“This is about Curtis,” I say, sure of it now.
Shock splays across her face. “You know?”
I drink another mouthful of water. “That he’s cheating on me? Yeah.”
“Oh, Kendall. I’m so sorry.” She rests her gloved hand on my arm.
“How do you know?”
“Adrian and I were out for dinner at Chelle’s Steakhouse, and we saw him having dinner with another woman. It was clear it was a date.”
I tilt my head to the side. “Don’t sugarcoat it, Shirl. What did you see?”
She steeples her fingers against her chin. “They were all over one another. It was blatantly obvious and really inappropriate.” Sympathy dances across her face. “It sickened both of us so much we got our dinner to go and left.”
“Did he see you?”
She shakes her head. “He was too engrossed in the woman. We considered confronting him, but Adrian felt we shouldn’t interfere. He’s disgusted with Curtis and wants nothing to do with him now.”
Adrian and Shirley are thirteen years older than us, and they’ve been married for twenty-five years. They don’t have any kids—by choice—and they are completely devoted to one another. I can say, with complete confidence, that Adrian would never cheat on his wife.
“When was this?”
“Last month,” she admits a little sheepishly. I guess now I understand her questioning me on psychic night.
“Don’t feel bad for not telling me straightaway. I get it, and I really appreciate you telling me this now even though I already knew.”
“How did you find out?”
“He told me.” I proceed to give her the Cliff Notes version of what’s been going on, and she listens attentively.
“I wouldn’t have believed Curtis capable of such treachery and deception if I hadn’t seen it myself.”
“That makes two of us.” I twist the bottle cap between my fingers. “Though my shock, hurt, and humiliation are gradually giving way to extreme anger. The instant West and Stella are gone and Ridge is in bed, he leaves, like he can’t stand to be around me. I’d get it if I was the one who had cheated on him, but I’m the injured party here.”
“He’s an asshole,” she seethes. “I don’t know how you can bear to look at him let alone have him touch you in fake PDAs. I would curl into a ball and die if Adrian did that to me.”
“I don’t have that luxury. I need to keep it together for the kids.”
“You have such inner strength.”
A harsh laugh spills from my mouth. “I really don’t feel terribly strong right now. I’m clinging to my sanity by my fingernails.”
“What are you going to do, and how can I help?”
My heart swells, and I reach out and hug her. “I’m not sure, on both counts, but knowing you know comforts me.”
“I’m here for you. Whatever you need. You only have to ask.”
“I need you to keep it confidential. I can’t risk the kids finding out. It would hurt them so much.”
“No one will hear it from us,” she assures me, and I know it’s the truth. She’s not the type to gossip. “But if Curtis continues parading his mistress all over town, someone else is going to see. Keeping it a secret from West and Stella may not be possible.”
“I can’t believe he’s being so reckless! Especially when he’s the one who insisted we play this charade until Stella graduates.”
“He’s a pig. You can’t possibly be considering going along with his plans.” She shakes her head.
I sigh. “I only agreed for the kids, but I’m not putting up with this. He thinks he calls all the shots, but he’s going to get a rude awakening.”
