Torrid Affair(77)

Nicole: You look beautiful.

I glanced up and looked around. The kitchen was empty. My glare moved to his office where I spotted him on his chair. He smiled, and my phone buzzed.

Nicole: Hi.

I shoved my phone in my pocket and pushed off the chair. “I'm going to head in,” I stated. “I have an early day tomorrow.”

“Goodnight,” Delaney said.

“I'll be right in.” Julian grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. He then looked over at Delaney and began telling her he had attended the same camp Caleb was at when he was a kid. I was halfway up the steps when I pulled out my phone.

Me: Hi

Nicole: I can't stop thinking about you.

Me: I know what you mean.

Nicole: You’re not going to tell me to stop?

Me: I can’t fight it anymore.

A few seconds passed before the three little dots appeared on my screen.

Nicole: Leave him.

Me: I can’t.

I waited for Nate to respond, but when he didn’t, I sent him a message.

Me: Leave her.

Nicole: Tell me when.

Me: What are we doing?

Nicole: I don’t know. It feels too perfect to stop.

I stared at his message. It was perfect.

My phone buzzed with a new statement.

Nicole: You're avoiding me.

Me: You know why.

Nicole: Tell me you don't want this, and I'll leave you alone.

Me: This is wrong.

Nicole: But it feels right.

Me: We can’t keep doing this.

Nicole: What? Texting?

Me: Ass! I don't want to be your dirty mistress.

Nicole: I want to be with you.

Me: You know that's not possible.

Nicole: Why?

Me: Julian. Delaney. Caleb.

Nicole: So we should be miserable because of them? My life is like the people in a picture frame at a store. The people look happy, their life seems perfect. But I was a stranger in it all. I love my son, and that will never change, but whether I’m with you or her, he will still be my son.

Me: No, we can't be together. I’m not some random girl you fell in love with. I was her roommate in college, her best friend. And let’s not forget that I married your brother. Every which way we look at this, it’s wrong.

Nicole: But I need you.

Me: I know. Me too. But we can’t.

Nicole: Just one taste.

Me: Stop.

Nicole: I still remember what your body feels like. I could never forget.

Me: Stop talking like that.

Nicole: Tell me you forgot about me and I'll stop.

I exhaled the visions that bombarded my mind.

Me: Your office is red.

Nicole: If it were up to me, I'd paint the whole damn house red. Everything reminds me of you, but the red on the wall reminds me of a night I could never forget It’s a constant reminder of everything I lost.

I sighed. My heart ached in my chest as I remembered a time where it was only the two of us breaking into a school to paint a Christmas tree on a wall.

Me: I should go. I have an early day tomorrow.

Nicole: Tell me.

Me: What?

Nicole: That you still love me.

Me: You know I never stopped.

Nicole: Me either.

Me: Maybe in a different lifetime.

Nicole: Maybe.

Maybe in a different universe, Nate and I could be happily married. Maybe then we could have had our happily ever after.





Chapter 30





Nathaniel

She was living only a few feet away yet I couldn’t have her. Not the way I wanted. Most of the time I felt I was in front of a candy store and the doors were locked. I spent hours in my office looking up into her bedroom hoping to get a glimpse of her. Even a smile was enough.

Our text messages continued back and forth, and my phone was glued to me at all times. It got to the point that Delaney brought it to my attention.

“Are you going to put that thing down?” Delaney said from across the room. We were in the living room watching a movie with Caleb late Friday night.

“Huh?” I said and placed the phone on the coffee table. Face down.

“You’re always on that thing. It’s literally glued to your hand.” Delaney stood and walked over to the bar. She uncorked a bottle of wine and poured herself a glass. My gaze was on her. She had already polished off one bottle during dinner.

“Are you . . .” Words failed me. There had to be a way to ask her if she was planning to drink another entire bottle.

“Don’t.” she barked from across the room.

“I didn’t say anything.” I lifted my hands in defeat.

“Your eyes say it all, Nate. It’s been a hellish week at work. I need a drink.” Delaney brought the glass to her lips and sipped the Merlot.

“How’s work going?”

“Why do you care?”

“Because you’ve been drinking almost every day. If work is bad maybe you should sell the boutique.”

“First.” She placed her glass on a side table. “I’m not drinking every day. I usually have a few glasses throughout the week and that’s to unwind. Second, I’m doing something I love. I’m not one to sit home and be your desperate housewife who waits for you to come home.”