Page 32 of Deal Takers

Rainey

I groan as sunlight assaults my eyeballs before glaring at whomever is pounding on my front door.

“Why is there a jackhammer going off in my brain?”

Knock. Knock.

“Hold your tits! I’m coming!”

“Lorraine, it’s me. Please open the door.”

Okay, I may feel a little bad for wishing horrible things would happen to the person behind the door when I hear Devyn’s voice. I roll off the couch to let her in. On my way, I see the small wastebasket from my bathroom sitting next to the couch along with two ibuprofens and a glass of water on the coffee table. I smile when I think of how considerate Brody was, but wince when the action makes my skull want to shatter.

“Fuck,” I grumble. “I’m never drinking again.”

I swallow the pills and say a little prayer they make this pounding go away. I open the door and stumbleback to my couch to lay down. Remaining upright takes too much work right now.

Devyn approaches the couch slowly and takes a seat in front of me on the coffee table. “Honey, I’m so sorry.”

I crack open an eye. “I take it Brody told you?”

She nods. “He called me first thing this morning. He didn’t want you to be alone when you woke up.”

“Well, at least he saved me the trouble of recapping the shitshow that was last night,” I mutter.

“Don’t be mad at him for saying something, Rainey. He’s genuinely concerned about you. He stayed awake all night in case you needed anything. He just left an hour ago.”

He did?

“Devyn, how could I have been so stupid? I don’t understand how he was living an entirely separate life with another woman. Where has she been every time I’ve been to his house? I don’t even know how long they’ve been together! He could’ve been cheating this entire time!” I choke back a sob when I remember something else. “She’s pregnant, Devyn! Not only is he already married, but he’s having another kid! Apparently, hedidwant another child…just not with me. I was the problem in that scenario.”

She brushes my hair away from my face. “You are notthe problem in this scenario. That’s one-hundred percent Adam. I don’t know how he pulled it off either, but none of it is your fault. He obviously covered his tracks well. From what Brody told me, he’s not going to get away with it on either end. He’d have to be really smooth to explain your confrontation without clueing her in to his affair.”

“Heisreally smooth, Dev. That’s part of the allure. Shit, there were so many signs—keeping our relationship a secret at the hospital…only being able to spend the entire night together once, maybe twice a week. We’ve been together for over three years, and I’ve never met a single member of his family! He always had some excuse why we couldn’t visit them or why we shouldn’t move in together, and I let it slide every time. Hell, for all I know, everyconferencehe’s had to attend has been made up. I never once doubted him enough to look into it.” I sit upright and gasp when I recall her last words. “Oh my god!I’m the mistress!” She pulls me into a hug when my tears break free. “That woman has everything I wanted. The worst part is I can’t even hate her for it. She’s a victim in this, too. I feel so fucking stupid.”

“You’re not stupid, Rainey. Adam is a liar and an asshole.”

My phone buzzes on the side table. When I grab it, I see I have an incoming text from Brody.

Brody

I’m not going to ask how you’re feeling because I already know the answer, but do you need anything? Say the word, and I’m there.

Devyn raises a questioning eyebrow. I hold my phone out, so she can read his message. “Who knew Brody Harris had such a sweet side?” she says.

“He’s just trying to get in my pants,” I mutter. I leave out the embarrassing fact that he’d had the chance last night and rejected me.Jesus H, I can’t believe I tried humping his leg like a dog.

I type my reply.

Me

I’ll be fine. Devyn’s here right now. Thank you for last night.

Brody

No thanks necessary, honey.

Me

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