Page 13 of A Family Affair: The Cabin
“Never again what? Never again trust a guy or never again miss the signs that he’s a jerk?”
Elissa poured more wine into their glasses. “Both, I think.” The realization that she might never trust a man again was sad, but in some ways, comforting. At least, she’d go into future relationships with her eyes wide open: no expectations, no dreams, no hopes of happily-ever-after.
“Trusting the wrong person is a real bitch.”
That statement made her perk up. “So, you’ve got your own battle stories.”
“Don’t we all?”
“Was it a woman? Did she cheat?” On second thought, maybe it wasn’t the woman at all. Her voice dipped. “Didyou?”
“It wasn’t me.”
She shouldn’t have asked that last question because the look he gave her said he didn’t appreciate the accusations or the prodding. “Sorry, it’s not my business.”
“How about we get the dishes cleaned up and then we’ll continue with the twenty-five questions.” Before she could answer, he stood and began clearing the bowls and silverware.
Elissa studied him as he carried the dishes to the counter, filled up the sink with sudsy water. This man had a lot of secrets; she could tell by the way his expression changed when they hit on subjects like lying and fiancés. Maybe he’d had a woman who’d cheated and broken his heart, though why anyone would cheat on a man like this was difficult to imagine. Still, it happened, and the why made her curious. Telling a stranger about Zachary wasn’t like confessing the sordid truth to her parents, which she’d done the other night through two boxes of tissues. This was like pretending the stranger cared that she’d been hurt, that the dips in his voice wanted to soothe her sadness, and those eyes saw into her soul. So what if it weren’t real? She’d thought she hadrealwith Zachary and he’d been the grandest pretender of all. Why couldn’t she and this man pretend for a little while? They could share their stories and maybe find peace through the telling and a way to get past the pain?
Yes, that was exactly what she wanted to do, and with a bit of coaxing and another glass of wine or two, she might convince the man with the compelling blue eyes that pretending with a stranger was better than pretending with someone you loved.
