I'm about to go for a second big swig when the back door opens and Kaleigh walks in. She looks at me and drops her yoga mat.
“What happened?” She rushes over to me.
I take that swig before answering her. “I’m uptight, apparently.” I allow those hurt feelings along with the tears I’ve tried to keep at bay to consume me. “According to Austin, it’s why my husband left me,” I whimper before bringing the bottle back to my lips and finishing it off in one long pull.
“What are you talking about? Explain, please.” She goes to the wine fridge in the living room and comes back with another bottle. She looks for the cork screw, slamming drawers in effort to find it quickly.
I pull off the jacket that I was wearing today and climb up onto a stool, while she pours two glasses of wine. Handing one to me, she offers a toast. “To assholes, and to the women who think they’re fucking the prize.”
I nod in agreement and finish the glass off. I don’t think I even stop to breathe.
My phone rings from over by the front door. I don’t even move to get it, but Kaleigh does. “It’s Austin. I’m assuming this”—she points to the bottles of wine—“has to do with him?”
I don’t answer verbally; instead, I just offer her a jerky nod yes. She presses decline, and I see her fingers move over the screen. “Don’t bother,” I tell her. “I already quit.”
Her eyes snap up. “What did he do?”
“Well, he borrowed my car, possibly had sex in it, and when I called him out on it, he called me uptight. Me. ME, MEEE!” I shriek while pulling the bottle of wine closer to me. “We need to play Alanis.” I start pouring myself another glass.
“Fuck, I’m going to hide the sharp knives,” she murmurs as she heads into the living room and plugs in my phone. Her fingers move across the screen, and in no time, Alanis’ angry, raspy, knowing voice is serenading us in commiseration.
“After he said I’m uptight, which I totally am not. Remember that time I gave Jake car head in the driveway?” I ask her.
“Yes, I was very proud of you.” She comes around the counter to sit on another stool and listen to the rest of my story.
“Well, after that, he said that maybe if I loosened up a little, I’d still be married.” I look at her, letting the pain I felt at that moment show. “I’ll admit, maybe he’s onto something, but it’s not the whole reason. It’s because that skanky whore waved her non-saggy tits in my husband’s face, and he made the decision to sample what she was offering.” I look up at her with tear-filled eyes. “Right, Kay? I mean, you don’t think Austin is right, do you?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely not,” she says vehemently. “There is no fucking excuse whatso-fucking-ever for a married man to cheat on his wife. None. Not even if Gisele Fucking Bündchen comes in and sits on his dick while wearing goddamn angel wings.”
“I’m totally in agreement,” I mumble to myself as I get up and try to walk away, but my spinning head stops me before I can even take a step. I reach out to steady my woozy self with a hand on the counter. “We need pizza,” I tell Kaleigh as I let go of the counter, mentally crossing my fingers that I don’t fall.
Once the spinning stops, I make my way up the stairs, taking my tight skirt off when I reach my bedroom, and face planting on my bed. “He’s such an asshole. Right, Kay?” My voice comes out a bit muffled seeing as I’m facedown on the bed.
“I took my Post-it notes. Haha, take that.” I turn my head to the side, away from her. “I think I really liked him,” I admit quietly, while Kaleigh gets on the bed next to me. “I should have known better, right? No happy for me.” My eyes get heavier and heavier as I continue blinking. “I need a little nap,” I whisper right before I drift off to sleep.
Chapter 16
Austin
“Maybe if you loosened up a little, you would still be married.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I wished I could call them back. I didn’t even have to see her face to know I hurt her. Her body went rigid, and for a moment, I thought she was going to let me have it. Hell, I wish now that she had, because what she gave me instead of the dressing down I deserved was a million times worse. Despite her best efforts to mask it, I don’t think I will ever forget the wounded look on her face. I immediately wanted to pull her into my arms.
I wanted to tell her that I really was an asshat. But instead, I just stood there, watching her pack up all her things, even the fucking Post-its.
When I realized what she was doing, I tried to reach out to her, but she just dodged me and blocked my hands like she was protecting herself—from me—before she turned and practically ran away. And I fucking let her.
As if that were not bad enough, of course, Carmen, Steven, and—even worse—Barbara were all watching and heard the whole thing. Carmen and Steven refused to look at me and quickly dispersed, while Barbara just stood there shaking her head at me in disappointment. “That is going to cost you more than you realize, Austin.” Leaving me with that bit of wisdom, she walked around me and went back to her office.
“Fuck, don’t I know it,” I mutter under my breath as I head into my office, pick up my phone, and try calling Lauren.
No surprise, she must have declined the call, because it goes right to voicemail after two rings. “Motherfucker.”
I try calling her again right away, and as expected, it goes straight to voicemail. “Lauren,
