“Irish, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m Carrie.”
“Nice to meet you, too, Carrie.”
“So, what’s on your mind? You can tell me anything you want. Our calls are always confidential, meaning they won’t get out to the public unless you confess to a crime.”
“Oh, okay.” Irish swallowed deep and expelled a breath. “Well, I’m in a dilemma…”
“What kind of dilemma?”
Clearing her throat, she confessed, “I think I’m in love with someone.”
That was the first time Irish had ever confessed to being in love with a man. For years, she chased the sentiment, feeling it escape from her grasp each time she thought she had it. This time, she didn’t want it to slip through her fingers. This time she wanted to hold onto it and own it.
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“It’s a bad thing because I’m already married. However, the marriage is of convenience. I love my husband with the love of a friend and it’s the same for him.”
“So, do the optics make it look bad or you falling in love with someone other than your husband makes it worse?”
Irish found it difficult to explain her situation without outing Jovanis.
“The optics and also… the man I’m in love with works closely with my husband. If it were to get out, I know he wouldn’t appreciate me doing that to him.”
“Ah, now I get it.”
“Yeah, but there’s this big part of me that don't care. And what I mean is that, I don't want to give up the man that I’m possibly in love with for my husband.” Without warning, Irish burst out laughing. “I’m sorry that just sounded so crazy to me.”
Carrie chuckled. “It did sound like a line from a novel. I can admit that.”
“Yeah, but it’s the truth. For a brief second, I will feel bad, but when I think of the man I love, it all goes away.”
“Do you think the man that you're in love with shares the same feelings for you?”
Irish thought for a moment. Noble treated her with such high regard. Any time she was in his care, she felt like a collector’s item. Like a high-price valuable that he had spent his life savings on. Their conversations were inebriating. Noble’s tattooed hands were her prescription. The sex took her to heights that outer space couldn’t touch. Their connection possessed depth with no perimeter in sight. Although neither had expressed their love for each other, Irish felt his every time she was with him.
“I do,” she answered confidently.
“Do you think that your love for each other is enough to weather the storm that’s brewing?”
“You think it’s going to be a storm?” Irish wondered aloud.
“Well, according to you, the man that you're in love with is close associates with your husband. Despite your marriage being of convenience, your husband wouldn’t like the fact that you chose that particular man to engage in an affair with. I would say that there may be some sort of discord in the future.”
Irish’s gaze descended to the floor, wondering how bad things would get once her situation with Noble was exposed. Jovanis was known to be a hot head once disrespected, and Noble was an unknown storm to her. Deep down, she knew he had an on and off switch.
“Yeah, maybe you’re right.”
“What if you're forced to make a choice between the two men?”
Carrie’s question caused her mouth to dry immediately. How would she be able to choose? Jovanis had been hersoulmate for years, but Noble owned her heart. There was no way the two could compete because they completed her.
“Honestly, I don't know what I would do… that’s like asking me if I could live without two vital organs.”
“Hmm, that tells me that the man you're possibly in love with isn’t just a possibility. It’s real and choosing between him and your husband would be no easy feat.”
“Not at all… In the past, picking my husband over a guy I was dealing with was a no brainer. Now, not so much. There’s so much at stake, and I’m not talking about the storm between the two once our affair is exposed. I’m talking as far as me. I don't want to be without him. He has really filled in the gray areas in my life. I had been lonely before he came into the picture. Now, everything just feels so right with him. My husband is my best friend. We’ve been through so much together, and I would never want to be without him either. I guess I’m caught between two loves. One that I want and one that I need…”
“Then, it’s possible that you're going to have to make a decision. I don't know much but I do know that the male ego is fragile. Their self-worth, manhood, and how they view themselves is high on their priority list. Men are also very competitive. You have to think about what is to come and what the risks are.”
