Page 91 of Trust Again

“The guy who runs around the whole time in overalls. The gardener,” I piped in.

“Oh, the one who’s naked under his overalls and always lets one of the straps hang? Amateur.”

I toasted to Kaden and we clinked our bottles together. Beer was good, after all, and a beer buddy was even better.

“You didn’t answer my last text, Edwards,” Spencer said out of the blue, but softly, into my ear.

The fact that I hadn’t written back was due partly to the fact that my phone was now in pieces, but also because I just didn’t want to. Nate’s call had dropped me right back to Earth.

I felt Spencer’s eyes on me but I couldn’t bring myself to return his gaze. I knew it would set me on fire. From head to toe. And I didn’t want it to. Never again.

“I hate that other guy like the plague,” Kaden said abruptly.

“Me, too,” I agreed with him.

Again, we clinked bottles.

“How many beers have those two had already?” I heard Spencer ask Scott.

“Three, I think.”

“Five,” I corrected him.

“To five!” We toasted again and I chuckled.

“What are we celebrating?” came Allie’s voice from the bathroom.

“You don’t know?” I said drily. The alcohol had washed away all my inhibitions. “Kaden and I are drinking to the anniversary of my divorce. One year ago, today, I sat in a lawyer’s office and signed the papers.”

Silence. Total deafening silence.

“Come on, guys. That’s a reason to celebrate,” I said bitterly and tipped the bottle back, drinking deeply. Now the beer tasted exactly the way I felt. The heavy silence in the room was too much. I stood up. I stumbled for a moment, but Spencer caught me around the waist and held me tight.

“Men are assholes and happy endings are for morons. Anyone who thinks differently is either an idiot, or never had anyone cheat on them,” I said softly and freed myself from his arms. I went into the kitchen to throw the empty bottle away. Setting it by the sink, I leaned on the counter to keep my balance.

“Dawn?”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I went to the fridge to get another bottle.

“Sweetie, look at me.”

“I’m not in the mood, Spencer.” I took out the beer and opened it, then walked straight past him back into the living room. My friends stared at me like I had something stuck on my face.

“What?” I asked.

Allie looked at me, worried. “You never told us you and Nate were married.”

Oh. Oh, Shit.

To avoid answering, I took another swig of my drink and shrugged with one shoulder. “So what? It’s not a big deal.”

“Of course it’s a big deal!” Allie replied, her voice rising. She approached me and I drew back.

“This is why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want you to look at me like that,” I snapped at her.

“We’re your friends, Dawn. It’s totally normal that we care,” Monica chimed in.

“Let it go, Monica,” Spencer said behind me. He put a hand on my lower back.