Page 89 of In This Together

Was one a work phone and one an adultery phone?

‘Where’ve you been, Daddy?’ Rosalie asked, her tone clipped, unable to be her usual chirpy persona.

She adored her father and loved seeing him but tonight, she felt nothing toward him except anger, distrust and shame.

Hunter was clearly taken aback by her tone. ‘At work, darling. You don’t seem happy. What’s happened now?’

The way he asked her, as if she was some kind of drama queen, irked her. She scowled, trying to decide whether to call him out for romping with her best friend behind her mother’s back. Then she looked at Loretta and knew this wasn’t the right way to go about things.

Luisa reappeared with a third soufflé and poured Hunter, then Loretta, each a glass of Hunter’s preferred red wine. When she came to fill Rosalie’s glass, Rosalie held her hand over the top.

‘No, thank you, Luisa. I’m driving tonight.’

‘Driving?’ Hunter asked. ‘Why would you drive? You don’t usually drive.’

‘Why would anyone do anything that wasn’t expected of them?’ Rosalie quipped.

Hunter dabbed the corner of his mouth with his napkin and set it down on the table, holding Rosalie’s glare.

‘I need to speak with you,’ Rosalie said.

‘Oh, Rosalie, if it’s about me gifting you a recording label again, I’ve already told you, no.’

Rosalie gasped. ‘You didn’t. You said if I got experience I could have a label.’ She scoffed. ‘You never had any intention of following through, did you? Gosh, you reallyarea liar. You think I’m stupid. Silly Rosalie and her silly ideas.’

‘I do not think you’re stupid, Rosalie, though you are being extremely dramatic.’

‘Rosalie, what has gotten into you?’ Loretta asked.

‘Maybe I’m just finally seeing the sky through the clouds, Mom.Daddy,Iwantto speak with you and itisn’tabout a recording label, though it is related to your lies and deceit.’

The response she received – which was Hunter staring knowingly at Rosalie – confirmed what she already knew. But there were more questions and answers she wanted.

‘After dinner,’ Hunter said, reaching for his wine.

The remainder of the three-course meal Luisa had prepared was endured mostly in excruciating silence and partly in painstakingly pointless snippets of conversation led by Loretta.

When Luisa offered Rosalie after-dinner coffee, Rosalie declined, staring at her father.

Hunter nodded in understanding, rising from the table. ‘Luisa, I’d like a glass of port in the library.’

‘Yes, sir,’ Luisa said.

‘I think he meant to say “please”, Luisa,’ Rosalie said, realising that everything about her father was arrogant and wondering if he had always been this way.

Rosalie followed Hunter to the third-floor library, which was lit only by lamplight from the desk that sat on a rug in the middle of the dark wood floor, the walls around them full of books.

Hunter perched on the edge of the desk, facing her. ‘You wanted to talk.’ It was not a question but a statement. It was cold and direct and Rosalie had an insight into his work manner.

‘How long?’ she said.

He unfolded his arms and rested his hands against the edge of the desk either side of him. Confident. Bold. Unafraid.

‘How long what?’ he asked.

His conceit was the final straw. ‘How long have you beenfuckingAndrea?’

He wasn’t startled, or affronted, or ashamed. In fact, his demeanour didn’t change at all as he told his daughter, ‘It’s over. It was a mistake and I can understand why you’re upset but I ended it weeks ago. She begged me not to but I did because I knew it was wrong. I knew it would hurt you.’

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