Page 20 of The Most Perfect Wrong

“Yeah, that’s pretty dick of him. It’s one thing to ask you about it, but accusing you? And at work?” Casey shakes her head.

“I know. It’s so awkward… Let’s just hope I don’t ever have to work too closely with him. I’m able to avoid him most of the time right now.” I press my forehead into the palm of my hand. “Ugh. Why did this have to happen? I love this new job, and he’s ruining it for me.”

“I’m so sorry, Coop. That really sucks,” Casey says sympathetically.

“Want to know the worst part?”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“It’s that when I first saw him in the office, I was actually excited. It felt like the universe had aligned. Like, my heart skipped a beat.” I cringe admitting it out loud.

“Well, that makes sense. I mean, I remember you saying the sex was mind-blowing. ‘Mind-blowing’ was the phrase you used. And yeah, he’s hot as hell, right? You also had a great time and thought he was really nice… but that was back then.”

I let out a frustrated sigh. “Yeah, he was all those things. I was so nervous after you left me with him, but he was sweet and made jokes. We laughed a lot, and… I was just so comfortable with him.” I lower my voice to a near whisper. “The chemistry was insane, Case. I’ve never had that kind of instant connection with someone.” I glance around, making sure Brad can’t hear.

“Really? Even in college? What about that one guy you hooked up with right before you started dating Brad? What was his name? The foreign exchange student?” Suddenly, she shouts. “No, Mason! Don’t touch that!”

Her screen shifts, showing the ceiling. “Sorry, Coop. My face will be right back—keep talking, I’m listening.”

“Oh my God, how could I forget about Marco? He was ridiculously hot—the accent, the body, all of it. That was the best sex of my life… until Ryan.”

“Okay, okay, so Ryan was even better than Marco?” Casey presses, clearly intrigued.

“God, yes. But let’s be honest—while it was great with Marco, we were only twenty-two. Not exactly a fair comparison.”

“Well, you’ve only been with Brad and Ryan since then, right?” she asks as her face comes back into view, slightly breathless from chasing Mason around.

“Yeah.”

“Well, what about Brad?” Casey asks, her tone shifting slightly.

“What do you mean—what about him?”

“How’s your relationship… in the bedroom?”

I don’t hesitate. “Well, that’s where our relationship is the best,” I say confidently. It’s the truth. “It’s always been great with Brad in that area. Sure, the excitement has worn off a little, but I’m easily turned on by Brad, and he always makes a point to get me off first. It’s the one part of our relationship where he’s very selfless.” I pause for a second, my thoughts lingering. “That’s normal, though, right? The excitement wearing off after this many years?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Casey replies thoughtfully. “I don’t know if it’s the excitement that wears off, or maybe just that anticipation of something new. You know, those butterflies you get when you first start seeing someone? Those definitely fade, but I still look forward to having sex with Greg.”

“Yeah, that’s a better way of explaining it,” I agree. “I still look forward to having sex with Brad. Last night was amazing. He went down on me for so long. It was glorious.”

Casey laughs. “Ah, that’s the best. How are things with you guys otherwise?”

I pause for a moment, wanting to be honest. “It’s actually been good lately. Brad’s been super supportive with the new job, and we’ve got a date planned for tonight. He’s been really attentive and present when he’s home. And when he gets home late, he makes a point to connect with me physically. Things have actually been better than they’ve been in a long time.” I stop to think about the last time I could say that truthfully—it’s been a while.

“That’s great. That makes me really happy…” Casey’s voice trails off.

“What?” I ask, immediately sensing there’s more she’s not saying.

“It’s nothing. I don’t want to put a damper on your happiness right now.”

“Well, now you have to say it,” I reply, concern creeping into my voice.

“It’s just that… you know, most of the other times you’ve said things were going well with Brad… he was cheating on you. He’d always get extra nice and attentive at home, like he was trying to cover up his guilt.”

I’m stunned into silence. This is what she thinks? My best friend, my sister, my greatest confidant in the world believes that Brad being nice to me must mean he’s cheating? I don’t even know how to respond—don’t know what to think. Is she right? Is this a pattern I’ve been ignoring?

A flutter of panic tightens in my chest, that constricted feeling you get when you’re scared of something.

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