Page 103 of Frosting and Flames

“I planned the event.”

“Oh.”

The air between us goes thick with awkward tension and I give her a tight smile, ready to move on, but she stops me.

“I didn’t know you and Kyle were still dating when he and I got together,” she rushes to say. “He said you had broken up.”

Now it’s my turn to mumble, “Oh.” A third emotion creeps in. Pity.

“I only found out from other people later,” she continues. There’s something sad and urgent in her tone, as if she needs me to believe her. “I felt so stupid. And then I discovered I was pregnant and I…” Her voice breaks, her lower lip quivering. “I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to say anything.”

The pity intensifies. She’s not the enemy. She was deceived, the same as I was.

“I guess I was ashamed,” she finishes, her face downcast. “I’m still ashamed. I’m… I’m the other woman.”

Tears leak from her eyes then, dripping down her cheeks in fat rivulets. She begins to cry in earnest and I’m conscious of people staring. Oh God, how must this look to everyone else?

I try to lead her to the edge of the crowd, to get away from prying eyes, but she’s resistant, looking at me again with a pleading desperation. As if I can absolve her in some way.

“I’m a homewrecker,” she insists. “You must hate me.”

It sounds an awful lot like she hates herself, but I don’t think I should say that aloud. “No, Autumn—”

“She’s lying.”

We both look over at Kyle, who’s panting as if he ran over from God knows where. What’s he talking about? Autumn’s lying? About being sorry?

No, wait. He’s looking at me.

“What?” Autumn says, the word coming out all sniffly.

“Rachel’s the one trying to get back together with me.” There’s a cocky half-smirk on his mouth I remember all too well.

Autumn looks at me, confused. I’m sure I’m giving her an equally confused expression back.

“Rachel didn’t say anything about you,” Autumn says slowly, uncertainty shadowing her features.

Kyle’s smirk falters. “But you’re crying.”

“Everything makes me cry now,” she says, rubbing her belly. “You’d know that if you ever paid attention. What do you mean, she’s lying?”

Oh, I get it. He assumed I was spilling the beans about what he’s been up to lately, saying he misses me and wants me back. So… he thought he’d turn it around on me as the instigator? God, he’s pathetic.

I roll my eyes, waiting to hear what excuse he’ll come up with.

“She…” His gaze shifts between us, sweat popping on his brow. “She wasn’t telling you lies about…”

Autumn’s gaze narrows on him, her voice sharper as she says, “That you want to get back together with her?”

He rubs at the back of his neck, looking down at the ground now. “Never mind.”

“No, I want to hear about this.” She crosses her arms over her belly, which shouldn’t look as intimidating as it does. “Why would you rush over here to say that?”

“I was mistaken,” he mumbles.

“Why would you assume that if there wasn’t some truth to it?” She turns to me. “What’s really going on?”

I take a step back in the wake of her ferocity. “I don’t want to get involved.”

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