Chapter 5
The two of them break apart when they see me.
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Eve blushes, shoving Chad away and scrambling to fix her dress.[]
“Ms. Jones! Why didn’t you knock?”
I did knock, but they were too busy making out to hear. [
My eyes land on her swollen, glossy lips. And Chad–those bedroom eyes clouded with lust, the same look he used to save for me.
Now he’s giving it to another woman, right here in this hospital bed. [
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I can’t breathe.
Even with his memory gone, this feels filthy.
The whole room reeks of something that makes me want to puke.
I don’t wanna step inside, so I just turn and bolt. [
Downstairs, I run into Vance and Shane Cooper.
“Joanna, back to see Chad again?” Vance grins, but his brows shoot up when he spots my red eyes. “Did that idiot piss you off again?”
I wipe my face, mumbling a tired “yeah.“[]
I sure as hell ain’t telling them what I just saw.
Vance spots the lunchbox in my hand and changes the subject.
“You made him food?”
Before I can respond, he snatches it from me, then gapes at the band–aid on my finger.
“Wait–did you actually cook this?” I
I nod, taking a breath to steady myself. [
“Let me take it to him!” Vance volunteers, motioning for Shane to follow.
After a few steps, he realizes Shane’s lagging.
“Dude, what’s with you?”
“Nothing.”
Shane’s eyes stay locked on the long legs of a woman until her slim figure disappears around the corner. Then he shrugs and catches up.
After that hospital scene, I can’t stomach going back.
Soon enough, Chad checks out–only he doesn’t come home. Word is he bought a place, shacked up with Eve. []
Vance calls to cheer me up.
“Just lay low for now, Joanna. His head injury’s minor–he should remember soon.” [
“How soon?” I ask.
Chapter S
“Three months, maybe six.”
But even if he does, he’s already cheated. [
How am I supposed to act like that never happened?
At night, their kissing keeps looping in my head. []
The thought of my husband in bed with another woman makes me bolt for the bathroom, heaving until I can’t sleep. []
I want to drag him home, but he hates me now–still stuck in that amnesiac haze.
A phone rings in the dark, shrill in the silence.
I leave the bathroom faucet running and race to answer. []
My mother’s voice blasts through the speaker: []
“Jay’s in trouble–you gotta help him!” |
Jay’s my little brother. []
From her rambling, I piece it together:
Jay took his girlfriend to a dive bar for her birthday. Some guys hit on her, he started a fight, and now ho
in lockup. The other parents are threatening
to put him away for good.
Jay’s a senior in college, about to graduate. My mother wants me to ask Chad for help, smooth things over. I grind my teeth at her whining, but Jay’s my brother.
I may hate my mom, but I don’t hate him.
“Fine, I’ll talk to Chad.” [
After hanging up, I panic. Chad’s memory’s gone, he can’t stand me–why would he help?
But I have to try. I dial his number.
The line picks up, but no one speaks.
Ai! I hear is soft smacking sounds and heavy, panting breaths.
Before I can say anything, a woman’s voice purrs: []
“Chad, you’re so fired up today. You like when I play nurse, huh? Should I get a schoolgirl uniform next? Teacher and student, baby?”
Chad drawls, “Mhm.” [
My ears ring. It’s like all the blood in my body just froze.
