Me: Okay.
After sending my reply, I decide to make something simple. Something I’m sure he’s had before. Especially during his time in Philadelphia. A hoagie. I grab ham, capicola, salami, provolone, pickles, peppers, seasonings, and oil. I stare inside of the cart to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything when the phone rings. It’s Monroe.
“Hey.”
“Why do you need to know what foods Jasen likes?”
“I was thinking of cooking dinner.”
“But I told you I don’t cook. Why the hell would you do that?”
I’m silent.
“Morgan, what is this all about?”
I honestly don’t know.
“Nothing. I just wanted to do something nice, that’s all.”
“You’re not there to do anything nice. Especially considering it’s not something I would do.”
“Okay. You’re right.”
“Morgan. Is there something going on? Anything you need to tell me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course there isn’t.”
There’s a moment of silence. “Okay.”
“I’ve got this under control. Go have fun.”
“Thank you. I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”
Jasen
Ariel enters my office. “You wanted to see me?”
“Yes. We got the account.”
“That’s great news. No way he could turn us down after our pitch.”
“Do you have the contract ready?”
“Done. Already completed and ready to email.”
“Great. I’ll need you to contact Roberto. Get him to hack the wife’s cell phone and pull the records.”
“Do you think she’s really cheating?”
“I don’t know. But we’re about to find out.”
She nods. “I’ll go email the contract.”
She turns on her heels, but I stop her. I’ve been dying to talk to her about Dallas. “Ariel.”
She spins around. “Yes.”
“About Dallas.”
“What about Dallas?” she asks.
“It can never happen again.”
She walks towards me and stops in front of my desk. “Relax. It won’t.”
“I don’t want things to be awkward between us. It’s important we remain professional.”
“I agree,” she responds.
She bends over and slides her hand over top of mine. “I like you, Jasen, but I don’t want to complicate things and lose my job.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
We’re interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. I look up and see my wife standing in the doorway with a basket. I stand. “Hey, I didn’t know you were dropping by.”
She’s dressed differently today. But damn, she looks sexy. The denim jean dress, she’s wearing stops at her knees and hugs her hips, and the yellow heels make her look taller. Her hair is tied in a bun, and she’s not wearing any makeup. I forgot just how beautiful she looks without all the extras. But she’s been doing a good job of reminding me lately. I walk around my desk, cross the room, and kiss her on the cheek.
She glares at Ariel. This isn’t good. Monroe has a temper. A bad one. The tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife. If I don’t do something fast, this day will end with Ariel lying on the floor and my wife needing bail money.
Monroe frowns. “I thought I’d surprise you. Bring you lunch today.”
“I’ll send the contract, Mr. Baker. It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Baker,” Ariel says on her way out the door.
Once the door is closed, Monroe walks towards the conference table I use for my meetings. She’s quiet as she places the basket on the edge of the table. She’s pissed. Monroe is never quiet, so either she’s thinking of a way to kill me, or this is the calm before the storm. I approach her carefully, hoping I can explain that what she just witnessed is not as bad as it probably looked. Who am I kidding? It’s exactly as bad as it looks. Ariel had her hand covering mine. How the hell do I explain that?
“What was that all about?” she asks as she turns to face me.
“It’s not what you think.”
“I think it’s exactly what I think. I saw it with my own eyes. Your coworker holding your hand?”
Anxiety creeps in, and I take a deep breath. She’s right. She did see what she thought she saw. Only I didn’t initiate it. Not that it matters. I’m going to have to come clean with her about Ariel. It’s not the first time she questioned our relationship. She dropped by the office unannounced one evening just as Ariel was about to try and kiss me. I brushed it off like it was nothing. I told her she was overreacting and had no reason to worry about Ariel. I lied. I lied because we were having issues and I was tired of arguing. I lied because I knew if she knew the truth, she wouldn’t want me to continue working with Ariel. But it’s time I come clean. “Let’s sit and talk.”
We take our seats. I loosen my tie as she opens the basket and pulls the items out. She’s made hoagies, one of my favorites. She also has chocolate chip cookies that look homemade, and potato chips. I tap my finger on the table as she places two water bottles down. The bottles aren’t filled with water. They’re filled with Mom’s famous strawberry lemonade. When everything is spread on the table, she folds her arms. “Go ahead, start talking.”
I take a deep breath. It’s time I get this over with and deal with the consequences. “You’re not going to like what I have to say, but I want to be honest with you.”
“Okay, then be honest.”
“When you changed your mind about coming to Dallas with me, Ariel traveled with me instead.”
She watches me intensely, allowing me to continue.
“And, ah…”
“And what?” she asks.
“And… we almost slept together.”
Morgan
I knew that was the tramp my sister had been worried about. Monroe had been right with her suspicions. Ariel did travel to Dallas with Jasen and was most likely the reason he wasn’t returning her calls that day. I wanted to surprise him today. Wear something sexy for him. The dress I’m wearing covers more than what Monroe would cover, but I feel sexy in it. And what I’m wearing underneath it—my sister was right. Wearing sexy undergarments does make me feel confident and sexy. I smiled as I approached his office, but that smile soon disappeared when I caught Jasen and his assistant extremely close to one another. I can’t explain it. But when I saw the two of them together, I became jealous. Even though I shouldn’t be. Maybe it’s the whole twin-empathy thing. No. That can’t be it. Because Monroe didn’t care if he was having an affair. She only cared about the effect the affair would have on his reputation and business. So then why am I jealous? It’s a question I can’t answer right now. All I know right now is that Ariel is a homewrecker, and I don’t like this one bit. Whatever it is that’s going on between them, I’m putting a stop to it right this minute.
“How the hell do you almost sleep with someone?”
“She came on to me. I had a weak moment, but I didn’t go through with it.”