Page 16 of Husband to Go

“Mr. Big? The one that’s sexy all over? Oh hell yeah, I remember him.” I groan a little.

“Yeah, that one.”

“How did that go, by the way?” she asks in an excited voice. “I got your text about leaving the club, but there were zero details about what actually happened. Come on girl, spill.” I take a long, deep breath and proceed to let it all out.

“Um, so yeah we hooked up. But in a weird coincidence, I went to my mom’s engagement party last weekend and it turns out he’s my mom’s fiancé.” I rush through the words, hoping my friend doesn’t hear.

There’s a pause.

“I’m sorry, what?” It sounds like Andreadidhear, unfortunately. I’m sure she’s pacing, trying to process what I just said.

“That guy, his name is Tanner, he’s my mom’s fiancé. And –”

“Herfiancé?”

Uh oh.

“Yes, Andi, her fiancé,” I whisper.

I can practically hear her picking her jaw up off the floor.

“Okay, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. What did you do? What did he do? Are they still getting married? Does your mom know? Oh my god, what’s happening?”

I take a deep breath.

“No, my mom doesn’t know. Yes, they are still getting married, as far as I know. It was just a huge mess.” It’s the only explanation I can see that fits the situation totally perfectly.

“Well, did you yell at him? Tell him that what you’re doing is wrong?”

I gulp nervously.

“Yeah, I tried.”

“Tried?”

“I berated him for cheating on my mom, but he told me they had a quote unquote “understanding.” And then we ended up in the bathroom together, and one thing led to another.”

There’s a breathless pause.

“Anotherwhat? What do you mean?”

Oh god, this is the worst part.

“I slept with him again,” I admit in a small voice. “It was an accident. Sort of.” Andrea is quiet on the other end for a little bit. Maybe she thinks I’m a total sleaze ball, which wouldn’t be far from the truth.

“O-kay. Did you like sleeping with him the second time?” I already know the answer, but I don’t know if I want to say it out loud. It makes me feel amoral and ethically repugnant. Instead, I hedge.

“I don’t know, maybe?”

Andi pauses.

“Okaaay. So what are you going to do about it?”

“I want to yell at him,” is my quick reply. “I want to tell him he can’t go around playing with my emotions or my mom’s. He’s going to have to make a choice and make it quick.”

Andi clucks.

“Sure, that’s a plan,” she says in a slow voice. “But is that what you really want to do?”