Page 10 of Prince of Tides
“You don’t know?”
I shook my head, pausing to grab some more tissues and blow my nose.
“If he didn’t cheat, what did he do?”
My cheeks burned with shame as I lifted my head, looking into matching brown eyes highlighted with bright yellow, turning them more of an amber. We looked a lot alike, and that was just one of the similarities. Though we were never confused for twins, everyone could see we were related. Same eyes, same cleft chin, thick manes of hair—although Mel’s was currently black with a pair of purple highlights—and bodies a hair or two more curvaceous than either of us would really prefer. We also liked pasta and pizza too much to do anything about it.
“Good lord, Laur,” Mel said, and I almost wished I had a mirror. She looked horrified, which probably meant I looked even more horrible than I felt.
“You were right,” I said in a whisper-moan. “Oh, you were right.”
“I was?” she asked in growing confusion. “About what?”
“All of you. About Eric,” I said, fresh tears springing from my ducts as I relived the conversation I’d heard. “He was using me. For money. I don’t get it. Hehasmoney. He’s not broke. Why would he do this to me? Why lie to me, hurt me? God, Mel, he called me a Trust Fund Barbie. As fuckingif!”
Mel’s nostrils flared, and her eyes lit with a fury I’d rarely seen. “Hewhat?”
I nodded. “I heard him. He said he was going for a walk, but he took a long time, so I went looking for him. He was in a guest room with the lights off. I heard his voice as I walked by and listened in. He said I was an idiot, that I hadn’t evenmentioneda prenup. That the money was basically his, just a few more years, and he was a free man.”
“That asshole!” Mel snarled. “What the fuck is his problem? What does he need your money for?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “He didn’t talk about that. But god, I’m an idiot. How could I not see it? You all warned me, and I didn’t listen. I stuck up for him, defended him, said he wasn’t what everyone thought he was, and then this?”
Melanie gathered me into a hug. “Hush. It’s going to be okay,” she said, rubbing my back with her hand. “You know now, at least.”
“Yeah,” I said, shaking with sobs. “So much timewasted,though!”
“Don’t think about it that way,” Mel ordered. “Just be relieved you aren’t wasting anymoretime.”
“I guess.” I didn’t really believe that. Ihadwasted my time. Nothing came from it. I was almost thirty, and I’d be starting all over again. No boyfriend, no fiancé, definitely no husband, and my dreams of a family were dashed as well. I wanted to have some babies of my own, but who knew if I would ever get the chance?
My insides ached. From the loss of what I’d had, but also from what Imighthave had.
“Does—does he know?” Mel asked tentatively. “Like, is he still out there? Should we get Dad or Bryan to walk him out?”
I shook my head. I didn’t want my family involved. My brother could be a bit of a hothead when it came to his sisters, and I didn’t want a fight.
“You can’t let him stay here, though,” Mel said. “He’s got to go. I want that asshole out of my house.”
“But if I do that, then I have to tell Dad,” I said hoarsely.
I was already burning with embarrassment and shame for being so naïve. I didn’t know if I could handle my father’s “I told you so” attitude right then.
“Laurie. Youhaveto do something. We have to go to Dad and let him know. It’s his house, and there’snoway I’m going to let you try to fake things until you can convince Eric to leave or something. I want him out. Fuck him.”
I sobbed anew. She was right, of course. I just didn’t want to have to confront it. If I did, that would mean it was real, that I wasn’t dreaming.
“Come on,” Mel said, standing up. “I’ll scout the hall and go with you. We’ll talk to Dad together, okay?”
“Okay,” I said helplessly, standing up and following her out the door once she announced the coast was clear.
I trailed along like a good little worker bee. We found my father in the main floor library and study, where he preferred to retire after dinner.
The instant he saw me, he shot to his feet and came barreling across the room to envelop me in a big dad hug. I sank into it, not just because I was hurting but because dads just give the best hugs. It was like they know what to do to set all your worries at ease.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. I felt him looking over my shoulder at Mel.
“Laurie overheard Eric on a phone call,” Mel said, venom filling her words.
