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Lucas
Thank God for Adam. He always did have my back and I am so grateful when he pulls me away from the frenzied women who clamor around me, desperate to grab my attention.
He guides me toward the house and whispers, “I’m sorry, Lucas, I should have been more insistent when Penelope insisted you come.”
“It’s fine, but if you don’t mind, I think I’ll grab Ella and go. Where is she by the way?”
It feels wrong not having her by my side, and I’m anxious about that. The entire time those women fussed around me, I could only think of her. It’s as if I need to know she’s by my side to survive. She provides the oxygen allowing me to breathe and as I look around, I feel anxious that she isn’t in my sight.
We reach the house and Adam says in a low voice, “There’s something I need to say.”
He sounds terrible, and I can tell I’m not going to like this conversation.
He directs me to his den and as I take a seat on the couch by the fireplace, I watch as he pours us both a shot of whiskey from the decanter on the side.
“Here, I need this even if you don’t.”
I can see his hand shaking and my senses tell me something bad has happened and I’m desperate to find out what because Adam doesn’t lose his cool. He thrives under pressure and I trust him with my business as well as having my back, so I growl, “Spit it out, Adam, you’re freaking me out right now.”
He looks at me through tortured eyes and says in a broken voice, “It’s Penelope.”
“What about her?”
I can’t imagine what he’s about to say and he says roughly, “I think she’s having an affair.”
To be honest I’m not surprised, it’s classic but so soon in their marriage, that really is fast work.
“Who with?”
He sighs, “I’m not sure, but I found a phone in her purse when I was looking for my keys and I didn’t recognize it. It was a slim iPhone and my first thought was she had the wrong purse. I checked, and it was locked.”
“Did you manage to find the code?”
“I did, she used the same one she always uses, so I knew it was hers because of that alone.”
“Not very smart, unless…”
“Unless she wanted me to find it.” Adam sighs. “That was my first thought too. I checked the messages and there was only one caller. The texts were cryptic but told me she was involved in something and it was a secret. They spoke of meeting up when she gets to New York.”
“I see.” I feel so bad for Adam, but wonder if he’s just misread the situation.
“Why do you think she’s cheating on you?”
Adam looks sick as he says bitterly, “Because of the nature of the texts. She told this person she couldn’t wait to be rid of me. That I make her flesh creep and her acting skills were deserting her. She couldn’t wait to be under a real man again and it was time to move things on.”
My heart breaks for my friend because he wears the look of a man destroyed.
“Do you know who he is?”
He shakes his head. “I tried to trace the number, but it came up unidentified. I looked through every record we have for any mention of New York, but there was none. I played detective with my own wife and I hated every minute of it, but I obviously suck because all I have is this phone.”
I exhale sharply and feel bad for my friend. I’m not surprised though, Adam rushed into things with Penelope and a fool could see she was aloof, cold even and nothing like a newlywed in love with her husband.
“So, what are you gonna do now?”
“End it. Send her packing and hope I never see the bitch again.”
“Do you think she was after your money, that could be a problem?”
