“Please,” she replies, putting her Birkenstock on the counter.
Birkenstock?
“Um… which bank did you rob?” I tease, pointing to her very expensive, very out-of-character, handbag.
Samantha scoffs, but I’m not mistaken when I see a glimmer of fear in her pretty eyes. “This old thing?” She grabs the handles and puts the bag at her feet and out of the firing line.
I raise a curious brow. “Yeah, that old thing. I seem to recall you were handing out resumes only a few months ago and were three months behind on rent.”
She shrugs. “I make good money.”
“Exceptional money if you’re able to pay off debts, cover costs, and splurge on designer wear. I didn’t think sales paid that well.”
This time she smiles cheekily. “Some people are good at what they do, others aren’t.”
Hmmm. My sister’s behavior is off, and she definitely isn’t telling me the whole story.
I start to load coffee pods in the machine when a thought strikes me. “Who’s the sugar daddy?”
She chokes on her own saliva. “A sugar daddy? A girl can fend for herself, sis.”
“Mmm-hmm,” I say lightly laughing while passing her a mug.
She circles the counter to accept her coffee and spots the abandoned bouquet in the sink. “Um… do you not have a vase?”
“I have plenty.”
Samantha throws me a questioning side glance. “Dare I ask why you’ve trashed such a beautiful bunch of flowers? Does it have anything to do with why you’re not at work and looking like shit?”
“Always subtle.” I roll my eyes and take a sip of coffee.
“Well? Does it?”
“Indirectly.”
She shakes her head, not understanding. “Elaborate.”
Sighing, I take a seat at the counter. “Shawn and I are over. I took the day off to pack some things and be gone by the time he gets home.”
“What the fuck… why? Isn’t your anniversary this weekend?”
“Yes. And the ‘why’ is a long story.”
“But he bought you flowers.”
I bite my lip before answering. I know these flowers are why Shawn slept on the couch. No matter how much we fought in the past, he always came to bed. Even if he did hover on the edge with his back to me.
But how was I to know the flowers were from another man when I walked through the front door? And more importantly, why would he care? He hasn’t cared for over a year.
“They weren’t from Shawn.”
Samantha’s eyes widen. “Blythe… are you having an affair? Is that why you’re leaving?”
“Of course, I’m not having an affair,” I snap. “How could you think that?”
“I’m just trying to piece A and B together.”
“Well, you’re piecing wrong.”
My sister folds her arms and waits for me to continue.
“They’re from a new client. An acquaintance of Shawn’s. He came into my office yesterday wanting my design services for one of his businesses. I guess he’s trying to sweeten the deal.”
“Or you.”
I shake my head. “It wasn’t like that.”
“Time will tell.”
I push away from the counter, my chair scraping against the floor. “I have bigger issues to worry about, and that includes finding a new place.”
“Can’t you two try and work it out? You have the perfect marriage.”
“No, Samantha… we can’t just work it out. And our perfect marriage has been anything but for the last year.”
I see a flicker of hurt in her hazel eyes. “A year? Why have you never said anything?”
“Because I don’t like airing my dirty laundry, and because admitting it would’ve only made it true.” I swipe the stray tear, surprised I even have more tears to shed.
“I’m sure this can all be worked out,” Samantha proclaims with misguided optimism.
“Not going to happen. The guy hasn’t touched me in over a year. Our sex life went from throw against the wall to nothing overnight. He doesn’t talk to me, and when he does, he reprimands me as if I’m an insolent child, and he seems completely unfazed by the idea of me leaving. So, you tell me whether this can all be worked out.”
“Well, he’s not cheating on you.”
I scoff. “And how would you know that?”
“Because it’s Shawn. He’s a good guy, and cheating just isn’t something he’d do.”
“I didn’t think so either, but his behavior screams otherwise.”
“Maybe you need to give him some time. Maybe you both have things you can work on to fix this. But, Blythe, they don’t come much better than Shawn.”
I eye her a moment, my blood pressure rising. “Just whose side are you on? ‘Cause it certainly doesn’t sound like my sister has my back.”
“I do have your back. I guess I’m upset that you two could be over. You have the ideal marriage. One I certainly hoped I’d have one day.”
“Had. It certainly isn’t anyone’s ideal anymore.”
4
“What the hell is this?”
Amanda shakes her head at the plans I’m holding. “I wish I knew, but I don’t.”
I’m back at work the following day and I’m staring at Kane Alexander’s business proposal.