“Then why did you let me finger you last night?”
My cheeks burn with embarrassment. “Please don’t say things like that.”
“Still playing that card?” He nods. “Okay. Like I said before, we can do this your way.”
He pushes past me, strolling outside.
I need to get out of here. I’m in way over my head, and this is going to end with several people getting hurt. Me included. Thankfully, Jasmine makes her way into the house at that moment with an empty wine glass in hand.
She brightens up when she sees me. “Are you feeling better? Dru said you were sick.”
“Jasmine, can we talk?”
“Sure. Let me get some more wine first.” She grabs the opened bottle on the island, filling her glass to the brim. “Jafar wants to take me into town for dinner. Will you be okay if I leave you here with Al?”
“Where are Dru and Richard going to be?”
“With us. We thought a couple’s dinner would be fun.”
My head aches. “Jasmine, are you and Jafar happy?”
“Happy? More than happy. I’ve never been this in-love in my life.” She smiles dreamily. “And as soon as Jafar finishes some deal he’s been working on, we’re going to start a family. I wanted to try last night, but I was too tipsy.”
I’m torn, and don’t know who to believe. His version or hers.
“You know I would never do anything to come between you and Jafar, right?”
She laughs. “You’re the only person I’ve never worried about, Ellie. Besides, everyone knows you’re not Jafar’s type.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, he’s no saint and has strayed a few times since we’ve been married. Let’s just say that he has a type.”
“He’s cheated on you?” I echo.
I don’t know why I’m so surprised. That’s basically what we’ve been doing. How could I be so naïve thinking I might be the only one? God, this makes the entire situation even more pathetic.
“Yeah, and it’s always with tall blondes who look like they do coke for dinner. You know—rail-thin.” She takes a sip of her wine and gestures toward me. “He’d never go after someone like you.”
I nod my head in agreement because what else can I do? Tell her she’s wrong, and that I know because of what we did last night?
“Why do you stay with him if he’s cheated on you?”
“I’m not a saint, either Ellie. I’ve cheated on him, too. And I stay because he’s everything I’ve ever wanted. I’d be a fool to leave.”
“You’ve cheated on him?”
“God. Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m a bad person. I haven’t mentioned it before because I knew you would judge me. I cheated on him after I found him in bed with another woman. I haven’t done it in a while, and neither has he.”
But he has.
She continues, “We love each other, and that’s what matters at the end of the day.”
It hits me I’ve never asked him how he feels about Jasmine. I really do feel sick now.