Page 23 of Married to Lies

The weight of his words sat heavy on my shoulders. MyHome had changed everything for me. I went from being a controller at a small credit union to the CFO of a billion-dollar organization, one with partners I could actually trust. Losing this... I didn’t want to think of it. Just like I didn’t want to lose anyone important to me.

“I’ll talk to Bryce, since I’m here,” I said.

Cruz offered, “I’ll see Jude at the Breckenridge New Year’s Eve party. Maybe we’ll get some time to talk.”

Aaric said, “Good. Remember the goal is to listen, not to fix.” That one was for Cruz. No one needed to remind me to listen.

Cruz retorted, “You should have been a therapist, Aar.”

“I act as one for you clowns, and I make way more money,” Aaric countered with a chuckle.

“The three of us will follow up at the retreat?” I asked.

“Yes,” Cruz agreed.

Aaric pressed, “It’s important, guys. This rift will destroy us. If it hasn’t already.”

9 Jada

The only place Twyla would sleep was in my arms. So the second Bryce walked in the house, I whisper-yelled, “Did you know Quentin was going to ask Rei out?”

The surprised look on Bryce’s face was only a small relief. “Quentin’s going on a date with Rei?” With his eyebrows drawn, he hung his coat up on a hook by the door. “I knew he’s been interested in someone for several months now… but it’s her?”

“She called me to tell me that he’s the one who’s been writing her notes all this time.” The worry I felt for my friend had tears stinging my eyes. Blinking quickly, I sat down at the kitchen island, still holding Twyla.

Bryce came and kissed my forehead, making my heart lurch. I leaned into him, letting him hold me as he said, “Quentin doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to write love letters.”

“They’re not really letters,” I mumbled. “He puts little messages on the sticky note wall at MyHome.” It was sweet, when I didn’t know he was angling for a marriage of convenience with my best friend.

“That’s wild...” Bryce walked to the crockpot resting on the counter, letting the smell of Glamma’s pot roast waft more strongly through the room. My mouth began to water—breastfeeding was no joke. I was hungry constantly, my nipples hurt, and if we went too far past a feeding, my boobs felt like exploding.

“Can you make me a bowl too?” I murmured.

He nodded, reaching into the cabinet to retrieve vintage white bowls with delicate painted blue flowers wrapping around under the outer rim. I watched him carefully serve us both and collect silverware from the drawer. “Where’s Glamma?” he hummed. “Should I make her a bowl as well?”

“She’s out with Irma,” I explained. “Senior night at the church.”

He nodded toward the doorway and led the way to our living room sofa, where we’d eaten almost all our meals since we brought Twyla home a few days prior. “Want me to hold her?” he offered.

I shook my head. “Eat first. She’ll probably wake up as soon as we move her.” Just the whispered sentence made me feel so tired. I loved Twyla, I did, but being a mom to a newborn was the hardest thing I’d ever done, and with my past, that was saying a lot.

After a bite of roast, he said, “So Rei and Quentin...”

My stomach turned at the thought. “I think we need to tell her about the marriage clause.”

He coughed, quietly. I hadn’t even known that was possible before this moment, but he made it work. When he finally stopped coughing and took a sip of water, he said in a rough voice, “That would violate our NDA.”

“Then make her sign one. It’s not fair for her to get attached to him not knowing that there’s something more coming. I don’t want her to be blindsided like I was.”

A pained expression crossed his face. “I know you’re protecting your friend.”

It felt like there was more he wanted to say. “But? And?”

“Quentin’s my friend.”

I blinked at him. “So you’d have Rei go out with Quentin thinking there are no ulterior motives?”

“Quentin should handle the delivery of the news himself,” Bryce said lightly. He scooped another bite of his food into his mouth and then reached for Twyla.