AllFreeNovel
Share Us
After my parents’ deaths, Bristol’s family took Love and me into their home, making sure we always felt like a part of the family because, at that point, we were. Theygave Love and me a place to call home until I could save enough money to get an apartment and begin living life again.
Although her father transferred to Tennessee shortly after Love’s first birthday, Bristol and I have stayed in touch with weekly video calls and almost daily phone calls. Even though I’ve moved around a lot since Love turned a year old, Bristol and I have managed to stay in touch. We are as close as two people can be with millions of miles between us. I tell her my deepest, darkest secrets. That’s why the moment I discovered what Ian had done, I picked up the phone and called Bristol. I doubt I could have handled any of this without her and the girls’ help.
“I don’t doubt that, but you can’t use a deck of cards to choose your path in life. Making wrong decisions is inevitable; it’s one of the things that make us human. The important thing to remember isn’t the mistake itself but that we learn from them and grow.”
“Look what happened the last time I followed my heart instead of listening to what the universe was telling me.”
I’ve always asked the cards for guidance to help me remain on the right path, but it seems the moment I’m in a relationship, all rational thought goes out the window. I’ve always followed my heart, completely ignoring the glaringly obvious warning signs staring me right in the face. My relationship with Ian isn’t any different. I’ve been so wrapped up in making him happy, wanting to hold on to him as tightly as I could so he’d never leave me.
But a few weeks ago, I got this nagging feeling something was very wrong in our relationship. I couldn’t put my finger on what that was per say, but I sensed Ian was hiding something. He was going on more and more business trips, missing dinner dates because of work, and staying out later and later. When I finally got the courage to ask him what was going on, he apologized, reassuring me that he loved Love and me. He was just busy at work and would make more of an effort to be there for us.
Naturally, I asked the cards if everything was going to work out with Ian and me, but all I got was an unclear answer. This wasn’t unusual since tarot reading isn’t an exact science, so I followed my heart. Ian loved me, and I loved him. Everything else would work out in the future. However, I couldn’t shake this nagging feeling that things were about to change drastically. I thought maybe he was going to propose or tell me he was moving, but man, was I wrong.
“Ian is an asshole, and none of this is your fault,” she growls, taking a deep breath. “I refuse to raise my blood pressure for the millionth time talking about this asshole.”
“Is everything okay?” All thoughts of Ian and the mess I’ve gotten Love and me into were quickly forgotten.
“Of course! Now that you’re coming to Tyson’s Creek, everyone will be in the same place! I can’t believe, after all these years, we’ll finally be in thesame place together again. No more celebrating birthdays, having movie nights, or girl dish sessions over video anymore.”
“I’m sure Selina and Leia will be thrilled to have me horning in on your weekly gab sessions.”
“Shut your mouth right now, Audrey! Selina and Leia love you to pieces and are just as excited as I am to have you here. Honestly, do you think Leia would have offered to let you stay in one of her parents’ rental cottages forfreeuntil you found a place if she didn’t want you here? Or that Selina would’ve offered to give Love dance lessons at a discounted rate until you got back on your feet?”
I know deep down that Selina and Leia never do anything they don’t want to, but we are all linked to each other because of Bristol. We’ve only ever talked to each other through the computer. What happens if that changes when we are all living in the same place? These three women are the only support Love and I have. There is no one else. If they left us, I don’t know what I’d do.
“Thanks for the reminder that people love me, even though I continue to make stupid mistakes.”
“What the fuck is going on here?” Ian bellows as he storms into the living room. “Are you going somewhere and forgot to inform me?”
My eyes swing toward the door, locking with Ian’s as I sigh loudly. “Speaking of mistakes…”
Ian raises his eyebrow in question but doesn’t move a muscle. I continue staring at him, the phone pressed to my ear. “The biggest. Time to end one chapter of my lifebefore moving on to a new one. I’ll call you when we are on our way. Love you.”
“Love you, too. And don’t worry, I have bail money just in case you need it,” she replies before ending the call.
Ian drops his briefcase on the breakfast bar before draping his suit jacket over the barstool and leaning his tiny carry-on bag that he packed for a two-week business trip against the wall. Another one of the many warning signs I should’ve noticed. His green eyes narrow in my direction as he strolls toward the couch across the room. His eyebrows pull down as he looks around and takes a seat, resting his ankle on his knee. He’s the picture of ease, as if he doesn’t have a care in the world.
I don’t say a word, just stare at him as I try to understand what I saw in him in the first place. Ian was charming and made me feel special, something that I hadn’t felt in a long time. He was also the exact opposite of any of the men I had dated in the past.
Instead of being muscular and flirtatious, he’s lean and introverted. He’d rather spend a quiet evening at home, watching movies, instead of spending a night out on the town. I used to believe it was because he wanted to ensure Love was included in our lives together, but after speaking to his wife, I discovered it was because he was hiding us–his dirty little secret.
Bile collects in my throat as a blanket of shame settles over my shoulder. I should’ve known what was happening. Should’ve heeded all the warning signs the universe was giving me, but instead, I chose to bury my head in thesand and believe that love would conquer all. How pathetic.
“Were you planning on telling me you were leaving or were you just going to slip away into the night, never to be heard from again?” he growls out, motioning toward the stack of moving boxes next to the door.
“I know, Ian,” I push up from the table and head toward him. “Your wife called last week, informing me that your ‘business trip’ was your tenth wedding anniversary.”
“Fuck,” he groans, his head dropping to the back of the couch. “I was going home to tell her I was filing for divorce, that I had met someone else.”
“We’ve been together for almost two years, Ian. I’ve been the other woman for two years and had no idea.”
Ian scoffs, pushing to his feet. He comes to a stop in front of me, only a few inches separating us. I stare into his eyes, trying to decide if I want to punch him in the face or burst into tears. The smell of the aftershave I bought him for his birthday a few months ago fills my nose as I scan his face. I search his eyes, looking for any sign that he’s sorry for what he’s done to us, but there’s nothing.
“Right. And you were so oblivious.”
“What?” I recoil, as if he slapped me in the face. “You did this on purpose?”
“Maybe, maybe not. Look, my wife is a frigid bitch who has done everything in her power to make me miserable. I deserved to be treated well, too.”
