Page 28 of The Wrong Side Of Us

“I went to your apartment,” I finally said, meeting his gaze.

It was hard to decipher exactly the evident emotions on his face. First there was disbelief, then hurt…then another shade of anger.

“You did what?”

“I went to your apartment,” I repeated firmly.

He scoffed. “This is unbelievable. Okay, so?”

“There were women’s clothes on the floor…wine…and clearly some fucking going on in the shower.”

“What?” The question was breathless, and Jesus, I couldn’t read him. Typically, I didn’t have trouble figuring out what the hell was going, especially not with him. I knew him.

But now everything seemed so blurred; the lines between reality and what I thought was happening were all merging, and I couldn’t separate it. I refused to back down; I knew what I heard, what I saw. He needed to be honest with me no matter how painful the truth could be.

I didn’t want to live a lie.

“Tell me who you were with,” I insisted.

“I told you I was with Jessica, but I wasn’t at my apartment, Evelyn!” He was yelling now, clearly exasperated and losing his patience. “I don’t know what makes you think I’m cheating in the first place, Evie, but—”

“I already answered that! You’ve been distant and—”

“I answered that too! Jesus Christ, Evie…and I don’t know what you thought you heard in my apartment, but I. wasn’t. there.”

I rolled my eyes, unable to believe a word he was saying. “Then who was?”

“I don’t know!” He ran his hands through his hair, frustration evident in his posture. Until suddenly, his expression changed. He cursed, closing his eyes and leaning back against the wall. “Thomas…fucking Thomas.”

“What?”

“Your former professor,” he muttered. “He’s supposed to be visiting sometime this week, and he’s listed as someone who has access to the apartment. It must have been him.”

I wanted to believe him, but I was terrified. “How do I know you’re not lying?”

Humorlessly, Nathan laughed, letting himself slide down the wall. “I was with Jessica, yes…but I was also with a jeweler. I was looking for a ring to propose to you with.”

***

When I woke up the next morning, I could hear voices in the living room. I dreaded going. I didn’t want to see anyone, didn’t want to hear anyone. I went on to brush my teeth and face, trying to look less shitty than I felt.

After I finished, I went over to the living room, only to realize that the voices came from the TV and that Nathan was the only one sitting there, his hair disheveled, shirt undone and a glass of bourbon in his hand. He stared at the liquid numbly, swirling it without really paying attention to anything else.

He looked like he’d had a shitty night too.

“You’re still here,” I said quietly.

He glanced up, his eyes traveling down my body and lingering on my empty wrist. Clearing his throat, he set the glass down and ran his hands over his face tiredly. “I can leave if you want.”

“To your apartment?”

“Wherever,” he muttered. “You should eat something; I don’t think you ate at all last night, and that’s not good for you. I know you don’t believe me, but I wasn’t at my apartment, Evie. I don’t live there. I live here, with you. This is my home. Wherever you are is my home.” A shiver ran down my body, but he continued talking. “Jesse is coming over to clear this up. And considering this is somehow Tom’s fault, he’ll be here too.”

I blinked, focusing my blurry vision on Nathan. “It was him?”

“Yeah…it was.”

I felt ashamed because he seemed truly hurt. Why? I didn’t understand, but he was. Awkward silence surrounded us for several minutes until there was a knock on the door. Nathan didn’t wait, and when he opened it, I was immediately met with Jessica’s voice…and my former professor. He walked in cautiously, especially when Nathan glared at him.

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