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“Who’s here?” someone called from the hallway. Ava appeared, spotted me on the couch and smiled. “Hey, Livs! Staying with us tonight?” she asked, eyeing my bag. It was evident that Gretchen hadn’t told her anything, otherwise I knew she’d be prying me with questions.
“Is that all right?” I asked.
“Duh,” she said. “I was just about to open a bottle of Pinot Noir.”
“Sounds excellent,” Gretchen said.
Wine and girl talk was the perfect distraction. Bethany, Gretchen’s other roommate, appeared when she heard the clinking of glasses. She talked for an hour straight and had only covered half of her weekend when the doorbell rang again.
This time it was Greg, who sauntered in the room behind Gretchen after she let him in. “Ladies,” he greeted.
“Hey, you,” I said, pleasantly surprised to see him. “What are you doing here?”
He sat on one side of me as Gretchen sat on the other end of the couch. “Gretchen said you were having a girls’ night, so I’m here to crash. Like old times.”
“Just without Lucy,” I said, frowning.
“Lucy’ll come around,” he said. “You know her, loyal to a fault. So what’s tonight’s meeting about? Taking a break from all the sex, Livvy?”
I rolled my eyes, but not before I saw Ava’s and Bethany’s eyebrows shoot up in unison.
“Can I tell them?” Gretchen asked. “Please. I am dying to see their reaction.”
I sighed irritably, even though I was also a little curious. “Fine,” I relented.
“Olivia is fucking David Dylan. Remember – ”
Bethany sprung onto the couch in one motion. “Get out!” she cried, repeating it as she jumped up and down.
“It’s . . . I’m . . .” Words failed me as embarrassment set in.
“Bethany!” Ava screamed. “Shut up and pause!” Her eyes cut to me, and I braced myself for the next words out of her mouth. “But you’re married,” she said.
I glanced down at my hand by habit and said, “We’re taking a break.” A break? Why did I say that?
“Shit, I do not blame you, girlfriend,” Bethany said. “That hunk of a man is worth taking a break for.”
I nodded and smiled. He most definitely was. For the first time since I’d seen Bill, I let my mind wander back to my morning in the shower. To the command David had over his body and mine. To the way he worked me, pushing me to the edge and then further, fucking me to climax like it was his job.
“Hello? Liv?”
“Hmm?”
“She’s obviously picturing him naked right now,” Bethany decided. “And now I am too. Is he hung?”
“Gross,” Greg wailed.
I laughed. “Yes. Seriously hung. Can you fucking believe it?”
“I can!” Ava squealed, apparently pacified by my explanation that Bill and I were on a break. “He’s like six-foot-three – ”
“Four,” I cut in.
“And no guy is that confident if he ain’t packing,” she finished. “It must be good, right? The sex?”
I rolled my head onto the back of the couch. “Ava,” I said seriously and up to the ceiling. “You have no idea.”
The three of them broke into a mixture of giggles, squeals and I even heard an ‘Amen.’ Greg, I noticed, had buried his head between two pillows.
“That’s so unfair,” Ava whined. “You get two men, and I’ve got nobody.”
“It’s harder than you’d think,” I said.
“Explain yourself,” she demanded.
“David and I are more than just fucking. We’re, I guess . . .”
“He asked her to move in,” Gretchen supplied.
“No!” Bethany said with eyes as wide as saucers. “What’s stopping you?”
“Well, for one, she’s still married,” Ava pointed out.
“Yes, there’s that,” I agreed.
“Are you guys, like, in love?” Ava asked.
“It’s complicated.”
“So you don’t love him?”
“I . . . I haven’t . . . I think I do.”
“Olivia,” Gretchen scolded. “You love him. I know you do.”
“I do, I just,” I said, looking around nervously. “Like I said – ”
“It’s complicated, we know,” Gretchen said, rolling her eyes. “Liv, if you love Bill and want to make it work with him, that’s one thing. But don’t ruin things with David because you’re scared. That’s not fair to either of you.”
“And if he dumps me for someone else in six months? I would be devastated. I cou
ldn’t handle it,” I said, acutely aware of all the eyes on me.
“You could,” Gretchen said. “You’re stronger than you think. If he breaks your heart, then you’ll deal with it. But you owe it to yourself to try.” She glanced at Greg, who leaned forward and winked at her.
“Get a room,” Bethany teased.
“We will, when my lady is ready.”
Still? I mouthed at Gretchen, and she nodded proudly. I held my glass up to her and took a sip, shocked that she of all people had refrained from sleeping with him for so long.
“So, hold up,” Bethany said. “Not that I care because I like you a lot more, but isn’t Lucy’s sister dating that gorgeous piece of ass?”
I choked on my wine and started coughing. Everyone stared at me again. “They went on a few dates,” I said. “But he says it didn’t mean anything.”
“It didn’t,” Gretchen said. “You told me he didn’t even do anything with her.”
I wavered, not exactly thrilled at the idea of sharing all this with a roomful of people. “Bill said something about it this afternoon.”
“What?” Ava asked, riveted.
I looked at Gretchen when I spoke. “Dani told Bill that she and David slept together. David told me otherwise.”
“You think he lied to you?” Gretchen asked.
“No,” I said. “But I don’t know why she would lie.”
Gretchen pursed her lips. “They didn’t,” she said, waving her hand. “I’m sure Lucy would’ve mentioned that. She’s not happy that you moved in on Dani’s man, but she’d be irate if it was that serious.”
I nodded. “You’re probably right.”
“Let’s ask her,” Bethany suggested.
“Now?” Ava asked.
“Why not? Call her up, Gretch.”
“No,” I protested. “I don’t want to cause trouble.”
“Girl, you need answers, stat,” Bethany said. “Call her.”
“I think we should,” Gretchen agreed.
I shifted uncomfortably. “If anyone’s going to call, it’s going to be me,” I said, holding my hand out for Gretchen’s phone.
“Go on, girl,” Bethany cheered.
I copied the number into my phone and hit ‘Send.’ My heart raced as it rang, no idea what I would say, and I was relieved when I got her voicemail. I left a brief, stumbling message asking her to call me and hung up. I was met with four pairs of eyes when I looked up. “You guys are intense,” I said and laughed nervously.
