouldn’t tell Craig, who’d tell his buddy. They can still prosecute, even if she won’t cooperate, but it’s hard and she’s pretty experienced with the system. I’ve been down this road with her before. I’m backed into a corner and I don’t know what to do. Every one of my options is terrible. He’s hurting her but she won’t leave. She won’t listen to me. If I kick him out, she’ll follow him and they’ll both be homeless. And the thing is, Duke? I know he’s telling her all this. He’s manipulating her and I can’t stop it.”

“You’re doing the best you can. Which is all you can do. There is a really messed-up dynamic going on there. But you cannot make her change her life. You know that. It hurts to see her that way and you have done all you can given the set of circumstances you’re faced with.”

“I hate that she thinks she’s not worth more than this.”

Duke reached across the console to hug her. “I know, baby.”

CHAPTER Twenty-four

It had been about two months since Duke had checked in with his parents, and after all the crazy shit with Carmella’s, he was reminded to count his blessings.

After the weekend, the work week had gotten back to full swing as the new showroom space was nearing completion.

Carmella had gone out for a walk around the lake with PJ, leaving him alone in his office, so he put his feet up and dialed his parents’ house.

His mother answered.

“Hey, Mom. I just wanted to call. It’s been a while. How are you guys?”

“Hello, sweetie. Things are going well. You just missed your father. He went up to Ventura to see your brother.”

“Everything okay?”

“Well, you know how your brother is.”

“Smart? Educated? Destined for a stroke by thirty-five because he eats stress for dinner?”

His mother’s laugh was strained.

“What’s going on, really?” Duke pushed. He didn’t like the way his mother hedged around the topic.

“He and his fiancée broke up recently. He’s taking it hard. Your father is just going to see if some company won’t cheer him up.”

Duke tried not to think about how his dad had never picked up to come see him during any of Duke’s most trying times. It wasn’t important by that point.

“I didn’t know he and Shelly had split. I’m sorry to hear it. I’ll call him later today. Do you need me to come down?”

She laughed again. “It’s fine, I’m sure. But you should call Danny. He’d love to hear from you. He looks up to you.”

Duke snorted. “Sure he does. You’re still coming up at the end of the month for the grand opening, right?”

“We wouldn’t miss it. Thank you for handling our hotel reservations.”

“Carmella did that. She’s … well, she’s my girlfriend. The real deal. You can meet her when you come up.”

“Really? That’s wonderful. Tell me all about her.”

The last time he’d talked to his mother about a woman was when he was in high school. But it was okay because as he started to describe Carmella to her, he realized none of the women in between then and now were noteworthy the way Carmella was.

“So she’s your employee? You know you’re leaving yourself open to all sorts of trouble if this goes badly.”

He’d hoped she’d have said something positive first. But he supposed it was a mom thing to say, to guard his business.

“You’ll meet her in a few weeks so you can judge for yourself. She’s not like that. She’s not like anyone I’ve ever known before.”

“I’m just so thrilled to hear you’ve finally met someone. I was beginning to wonder about you and Asa.”

He nearly choked on the soda he’d been drinking. “Asa’s in love with the woman he lives with. They’ll be married in a year or two.”

“Good. He needs to get started on a family. So do you. Your sister already has two. Where are my grandchildren from my oldest?”

He dangled some shiny stuff her way, promising to take them on a tour of the area when they visited, and hung up.

He was glad they’d caught up, but the discussion they’d had about his brother still nagged at him. Duke couldn’t just get in the car and go check on Danny, though he was glad their father was.

Breakups were hard. Danny’s fiancée had seemed very nice the time he’d met her when he was down visiting for his nephew’s baptism. She was like Danny. Career minded. Intelligent. Ambitious. Duke figured they’d stick it out and he hoped the breakup wasn’t an ugly one on either side.

Duke called and left a voicemail for his brother asking how things were and inviting him up for the grand opening once more. He’d invited his siblings already, but maybe if he underlined how much it would be nice to see Danny, his brother would come.