Page 53 of The Deadbeat DILF
“Robert said it was true. He said he cheated on his wife.”
Alison took my hand and squeezed it. “Then maybe this is for the best,” she said gently.
“I’m just so confused,” I said. “He seemed so different. So… genuine. I can’t imagine him being unfaithful.”
“Some people are good liars,” Emilia pointed out. “Mike did say he was good at manipulating people.”
I shook my head. I refused to believe that Robert had played me. But what if that was because I didn’t want to admit that I’d been a fool?
I prided myself on being shrewd. What if Robert had conned me?
“You should’ve seen his face,” I said. “He looked so sad.”
“Because he’d been exposed,” Alison said.
“No,” I said. “It wasn’t like that. If he really was using me, why didn’t he stay? He could’ve kept using my body, kept living under my roof. I begged him to stay. When he left, he made it sound like… like he was doing it to protect me.” My voice cracked. “He looked like he didn’t want to leave, but he felt he had to.”
“I know you miss him,” Emilia said softly. “But it sounds like you dodged a bullet. He kept the truth from you, and sure,he might’ve been trying to change. But cheating on a previous partner — on your wife — is a huge red flag.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “I know,” I whispered. “I know.”
My friends rubbed my back, and I had to admit that it felt better to blur out all of this to them. Yes, it was painful to relive the awful memories, but it was also a relief to share my sadness with my best friends.
“I feel so stupid,” I said. “I should’ve known it wouldn’t work out from the start. He’s too old for me, anyway.”
I must’ve looked naive. A silly little girl with a crush on someone I shouldn’t have been involved with.
“You’re not stupid, Brooke,” Alison said. “It’s not stupid to trust someone. Yes, it’s a risk, but love is always a risk. Just because something seems like it won’t work out, it doesn’t mean a relationship is impossible. Look at me and Cameron. It should’ve been impossible because I was his boss, but look how things turned out.” She wrapped an arm around me. “What I’m trying to say is that you never know unless you try. Don’t regret trying.”
I nodded. “You’re right. I shouldn’t regret it, but… it just hurts so much right now.”
“We’re here for you,” Emilia said. “Call us anytime and we’ll be there. We can watch movies, eat takeout, or you can cry on our shoulders. Whatever you want.”
I managed a small smile. “Thank you. And thank you both for listening to me.” I gave them both a quick hug. “I think for now I want to go home, though. Sorry for leaving your party early,” I said to Alison.
She shook her head. “No, don’t apologize. Do what you need to do. I’m just really glad we got to talk.”
I nodded. “I love you guys.”
“We love you too,” Emilia said, and we all hugged again.
When I got home, I stripped out of my dress, and slipped on my robe. I looked around my room. Usually, I was a neat person, but ever since Robert left, my apartment had grown more and more messy. I didn’t have the energy to clean.
Now, my eyes caught sight of something on the floor. I walked over, recognizing the pale pink wrapping paper. Robert’s present. I remember he placed it on the nightstand the night he left. It must’ve gotten knocked onto the ground at some point.
I sat on the edge of the bed, holding the rectangular gift. Was it worth opening? Maybe it’d tear open the wound.
I decided there was no point wasting it — whatever it was. I tugged off the ribbon and peeled away the wrapping paper. It was a book.
Not just any book. A historical romance by one of my favorite authors. I had most of her books, but I didn’t recognize this one. I flipped through the pages, which had the crisp smell of a brand new book. On the copyright page, it said the novel had been published this year.
It was a new release.
How had Robert known I loved this author?
Probably the same way he knew how I liked my tea: because he paid attention.
If he was just using me, why would he get me the perfect gift?
