Phoebe
Phoebe
AftersomehowconvincingCharlienot to confront the gorgeous woman at the textile arts festival, the one who I now know is Archer’s fiancée, I insisted she take me home and go pick up Lincoln for me. I’ve been sitting on the couch, staring at a bottle of tequila on the coffee table ever since, debating whether I should crack it open and start drinking.
My stomach has been practicing its trampoline act since I realized what Charlie was saying to me about the beautiful woman, and what that meant for me, so I’m still not sure if tequila is the best idea. On the one hand, it would numb the pain a little. On the other, it would likely make this churning in my guts even worse. It’s a toss up.
I’m also trying to figure out what I’m going to say to the cheating scumbag when I work up the courage to see him again. Thankfully, Charlie offered to pick Lincoln up and keep him for a couple of hours to let me relax. Plenty of time to come up with the best way to tear a strip off the cheating bastard. Because I have to say something. I can’t let him get away with this.
I flat out asked him if she was his girlfriend and he said no. Did I honestly need to specify the word “fiancée”? Is that how he can sleep at night? Who knew I’d have to be on the lookout for an equivocating asshole when I was first tracking down Lincoln’s dad?
I wish I could say I can’t believe he would lie to me about having a girlfriend when I flat out asked him, but I guess I can. I thought he was too good to be true, and it looks like I was right. When will I learn to trust my instincts? I knew he wasn’t for me when I found him again that first night. If the discrepancy between his immaculate three-piece-suit and my leggings and dirty-hoodie combo didn’t tip me off, the stupid message he left me the next day should have.
Who doesn’t swear when they’re drunk and pissed off? That’s just weird. You can bet your ass I won’t be making that same mistake. Whatever I end up saying to him, it’s going to be chock full of profanity. So much profanity.Allthe profanity. He’s going to need to flush his ears with holy water by the time I’m done with him.
That’s it. I’ve decided. Tequila it is. But only a reasonable amount. I have a baby to take care of later, after all.
I get a glass from the kitchen, fill it with ice, and head back to the couch, where I crack open the tequila and fill the glass to the brim. I toss it back, relishing the burn as it slides down my throat, and am about to pour another when the door flies open, slamming into the wall with a bang.
“Phoebe. Please say you’re here. I’m so sorry, baby. It’s not what you think. And I can prove it. I need you to come with me.” Archer stands in the doorway, eyes frantically searching as he calls out for me. “I can’t explain exactly what you saw, but we’re going to go find out together. Right now.”
The tiniest spark of hope flares to life in my chest before I remember that I’m mad at him. No, not mad. I’m fucking pissed.
“What the hell makes you think I’d go anywhere with you?”
He snaps his head in my direction, and his tense shoulders relax when he takes me in. His long strides eat up the floor until he’s kneeling in front of me, taking my hands in his. “I promise you, Phoebe. I did not lie. That woman, Annabelle, is not my girlfriend, or my fiancée, or whatever other nonsense you might have overheard at the convention center. She’s my ex. I found out she cheated on me the night that I met you, and I had broken it off with her before I ever set foot in that bar. Until that night you found me again, I hadn’t had any contact with her at all. I recently discovered she’s been scheming with my parents, and why. I want you to come with me when I put an end to their stupid plan once and for all.”
I scoff, pulling my hands away. Did he think I would fall for this? What an arrogant ass. How could he think I’m that gullible? “Scheming with your parents? That doesn’t even make any sense. Scheming with your parents, how?”
He sets his mouth in a line and shakes his head. “Believe me, I know. I thought I’d be fine to let my lawyer deal with it, but I’m realizing that won’t be enough. I need to put a stop to this. Say you’ll come with me. Please, Phoebe. Once you see what my parents are like, you’ll understand.”
The tequila must already be affecting me, because I almost believe him. Something about the sincerity in his eyes and the panic in his voice is tugging at me, telling me to trust him.
I’ll go, but first I’ll need to steel myself against his charms.
“Fine. I’ll come with you. But you’re driving,” I say, filling my glass with the tequila and drinking it in one gulp, “because I’ve had too much to drink.”
He reads the label on the bottle and, wincing, puts the cap back on for me. “Yes, okay. I’ll drive. No problem.” He stands and holds a hand out for me. Instead of letting him help me, I smack it away.
“I haven’t forgiven you, yet. I’m interested to see how this plays out, but that doesn’t mean I believe everything you’re saying. It’s too…weird.”
He smiles sadly. “Fair enough. Hopefully, this trip to my parents’ house clears things up. I can’t lose you again, Phoebe. These last few weeks with you and Lincoln have been the best of my life. I’m not ready to give that up.”
What he’s saying sounds insane, but I’m so curious to see for myself that I’m nearly bursting with the anticipation. What could it hurt? If I meet his parents and decide that Archer is still a scumbag liar, I’ll call for a ride and leave. It’s as simple as that.
I hoist myself off the couch, grabbing my phone and shoving it into my pocket on the way up. “Okay, let’s get this over with.”
He stands aside and allows me to lead the way to the door, where I grab a jacket before stepping out into the late December air. I look around at the decorations that are still up from the engagement photo shoot Archer did with Webster and Frederick, and my heart flutters. That really was sweet of him. Especially after they started with the ass pinching. He could have stopped as soon as the groping started, but he didn’t. And he did it all because he wanted my ex-fiancé and his boyfriend to have a fabulous engagement photo. A guy who would do that couldn’t be all bad, could he?
Maybe not. But a guy who would cheat on his girlfriend, fiancée, whatever, is pretty bad in my books. Especially when he makes me an unwilling accomplice in said cheating. I never would have slept with him if I’d known he was involved with someone else. That’s not who I am.
“Ready?” Archer gets my attention by tapping my elbow.
I nod, reaching around him to the lock the door. “As I’ll ever be.”
When we’re on the road, I send a text to the group chat I have with Gavin and Charlie.
Phoebe
