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CHAPTER18
Eve
“Why didn’t you tell me?”I asked for at least the fifth time.
“It wasn’t my story to tell,” she said. “Besides, I didn’t think it would matter.”
“Wouldn’t matter? Aunt Winnie, I handled the fact that he’s nine years younger than me. Now I find out he’s the person my daughter had a crush on.” I let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Hasa crush on. She was just talking about the reunion show the other night.” I wiped the tears from my cheeks with a crumbled tissue then blew my nose. “Besides, don’t you think that’s something he should have told me? I mean, I was an open book.”
“I’ll admit he should have told you,” she said, running her hand over my back in long soothing strokes. “But should the fact that he didn’t be a deal breaker?”
“Maybe itshouldn’t, but it makes me wonder what else he isn't telling me. And what kind of things will he choose not to tell me in the future?” I shook my head. “I can’t live in a relationship full of secrets again.”
My phone buzzed and I looked down to find a Zoom link. I’d sent my pole ladies a911text and within an hour they put a call together. Talk about true friends.
“Go talk to your friends,” Aunt Winnie said. “I’ll be here when you come back down.”
I walked up the steps, my legs feeling like lead. My friends were already on Zoom when I pulled up the app.
“Well that goesthattheory,” Keera said.
“What theory?” I asked
“I hoped you were calling to tell us you got engaged or something. But based on your face, I’d say that’s not the case.”
There are women who cry with dignity. Tears gracefully drop down their cheeks and just the tip of their nose gets red. I am not one of those women. With my blotchy face, swollen eyes, and runny nose, I could win an ugly crier contest.
Avoiding my image on the screen, I alternated focusing on Anjannette, Keera, and Sophie as I spoke.
“No engagement. In fact, the relationship is over.”
Those words brought a fresh rush of tears. Like the good friends they are, the ladies waited for me to gain my composure and start speaking again.
“I found out this morning that Max is Corbin Kendrick.”
“What?”
That single word radiated from my computer’s speaker in three distinct voices. I would have laughed if I wasn’t feeling so miserable.
“And he never told me. His mother showed up and started a whole thing. I’m guessing she is, or at leastwas, his agent.”
I relayed the events of this morning, finishing when I walked out the door and stormed down the beach wearing nothing but his robe.
“Have you talked to him?” Anjannette asked. “Let him explain?”
“What’s there to explain? He could have told me at any point the past several weeks, but didn’t.”
“Maybe he had a good reason.” This from Keera.
I rubbed my temples.
“Like what?”
“I don’t know,” she said.
“Seriously?”
“Eve, you’ve been happier with Max than I’ve seen you in the past ten years,” Sophie said. “Don’t let that go over a misunderstanding.”
