Page 98 of Gone for You

His eyebrows kiss his hairline.

We stare at each other and I sigh. My reasoning is stupid and doesn’t make much sense. It’s a stretch, for sure, but it’s how messed up my headspace is right now. “Tequila. Mexico.”

“Gotta admit, I was expecting something a little more dramatic than that.”

“Sorry to disappoint you.”

“You can make it up to me by figuring your shit out so you can get your girl back and stop being such a supreme dick.”

“I’ll do my best to make at least one of those things happen.”

“That’s all I ask.”

Chapter 42

Olivia

“Story time.”Mom says, pouring me a glass — a tall one — of wine. Which doesn’t bring me a whole lot of comfort because I know that if she’s offering wine, whatever I’m about to hear will not be easy.

Now that we’ve finished our sandwiches, she gestures to the couch, leaving the bottle behind. As soon as we’re seated on the couch, I take a small drink and she tips up the stem of my glass, encouraging me to drink more.

Okay. That’s not reassuring.

After I swallow, I set down my glass and give Mom a look. “Just spill.”

She blows out a breath. “When your dad and I got divorced, it wasn’t what you think.”

“You mean you both didn’t cheat?”

“No. I mean, not in the way you think.”

“How many ways are there to cheat on your spouse?” I ask then hold up a hand because really, I don’t want to know the answer to that.

She presses her lips together then reaches for my glass and drinks down half of it. Less reassuring considering Mom doesn’t drink. Like, at all. She looks away, from me and murmurs around the rim of the glass. “Have you ever heard of the term swinging?”

I’m glad I wasn’t drinking because I either would have choked or spewed liquid all over the place. My parents being swingers is absolutely without a doubt nothing close to a warm and cozy story my mom promised me. Though, I guess warm and cozy wasn’t on the list but this? No. Just. No.

I look at her then burst into hysterical laughter. Yank the glass out of her hand and down the last of it while shaking my head slowly back and forth. Stand up, go to the kitchen and grab the bottle, drinking straight from it.

I return to the living room, look at Mom again and all I can think is that she’s a terrible liar. It’s the most ridiculous thing she could have come up with which means the truth must bereallybad.

More hysterical laughter from me. Mom looks worried, rubbing her lips together and wringing her hands in her lap. I sit down and she reaches out to me then pulls her hand away like she’s afraid to touch the crazy person when I stand quickly, not being able to sit still. Clearly the crazy is contagious though because what other reason would I be currently wondering if my parents were…swingers.

It’s just not possible. That’s the biggest nope in all the world.

“Honey?”

“Nope.”

“Livvy Loo.”

“Nope.”

“But…”

“NOPE, Mom. I said nope and I meant it! I can’t… no. I know that’s not the real story so just come out with it. Are you and dad gay? Is that it? You couldn’t stay together any longer because you were fighting something you always felt?”

“Would us being gay be a better reason here?”

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