Page 41 of The Awful Truth

Email to: [email protected]

Email from: [email protected]

Subject: URGENT: You Were Right

Enid,

I hate to admit this, but I’ve just confirmed your suspicions are founded. I saw a text, then saw evidence of it in person. They’re at it right at this moment. Everything we’ve built is about to crumble, and I can’t think straight. I need your help immediately.

A

By the time she calculated the hour in California (five o’clock in the early evening), Enid had written back.

Email to: [email protected]

Email from: [email protected]

Subject: Re: URGENT: You Were Right

Glad you reached out to me first. That was your best move. Do nothing for now. Act normal. I’m calling counsel and will be back to you as soon as possible with a containment strategy. Hang in there. If you need to cry, go into the bathroom and turn on the shower.

Enid

11:02 P.M.

CHARLOTTE

“Come here,” she said, giving him her sexiest grin. She kissed him hard on the mouth, smelling his expensive aftershave and feeling the smoothness of his freshly shaved skin. “Let’s get naked. I’ve been waiting so long, I can’t take it anymore.”

She tugged at the belt of her bathrobe, letting it fall to her sides, revealing her nude body. Ted’s eyes grew wide and he gave her an appreciative grin. Raising his hands, he slid the white plush robe off her shoulders and watched as it fell to the floor.

Charlotte reached for the hem of his shirt, pulling it up and over his head, then dropped to her knees and unzipped his jeans. She smiled up at him while she pulled his jeans and boxer briefs down below his knees. He stepped out of his remaining clothes, already hard, which felt like a relief to her after last night with Oliver. Running her hands up his thighs, she wrapped them both around his cock, then set to work showing him how thrilled she was about what he said earlier about their future.

Ted let out a loud moan, but after a few seconds, he stopped her, placing his hands on hers and pulling her up to her feet. He gripped her ass and pressed himself to her, kissing her hard as they stood together in the middle of the room. Lifting her up, he walked them over to the bed while she wrapped her long legs around his waist, loving how powerful he was. Dropping her onto the bed, he ran his hands up and down the length of her, taking his time as he devoured her with his eyes. He adored her. There was no question about it in Charlotte’s mind. It wasn’t like this between him and Antonia. He had said as much, but that’s not how she knew. She knew because there was no way he could look at his wife with this same expression. This was how you stared at someone you truly loved. And she could feel it. He loved her.

Leaning over her, he planted kisses from her thighs all the way up to her breasts, taking his time with each of her nipples, until they were pert expressions of her desire. Tonight was different for her. Everything had shifted. She wanted him—all of him—not just for now. But for good.

He worked his way down her stomach with his mouth, spreading her legs wider to give him access. Her mind flashed to the first time she knew she wanted him. They had been in his office. It was early evening and she had been trying her best not to cry all day. Her ex, Ian, had come by her apartment the night before when she was at Pilates class and taken all his things. She knew it was coming, but when he got home the place looked surprisingly bare. No men’s sneakers eating up three quarters of the small front closet. No guitars sitting in the corner by the couch looking cool. No Xbox controllers scattered on her coffee table. She had hated those stupid controllers, but as soon as they were missing, it felt like a violation of the proper world order. Up until that evening, Charlotte thought maybe Ian would come back and they’d work it out. She had hoped he would change his mind.

But he wasn’t going to. He was already gone.

Ted had asked what was wrong, and she shook her head. “Nothing.”

“Come on, Char. Don’t think you can fool me. I do this for a living.”

“Oh, just…things became very final last night.”

Taking a few steps toward her, Ted rubbed her upper arms, then pulled her in for a hug. “Come here, kiddo. Let it go.”

And she did. She sobbed into his light blue Oxford shirt, soaking it with tears and leaving mascara on the expensive fabric while he rubbed her back and told her it was okay to cry. “You’re going to feel strong again. Sooner than you think, and one day, he’ll be a distant memory, and you’ll be grateful he’s gone because you’ll find a better man. One who sees you.”

She pulled back and looked up at his handsome face. “I don’t think so. Maybe I’m just not meant for that.”

Ted lifted one hand to her cheek. “Of course you are. You’re so beautiful, Char. You have no idea.”

She swallowed hard, wanting him so badly in that moment. Needing to be cared for. Needing to forget. “Do you see me, Ted?”

Nodding, he glanced at her mouth and she knew that if she just lifted herself up an inch, he would kiss her. And that would set off a chain reaction. One perfect kiss followed by a frenzy of clothing being discarded and their bodies moving together on the cognac leather couch of his office. Such a manly office for such a manly man. But he pulled back, letting her go and running his hands through his salt and pepper hair with a loud sigh.