Page 65 of Don’t Open Your Eyes

“Maybe we did.”

“Actually, I have something to tell you.” She bit her lip and looked down at her feet, too shy to meet his eyes. “You know those dreams I told you about? Well, you were in some of them.”

He touched her arm, sending a frisson across her skin. “Really? Tell me more.”

She looked at him. “I dreamed about us being here. And drinking wine on the balcony.” She laughed. “We even took a dip in the ocean, which obviously hasn’t happened.”

“Were these dreams before or after we met?” Chase asked.

“That’s the thing. Before. That’s why I dropped that glass the day at lunch when I saw you. I’d already seen you in my dreams.”

Chase whistled. “That’s wild. What else?”

She shook her head. “That’s it, essentially. Us here. Talking. Nothing inappropriate,” she hastened to add.

He cocked an eyebrow. “That’s a little disappointing.”

Now she felt uncomfortable again. “Obviously, we’re both married and not looking for anything. I think we’re meant to be good friends. So tell me. Did your wife want a big family as well?” Annabelle needed to steer the conversation in a different direction.

Chase leaned back in the chair. “Tara and I got married right after college. I thought we wanted the same things. Both her parents are still together, she’s also an only child. I don’t think her desire to have kids was as strong, but still, she agreed that we’d try for three or four children.”

Annabelle didn’t speak, letting him continue.

He swirled his glass, quiet for a moment. “She got pregnant before we were married. The truth is, I had been ready to break up with her, but then I thought I could make it work for our child. Then in her fifth month, she lost the baby.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“We tried again, and same thing. Five months, and a miscarriage.”

“That’s terrible. How devastating.” She reached out and put her hand on his, squeezing gently.

“We had more losses, and it became too much. She didn’t want to try anymore, and I understood. I talked about adoption, but she refused.” He stopped and took a sip of his champagne. “I don’t want you to think this is a come-on. I feel so comfortable talking to you. I hope it’s okay that I’m being so transparent.”

Annabelle didn’t know if it was the champagne getting to her, or the intoxicating way Chase was starting to make her feel, but she wanted to know more. “Please, go on.”

“It took a toll on our marriage, which was never that solid to begin with. I was about to leave her, and then she got pregnant again. This time it took. And then we had Lucas. He’s our miracle child, the light of my life. I’d do anything for him.”

“How are things between you and Tara now?” She was in dangerous territory, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself.

He raised his eyebrows. “Not good. She’s erratic, gets angry easily. Lucas and I both walk on eggshells a lot. But once he came along, I couldn’t leave her. She would fight me for full custody; she has a vindictive streak. Honestly, I never felt okay leaving Lucas with her. I’m the peacemaker in the house.”

“Are you saying she’s abusive?” Annabelle was horrified at the thought.

He shook his head. “Not abusive exactly, but emotionally unstable. She would never intentionally hurt Lucas, but she’s not a great mother. I do the lion’s share and try to make up for what she lacks. I guess life takes us on paths we don’t expect.”

Annabelle didn’t know what to say. Chase looked so vulnerable that it broke something open in her, and she told him all about Randy. He listened quietly, letting her get every detail out. Then she told him about the other loss. The one that still defined her. With each word, she felt herself unburden a little bit more. It felt so healing to share what had happened. Her tears flowed as she spoke. When she was finished, a peace came over her, unlike anything she’d known in years. They stood up, and he embraced her. They stayed that way for a long time, holding each other as if they were mending all the broken parts inside each of them.

The Wife

I’ve been reading his texts. He’s become very close with her. She’s besotted, I can tell. But she has no idea who he really is, or what he wants from her. He’s lying, manipulating her. I still can’t believe what he’s been keeping from me, and the lengths to which he’s gone to guard this terrible secret. I don’t know where to turn or who to trust. I have to do something, but I don’t know what. If I go to the authorities, it will destroy our family. And our son, our poor son, when he finds out that his father isn’t the man he thought he was. It will kill him. I’ll lose everything, and it’s not fair. I need to stop him before he does something that will alter our lives forever. I’m running out of time.

Scarlett

One more day until she would see Ben. It was so hard for her to concentrate on her classes that Friday when all she could think about was her meeting with him. Lucky for her, her mom’s flight got in tomorrow morning, and her dad and Olivia were going to the airport to pick her up. She told Olivia to ask their parents to take her out to breakfast. She didn’t want to risk them getting home before she left. She was meeting Ben at a coffee shop downtown, a few blocks from her house, at nine tomorrow morning. She would ride her bike there. The only one who knew about it was Avery. They walked together now to the cafeteria.

Avery frowned. “Are you sure you don’t want me to be there in case there’s a problem? I can sit at a table and pretend not to know you.” Avery’s hair was pulled back into a ponytail and as usual, she wore a T-shirt with a slogan over a pair of jeans. This one was black and on the front in white letters were the words Be Real Not Perfect.

“You’re such a worrywart. No, that’ll just make me nervous. I’ll be fine.”