Page 35 of Flirt Away

He shrugged. “They needed to know the truth about me. However, Zane has always felt responsible for causing my family to cut all ties. But it’s not his fault. It’s theirs. Now, what do you really want to know?”

“Did Rebecca catch you and Zane having sex? Because after thinking about what Zane said to me the other day, reading the article, and talking with some people, I don’t believe she caught the two of you fucking.”

Erik smiled. “Zane was right about you being smart.”

“If you weren’t having sex, then why did both of you let her perpetuate the story?”

“Once the story broke, my husband—then-boyfriend—had to answer a lot of questions from his family. While they all knew about his gayness, they didn’t know about me. They thought he was still with someone else. Someone they loved and never wanted to see him break up with. So that came as a shock.”

“Jesus. I’m sorry. This sounds like a shitshow,” she said. “Did the other guy—?”

“Oh. They were long broken up.” Erik held up his hand. “But between his family and mine, we realized all the secrets and lies were only killing us. In a way, Rebecca did us all a favor. But Zane still can’t see it that way.”

“Why not?”

Erik tapped the center of his chest. “Her intentions weren’t pure. She had malice in her heart. All Rebecca wanted to do was hurt everyone involved, and Zane took that personally.” Erik leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “He’d be pissed at me for being here. And more upset for me saying this, but since he can’t get his head out of his ass, someone has to do it. Zane is one of the sweetest men I know. Some people would call him an empath. So, when people he cares about are in pain, he hurts, too. It was easier for him to take the fall than to force her to come out and tell the truth because he wanted my husband and me to be happy.”

Dixie swallowed the lump in her throat. “That does sound like Zane.”

“He printed out your blog and the ones you archived that you sent him. He reads them every day. All day. Your words are genuine. You write with heart and the kind of vulnerability that helps people. Not hurts them. While you might have shared a sexual experience, you did so in a way that empowers women. And men. I think Zane feels as though he’s stifled you somehow and hates himself for it. The same way he took responsibility for what happened with Rebecca.”

“You think he’s mad that I took down the blog and am writing on more clinical topics?”

“It’s not that he wants you to write about your sex life with him. But rather the way you came to understand how your perception of yourself hadn’t come full circle yet. And how you managed to embrace your sexuality in new ways.” Erik stood. “I know what it’s like to be loved by Zane. And that man loves you with every fiber of his being. He’ll come around, but do you really want to wait for him to stop sulking? Because, trust me, he can do it for weeks.” Erik bent and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see myself out.”

Tomorrow.

She’d go see Zane tomorrow.

Dixie poured herself a glass of wine and made herself a tray of cheese and crackers. It was a nice night; she’d enjoy a quiet evening by the water.

She sucked in a deep, cleansing breath as she made her way down to the dock. She rolled up her jeans and dipped her feet into the cool water. The sunrays burned through the thick Seattle haze.

Leaning back, she gently kicked her feet, splashing.

The wood planks rattled.

She glanced over her shoulder.

Zane.

The air in her lungs flew out like a rocket racing to the moon.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

He sat down next to her and took a big swig of her wine. “I should askyouwhat Erik was doing here, but he already told me.”

“I see.” She stared at the ripples in the water. “Are you mad?”

“No. I understand you just wanted to hear his side of things, but you could have asked me.”

“You haven’t been talking to me,” she said.

“That’s a two-way street.”

“Good point,” she said. “I needed some time and space. I wasn’t sure I could think rationally about anything between what happened with my mother and then Rebecca.”

He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. “What are you thinking now?”

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