Page 109 of Feels Like Home

“Um, okay? Yeah. But you’re making menervous.”

“I’m sorry. I just think we need someprivacy.”

I wring my hands together as we make our way to the office, and I take a seat on the couch next toher.

“What’s goingon?”

“First, I need you to know that I don’t like gossip, and this seems like gossip to me,but…”

“Just say it already,” I tell her, trying to keep the growing nervousness and fear from myvoice.

“I know what happened withTodd.”

“What?”

“Isaid…”

“I know what you said. But I want you toclarifywhat you meant. From the beginning, Carly. What the hell are you talkingabout?”

“Heather. She’s been talking. And maybe she’s just feeding everyone a line of bull crap because, let’s be honest, she’s not really known forherhonesty but… I don’t know. I think, maybe… is ittrue?”

“What’s shesaying?”

“That she and Todd had an affair,” she whisperssadly.

I feel the blood drain from my face and sweat start beading on the back of my neck. I lean over, not knowing if I’m going to throw up or pass out or possiblyboth.

“I don’t… what did she say exactly? Where did you hearthis?”

She licks her lips and reaches over to grab my hand in hers. “First, you need to understand something. Heather is crazy. Everyone knowsthis.”

I nod my head, hoping she’ll just get on withit.

“Tess is the one who told me. She said she wanted you to hear it from me. Heather came into her shop the other day, saying she was looking for an interiordecorator.”

My breathing goes shallow at the thought of Heather being back in town. Of messing with the boys’ lives. With their hearts. “What? She’s back? Like livinghere?”

Carly shakes her head. “No. Thank goodness. Tess said she wouldn’t work with her and didn’t travel that sort of distance anyway. I guess she’s living in Illinois or something. Anyway. I don’t think that’s why she was here anyway. The vindictiveslut.”

I purse my lips together because hearing Carly use any sort of swear word always cracks meup.

“So yeah. She wasn’t here searching for a business relationship. She was here to spread craziness. She said that the day Todd found out he had cancer, you found out he was sleeping withher.”

I gasp. It’s true — well, partly — but it stings. Hearing the words from someone else’s mouth. Even after all theseyears.

“Christine. It’sworse.”

“How can it be worse?” I part groan partscreech.

“She said that the only reason you’re with her husband, is because she was withyours.”

31

Andy

Everywhere I look,eyesare on me. At the grocery store. Filling up my pickup with gas. When I pulled up to the school to get the boys frompractice.

My phone rings, and I look down and see Barrett’s name lit up. I swipe to answerimmediately.

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