“Good morning, babe,” Georgia says, not even affected by my sudden entry. “I have to say, the baby bump is looking hot on you, Mama.”
I sink back in a chair, sitting in front of the desk she’s perched behind. I’m still getting used to seeing my free-spirited friend—former boutique and part-time bar employee—have a behind-the-desk job. She started working here—taking the place of the retired school counselor—not too long ago, and I couldn’t be happier. There’s nothing better than working with your best friend.
I frown down at my belly. “I feel … unhot.”
The high of my weekend has been shot down to ashes, thanks to Gavin.
“Wrong, and I’m positive Finn would state otherwise.” She tosses a stack of papers away from her and tightens one of her two buns on the top of her head. “How are you two doing, by the way?”
I texted Georgia the night I told my parents about the pregnancy—post amazing sex with Finn. I told her it went well, but that was all she got before Finn was ready for round two.
Affection spreads through me at the mention of Finn. It erases a smidgen of the anger Gavin dragged out of me this morning.
“We’re good,” I reply. “I was scared things would change after he met my parents, but it’s only gotten better.” I refrain from telling her that Finn had already met my father. I’m not sure who all knows about Finn’s juvenile run-ins with the law, but I won’t be the one to ever tell them.
Her eyebrows squish together. “Then why do you look like they canceled Snickers bars?”
My head pounds. “Gavin paid me a visit in my classroom.”
“Ugh, is the bastard still giving you a hard time?”
I reluctantly nod. “I pray he gets fired every day.”
“Report him.”
“And say what?” I throw up my arms in defeat. “I didn’t know he was married and slept with him?”
“No. You tell them he’s practically harassing you.”
I swallow down my fear of having to take it that far. “He’ll get bored of me. I’m just waiting it out.”
“No one can get bored of you, babe, so I wouldn’t count on that happening.” She takes a sip of her iced coffee. “You need to stick it to the man where it hurts. Report him or … I don’t know … tell his wife what a piece of shit he is.”
She—along with Cassidy, Lola, and Sierra—have told me to tell his wife. It’s the right thing to do, and I’d want my husband’s mistress to come to me. Confrontation makes me nauseous, and I try to prevent it at all costs. If I went to his wife, I’d be going head-to-head with her because she’d ask questions that I’d have to answer. And who knows if she’d even believe me?
“If you don’t want to tell her, I’ll tell her.” Georgia shrugs. “I’ll mention that there are rumors that he’s been having an affair with another woman. I won’t even say it’s someone who works here.”
Georgia is always the one who comes up with the wild plans—ones that usually lead straight to trouble.
“No, that’s not necessary.” I run my hand over the few wrinkles in my floral dress. “I’ll wait it out.”
I stand at the sound of the bell, and we make plans to meet for lunch before I return to my classroom.
“You homewrecking whore.”
I tense in my chair at the shrill voice screaming those words. At the same time I lift my head, a woman comes barreling into my classroom—her waddle-walk similar to mine.
Even though it’s only the second time I’ve seen her, I know who she is. I’d recognize her from across the grocery store because the first time I laid eyes on her, she introduced herself as Gavin’s wife to everyone in the office. That’s also the day when I refrained from introducing myself as Gavin’s mistress … and the day I broke things off with him.
I jump at the sound of my classroom door slamming shut as she stares at me with murderous eyes.
Her orange maxi dress sways from side to side as she grows closer. “You’ve been fucking my husband behind my back.”
From her appearance, you wouldn’t think words like that would fall from her lips in public—that she wouldn’t make a scene at her husband’s place of employment. She’s nearly the opposite of me. Curvy—with a breast size I would kill for. Her black hair is cut into a bob, hitting the curve of her shoulders. Briefly, I wonder what Gavin’s other mistresses looked like because I’m almost certain there are/have been others.
Swallowing hard, I hold up my hands, palms facing her. “Whoa, I’m not screwing your husband.”
She thrusts the phone in her hand in my direction. “That’s not what the texts between you and him say. I looked through his phone!”
When I stand, she gasps at the sight of my belly. “I had no idea Gavin was married. As soon as I found out, I broke things off.”
She blinks at me. “How do you not know when someone is married?”
I sigh. “It seems your husband was as good at hiding that he was married as he was at cheating on you. The man lies, and I want nothing to do with him.”
“And the baby?” She gestures to my stomach. “It’s his?”
I turn quiet, refusing to look at her.
“Wow.” She seethes, her lips forming a thin line. “It is.”
“I don’t want anything from him,” I rush out, my cheeks burning. “To be honest, I’d prefer if he were out of the picture.”
Maybe she’ll make that happen. If I caught my husband having an affair in the workplace, I wouldn’t be comfortable with him keeping that job with her.
“You’d prefer him to be out of your life?” she snarks. “Real nice, considering you ruined our marriage.”
“I ruined nothing,” I bite out. “As I said, I had no idea he was married until the first day you came into the school.”
She’s not digesting my words. Her outrage overtakes any reasoning she has. Her confronting me isn’t an attempt to get answers. She needs someone to take her anger out on.
“Stay away from my husband,” she demands, spit flying from her mouth.
Before I tell her that’s what I’ve been trying to do but he isn’t making it easy, she charges out of the room. I release a breath of relief … until her next show happens.
“That’s right, people!” she screams in the hallway. “The woman who teaches in that room slept with my husband!”
My knees buckle, and I grip the edge of my desk to stop myself from crumpling to the floor.
Why is she doing this to me?
Does she not believe I didn’t know?
If she read through Gavin’s texts, she’d have seen the endless times I asked him to leave me alone.
When I confronted him for being married.
When I called him a liar.
Sick of the all-around bullshit, I push my shoulders back, lift my chin, and leave the room. My colleagues are standing in the hall, their classroom doors open, and kids’ voices filter out each one of them. Humiliation rises up my cheeks, but I do a decent job of hiding it while I dodge their questions and charge toward Gavin’s office. As I pass his wife, who seems to be shocked that I showed my face, I flip her off.