Page 65 of Sins and Secrets

“What are you doing here?” I hiss “This is for your sister!” My body freezes to the chair but my intrusive thoughts imagine walking up and slapping the shit out of him. Although, what’s really stopping me? Hmmm. Bail money, maybe? I don’t want to hijack this brunch any more than I have.

He flashes me the smile he uses when he’s attempting to win me over. It used to work. It would’ve worked a month ago. But now I see it for what it is—he’s a little kid trying to get out of trouble. And it’s not cute or sexy, it’s pathetic.

“Baby, I know there’s something you’ve wanted for a long time, and I haven’t been man enough to give it to you. It’s my fault.”

Yes. Yes, it is.

“You’re jealous of my sister for getting married, but…”

What? I whip around to Angie. She’s glaring at me likeIdid something wrong. But, over her shoulder, Carol beams in the corner.

He gets down on one knee and I throw up in my mouth, choke on my own vomit, and die right there. He’s proposing to me at his sister’s bridal brunch. What in the actual fuck? And if I say no, the next week will be an endless barrage of how selfish, jealous, and attention seeking I am.

But that’s not who I am.

And at this moment, every cloud over the last five years lifts. No, the clouds have been there longer. Maybe since Mom died. But Mom, Sheila, Nana, Izzy, or any other strong woman I know would never put up with this shit right here.

I stand, my legs moving of their own accord. The women in the room squeal in delight as I stop in front of him.

Before I can say anything, he looks up at me as I tower over him, and says, “Baby, I forgive you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Forgive me?” I whisper so only he can hear. I put my hand on his cheek, my thumb resting on his throat. “This is your sister’s day, let’s not take any more attention from her.” My voice is sugary sweet, but my nail digs into his skin. “Let’s go outside and talk.” He swallows under my fingers. “Besides, what happens next might not be appropriate to do in front of your mom and grandma,” I say with a sultry and playful tone as I turn my head back to the rest of the women and give them a melodramatic wink.

Stepping past him, I walk out of the room, not sparing anyone a backward glance. He scrambles to his feet and calls out to everyone, “She’s gonna say yes.”

I am quite familiar with this hotel by now, and I guide him past the lobby into a hallway that leads toward the conference rooms. He grabs my wrist, but I twist out of his grip.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he hisses.

“Me? I didn’t crash my sister's party and propose in front of thirty women.”

“What the hell else was I supposed to do? You won’t talk to me.”

I raise my eyebrow. “You’re supposed to talk to my lawyer.”

He throws his arms up. “Why the fuck do we need lawyers? I don’t know what you think you heard, or what you believe happened, but you’re wrong.”

Wow, gaslighting 101.

“Oh, am I? Then why don’t you tell me what I saw?”

“How the hell should I know? But you ruined my coworker’s purse and someone stuck all my stuff in a storage unit.”

“Oh, that reminds me. You’ve got thirty days to pay the storage bill. Better get on that.” No reason to hold back. I’m done protecting his feelings.

He pushes his hair back off his face and shakes his head. “Waverly, I’m trying to be nice here. Give you the benefit of the doubt.Youhad a lapse of judgment, andyoujumped to conclusions.”

I’m not buying it, and he can tell. All kindness and fake sorrow vanish from his eyes, replaced with the truth. How did I not see it until now?

“I was having a bad day,” he sputters and throws his hands in the air. “I’m sorry.”

He’s not sorry at all. His rage masks again as he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. It’s for show. A careful, choreographed act. “I’m sorry. It was one time.”

“Do you mean cheating on me or being a general shitty boyfriend?”

He flinches when I hit him with the truth and his voice drops into a quiet whisper. “I wanted to see if I could find someone more compatible and less… immoral.”

The most boring vanilla sex in the world. Yep, not too hard to find that. But I don’t say that. No, I hit him with facts. “My condo has cameras.” He lifts his head, panic washing over his face. I cross my arms and tilt my head, “Only once? You gonna stick with the same answer?”

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