Page 115 of The Moment You Know

“What?”

“That’s what Ashley said to me, right before she pushed me,” Paige explained. “At the time it didn’t seem personal. But it was. That’s what she meant by ‘fucked-up’. She’d read the book, so she knew what I went through and how it damaged me.”

David’s expression turned to one of disgust. “Jesus.”

Paige thought about the painfully honest details she had willingly shared with a faceless public—a decision she’d never thought would be regretted. But the part of Paige that had been violated by Ashley’s interference in her life, now felt violated by the fact Ashley had read her book and had gained so much inside information … information Ashley had been in possession of when they’d crossed paths at Bender’s.

The abuse.

The divorce.

The struggle with alcohol.

The extensive therapy.

The miscarriage.

“My miscarriage is in the book,” Paige said pensively. “So … that night at the restaurant, Ashley knew about it.”

“Shit, you’re right. I thought you had inadvertently told her, but she already knew.”

“Yes.”

“She knew telling you about Jacob would be even more painful. Fuck. It was probably why she did it.”

Paige nodded. “She knew exactly what she was doing when she threw Jacob in my face.”

They shared a look just as the waitress appeared.

“Are you two ready to order?” she asked them cheerfully.

David raised his eyebrows at Paige. “You game?”

She knew immediately what he was talking about. “Really?”

“Sure. Why not?”

“You still trust me?”

He nodded. “Rules are the same. Eat it, no matter what.”

“All right.”

They both grabbed a menu and quickly started scanning the entrees. David found what he was looking for almost immediately and smiled, before holding the menu up to the waitress and pointing at something.

“She’ll have this,” he said.

“Mild or spicy?”

“To the left of spicy.”

Paige debated between two items before finally choosing and pointing. “He’ll have this.”

“Mild or spicy?” the waitress asked again.

“To the right of spicy.”

When they were done ordering and the waitress had left, David took a fortifying sip of his beer and immediately jumped back into the subject of Ashley.

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