Page 23 of The New Year's Party
“It’s not that,” she said, tightening her fingers until she felt the urgent pulse of pent-up blood behind her knuckles.
“Uh-oh. You’re not smiling. What did I do?”
She swallowed. Her vision was cloudy and her head swimming, which made it easier to say the words, because they didn’t feel quite real. “It’s actually something I did. Bennett—”
His look was loving, concerned.
“Bennett, five years ago, I—” She gave a ghost of a laugh. Shewasabsurd. “Well, I don’t know how to say this, but I—”Oh God oh God oh God“—I cheated. With Phelps. It was a horrible mistake. I know this must be a shock—” Words spilled out. She heard herself apologizing, as if she was listening to a distant radio announcer giving the news. Heard herself telling Bennett that Rosie wasn’t his. That she was so very sorry. That nothing had happened between her and Phelps since, or ever would again. That she understood if he could never forgive her.
It was when she stopped talking that the shock caught up with her.
What was shethinking?
She’d hidden it for so long. She could have hidden it one more day! What was it about going to parties that made her forge into conflict? Like that time they did Easter with her parents and she felt the need to tell Bennett how much his chewing annoyed her... like the time they were on the way to meet up with Olivia’s college girlfriends downtown and she absolutely couldn’t waitanylonger to ask him to please stop startingallhis stories with “funny thing”...
“Oh, my God,” she breathed, scanning Bennett’s face for any sign of what was about to come.
Slowly, as if his hands were fighting to cross the dense space between them, Bennett took her cold hands in his. He didn’t seem to be freaking out. Why wasn’t he freaking out?
“It’s okay,” he said. “I... I have a secret of my own.”
Olivia’s heart spasmed with something like joy. Had he cheated too? Wouldn’t that be a relief, if they both had something to forgive! Who would it have been with? A colleague? Someone from Michigan City, during one of his weekends with Phelps? Maybe it would be worse than her slip-up... a full-blown affair... a matter of years... and she was ready to forgive. Eager.Hungryfor it.
“What?” she said breathlessly.
He looked into her eyes. His voice was steady. Measured.
“I already knew.”
Chapter 10
Phelps
Phelps opened the front door with oven mitts on, both for humorous effect and because he’d just pulled out some roasted garlic. “Welcome, first arrivals! Do you have your bags with you? Let me show you to your room. Also, fair warning, we’re down one bathroom—my en suite toilet went kaput yesterday. Couldn’t get a plumber out in time, but—”
This was a white lie—the toilet went kaput six months ago—but who could afford a plumber these days?
“I’ll get our bag in a second,” said Bennett.
Phelps pulled Olivia into a firm hug while Bennett hovered behind.
“Gorgeous as always,” said Phelps before exiting the hug. “Do you not age, Oh, Elven One?”
Olivia laughed, then Bennett clasped hands with Phelps and pulled him close. They slapped each other on the back twice.
Bennett and Olivia looked great. Of course they did; they were living the good life... but what was the prickle of tension in the air? A little lover’s spat, maybe, in the car? A little trouble in paradise?
“Everything good, bro-man?” Phelps said jovially, smiling his biggest smile, hoping to disperse any negativity via excessivegood cheer. Tonight was for fun, damn it. For capers and laughs and forgetting about shit jobs and back pain and ex-wives.
“Yeah, man,” said Bennett. “Hey, the place looks good.” As Olivia peeled off her boots, Bennett touched the small of her back.
“Well, come in, come in,” said Phelps, gesturing.
They followed, and he saw the place through their eyes. The interior was darkish—better to hide the wear and tear on the carpet and couches and the dings in the drywall—with the curtains half-drawn and strands of lights providing the only illumination.Magical, Allie had said—a vast improvement over her first judgment upon arrival. And now that Phelps’s sense of smell had been cleared out by the blast of cold from the front door, he realized the house also smelled amazing, like smoke and garlic and chocolate. He was pleased.
Down the carpeted hall that led to the bedrooms and bathroom, Phelps opened a door. “Ta-daaa, you guys get the boys’ room! You’re sharing with Will and Jenn. But don’t get any ideas. I don’t think they’re as kinky as you two naughty people.”
Bennett guffawed. Olivia pressed out a tight smile without looking at Phelps. Definitely a lover’s spat. Well, in a minute, he’d pour extra-strong drinks and seduce them away from their tiny misery. Then all would be well in party-land.
