Page 10 of Fault Lines
I reached up and grabbed two wine glasses.
“Aha!” Rachel crowed, finding the corkscrew in one of my “catch all” drawers. She worked the first bottle open with a flourish and poured us each a generous glass.
“So, tell me what’s been happening.” She planted her elbows on the counter, eyes locked on me. “Why have you been pretending I don’t exist?”
“I haven’t,” I said, sitting down. “I’ve just been busy.”
She snorted. “Busy with what, exactly? Your blockbuster career, your busy social life, or the kids you don’t have?”
The words stung, and Rachel immediately winced. “Sorry, Livi. I wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s fine,” I said, brushing off the apology and taking a long drink. “Really, Rach. It’s just… a lot lately.”
She leaned forward. “Spill. Is this about Cam? Because if I need to go over to wherever he is and whip his ass, you know I will.”
I gave a half laugh, but it turned to a sob almost instantly.
“Livi, what’s going on?” Rachel reached out, covering my hand with hers.
“Cam’s having an affair.” Once I started, it all came spilling out, word vomit I couldn’t hold back. “With his secretary—or assistant, or whatever she is.”
Rachel’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “No way. Not Cam. He worships you. Are you sure?”
I nodded. “He’s been checked out for months, Rach. He never comes home anymore, and when he does, he acts like I’m invisible. He’s always got these urgent ‘work emergencies’ that just so happen to involve Lacey. Then, the other night, I saw texts on his phone. They didn’t say ‘affair’ outright, but they weren’t work-appropriate either. And that night he forgot to tell me he’d be late? I called Lacey to see if she knew where he was. She lied to my face; said she hadn’t seen him. But when Cam finally came home, he told me she was with him the whole time. Why would she lie if it was innocent? I think they were on a date, Rach.”
The tears started then, relentless. “He hasn’t touched me in over five months. I feel completely alone.”
Rachel squeezed my arm, hard. “You’re not alone, Livi. Not ever, and especially not while I’m alive. You can’t let him turnyou into a shadow. He made vows, remember? You deserve better.”
“I can’t force him to love me.” The words came out so small.
“You don’t have to.” Rachel’s voice softened. “This isn’t about love, Liv. He’s hurting, maybe, but that doesn’t make this okay. After you guys got the news about not being able to have children, I think it broke something in him. But if there’s one thing I know, it’s that Cameron Milo James is obsessed with you. He would run through fire for you. Maybe he needs a whack on the head to remind him.”
I actually laughed, even as I wiped my eyes.
“But you’re going to be the one to do it,” she continued, all business now. “You’re not waiting around for him to keep playing games with that blonde homewrecker.”
“She’s actually brunette,” I muttered, a little embarrassed. “I might have spent some time on her social media. She’s younger. Gorgeous. I made myself feel worse.”
“She could have a tail for all I care. Still a tramp for chasing married men.” Rachel pointed her finger at me. “You’re staying up tonight, and when he comes home, you confront him. Tell him it stops now or you’re walking out with your bags. You want counseling? You tell him. You call the shots now, Livi.”
I stared into my glass. “And if he says he loves her? Or wants to leave?”
“If it comes to that, we deal with it together.” Rachel’s thumb wiped away another tear. “You always have a place to go as long as I’m around. And I’m not going anywhere.”
“Thanks, Rach.”
“Anytime. So, when does the prodigal husband usually get home?”
I shrugged. “After midnight, lately.”
She clapped her hands once. “Plenty of time to get tipsy and plot his demise.”
∞∞∞
Rachel had only just left when Cam finally came through the door. I’d stopped at three glasses of wine—not enough to get drunk, but enough to quiet my hands, steady them for what was coming.
He paused in the threshold of the living room, surprised.
