Page 108 of Almost Beautiful (Beautiful 3)

I laughed once. “Here we go …”

Brandon sighed. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but I can’t watch you go down for this because you’re trying to be loyal to him when he’s … he’s not loyal to you, Abby. Travis and Tiffany have been seeing each other on the side. He’s with her at the gym right now. He’s not working late. They were in my office talking and flirting when I left. She had her hands all over him. I’m going to talk to her. I’ll make her tell you the truth. She will. She’s a good girl, he’s just … persuasive.”

“Are you jealous?” I asked.

“Huh?”

I crossed my arms. “You’re telling me Tiffany, the employee you’re having an affair with, is also sleeping with my husband, and you walked away calmly to tell me?”

He seemed genuinely confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Tiffany is my receptionist. We’ve always been pretty close but it’s been going on with them pretty much since he started. You think I would’ve just watched that happen in my gym if I was having an affair with her? Listen… I know this is hard to hear. My ex-wife cheated on me and it sucks.”

“That’s not the way it happened according to the entire population of Eakins.”

“People say a lot of things. Funny how no one asks me. All I’m saying is, I understand. I’m here for you if you need to talk to someone who’s been there. I don’t want you sitting here alone. Let’s go someplace, have a drink, and I’ll tell you everything I know.”

I pulled my phone from my back pocket. “Watch how easy this is, Brandon. If Becca needs tips, have her call me.”

“What are you doing?”

I held up my phone as it rang. “FaceTiming my husband.”

Travis picked up on the first ring, smiling. “Hey, Pidge. Everything okay?”

“You still training?” I asked, noticing the background. He was in the main part of the gym. It was nearly empty.

He panned the camera over to his client. “Susan, say hi to my wife.”

“Hi, Abby!” Susan said, waving. She was sweaty but smiling.

“Is Tiffany still there?” I asked.

He glanced around. “No, I’m locking up tonight. Do you remember when Tiffany left, Susan?”

“It wasn’t long after I got here,” Susan said off-camera.

“Why? Did something happen?”

“No, I’ll tell you when you get home. I love you.”

“What are you doing outside?” he asked, wary.

I went inside and locked the door. “Just taking out the trash. See you soon, baby. Love you.”

He smiled, but he was still confused—and suspicious. “Okay, Pidge. I’ll be on my way soon.”

We hung up, and Brandon knocked on the door again. “Abby? I know she’s still there. Susan and Travis are pretty tight. I’m not surprised at all that she’s covering for him. And you heard him, he knows something’s up. He was being defensive, asking questions. He wanted to know if you knew anything. I know it’s hard to hear and you don’t want to believe it, but it’s true.”

“Yeah … you need to leave.”

He knocked again. “Just let me prove it to you. I’m sure he’s told you all this bullshit about me to discredit me in case I ever told you.” He laughed. “It’s obvious if you think about it. You’re going to get in trouble and realize too late it was all for someone who never loved you.”

I looked down at my dog. “Toto, go to your bed,” I said, smiling as he hesitated for just a moment, and then left me for the small cushy pillow he slept on in our room. “Good boy,” I said quietly.

“Abby? I’m not trying to make this weird, but I need you to listen. I can’t let you do this.”

I sighed, then opened the door. “Let’s get something straight. You will neverletme do anything. You just made an ass of yourself on my doorstep, and you follow up with you’re not going toletme? Let me what? Question your lies? Believe my husband when I just saw the truth for myself? I realize, Brandon, that you’re used to dealing with teenage girls who don’t think twice about being told what to do or what to think, but even if my husband didn’t dominate you in every aspect of life, and couldn’t reduce you to a puddle of your own blood, I would still be standing here, telling you to get the fuck off my porch.”

“Abby—”