“And this mystery man that just happened to break up our marriage?”
Oh my god. “No, Gerard, we broke up our marriage. Me because I hung onto something that wasn’t”—I swallow, hating that I have to say it—“real. And you because you didn’t believe in me, and you didn’t stick by me. It had nothing to do with some underlying plan to get away from you to run off with my lover!”
“So you’re admitting you have a lover.”
Sweet Jesus. She’s corrupted him.
“You know what?” I hiss, standing up. “This is the last time I try and do this the right way. If you wish to sit and listen to your sister fill your head with lies, then you go ahead and investigate me. I’ve done nothing wrong, and I won’t be punished for being stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time and living the worst moments of my life while you worked!” I’m screaming by the end of it.
Calm down.
Breathe.
“Hey.”
The voice comes from behind me, and I recognize it as Sheldon’s. I jerk when his hands close around my upper arms. “Time to go.”
“Is this him?” Gerard growls, leaping up.
“Look, man, don’t know who you think I am, but I’m just here helping out a friend.”
“I’ll figure out what you two have been doing behind my back!” Gerard roars as Sheldon leads me down the sidewalk, all eyes on us.
“Thank you,” I whisper when we get out of sight.
“Heath sent me.”
“So you’ve been the one following me,” I murmur, reaching my car and unlocking it.
“An interesting life you lead, Miss Lucy.”
I smile weakly at him.
He returns it.
It doesn’t make me feel better.
CHAPTER 18
L – Your bodyguard returned me home safe and sound.
H – I know, he told me. You okay?
L – My husband thinks I had an affair and made you up to get out of the marriage, so no. He’s also investigating me.
H – He’s what?
L – Yup. He wants to prove I did something wrong.
H – Shit. I’ll call in ten, okay?
L – Okay.
I curl up on the couch, my phone beside me, and wish in that moment that I had some friends around to talk to. I never realized, but in his own quiet, little way, Gerard made sure I never had them. We were always too busy, and if I made a potential friend, every time they’d ask me to go out something would conveniently come up. It’s sad the things we realize only after we exit a relationship. Things that were toxic to us—we just didn’t know it.
My phone rings ten minutes later, as promised, and I answer it without hesitation.
“Hey,” I say softly.
“Hey, honey, how you doin’?”
God, his voice. Him. Just. Yes. “I’m getting there.”
“Sheldon told me it was getting a bit heated and that’s why he stepped in. You okay?”
“Honestly, I’m glad he did. I was losing my shit with him, and for good reason. I can’t believe, even for a second, that he’d think I would do that to him. I might be a lot of things, but I was a good and loyal wife.”
“No doubt, baby,” he says, his voice soft and calming.
“You know a lot about the law. Do they have a leg to stand on?”
“No, because you did nothing. They can’t find something that isn’t there.”
“They could find you . . .”
“I know every private investigator in this town. Already made the call and found out who they’re using.”
I blink. “You can do that?”
“I have contacts everywhere. I’ve specifically told him that there is nothing to find, and he’ll report that. He was happy to. He said he didn’t like the way that woman spoke to him anyway.”
My throat goes tight, and for a few minutes I can’t speak. “You did that for me?”
“Do anything for you, baby. Fuckin’ anything.”
“I think I’m going to cry.”
He chuckles. “Don’t, honey.”
“Am I going to see you tonight?”
He sighs. “Can’t. I’ve got to go out. I’ll try and see you tomorrow night, though.”
“Can I go and hang out with the guys then?”
He laughs. “No, baby.”
I huff. “I have no friends. Does that make me tragic?”
“Not at all, but you definitely need to get some.”
I cross my legs. “How do you suppose I do that?”
“I don’t know. Do you like exercise?”
“If you call the act of sticking my hand in and out of a bag of chips exercise, then yes.”
His laugh gets deeper, heartier, and I decide in that moment it’s my favorite sound in the world. “There has to be something you like, something you could find a group and join.”
“I like to read . . .”
“Don’t they have those book clubs down at the libraries?”
“They do.”
“Try one out; it’s a great place to start meeting people.”
My heart swells with hope and I smile. “I’ll go and talk to the library tomorrow. Thanks, Heath.”
“Anytime. Listen, I have to cut this short. Text me if you need, yeah?”
I smile. “Yeah.”
“Night, baby.”
“Night, handsome.”
I hang up, and my heart feels a little lighter. He has a way of doing that to me. He makes everything feel okay again.