“We were literally together less than twelve hours ago. At the hockey game, remember? What are you talking about?”
Pulling the phone away from my ear, I check the date—December eighteenth.
“Oh.”
“You okay, Sis?”
Looking over at the empty side of the bed, reality hits me like a bolt of lightning to the heart. It was all a dream, and he left without saying goodbye because, in this reality, last night was a one-night stand.
He doesn’t love me.He never did.
“Claire? You there?”
Pressure builds behind my eyes, and I do my best to hold it together. It seems so silly to cry about a dream, even if that dream was maybe the best one I’ve ever had.
“Yeah…um…I just had a crazy dream last night. Everett and I hooked up, and I dreamt that we woke up in this…uh, it doesn’t matter.”
“You hooked up in your dream?”
“No, he came home with me last night after the game.”
“What do you mean Everett came home with you last night?”she practically yells through the phone, excitement covering every word.
“Geez, Andi.”
“Forgive me, but I’m trying to wrap my head around this very new information you’re telling me because when I left you last night, you were dating Raph, and now you’re telling me that you hooked up with your hottie ex from back in the day.”
“He’s not my ex.”
He’s my husband. Or, he was my husband.
Sugarplum Park never happened.
“Well you used to sleep with him, and now you’re sleeping with him again. So can you please explain what happened?”
My gaze drops to my hand. There’s no ring on my finger, and my heart aches at the thought that none of it was real.
We aren’t married.
I do my best to recall the night with my sister, but it feels like a lifetime has passed, and I don’t know what to make of this feeling.
“Raph was cheating. I ran into Everett at a bar and brought him home,” I say, holding back tears.
“And? Is he still there? Did he stay over?”
Pinching my eyes shut, I run my hands over my face and then through my hair. “Yeah, with the power out, he stayed, but he’s already gone.” My voice cracks.
“Power out?”
“There wasn’t a blackout last night because of the weather?”
“No.”
A sob bubbles out of my throat.
“Are you okay? You sound so upset and aren’t making sense. I knew I didn’t like Raph. What an asshole. If I ever come face to face with him, he’s going to get a piece of my mind.”
But he’s not the reason I sound like this. Everett is, but how do I explain that to her without sounding crazy?
