Page 162 of Holidating
She shrugs. “I was shocked, but also not? That doesn’t sound sensible. But the minute I saw those photos, I got it. I still didn’t know who sent them, but I knew that person went to a lot of trouble. And then it took all year to get divorced.” She pins him with a gaze. “Do you know when I figured out who sent me those photos?”
He shakes his head.
“Today,” she snaps. “You dickhead.”
Something is probably wrong with him, but hearing her say “dickhead” actually makes him grin.
“Why are you smiling?” she hisses.
“Because you’re so…” He flails his arms. “Soyou. So unbroken by all the shit that gets thrown at you. It was my sister, by the way. She sent the photos.”
Her eyes are still angry, but her mouth softens. “Oh.”
“Why today, though?”
She rubs her temples. “I found another set of the same photos. I think Zara must have sent one set to Boston and another here.”
“Oh. Like she was covering all the bases?”
“Right. And Cam must have found the Vermont set before I did. Today I discovered them torn up at the bottom of a shoebox in our closet.” She jerks a thumb toward the bedroom door.
“Shit,” he says as it dawns on him. “He must have thought he’d gotten away with it.”
She lets out a bark of bitter laughter. “Right. Except that man hasnevertaken out the trash. Not even once in his life. So he couldn’t even destroy the evidence properly.God, Damien. I married him based on a crush from when I was fourteen. And I’d still be married to him if it weren’t for your sister.”
He winces.
“Why didn’t you just tell me?”
Why, indeed. “I felt guilty. I wanted you to know the truth, but I didn’t feel like I could be the one who wrecked your perfect life.”
“My perfect life?” she demands. “Seriously? Did you not hear what I just said? Why didn’t you just tell me? I thought we were friends.” Her lip quivers.
“Oh honey, weare,” he says forcefully. And somehow, he’s slid across the sofa to pull her into a hug. “I didn’t know what to do.”
She lets out a sniffle and melts into his chest.
She smells nice, like flowers, his stupid brain offers up. Yeah, real helpful. “See, it was none of my business how your marriage worked. But I was just so fucking mad at him. And I’d already punched him in the face.”
She stiffens. Then she pulls away and looks up at him. “Omigod, really? That wasyou?”
He nods. “I was there that night at the Gin Mill, playing pool with Zara. My brother Alec owns that place.”
“Oh,” she says heavily.
“Yeah, I’m there a lot. Sometimes I pick up bartending shifts, but that night I was just hanging out. And there was Cam—picking up that woman in the photos. I was a dick about it. I told his date he was married. But I didn’t lay hands on him until he grabbed me by the jacket and cocked a fist.”
Her eyes widen. “God, what an idiot he is. Fighting you over a one-night stand?”
“Yeah. Well.” He sighs. “I punched him. But I couldn’t be the one to tell you.”
“I still don’t understand why not.”
Seriously?He puts his head in his hands. “Isn’t it obvious? I didn’t want to be the guy who blew up your life, Nicolette. Because I’ve been so jealous of Cam. I’ve had it bad for you for fifteen years.”
He expects a gasp. Or maybe laughter. But there’s nothing. She’s silent. Like, really silent. Maybe not even breathing.
He lifts his head to check, and she’s just staring at him. “That’s not true,” she whispers.
