“Your parents’ situation sounds frightening,” I said. “But Willow Point wasn’t yours to sell.”
Vanessa nodded.
“I know that now.”
“You knew it eleven days ago.”
She lowered her head.
“Yes.”
Ethan sat back.
“Did you tell your parents we were going to help them?”
Vanessa didn’t answer immediately.
Then she whispered, “I told Mom we might be able to.”
“How?”
“I thought if your mother gave us the property, we could sell it. We’d buy something smaller, clear my parents’ debt, and still have enough for a down payment somewhere comfortable.”
Ethan stared at her.
“You planned to sell the house I grew up visiting?”
“You don’t live there.”
“That’s not the point.”
“I thought you wanted a place in the city anyway.”
“I wanted us to decide where we’d live. Together.”
Vanessa’s eyes filled again.
“I was going to tell you.”
“When?”
“After the wedding.”
“After you had a valuation and a plan?”
She looked away.
Ethan rubbed his forehead.
Then he asked, “Was the waterfront mansion you kept talking about even for us?”
Vanessa hesitated.
“Partly.”
He gave a short, disbelieving laugh.
“Partly?”
