“Good,” I replied.

“Because I don’t know whether I can.”

She gave a small, sorrowful nod.

As I watched her walk away, I realized I could be angry with her without making her the center of what Gavin had done.

That distinction gave me more peace than I expected.

PART 12

The question of what “settled” meant became clearer after Lauren received a copy of a proposed financial agreement from Gavin’s attorney.

It described a separation that had supposedly started in January.