Jeff arrived five minutes later. I heard his car pull into the driveway and went to let him in. He looked nervous, which surprised me. His eyes kept darting to the envelope on the table and then back to my face.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
I nodded because I was more than okay. I was ready. I was finally going to prove that I hadn’t done anything wrong.
He followed me into the kitchen and froze when he saw Evan sitting there. The two brothers looked at each other for a long moment. Something passed between them that I couldn’t read. Then Jeff pulled out a chair and sat down, positioning himself closer to me than to Evan.
“You haven’t opened it yet,” Jeff said, stating the obvious.
I shook my head.
“I wanted witnesses. I wanted both of you to watch me open it so no one can say I tampered with anything—so no one can claim I switched the results or forged something or whatever other accusation might come next.”
I looked directly at Evan when I said that last part. He didn’t react. He just sat there with his arms crossed and his jaw tight, staring at the envelope like he was trying to set it on fire with his eyes.
Jeff reached across the table and put his hand over mine. His palm was warm against my cold fingers.
“Whatever happens,” he said softly, “I’m here, okay? No matter what that paper says, I’m not going anywhere.”
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