Page 87 of Enthrall
Only to be jolted awake by the ring of the doorbell.
Drying off and scrambling for my robe, I made my way to the front door. It was Bailey and I gestured for her to come in quickly before someone caught a glimpse of my damp robe, which clung to my limbs, leaving nothing to the imagination.
She stepped in. “Do you have a minute?”
“Of course,” I said.
“You were taking a shower? Sorry.”
“A bath.”
“You never take baths.”
“I know—”
“Tara’s seeing someone else.” Her face crinkled and tears flowed. “We just had the most terrible argument.”
I guided her toward the armchair where she plopped down into it, defeated.
I lowered myself to the floor to sit before Bailey and gave her knee a reassuring squeeze. “What happened?”
She wiped her nose. “Tara had her heart set on Australia. It was all she talked about. I’d come to terms with losing her. I know she’s not going now but she’s spending more and more time in Venice.”
“Are you guys still having sex?” I don’t know why I asked that. It kind of came out.
“Yes,” said Bailey. “She’s been a lot more experimental too.”
I wondered if I’d started a line of questioning I wasn’t prepared for.
“Why?” she said.
“Well it means there’s still something special between you. Have you asked Tara if she really is seeing someone else?”
“Yes.” Bailey sniffed. “She denies it.”
“Well then.”
“I feel terrible. I’ve been scouring her facebook page for evidence. And her phone. Breeching her trust and acting like an obsessive girlfriend.”
“Love can be hard,” I said, with no experience to back that up.
“Women have a feel for these things.”
“Tara adores you,” I said. “She’s independent and that’s what you love about her.”
“I don’t know if I can cope with losing her again.”
“You didn’t lose her.”
“No, but I kind of came to terms with the whole Australia thing.”
I gave a nod, acknowledging she had a point.
She wiped her nose with a tissue she’d pulled from her sleeve. “How are things with you?”
“Good.”
“Did you really do that thing? Flash your boss?”
