Still, her heart raced as she opened the first one.
Do you know where he is tonight?
Of course, she didn’t. And they liked to play on that. She reminded herself that she didn’t even know if it was a woman sending these messages. It could just as easily be a man, playing a role, trying to make her doubt. Trying to get rid of her so that Ryan would be a free agent. She opened the next one.
We both know he won’t be sleeping in your bed.
Because he’ll be in mine.
He won’t be getting much sleep though.
She blew out a sigh. She knew what it was. But it still made her stomach churn.
She didn’t see any point in replying. She looked down when her phone buzzed, hoping it might be him. It wasn’t.
If you don’t believe me, you should stop by Hannity’s.
Her heart started to race. Of all the messages she’d received, none of them had said anything like that before. Was it some kind of setup? Or was it true? She didn’t know. But she needed to. It wouldn’t be crazy if she went there. She could ask Ari to go with her. They could just as easily have gone there as come here to eat.
Her mind was racing as fast as her heart. She’d assumed that Ryan had gone out of town. Why couldn’t he come home at night if he was still here? A ball of dread settled in her stomach at the obvious answer to that—the answer those texts had suggested. No! He wouldn’t!
She opened up a new message. She needed to talk to him. She stared at her phone, not knowing what to say. It was probably best to ask the thing she really needed to know.
Where are you? I miss you.
She asked him where he was sometimes, with the understanding that he’d tell her when he could. She tapped her foot as she waited for a reply, but it didn’t come.
Ari came back and sat down opposite her. “Let me guess, still talking to lover boy? Did they take our order yet? It’s crazy in here tonight.”
“They didn’t.” Leanne frowned. She probably shouldn’t do this, but she couldn’t stop herself. “What do you think, shall we go over to Hannity’s instead?”
“You want to dance?”
“No. But most people there will so the restaurant might be quieter.”
“Sure.” Ari gave her a puzzled look. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just don’t feel comfortable here.” That wasn’t a lie. But then she wouldn’t feel comfortable anywhere right now. She kept her phone in her hand as they left, hoping against hope that Ryan would answer her before they got to Hannity’s.
He didn’t.
She was questioning herself by the time they got there. She almost chickened out before they walked inside. But she steeled herself and marched straight to the bar.
“I thought we were eating?” asked Ari.
“We are. Sorry. I just …” She scanned the bar and what she could see of the restaurant. There was no sign of him.
“What? What’s wrong, Lee?”
She blew out a sigh. “Someone’s trying to make me think that Ryan’s cheating, that he’s here with someone else.”
“No!” Ari looked stunned. “He wouldn’t! Lee, that’s crazy! The guy’s nuts about you!”
“I want to believe that. Most of the time I do. But I’m stupid. I’ve gone and let them get inside my head and now I need to know.”
“Okay.” Ari took hold of her arm. “Then let’s go. We can search the whole place, top to bottom, and I guarantee you he won’t be here with someone else. No way.”
“I hope you’re right.”
They checked out the rest of the bar and the restaurant and then started down the stairs to the club. Leanne’s legs felt shaky, as though they might give out under her. She scanned the bar and the dance floor as they went.
Her heart thudded to a halt when she saw him. He was dancing with a group of people. Three girls, four guys. One of the women kept pawing at him. No! She grabbed the rail for support and stood there staring. Ari turned to look back at her.
“Lee! It might not be anything. There has to be an explanation. We should go and see what it is.”
She stared at her friend and then back at Ryan. He had his back to her now. She felt like she might pass out when she saw a pair of hands come up around his shoulders and pull his head down.
He was kissing her? He was kissing her!
She turned on her heel and ran back up the stairs. Ari ran after her.
“Lee, wait.”
“What for? I think I just got the explanation. Don’t you?”
Ari looked like she might cry. “I can’t believe it.”
Leanne let out a bitter little laugh. “Me neither, but I think I have to.”
“What are you going to do?”
She shrugged. “First, I’m going to go home. I’m going to lock the door …” The adrenaline was receding now. She could feel herself shaking. “I’m going to cry, and I’m going to pack his things for him.”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“No. Thanks, Ari, but I need to be by myself.”
“Okay. But call me. In the night if you need me. In the morning? If you don’t call me in the morning, I’ll call you, okay. And if you don’t answer me, I’m coming over.”
Leanne nodded. She wasn’t really listening. She was replaying in her head what she’d seen. So, the texts weren’t lying? She felt like such a fool. The earlier ones were probably true, too. And she’d believed him—for months.
They were back on the street now. Walking back to where they’d left their cars. Ari touched her arm. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”
She sucked in a deep breath, lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders then nodded. She could hear her brother’s voice in her head. Chin up, shoulders back, girl. You’re strong. You can face anything.
Even given everything she’d already lived through in her life, this felt like the worst yet. But she was strong. She’d always had to be, and she’d survive this, too.
She turned to Ari and nodded. “I’m going to be fine.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ryan took his drink and stood in front of the windows to look out at the lake. The sun had already set, and the sky was turning from pale pink to gray. It’d be dark soon. It struck him that this would feel better if he’d waited until the morning. It’d be more fitting if the sky was turning from gray into the light of a new dawn filled with sunshine.
He rolled his eyes. He wasn’t given to that kind of thinking, but he couldn’t help feeling that it didn’t bode well that they were heading into darkness.
He turned away from the window and paced the dining room. He wanted to go back to the office and see how she was doing, what she was thinking. But she’d asked to be alone. He had to respect that.
He didn’t see that there was any reason she’d still doubt him after she’d seen all the reports. He wished he’d been able to show them to her at the time that it all went down. Though, she’d been so angry and so hurt, he wasn’t sure that they’d have gotten through to her.