“It’s been a rough night,” she admitted. “But I’ll be fine once I get home.”
At the last word, her voice finally broke, and the tears she had been shoving down began to spill over, much to her horror.
Oh, she hoped he couldn’t see them in the darkness.
“Are you sure?”
No. She wasn’t at all sure. She didn’t think she would be okay ever again.
“I found out tonight that my husband was cheating on me before he died.”
Her hand gripped the steering wheel, and she could not look at him, appalled that the words had somehow burst out of her, despite her best efforts to hold them in.
She saw compassion and concern in his expression. “Oh, Rosie. I’m sorry. You really didn’t know before tonight?”
She shook her head, reliving the horror of hearing Pam and Emma fighting.
Even if you were having an affair with him that had been going on for years under my mother’s nose, my dad loved us. He never in a million years would have left my mother for someone like you.
“If it’s true, apparently I’m the most naive woman in the world.”
“Is there a chance it might not be?”
“An hour ago, I would have told you there was no chance in hell Gary was cheating on me. Now I don’t know what to think.”
“What happened? What makes you even suspect it?”
“Emma believes it. I don’t know anything but that. I overheard her fighting with the other woman about seeing them together the day he died.”
“Oh wow. That’s rough. She was, what, fifteen when he died?”
“Yes.”
Her poor Emma. She completely changed after the accident, going from a bright, happy young woman to a surly, angry stranger. Rosie had always assumed it was because of her own injuries and her grief over her father’s death. That was enough, wasn’t it? Now she had to wonder if there was more to it, if she also had been carrying the overwhelming weight of this secret.
“Apparently she’s known all this time and she never told me.”
“The other woman was obviously someone in your book club.”
That crushing sense of betrayal pressed in again and despite her best efforts, Rosie finally couldn’t contain a sob. He made a low sound and reached for her and she leaned against him across the console, seeking the comfort and strength of his arms.
After indulging for a few moments while rain clicked against the roof of her car, Rosie forced herself to ease away.
“I’m so sorry. You didn’t need this tonight.”
“Neither did you.”
“You asked me if the other woman is in the book club. Not only is she in the book club but she works for me. Until tonight, I thought she was one of my dearest friends. All thistime, she’s been lying to me. Am I the dumbest woman in the world?”
“You’re far from dumb,” he assured her. “Or naive. There’s nothing wrong in trusting people. You had no reason to do otherwise.”
She was suddenly immensely grateful for this man who had stepped in to comfort her even though he didn’t know the situation or any of the players except her and Emma.
He was a good man. A kind one. When he reached to squeeze her hand, she twisted her fingers through his, finding enormous comfort in that simple touch.
“Which one is she? Did I talk to her?”
“Yes. She chatted with you a few times. Pam. Streaky blond hair. Fake eyelashes. She was wearing the gray top with the green jacket.”
