Page 127 of Under the Table

“Anyway.” She paused, trying to come up with words, trying to figure out what to even say. Instead, she jammed her thumb into theend callbutton on her steering wheel.

She squinted into the sunlight as soon as she got to the street and pulled out onto it. What in God’s green earth was going on? She hit a button on her phone and said, “Call Rachel.”

It didn’t take long for the call to connect and start ringing.

“Hello?” Rachel’s voice was a warm welcome, despite the fact that Hope hadn’t actually expected her to answer, much like Angelica.

“Look, I know you’re still pissed at me, but I do need to talk to you.”

The silence was loud.

“Rach, come on.”

“What?” Rachel’s snapped out.

“I know you don’t get it, I know you don’t like it, but I need you to give me a straight answer. Did you tell anyone—and I mean anyone—about Ange and me?” Hope held her breath, praying that she wasn’t overthinking this.

“Hope—”

“I’m serious. This can have consequences so far-reaching that you can’t even comprehend them. Please tell me that you didn’t say anything.” Hope’s heart raced as panic swelled in her chest.

“I didn’t say anything,” Rachel finally murmured. “Just to you, Rex, and Ange.”

“Ange? You talked to Ange about it?”

“I did.” Rachel sighed heavily. “I know I’ve been an ass, Hope, but you have to understand that what you’re doing was ashock to me. Out of all of my baby sisters, you’renotthe one I expected to be the cheater.”

“No, that’d be Isabel, obviously.”

“Right?” Rachel laughed. “But no, I haven’t talked to anyone about it.”

“I need you to keep it a secret. This could easily ruin both of our careers if it gets out, and I can’t have that on my conscience. Ange doesn’t deserve it.”

“All right.”

Hope sighed in relief. She pulled onto the freeway to start her drive home, knowing full well that Rex wouldn’t be back until very late that night. He had been home less and less lately, and she wasn’t even sure how to confront him about it yet.

“And for the record, Rach, we’re not together anymore.”

“What?”

“We broke up.” Hope choked back the sob that wanted to break loose. “In San Diego, actually. You were right. I needed to make a choice, and I did.” Though she still wasn’t sure that she agreed with the choice she’d made. The work she had to do on her marriage, the lengths she was going to have to go to revive what she and Rex once had, were going to be extreme. But she was willing to do it. For him. For them. For their family.

“I want to say good for you, but I don’t imagine you’re feeling quite up to that yet.”

“No. I’m not. And thanks for respecting that.” Hope winced at the unintentional anger in her voice. “I know I need to work on my relationship with you, too, but right now, I need time to focus on Rex.”

“Yeah, you do. And you’ve got it. I’m not going anywhere.”

Hope’s lips quirked upward slightly. “Thanks, Sis.”

“I love you,” Rachel said.

“Love you too.”

Chapter

Forty-Three