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What the hell do I do?
That question flits through my mind for about 0.4 seconds before I pick my phone back up again. Then with some clarity that comes from somewhere magical, I walk over to the door to our bedroom and lock it so Harper isn’t able to sneak in. Then I turn back around and chuck the stupid phone at a sleeping Barrett’s chest. I watch as he hastily wakes up and looks around the room in complete confusion as to why he was just pelted with a cell phone during his sleep.
“What the hell?” he grumbles.
“What the hell? What the hell!? I’ll tell you what the hell! Look at the phone, Barrett! You had the balls to sit there and tell me that she was nothing but an office manager and that!? What the hell is right!” I whisper scream, my voice coming out like that of a pubescent teenager, my words barely making any sense.
He sticks a finger in his ear and wiggles it a bit. “Tess, when you scream in such a high-pitch voice that only dogs can hear, I don’t understand a word of it. Now, what the hell is going on?”
“Look at your phone you… you… you liar!” Nice one. “Remember how we have been receiving each other’s texts all day? Well, it totally screwed you over, buddy.” I cross my arms to keep my pounding heart from exploding through my chest, which it feels like it could do at this very moment, as upset as I am.
He glances down with confusion then swipes my phone to wake it up. I hadn’t cleared out of my messaging app, so it’s right there for him to see. He drops the phone like it’s acid and quickly scampers away from it and is in front of me faster than a man of his size should be capable of.
“Oh shit, Tess,” he says reaching for me.
I shrug away quickly and cross my arms tighter. “Oh shit is right.”
“No, you don’t understand. Not oh shit that I got caught — oh shit that it was absolutely not meant for me. I guarantee you I have never, ever, ever received or sent any texts to Keri like that. Go through my past texts from her. I promise. You’ll see nothing but work related stuff.” He reaches back onto the bed and picks up the phone before shoving it at my chest so I’m forced to take it. It feels like hot lava in my hands.
I look up at Barrett, stare into his hazel eyes that are brimming with concern and, dare I say, honesty. He takes a deep breath and holds my face in his big hands. “Tess. You know me. Look in my eyes. You know my heart. It holds you. It holds the kids. That’s it. You know how my mind works. Trust yourself. There’s no way I could ever possibly have eyes for another woman. I swear. I swear on our kids’ lives, on your life, on our lives together that never has anything inappropriate happened with Keri or anyone else. It has to be a mistake. She had texted me earlier today about being able to find some sort of special stamp made for the mailers we send out around Christmas.”
“Barrett, I’m just…”
I’m interrupted by my phone chirping and see another text from Keri come through. I look down at my phone with panic racing through my entire body. I feel like there’s hot pokers slicing into my skin and fire in my veins. With freakishly steady hands, I lift my phone and swipe it to open the message just as it chirps five more times in a row.
Keri Office:OMG! DELETE DELETE DELETE DELETE I’m SO SORRY – DELETE, please. PLEASE!
Keri Office:OMG I’m so embarrassed!
Keri Office:Please tell me you didn’t see that. I meant to send it to my boyfriend Kade. I have no idea how I sent it to you.
Keri Office:I’m SO SO SORRY!! Did you delete? Please tell me I’m not fired! OMG!!!
Keri Office:Please tell me you didn’t see it and also that I’m not fired.
Keri Office:Did I mention that I’m sorry? And super embarrassed? Holy crap I can’t believe I did that. I might just fire myself.
Well, apparently she’s either really scared that I will see the text first, or she genuinely screwed up and accidentally sent the text to Barrett. Just as I’m about to open my mouth another text comes through.
Josh:Ummmm ok, I’m gonna do my best to pretend this never happened.
Keri Office:I’m so embarrassed.
Josh:You mentioned that.
Josh:Honestly, Keri. Forget it. Barrett and I won’t mention it again if you don’t.
Keri Office:Deal. Barrett? Maybe you never saw it. **crosses fingers**
I start to hand over the phone to Barrett with a huff and a roll of my eyes when I see his slightly smug expression on his face. He moves to his nightstand and grabs his phone to text her back, and I watch as his fingers move across the screen. Because my phone is still receiving everything, his reply comes through on my phone as well.
Barrett:It’s ok, Keri. Never happened. Deleted and forgotten.
Keri Office:Thank you. I’m so sorry, again. I swear that was an accident.
Barrett:Figured as much. No worries.
Josh:See? Nothing happened.
