A sliver of warning slid down my spine, and I started to follow, but I stopped when I ran into his back.
“What?” I asked. We hadn’t gone that far, so what had stopped him?
“Desiderio?” A woman’s voice came through the crowd. I looked around until I found the source. My stomach dropped completely as I stared at the stunningly beautiful woman coming toward us. Tall, pale, and perfect.
Desi’s friends circled us, and I felt so incredibly trapped.
“Aleida.” He dropped my hand and took a step away from me.
What was going on? The woman, Aleida, smiled at Desi.
“I didn’t know you were coming. Why didn’t you mention it this morning?”
This morning? Aleida’s dark eyes flicked to mine. I blinked rapidly. Were her eyes… red?
“Oh, I think I understand now. Yes, dear, he spent the night with me last night.” She extended her hand out for me to shake. “And who are you?”
My lips trembled, my eyes watered, and I backed up. Desi’s friends helped me move away from them. It was as if the world around us had become a blur, and only those two existed. I stared at them, and suddenly it all made sense. They looked perfect together.
All of it.
“How long?”
“How long what, dear?” Aleida answered instead. “Him and I? Or him and you? Desiderio, care to answer?” She smiled at Desi.
My Desi.
Not hers.
Or was it the other way around?
He swallowed and looked at me with hardened eyes. “Scout, it’s not what you think. You and I have been together for one year, you know that. One year tomorrow.”
Aleida cackled. “And we’ve been together for five. I guess, time means nothing, does it?”
Five?
Five!
Tears blurred my vision, and I shook my head. It didn’t make sense, yet, as I stood there, watching the pair glare at each other, I knew it was true.
She wasn’t the other woman.I was.
My hands cupped over my mouth. I was afraid I was going to burst into tears, but I refused. Not in front of her.
“Oh, come on now, dear.” Aleida shook her head. “Don’t be too upset. It’s about time you found out about the situation, especially now that our special day is next week.” She beamed.
Special day?
I looked from her to Desi. He couldn’t make eye contact with me.
“I don’t understand,” I managed to get out. “What special day?”
Aleida rolled her eyes and thrust out her hand again. “Sweetie, I’m not just his girlfriend. I’m about to be his wife.” Wedged onto her perfectly dainty, manicured hand, was the biggest engagement ring I’d ever seen in my life.
