That’s it. No emoji. No extra word. But I can read it.
Reminder: Beer Tasting with Josh & Audrey – 6 PM.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Olivia: Forgot we’re tasting beers tonight with J&A. Totally fine if you can’t make it.
Me: Shit. Forgot too. Let me check with Hannah, and I’ll let you know.
I knock on the guest house bathroom door. Push it open without thinking. “Hey, Han—” She’s standing in front of the mirror in just panties, brushing her hair out. She turns slightly, catches my stare. “What’s up?”
I freeze. “Sorry. I didn’t?—”
“Ethan,” she says, raising an eyebrow. “You’ve seen me naked a thousand times. You’re fine.” I look away. “Yeah. I just... don’t know what the rules are anymore.” She walks past me toward the closet, still topless. “We’re on a break, not divorced. You’re still my husband. Don’t act like you haven’t looked already.” She smirks.
And yeah. I’ve looked because she’s beautiful. And because my body still remembers what it was like to be hers. But that’s not the point. “I have a work thing tonight. Beer tasting for the bar,” I say. She glances over her shoulder. “Sounds fun. I’ll come.”
“I was actually hoping you could stay with the girls.” She stops. “Seriously? You want me to stay back, alone, with the kids, on my last night here?”
“It’s just work.” She tilts her head. “Is that code for Olivia is going to be there?”
“It’s a work thing, so yes, she’s going to be there.” She takes a step closer, presses a kiss to my mouth, smiling. That smile felt like a warning. “Let me get dressed. I’ll be ready in ten.” This night is going to be a nightmare. I walk outside and call Liv. She answers way too coldly, “Hey.”
“I need to tell you something, please don’t be mad. Hannah wants to come to the tasting tonight.” Pause. “You invited her?”
“No. She just... said if it’s work, she should be welcome.”
“She’s not wrong,” Olivia says, clipped. “You, okay?” I don’t even know why I asked that. Of course, she’s not okay. I’m not OK either. “No, Ethan. But I’ll manage.”
“Liv, I didn’t plan this.”
“I know. But you didn’t stop it, either. I’ve got to go. See you later.” She hangs up, and I just know I fucked up. Everything is fucked up. Hannah’s already dressed when I go back inside. “Ready?” She’s ready to be a total bitch in the nicest way possible. I nod and get going.
At the bar,the vibe dies the second we walk in—Josh, Audrey, Lily, Julia, Olivia—all mid-laugh. “Hey, everyone,” I start, voice rough. “This is?—”
“Hannah,” she cuts in brightly, waving like a game show host. “The wife, baby mama, and the outsiderjudge of beers today.” She laughs like it’s the funniest joke on earth, and everyone seems to enjoy it, except for Julia and Olivia. She just looked at me like she might kill me later, and I deserve it. This is my mess.
Hannah makes a beeline for her. “You must be Olivia.” Oh fuck, I’m so fucking scared right now. But I only hear, “Likewise.” She’s being polite and controlled. Hannah spins back toward me. “This is already fun.” No, it’s not.
We sit, start drinking, and taste different ABVs and bitterness levels while the brewer explains every detail of each beer. Josh talks about hops. Audrey steers the ship. But I can feel the whole table vibrating. Hannah and Olivia disagree on a stout. Hannah says it’s complex. Olivia calls it bitter. The subtext is loud. They’re not talking about beers anymore. They are giving each other adjectives. Fuck me.
By the end, we’ve tried ten beers, and everyone’s faking normal. Audrey calls it. “That’s a wrap. I’ll send the finalized list tomorrow.”
Olivia stands. “That’s good night for me. Julia, you are coming?” Julia hesitates, “I think I’ll stay.” Lily smiles. Audrey’s already grabbing her bag. “I’m out.”
Olivia gives everyone a nod, then finally turns to me, gives me a kiss on the cheek, and whispers, “Goodnight, Ethan.” Hannah saw her, and I know she intended to do it when she was just far enough that she couldn’t say or do anything. But now, she looks pissed. They’re both doing things to just fuck me over. I deserve it.
We start walking towards the truck. “ I can see theappeal, and the resemblance, too. You definitely have a type.” I ignore it.
“Also, quick question, Ethan.” I stare at her, but I know what’s coming. ‘Are you sleeping with her?” Oh, here we fucking go.
“Hannah, don’t.” I’m way too buzzed to do this right now, and I sure as hell don’t want to have a fight with my wife about my girlfriend. “Don’t what? Ask the question I already know the answer to?” We discussed this, and she said no questions. I should’ve known better.
“We agreed. No questions.” She stares me down. “Got it. That’s all I needed to hear.” We drive in silence. When we get to the house, everything is quiet. Hannah and I walk into the guesthouse, and she turns to me. “Can we talk?”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I mutter, already tired. “You said no questions. We agreed to that, so why are you asking things now?”
“I know what we agreed on, Ethan.” Her voice cracks, but she holds her ground. “I didn’t want to be here like this. But I am. And I see what’s going on.” I drag a hand through my hair. “What do you want?”
