Page 27 of Magnetic God

She doesn’t even look up from the TV. “Yes please.”

I’m in the kitchen grabbing our drinks when I hear her gasp.

“Let me guess. The football player proposed to the pop star?”

“Hannah! Brooks is on TV!”

“What?”

Leaving the cans in the kitchen, I run to the living room. Sure enough, a video of Brooks is playing. He’s walking through an airport, a brunette at his side. He’s pulling two piece of luggage behind him. One is his. The other is bright pink.

“Brooks, can you tell us why you and your wife reconciled?”

“No comment.”

The woman next to him smiles. “We’re expecting.”

Icy daggers stab at my chest as my brain tries to process what’s happening. His wife? He said he was divorced! And they’re expecting? Horror fills me. That means he was with her while he was with me!

“Hannah?” Jess’ voice sounds far away, like she’s in a tunnel. Or maybe I’m the one in the tunnel. I can’t be sure.

Brooks leads the woman to a waiting SUV, where she climbs in first. He closes her door and rounds the SUV, getting in on the other side. The video ends and the TV host steps into the frame, smiling.

“We reached out to McGruff’s team, and they confirmed that Brooks and his wife, Liza, have withdrawn their petition for divorce. If what Liza said is true, then we wish the couple all the best.” He turns to look at a different camera. “Now, onto…”

A loud ringing fills my ears.

No.

No, it can’t be true!

Brooks wouldn’t do that to me.

He wouldn’t!

Jess says, “I’m sorry, Han.”

“I need to go.”

She looks worried as she asks, “Are you sure you should drive right now? You’re upset…”

“I’ll be fine. Promise.”

I’m anything but fine. My entire world is crashing down around me. Of course I’m not fine!

She says, “Text me when you get to the dorm.”

I nod, trying to keep it together as I rush from her apartment, all but tripping down the stairs.

This is just some kind of mistake. A reporter who got the facts wrong. Brooks isn’t married. He told me so. Why would he lie? A sob bubbles its way up my throat, but I refuse to let it out.

I’m dialing Brooks before I reach my car.

“Come on,” I pray. “Answer.”

My eyes sting and I swipe at the tears that are falling.

“Hello?”

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