I studied his face.
“Did your father know you felt that way?”
“He knew.”
“Then why didn’t you talk to him?”
Jared’s eyes filled.
“Because he’d tell me to be patient.
Work harder.
Do something useful.”
“That sounds like him.”
“I didn’t want another lecture.”
He wiped at his face.
“Richard made it sound easy.
One road.
One signature.
Everybody wins.”
“Except the person whose land you were using.”
He nodded.
“I kept telling myself you wouldn’t really care.”
I felt a sharp pain.
“You thought I wouldn’t care about my home?”
“I thought you’d be comfortable in an apartment somewhere.
I thought if we gave you money—”
“You’d be giving me money for something that was already mine.”
He closed his eyes.
“I know.”
I watched him struggle to speak.
Then he whispered, “Vanessa didn’t come up with the idea to make you leave.”
