Page 57 of Hot and Bothered
I couldn’t pretend I didn’t suspect something was going on. It wasn’t fair to Evan and it wasn’t fair to me. If he was innocent then I shouldn’t spend the night angry with him. And if he was guilty, then it was better for me to know now and not agonize over it any longer.
Evan left the bathroom, his teeth brushed and face washed.
“Your turn,” he said.
“Okay.”
“How are your feet?” His eyes twinkled. “Want a foot massage in bed?”
Bile rose up from my stomach. I didn’t speak a word.
Maybe I couldn’t do this after all.
Evan came over to me and tipped my chin up with a finger. I hadn’t realized I’d lowered my head to stare at the floor.
“There’s something wrong, isn’t there?” he asked. “You’ve been acting weird all night.”
I pressed my lips together.
“Did something happen with your parents or sister?” he asked. “Did they try contacting you?”
“No.”
“Did something happen at work?” he tried again. “Did you have to deal with a terrible customer? If someone harassed you, you know you can tell us and we’ll get them thrown out.”
“It wasn’t that.”
“Then what is it?” Evan asked.
My heart rate spiked, anxiety crushing my chest. I couldn’t make words leave my mouth. I turned around and stalked off into the living room, not able to meet Evan’s eyes anymore.
What if he was cheating on me?
What if he wasn’t?
If I asked him now, if I knew for sure, it had the potential to change everything.
My hands trembled at my sides.
“Alice, I’m getting really worried now.” Evan did sound worried, his voice insistent but wary. “Talk to me.”
I took a shuddering breath, steeling myself.
“I saw those messages.” The words came out in a whisper.
“What?” Evan asked. I’d been too quiet for him to hear.
“I saw the messages,” I repeated. “On your phone. From some girl.” I spoke in halting sentences, barely able to make the words leave my mouth in a steady stream.
“You read my texts?” Evan asked.
“Your phone was on the counter. I didn’t touch it. The messages were on the screen. I thought it was Mason.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “But it wasn’t. It was a woman named Christie. She asked what you were doing tonight. She asked to come over.”
“Alice,” Evan said my name. Only my name. I couldn’t read his tone.
The backs of my eyes stung. I brought my arms to my chest, hugging myself.
“Who is she?” I asked, my voice thick and liquid with unshed tears.
