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“Go sit at the bar, I’m almost done here,” she says as she continues to count the steaks in the cold drawers.
I head back toward the front of the restaurant and take a seat at the bar. The bartender has gone for the day. I go behind the bar, grab a beer, and wait for Bren to finish work.
Fifteen minutes later, she appears from the back and takes a seat next to me. “Spill it.”
“I went to Chase’s apartment and a half naked girl came out. She was buttoning up her shirt, and Chase followed her, half naked too.”
“What did he say?”
“It wasn’t what it looked like,” I say. “I had a dream that I caught him like I caught Evan, and he said the same thing.”
“So, can I ask you a stupid question?” she says softly.
“Sure.”
“How are you able to forgive Evan, who you caught in the act, but not forgive Chase, who you didn’t actually see do anything wrong?”
“Why would a beaut
iful blonde woman stroll smugly out of Chase’s apartment if he wasn’t fucking her?”
“I don’t know. I would have asked him.”
“I didn’t want him to give me any pathetic excuses,” I mutter with disdain. “I know what I saw.”
“Okay. I’m playing devil’s advocate here,” she says with her hands up, slightly affronted.
“Besides, Chase knew how hurt I was when I left Evan. I told him everything. He knew how betrayed I felt when Evan cheated on me. He saw how it almost destroyed me.”
“I see.”
“Evan made one mistake. I make mistakes all the time. I can’t see why I couldn’t give him a chance to make it right.”
“Do you love Chase?” she asks. Her question startles me.
“I love Evan.”
“That’s not what I asked. Do you love Chase?”
“That’s not fair,” I protest.
“Why? Can you answer the question?” I think about it for a minute. I thought I loved Chase, but it doesn’t matter now.
“I don’t know . . . maybe,” I lie. “But I know Evan loves me.”
“I think that he thinks he loves you. I’m just not sure that I can trust him. But, that’s for you to decide. I can’t live your life for you.”
“No, you can’t. You’ve always been more cynical than I am. I believe him when he says it only happened once.” Brenda looks at me for a minute then shrugs her shoulders.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yup. If this is what you truly want, then okay.”
“Thank you!” I lean over and give her a great big hug.
“He still needs to earn my trust back.” She’s a tough one.
