Chapter 16

NATHAN Elijah stuffs his hands into the pockets of his dress pants and stares at the painting on my office wall. “We had some incredible summers at that beach, didn’t we?” He releases a wistful sigh. I step up beside him. “We sure did.” He tilts his head to the side and narrows his eyes, like he’s scrutinizing each beautiful brush stroke. “I wanted to take Amber there this summer. Show her where Mom was born, you know?” “So why don’t you?” His tongue darts out, moistening his bottom lip, and he moves to sit in one of the leather chairs near the window. He blows out a breath. “She doesn’t want to go. Said she couldn’t be away from her friends that long.” I press my lips together and tip my face up to the ceiling, suppressing the words that want to roll off my tongue. I don’t give advice. Wise men don’t need it, and stupid men don’t take it. “I know what you’re thinking, Nathan,” he grumbles. “You do, huh?” He stares out the window. “I’m not going to divorce her.” “Why, Elijah? Neither o