Meredith came back with a bottle of wine and saw the look on my face.
“You’re texting him, aren’t you?” she asked, her voice a mix of amusement and encouragement.
I nodded like a guilty kid. “I know I shouldn’t.”
“Let me read it!” she squealed. After she wrestled me for my phone, she leaned in with a devilish grin playing at her lips. “You need to go over there and feel something exciting.”
I shook my head, even though a part of me wanted to go. “His kids are there. It’s not the right time.”
She shrugged, unfazed. “Tell him the truth. Go to him.”
I could feel the pull, the temptation. I typed,
Natalie: I am under the influence…of my sister. She gave me a hall pass to come over. Should I take it?
Will: Damn, I want you, real bad. But it’s my weekend with the kids. Think that hall pass is still valid on Monday?
I stared at the text. Monday felt too far away, and I hesitated before typing back.
Natalie: We’ll see. Night.
I added a kiss emoji, but a heavy weight sat on my chest.
I wasn’t good at this. The whole thing, this mess I was creating, felt like it was spiraling out of my control. I was digging myself deeper, but the allure of what might happen next was pulling me further in.
I sighed, the high was starting to wear off, replaced by the gnawing guilt. “Meredith, what am I doing?” I asked softly, the question hanging in the air like a shadow.
“You’re living, Nat. You’re finally doing something for yourself.”
But I knew better. This wasn’t living. This was…something else. It felt like I was playing with fire, and I wasn’t sure how long I could keep it from burning me.
CHAPTER 29
THE POINT OF NO RETURN
WILL
After Natalie’s drunk text, a rush of adrenaline coursed through me. Excitement. Anticipation.A dangerous edge of something I wasn’t ready to name.This was her opening the door, her giving me something we could never take back, and I didn’t want to.I couldn’t wait until school drop-off.
The moment I got the kids out of the car, I texted her.
Will: Come over for breakfast.
The seconds stretched until my phone buzzed.
Natalie: Okay.
I stared at the screen. She was really coming.
Will: Come by at 8:30. I'll pick up breakfast.
Natalie: I like breakfast
On the way home, I picked up bagels—not because I cared about breakfast, but because Ineeded something to do, something to keep my hands busy.By the time I set everything up, bagels, cream cheese, coffee—I knew none of it mattered.This wasn’t about breakfast.
I leaned against the counter, checking the clock: 8:25. My pulse thrummed in my throat.Then came the knock.
I walked to the door, slow and steady, like I hadn’t been waiting for this moment all morning…really since I met Natalie.When I opened it, there she was.
