Page 53 of Spoil
I give a tiny nod of my head but can’t look him in the eye. “It’s okay if you cheated. What matters is Danny...”
He stills and takes a step back. “Cheated?”
He takes another step back, and when I brave a look at his face; he looks pained.
“You think I cheated?”
“I... I don’t know... it’s the only thing that made sense...” Doubt creeps in. Was I too quick to assume?
“Sit down,” he commands, motioning to the couch across from the one he sits on.
So, I do.
He takes my hands in his and squeezes them, so I look up at him.
“Your sisters came to visit me at The Envelope a few days ago. They tried to seduce me. I had security remove them before anything happened. But if you don’t believe me, I can show you CCTV footage.”
Oh.
I search his eyes for the lie, but there isn’t one. All I see in sincerity, a little hurt, a little coldness, but no lie.
“I... I’m sorry I assumed. I just... you don’t text, you don’t call, ‘something terrible happened’... what else should I assume?”
Daniel winces.
But I believe him. I know he’s a good man, and I know he loves me, but maybe I still don’t believe I deserve him, or a place in his life. Danny, of course. Me? What have I done to deserve him?
And my sisters? God, of course, that sounds like something they would do. Especially after that family dinner. The hurt I expected doesn’t come. Instead, I feel disappointment, because I knew they were capable. I feel disgusted that they would disrespect me so quickly. I feel sad.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, lacing my fingers through his. I’m sorry for doubting him, I’m sorry for their behavior, I’m sorry for leaving him so many years ago.
“You knew they would do that?” Hurt laces his voice.
“No!” I shout. “No, but I had a feeling they might do something like that. They...” I look down. I don’t want to talk badly about them, or air our dirty laundry, but this is Daniel. “They spend most of their free time trying to find themselves wealthy husbands. Country clubs, fundraisers, the Kennedy Center, wherever rich people can be found, they’re not far behind.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” he says, sliding onto the couch next to me and wrapping his arms around me. I settle into his embrace and press my cheek against his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist. He’s so warm and comforting.
“I’m sorry I assumed,” I reply.
“I’m sorry I let them into The Club.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t warn you.”
He leans back and tilts my face up to see his soft smile.
“Did we just have our first fight as a couple?”
I snort unladylike. “I think so.”
“And look at us, already making up,” he teases, dropping a kiss to my forehead and both my cheeks.
“I promise I won’t go cold on you again. I should have marched straight to your house and told you, but honestly, I didn’t want to risk running into them again. But it’s no excuse.”
“It’s alright.”
He presses a chaste kiss to my lips.
“I’m glad you came here. Spend the night?”
