Page 72 of This Means War

Immediately I bristle in defense. “Yeah, well I’ve kind of got a lot going on right now, Saul. I just quit my job. I’m trying to run a campaign. I had a huge fight with my wife, and now I can’t find her. Oh, and did I mention I just got diagnosed with diabetes? Somehow, I don’t think Satan is my biggest problem.” I shake my head. “Once I’m back in control of my life, then I’ll tell her. I can figure all this out by myself.”

Saul shakes his head. “Don’t you see, Cole? Satanhas already done his job. He’s convinced you that you don’t need God. The Bible says he is the father of lies, and look what a job he’s done lying to you. The truth is we all need God. He’s the only answer for our innate desire to be loved and approved, the only answer to where can I find true rest from the struggles of this world?”

I stare at Saul. I want to deny his words, tell him he’s wrong, but there’s something stopping me from doing so:longing.

Deep inside me there’s a desperate, roaring longing for his words to be true. A longing for God to take the heavy burdens I’ve been carrying for so long and replace them with something lighter: His love.

“I didn’t know about your diabetes diagnosis, Cole,” Saul continues gently, “And I’m sorry to hear of it. That must seem so overwhelming to have to adjust to a new lifestyle while still working your demanding hours, running a campaign, and trying to act like you’ve got it all together. That’s more than any man could bear on his own.” I nod, his words ringing true.

“It’s been so hard,” I admit in a haggard whisper.

“Then why are you trying to do it alone?” Saul replies matter-of-factly. “Let Lydia help you. God blessed you with a woman who loves you and wants to support you; don’t reject that. Accept the gift.”

“You think Lydia loves me?”

Saul gives me a bemused smile. “She’s your wife. Of course, she loves you.”

“She’s my wife because she got pregnant,” I saydully. “I’m not sure love factored into it for her.”

“Are you telling me the two of you have never exchanged I love you’s?” Saul is shocked as I nod in confirmation. “Oh, my boy.” Saul shakes his head. “You’d better fix that fast. Lydia is something special; you need to make sure she knows it.”

“We had a fight,” I admit. “I was looking for her before I saw you. I was finally going to tell her how I feel about her.” An alert chimes on my phone, and I pull it out of my pocket, praying it’s Lydia. It isn’t, and the message I see there makes my blood run cold.

“Everything okay?” Saul asks, peering at me in concern.

“She knows,” I whisper, holding out the phone for him to see the text my dad just sent me. I don’t hear his response; the sound of blood rushing in my ears is too loud.

What the heck is this, Cole? You kissed Ashley! Mandy Avondale just told everyone about it–including your wife. The clip of her finding out is all over the news circuits. This is going to ruin your campaign. Ruin it.

And there below his message is a grainy photo. The pixelation of the photo doesn’t hide the identities of the two people in it: Ashley and I in that elevator, kissing.

Chapter 52

Lydia

I think I’mhyperventilating. Or possibly dying. I’m not sure which. I feel numb all over. My breaths are tripping over themselves in their haste to escape. The scene that took place ten feet away under studio lights keeps replaying over and over in my mind like a track stuck on repeat.

One minute Mandy was asking me normal questions about Cole’s campaign and what it’s like being married to him. Then the next she was accusing me of faking our happy marriage and shoving a picture of Cole kissing Ashley into my shocked face. For the briefest second, I was ready to tell her it must be an old picture, but then I saw Ashley’s outfit. A black top tucked into a white skirt. The outfit from her Instagram post the day Cole fainted at Saul’s office. Only a week ago. That was when pain seared through me, and I fled the set before collapsing into one of the hair and make-up chairs. Which is where I still am, since my fight or flight adrenaline ran out and now my legs won’tmove.

“Lydia,” Mandy’s voice, which I always found so friendly before, sounds like fingernails dragging across a chalkboard. “Are you alright? Do you need someone to see you to your car?” She sighs. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, but honestly, I’m saving you a lot more hurt in the long run. Once a cheater, always a cheater.” She tosses her long red hair, and I fight the urge to yank it.

“I think,” I say evenly, “if you actually cared about sparing me hurt, you would’ve told me privately about that photo.”

Mandy clicks her tongue. “But my ratings wouldn’t have gotten a boost if I’d done it that way, now would they? I’ve got my sights set on bigger things than the local news. Anyway, if I hadn’t said yes when Ashley asked if I wanted a scoop on Cole Jacobson, someone else would’ve. She managed to get Deb’s Deets to run her first article, and that woman’s blog posts go viral regularly.”

I stare at her stunned. “Ashley is the one who gave you the photo?”

Mandy nods. “Of course. Honey, it’s often the mistress who wants to tell the wife in these types of situations.”

“I don’t understand. She knew this would hurt Cole too. His campaign will be devastated by this. If they’re having an affair, why would she do that to him?”

“Well, she was quite irate when she called me, going on about how you’d ruined her life andstolen her fiancé. I’m guessing it was for revenge…which really should make you feel better,” she adds thoughtfully. “He must’ve decided to end things with her and stick with you.”

I’m speechless for a minute. She thinks I stole her fiancé? They were engaged? No one ever told me that. Surely, Josh or Delia would’ve mentioned it. Delia! Something clicks in my brain. Her apologetic posture as she told me she and Ashley were no longer friends. She’d been about to tell me something Ashley had done to make her end their friendship when Josh interrupted us.

“Oh my gosh,” I exclaim. “That’s how she knew about law school! Delia must’ve told her.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Mandy rolls her eyes. “Now, do you need help to your car or not, because I have somewhere to be.”

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