Page 51 of Homewrecker

I swallowed. “I used to sit in my room and promise myself no man would ever embarrass me like that.”

Caleb got quiet and then I remembered who I was talking to. A married man. The irony was disgusting.

I laughed. “Jesus Christ.”

“What?”

“Do you hear this conversation?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m complaining to somebody’s husband about my father cheating on my mother.”

I closed my eyes. “This is fucked up.”

“Blair—”

“No.”

I sat forward. “This is exactly what I said couldn’t happen.”

“What?”

“This.”

I gestured around my empty living room like he could see me.

“You calling me when shit is bad. Me calling you and talking about things that have nothing to do with work.”

“We’re friends.”

“No, we’re not. We can’t be friends.”

“Why?”

I laughed. “Because you like me.”

“Yes.”

His honesty irritated me. “And I like you, too.”

My heart started pounding the second I said it. I stared at my wine.

“Blair.”

“No.”

“You just—”

“I know what I said.”

I stood and started pacing. “This is why.”

“Why what?”

“Why we can’t do this.”

“I’m not asking you to do anything.”