“Did he cheat on you?”
Sydney laughed at that sudden question as if it were preposterous. “Ben, you’re not listening to me. That would have been a stepupfrom the dead bedroom Roger and I have had for the past few years. At least then I would know he got it up forsomeone.”
“Amazing. You really do need someone between him and me.”
“Yes, I’d prefer if my husband had some blood flow in him, let alone for me, but maybe not for everyone in the club.”
“Everyone? You make it sound like I had no discernment.”
“I’ve seen your twenty-five-year-old girlfriend. She’s quite the looker.”
“How did you see her?”
“Drew had a picture on her phone. At the zoo. WithLiam.”
So, it came back to that. “Did you come here to walk down memory lane, or to accuse me of something?”
“The way I see it, you’ve got two choices,” Sydney began, opening her bag. “You’re right. It’s none of my business in the long run. We’re not together anymore. Drew is in college. Her embarrassment is more her concern than mine. But… for the love of God, Ben, don’t make the same mistake you did last time.”
His teeth were about to grind down to pulps. “I remember you being quiteunsupportivewhen you found out about Liam the first time around. Something about how it wasn’t appropriate for our daughter to have been around him.”
“Alone! I didn’t want our daughter alone withanyman who wasn’t you or my husband.”
“I trust him with my life, let alone our daughter’s.”
“He was thirty.”
“So?”
Sydney rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry, did we get our wires crossed? Do you think I’m a homophobe?”
“It’s why you left me, isn’t it?”
“What! No, I just told you, I was tired of being jerked around by your unwillingness to tackle your life the way it should have been. And I was tired of fucking whatever man you had your eyes onthatweek.”
“You’re making it sound like I forced you.”
“Of course you didn’t. But I should have said no a lot sooner. I’m not meant for that.”
“You didn’t enjoy it atall?”
“Well…” She offered him one of her knowing smiles that once lit up his whole day. Now, it just played with his memories. “Sometimes. In the moment, it could be good fun, and it was nice having other men be really into me after having a kid and getting older. But it just didn’t suit who I wanted to be outside of the bedroom. Hence, my course correction with Roger.”
“Drew has no idea that we—”
“No! Of course not!”
Benson stopped grinding his teeth. “Good. It’s bad enough Liam told her about the three of us.”
“Well, yes, that is worse.”
“Thanks.”
She shrugged. “Drew will get over it a lot faster if you completely own who you are. You were very close a few years ago.”
“That’s easier said than done. This industry is very… conservative. Like that. It feels like I can pick one or the other, but not both.” He hoped she knew what he meant by that.
“I get it. The world is so screwed up right now that I’m sure you’re concerned about keeping your job more than ever.”
