Page 95 of Finding Amanda

Holding the phone out to her, Jamie questioned Amanda with her eyes.

Amanda shook her head.

"Uh, she's not up for it right now."

There was a pause during which Amanda imagined her husband running a hand through his hair. She knew him so well. She didn't know him at all.

"I need to talk to her about Sheppard. Can you ask her if she'll meet me somewhere after she drops the girls off tomorrow?"

Jamie held her hand over the mouthpiece. "Did you hear that?"

Amanda nodded. "Do you know what he's talking about?"

"No idea."

"Okay. Tomorrow at the diner."

Jamie finished her phone call and hung up, slipping the phone into the pocket of her blazer. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Amanda sunk back onto the pillows, finding she couldn't speak the words. Couldn't bear to think them.

Mark wanted to talk about Sheppard. Did it even matter anymore? As the second man who’d betrayed her tried to protect her from the first man who’d betrayed her, Amanda wondered who would protect her from him. Or maybe the third man would also be a betrayer. Maybe the third man and the fourth man and every man—maybe they were all capable of nothing better than betrayal. Maybe she'd been foolish to ever believe in anyone.

And if that was the case, she'd better learn to take care of herself.

"Excuse me," she said, nudging her legs against her friend's bottom. Jamie stood and stepped out of the way. Amanda pushed the blankets away, immediately missing their warmth,and stood on shaky legs. In the bathroom, she splashed water on her face and scrubbed it dry with the hand towel.

Jamie stood in the open doorway. "You want to tell me what happened?"

"Mark cheated on me." The words came out flat, matter of fact.I'd like a roast beef sandwich. Let's paint the walls yellow. Mark cheated on me.

Jamie gasped. "I don't believe it! When? He's been dying to win you back and now . . . How did you find out? What happened?"

Amanda shrugged and brushed her hair. Whatever. It was over. She was back to feeling numb. Thankful for numb.

She set her hairbrush on the counter. "I really don't want to talk about it."

Jamie crossed her arms, determined. "Who was it?"

"Annalise."

“His old girlfriend? The model?"

"She showed up at his apartment last night. Apparently she's been in love with him all along. His mother told her we were getting a divorce, so . . ." That was as much explanation as she could offer without crawling back into bed and hiding under the covers.

"Last night? You're saying he was with her last night."

She shrugged.

"Talk to me."

Amanda scooted past her, out of the bathroom, through the bedroom, and down the stairs. Jamie followed. If only she'd leave.

"Let's sit down and talk until the girls get home."

In the kitchen, the dishwasher door stood open from the fiasco earlier. Carefully, she set about removing the rest of the dishes and setting them in their proper places. "I'm really not up for talking."

Jamie sat on a barstool. "Are you saying he slept with the model last night?"

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