Chapter 1

The moment I carried the turkey into the dining room, my husband announced to twenty-three relatives that I had agreed to give my home office to his niece—and take care of her two children.

Everyone applauded.

Kelly rushed toward me with her phone raised, livestreaming as she wrapped both arms around me.

“Thank you, Erin. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

The camera was inches from my face. Comments climbed across the screen.

I was still holding a nineteen-pound turkey.

I had no idea she was moving in.

Tom stood at the head of the table with a glass raised.

“Kelly and the kids will move in next week,” he said. “They’ll stay until she gets back on her feet. Family takes care of family.”

“You’re a wonderful uncle,” someone said.

My mother-in-law, Margaret, smiled at him as if he had just offered Kelly his own room.

He hadn’t.

He had offered mine.

My office was where I met clients, stored confidential files, and earned nearly half the money that kept this house running.

Kelly released me.

“Tom said your schedule is flexible because you work from home.” She smiled toward her phone. “The kids are in school most of the day.”

I lowered the roasting pan onto the table. It clipped a wineglass, sending red wine across the cloth.

“I never agreed to this.”

The applause stopped in pieces.

Kelly’s smile froze, but the livestream kept running.

Tom lowered his glass.

“Erin, we can talk about this later.”

“You already talked for me.”

A few relatives looked at Kelly’s phone. Others suddenly became interested in their napkins.

Kelly lowered the camera.

“I thought Tom told you.”

“Told me what?”

“My landlord is selling the house. We have to be out by the end of the month.”

I knew she was looking for another rental after her divorce. I did not know Tom had decided the solution was my house.

“I knew you needed somewhere else to live,” I said. “I didn’t know you were moving in here.”

Kelly looked at Tom.

He came to my side and rested a hand against my lower back.

“I was going to tell you. The kids need stability. The upstairs room used to be a bedroom. You can move your computer somewhere else.”

“Where?”

“The laundry room has a counter.”

I stared at him.

I held at least sixteen client meetings a week. He knew that.

“How long did you tell her she could stay?”

“Until she finds a job, saves some money, and gets another place.”

“So there’s no move-out date.”

Margaret pushed back her chair.

“It’s Thanksgiving. Kelly just lost her home, and all you can think about is one room?”

“That room is where I work.”

“You work from home. You can work anywhere.”

I waited for Tom to correct her.

He picked up the carving knife instead.

“Everyone sit down. The food’s getting cold.”

The meal resumed around me.

Tom carved the turkey I had cooked. Kelly sat on his right while relatives asked about the children and her move.

Then I heard her mention the moving company.

“You’ve already booked movers?”

Tom kept carving.

“We only got a quote.”

“What day?”

“Next Tuesday,” Kelly said. “Tom said you’d be home to let them in.”

Next Tuesday morning was my final budget presentation for a six-month consulting contract. Tom had asked about the meeting time the night before.

Liam looked up from his plate.

“Aunt Erin, can’t we live here?”

Every face turned toward me again.

Tom had made the decision. Now refusing it would make me the woman who ruined Thanksgiving and turned two children away.

I took out my phone and opened the family group chat.

I typed slowly enough that no one could pretend to misunderstand.

I did not agree to let Kelly and her family move in. I did not agree to give up my office or take care of her children. We will discuss this after tonight.

Tom’s expression hardened as he read it.

Kelly’s livestream was still running.

I reached over, ended it, and handed her phone back.

“Don’t tell anyone this was my decision again.”

Tom caught my arm and pulled me into the hallway.

His fingers pressed into my skin.

“Do you have to humiliate two homeless children in front of the entire family?”

I looked down at his hand until he let go.

Behind us, twenty-three people had gone quiet.

And not one of them asked why my husband had promised away my room, my workday, and my time before he bothered to tell me.