Page 10 of Whatever It Takes

“I guess I just don’t get it. If he was going to break up with you, he never should’ve asked you to marry him in the first place,” Mackenzie said, as Erica nodded in agreement.

“Exactly,” I agreed, and uncorked the next bottle of wine and started to refill our glasses. This was why these two were my best friends. They got me in a way that no one else would.

We all raised our glasses in the air. “A toast…to assholes.”

“I sure know how to pick ’em,” I said, thinking about how both men turned out to be big disappointments.

Erica waved her hand in the air. “Please, I think I still have you beat in that department.”

“I’m starving. I think we should order a pizza,” Mackenzie suggested and leaned back into the couch.

“With extra cheese and pepperoni,” I added and picked up my phone so I could log into Uber Eats. “Wine and pizza. It’s a good thing I wore leggings.”

The rest of the night was spent with us laughing and drinking three bottles of wine. I’d like to say that the pizza helped absorb some of the alcohol from my system, but judging by the way the room spun, it was safe to say that I was feeling slightly tipsy.

I reached over to close the pizza box when my phone buzzed on the coffee table. Expecting it to be Grant’s mom telling me to come pick up Emery from her sleepover, I was surprised to see the message from an unknown number. I picked it up and swiped the screen. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach when I read the message.

It’s Quinn.We need to talk!

Erica raisedher eyebrows when she saw my expression. “Who is it?”

“It’s Quinn,” I answered, holding the phone up to my chest. My heart was beating a mile a minute.

“Shut up!” Mackenzie shouted and leaned forward to get a better look. She was so drunk she practically stumbled into my lap. “Let me see.”

I panicked and held the phone out of her reach. “I don’t trust you.”

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes and grabbed my phone.

“How did he get your number?” Erica asked. “Did you give it to him?”

“Of course not.” I looked at her like that was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard.

“He’s on the fucking government payroll, for Christ’s sake,” Mackenzie shouted, almost rupturing my eardrum. “Holy shit.” She jumped off the couch and ran to the windows. She pulled the shades up to look outside.

“What are you doing?” I asked, watching her press her face up against the glass.

“He probably has a tracker on your phone. He’s probably sitting outside in his black town car watching the house as we speak.”

Erica laughed. “You’ve been watching too manyLaw and Orderepisodes.”

Mackenzie walked over and sat next to me. My mind was all over the place. Quinn was slowly invading every little corner of my life. I couldn’t even have a girl’s night out without him occupying my thoughts.

I wish I could have blamed it on the wine, but his message sat there on the table taunting me. A knot formed in my stomach as I remembered that when Quinn Walker had his mind set on something, there was no stopping him.

“Are you going to text him back?” Erica asked, slipping a slice of pizza out of the box and taking a huge bite.

“And say what? Thank him for telling me about my husband’s affair? Or should I tell him how happy I am that he finally confessed to the real reason he broke off our engagement?” I shook my head defiantly. “I don’t think so. Quinn Walker can kiss my ass.” I rose from the couch, feeling a little tipsy. “I’m going to the bathroom.”

I stepped inside and glanced at myself in the mirror. It felt like my whole world was imploding around me. A part of me wished that I could run away and escape all my problems just like Grant did. It had been three weeks since he’d been gone. Three confusing and agonizing weeks. I haven’t been able to sleep or eat. All I do is lay in bed and question every decision I ever made.

Seven years I wasted on a man who ended up being the worst mistake I ever made. On top of it all, I now had to deal with the shock of Quinn telling me he lied about being with someone else. That lie was the reason I ended up drinking that night and sleeping with Grant. It was why I was standing in the bathroom of my best friend’s condo wondering how the hell this was my life.

I stood there for a full five minutes and contemplated Quinn’s text. I would not let the curiosity get the better of me. Whatever he had to say wouldn’t change a damn thing.

After washing my hands, I made my way back into the living room and found Erica and Mackenzie giggling on the couch.

“What did I miss?” I asked, causing their laughter to stop.

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