redeeming cupid 01 - struck by eros by jenn windrow Page B

or lies.”
    What could I say to him? Right now my life was nothing but secrets, games, lies, and adultery. And the secrets were more than make-you-frustrated bad. They were soul crushing, I’m-an-evil-bitch bad.
    “Is there something more going on between you and Grayson? Something other than work and random encounters?”
    I couldn’t answer that question without another lie, so I talked around it and did my best to make Len happy with my explanation and half-truths. “I wish Grayson wasn’t in my life. Our boss forced us to work together. I’m trying to find a way out of our partnership, but until I do, I’m stuck with him.”
    “How many more days do you plan on spending with him?”
    “I have to talk to him every day, just work things, nothing more.”
    Our food came and we both took a couple of we-must-eat bites. I hoped that Len would forget our conversation, move on to another subject, but when his fork clattered onto his plate, I knew that we weren’t done discussing Grayson.
    “I am mad.” He tossed his napkin on the table. “I’ve caught you in more lies the past several days than I have in the past two years.” His words carried five-alarm heat. “I expect my future wife to be honest with me at all times.”
    He acted like I was a disobedient puppy or a 1950’s housewife.
    “I already explained this. I didn’t tell you about Grayson because he is nothing to me.”
    “Bullshit.”
    I jumped at the unexpected curse word that passed his lips, glanced around to see if any of the other patrons noticed the stranger who now sat next to me. Twisted into a controlling shell of the man I loved for the past two years.
    He blotted the corners of his mouth with the napkin, like the foulness of the swear word could be wiped away. “Excuse my language.” He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “If he were really nothing to you, you would have told me about him. Not hidden him away like a dirty little secret.”
    “I didn’t realize that not telling you about a co-worker would cause you to lose your trust in me.” I reached across the table and covered his hand with mine. “Let me figure out a way to get out of working with Grayson, and he’ll be out of our lives for good.”
    Len smiled, picked up his fork with the hand not held down by mine, and started picking at his food. “I’d be very happy if I didn’t ever have to see him again.”
    At least we agreed on something.
    We finished our meal with polite conversation about what he had done at work, what needed to be done around the house, and our plans for the weekend. But things were stilted between us, uncomfortable, unusual. A splinter had formed under the surface and I wasn’t sure I had tweezers small enough to pluck it out before it grew infected and festered.
    We walked out of the restaurant holding hands, but the warmth was missing from his touch. He left me at Doris with the promise to meet me at the house.
    I was out of options, out of time, and out of excuses. I needed freedom from Grayson, otherwise Len would leave. He hadn’t said the exact words, but they skimmed the surface, ready to break free if I didn’t find a way out of this mess.
    A small pit dropped into my stomach. Tiny. Not ready to sprout.
    * * * *
    Pulling into my driveway, I spotted Grayson’s black Audi parked next to Len’s BMW, and that pit sprouted limbs larger than the Laurel trees that shaded the cars.
    The limbs grew, twisted, tightened. Took my lungs and squeezed. Squeezed. Squeezed. Squeezed out every last bit of hope and happiness.
    Grayson stood on the front porch, leaning against the railing, hands stuffed in his pockets. I glanced at his face. Neutral. Bland. Uninterested.
    Asshole.
    I was afraid to look at Len, but I had to. And when I did my heart took hold of those limbs and clawed. Clawed its way down. Then settled right next to that shattered pit.
    Len marched like a stiff soldier on the grass, halfway between the porch and