“I know you say that now, but once the sadness wears off, the anger’s going to settle in, I know. I’ve been in this position before.”
“Nolan and mine’s situation is a lot different,” I try to say it gently, with kindness and patience for Katie because I know she’s still grieving the loss of the friendship.
Katie shakes her head. “Nolan was selfish and impulsive and said she wanted too much of his time and attention, so he broke up with her.”
I munch through a fry, trying to sort through my confusion. “Is that what she told you?”
“They were fighting all the time. She was constantly crying.”
“I don’t know all the details, and I’m not saying they didn’t both have their faults, but they broke up because she cheated on Nolan.”
Katie jerks her head back. “What?” She looks shocked, confused, and a little apprehensive like she’s not sure she wants to believe me. “He didn’t say anything about that.”
I swallow. “Maybe he was embarrassed. Maybe he didn’t want it to impact your friendship.”
Katie blinks several times, her thoughts clearly everywhere but here in the small dinner. “Why would he have been embarrassed?”
I release a sigh it feels like I’ve been holding for the past seven months. “Because when someone cheats on you, it’s easy to feel inadequate and wonder if you did something wrong. Ezra didn’t really move back to Florida,” I admit. “He and April were sleeping together, and I caught them together last May. He moved to Scotland with her.”
Katie slaps both hands on the table, the sound drawing the attention of several diners. “They did what? He moved where?” She shakes her head. “Do you have any other bombs to drop on me?”
I grin. “Not that I can think of off the top of my head.”
“She cheated on Nolan? Ezra moved to Scotland to be with April?” Her eyes go round. “I’m going to email her right now. I’m kicking her out of the house.”
“It’s okay,” I say, reaching across the table and setting my hand on her phone. “I didn’t tell you or Hannah because I was embarrassed and I didn’t want you guys to hate her because as much as I want to hate her, I still care about her.” I shrug. “And I’m hoping karma gives them a severe case of food poisoning. Monthly. For an eternity.”
Katie snickers. “You’re too nice. I’d have kicked her out and spray painted her car so every woman in a relationship knew to avoid her.”
I smirk. “Maybe Nolan knew that’s how you’d feel, and that’s why he didn’t tell you.”
Katie weaves her fingers into her hair. “I wish you had told me about April. We could still get our revenge. She left most of her belongings in the house.”
I chuckle as I reach for my water. “I don’t want to hold a grudge. I didn’t love Ezra. I just couldn’t believe they were sneaking around behind my back. I had to get checked for STD’s because I had no idea if she had been checked,” I shake my head. “And how does a guy sleep with two different women living in the same house? How did she sleep with him knowing he was sleeping with me?” The questions spark the anger I just claimed I don’t want to possess. “I know they were both at fault, but she was my closest friend, so her betrayal cut a lot deeper.”
Katie nods. “That’s how I felt toward Nolan. Betrayed.” She releases a long and heavy sigh that reminds me so much of Nolan before he left yesterday that my chest constricts, aching from missing him. “But it doesn’t change what he did to you.”
“Since no one knew where he was, I don’t think he was intentionally trying to hurt me.” I still want to defend him. I think I always will.
“Intentional or not, he still ghosted you.”
“And it still hurt,” I admit.
She gives me another sympathetic look.
“But I don’t want you to worry about this impacting your and I’s relationship. It won’t. I swear.”
Katie nods and finally turns her attention to the club sandwich she ordered. “I still think we should do something to get back at April.”
I grin, biting into my BLT. “Ezra’s allergic to grass and pollen, hates taking risks, and whines anytime he has to use public transit or can’t find an internet signal. I’m sure traveling with him is like being stuck in one of the Nine Circles of Hell.”
Katie finishes chewing. “I’m not sure that’s enough.”
Once again, I’m reminded how grateful I am that things didn’t turn out the way I had expected—the way I’d hoped. If April were still here, I likely never would have forced myself out of my comfort bubble to become closer to Katie or Hannah.
We part for afternoon classes where I receive a text from Evelyn with three book title suggestions for our first book club/cookie exchange happening in two weeks. I discreetly look each of them up and place my vote.
I spend the rest of the afternoon trying to focus and take notes, but my efforts are futile.