Page 13 of His Best Friend's Wife
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Imust have sleptlike the dead because when I peeked with one eye, I was surprised to see the full sunlight of midmorning streaming through the hotel room's gaudy flower-printcurtains.
I desperately missed having Cassie sprawled across me, but I could still smell her peaches and vanilla scent, which proved that our night of passion hadn't just been a wonderful dream. I turned and was disappointed to find the other side of the bed empty and cold. It was tempting to smell the pillow where her head had rested, but I decided that would be on the verge ofcreepy.
Wanting to surprise her in the shower, I got up and headed in that direction. When I found the bathroom empty, my heart raced. I could feel it jack-hammering like it was trying to pound its way out of my chest. My palms suddenly feltclammy.
Had she gone down to get us breakfast? Why would she do that and risk seeing Dirk when she could have just ordered roomservice?
My mind scrambled for a logical explanation for her sudden and secretive departure. If she had gotten an emergency call, she would have awakened me. The same went for if she had some place that she had to be this morning.Why wouldn't she have woken me up to tell megoodbye?
Had she not enjoyed herself and decided to save me the embarrassment of an awkward departure?The self-conscious side of me wanted to allow doubt about my sexual performance to arise, but I was sure that she had enjoyed our lovemaking. Hell, people in rooms two floors above and below us probably knew that she liked fucking me. She'd been quite vocal aboutit.
Would last night, which had been the most amazing, tender, life-affirming, and world-rocking sexual experience of my life, end up ruining my friendship with both of the people I held most dear? Did she run because she couldn't face me?The idea made the bitter taste of bile burn my throat. I had to choke it backdown.
Deep inside, my heart sensed that the guilt over our affair had most likely started to creep in and get to Cassie. She had probably fled to chastise herself and try to figure out a way to tell her husband that she had spent the night with his bestfriend.
I didn't see a way for this scenario to work out well for any ofus.
Hoping beyond hope that I was wrong and would find Cassie downstairs ordering us coffee, I showered, dressed, and took the elevator down to the lobby. Dirk's skank of the night was doing her walk of shame past the front desk in last night's clothes. I breathed a sigh of relief that Dirk wasn't with her. I wasn't ready to face him yet, but I didn't want Cassie to have to do it alone. We were in this togethernow.
After a quick bite to eat, I checked out of the hotel and went to my car. I had sent Cassie a text, but she hadn't responded. I didn't want Dirk walking up behind me while I was on the phone with her, so I waited until I was alone in my car to callher.
She didn't pick up. I didn't want to leave too much on her voicemail, in case Dirk got ahold of it before we had a chance to tell him, so I said in my most chipper voice, "Hi Cass, Just checking in on how you're doing. We need to talk. Call meback."
I sat there staring at the phone for a long while after I clicked the 'End' button as if I expected her to return my call immediately. She didn't, so I felt at a loss for what todo.
The conference was wrapping up this morning, so I wasn't missing much more than closing remarks. I didn't want to bump into Dirk before Cassie and I talked. It wasn't fair to drop the bombshell of our affair on him before she had even had a chance to process what hadhappened.
The sun was streaming through the window of my parked car, and I quickly found myself in the midst of a delightful daydream where I pounded on Dirk's front door, whisked Cassie into my armsAn Officer and a Gentlemanstyle. I'd seen that old movie more than I cared to because Cassie loved it, and Dirk refused to watch it with her. Sure, I didn't have the white uniform, but it would still be fun to carry her off to our happily-ever-afterending.
I was picturing what kind of hat I could wear that she could steal off my head to plop on her own, when a knock at the car window startled me. I was not at all pleased to see that it wasDirk.
He motioned for me to roll the window down, so I turned the key in the ignition to comply. I wasn't sure if I should brace myself for a punch in the face, but he said jovially, "You're bailing early too,huh?"
"What? Oh yeah," I responded brilliantly. He didn't seem to notice my extreme level of distraction. The blood was thundering in my ears. I was relieved that he didn't already know, but dreaded having him find out. As much as I wanted Cassie for myself, I also didn't want to see himhurt.
"You blowing off the office today?" He clearly had no idea about last night'stransgressions.
I considered blurting it out, but this didn't seem like the right time or place. After clearing my throat, I said, "Probably.You?"
"Yep. I think I'll spend the day with my wife. I haven't spent a lot of quality time with her lately, and you know how Cassie gets when I'm not attentive enough." He gave me a cocky grin as if I would agree that having an old ball-and-chain is reallytorture.
I felt like smacking that smug smile right off his face, and I knew that I could with a simple statement, but I also knew that telling him in anger what happened was not the best way to go. It appalled me that he spent the night with someone else last night and now he intended to make it up to Cassie by spending a little time with her. She deserved so much better thanthat.
The niggling part of my brain said that Cassie had been with someone else too, but I knew that was the first time she had done anything of that nature. Dirk did it all thetime.
Instead of confessing my sins, I sat there like a big dumbass. Dirk didn't seem to notice anything amiss as he said, "Okay, have a good one. See ya' onMonday."
I nodded, but doubted that we'd be having a normal return to business on Monday morning. He climbed into his convertible BMW and reversed out of the parking space next to me without a second look in mydirection.
After I checked my phone, hoping I had missed a call or text from Cassie, I sighed in disappointment and went to the office. Even though I had told Dirk that I wasn't going in, I couldn't think of anyplace else to go. I didn't want to be at home alone, and I needed to wait for word from Cassie before going over to theirhouse.
Unsurprisingly, I wasn't able to focus on anything at work. After staring at my computer screen, but not making any progress for over an hour, I finally turned off the machine. I checked my phone for the thousandth time, hoping for a response from Cassie. I wanted to chuck it across the room when the blank display screen stared back at me...mockingme.
Finally, deciding I couldn't take the suspense any longer, I headed over to Dirk and Cassie's house.Time to pay the piper,I said aloud as I started my car. Convincing myself that it was better for us all to have it out in the open, I tried to practice what I would say when I arrived. Since I didn't know if Cassie had already told him or not, I finally realized that I would just have to figure out what to say when I gotthere.
I took some deep breaths after parking in their circular driveway. I truly didn't want to hurt my best friend, but my actions had already sealed our fate on that. As much as I didn't want to tell him, I really didn't want Cassie to have to tell him byherself.
