Page 100 of The Lessons

Renee rejoined the table. “Ryan? What are you doing here?”

Ryan looked startled. No, scratch that. He looked visibly shaken. That wasn’t the normal effect Renee had on men. If anything, she usually put them at ease.

He coughed, clearing his throat. “Renee, hi.”

“Do you two know each other?” I asked, puzzled. And then my mind flew to the most obvious possibility.Oh…no…was she?? Had they?? No, she couldn’t be a client. I mean, she was married…right?

“Ryan is dating my friend, Lisa Lerner.” Renee winked at Ryan. “Although they have a little one on the way, so I hope that soon it will be more than just dating.”

Chapter Thirty-one

Ryan

I looked over at Natalie. Her face was frozen with a look of light surprise, but I could tell that Renee’s words were reverberating inside her.

Shit. Shitshittiestshitfuckingshit.

“Renee, I didn’t realize you worked at Heaven Sent. I thought you said you did PR,” I started.

“Oh, yeah. PR for Heaven Sent. Sorry, don’t know how I left that out. Just been working there too long, I guess.” She shrugged.

Natalie turned to me, and suddenly her expression changed. A thin smile became plastered on the lower half of her face. The upper half remained unwavering, dead.

“And how do you guys know each other?” Justine asked.

“We met at the library,” we replied in unison.

Justine giggled. “Well, at least you have your story straight. It was nice to meet you, Ryan, but I’m afraid I have to head back to the office.”

“Me, too,” Natalie said, looking down at the ground.

I felt my heart sink. I needed to get her alone and explain.

“Ryan, are we still on for the museum this weekend?” Renee asked, looking at me.

You know that expression ‘caught between a rock and a hard place’? That was me, right then. I looked over at Natalie. Everything about her—her stance, her face?was sullen. But I had to say something.

“What? Um, yeah, I think so.”

“Good. Well, see you then. Give my regards to Lisa.”

I nodded, and the three of them left. I wasted no time in taking out my cell phone and typing out a feverish text to Natalie.

It’s not what you think. I can explain.

I waited for five minutes, and she finally texted me back.

DO NOT TEXT ME AGAIN

I ignored her suggestion and wrote her again.

I’m not dating Lisa.

She’s not pregnant with my child.

It’s a long story. Please let me explain.

I waited for twenty minutes. Nothing. Either she was ignoring me, had blocked my number, or had turned off her phone. I checked my watch. 1:15. She was probably back at work by now.

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