“I figured. That’s why I didn’t tell you. You’re not the sort of woman who’d ever date a married man even in an open marriage. That’s why I didn’t tell you.”
“Oh, so is this a compliment or an insult? I can’t tell. Either I have too much integrity to date a married man or I’m too close-minded and vanilla to date someone in an open marriage? Which one is it?”
“It’s neither. It’s... I don’t know. I just didn’t want to tell you. I’m married in LA. I’m not married in Hawaii. That’s my life.”
She narrowed her eyes at him.
“You know that’s not how marriage works, right? I mean, even if it does in your world, legally you are still married in Hawaii.”
“That’s just the rule we came up with. Shannon has a boyfriend.”
“Good for Shannon. More power to her. Does her boyfriend know about you?”
“Yeah, but—”
“So your wife has more integrity than you do. Congrats on marrying up. And you’re down to two minutes so speed it up.”
Ben turned his back to her and for a second she thought he’d leave right then and there.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“What?” She couldn’t believe she heard that right. Ben turned around and faced her again.
“I’m sorry. I was an idiot.”
“Yes, you were.”
“I was...am crazy about you. Have been since I saw you. Something told me that if you knew about me and Shan, even knowing we had an open marriage, you wouldn’t want to get involved with me. So I didn’t tell you.”
“For two years.”
“How was I supposed to bring that up, Jo? Take you out to dinner and over dessert say, ‘By the way, I’m married but it’s okay’?”
“You could have tried that. I would have thrown my wine in your face, probably still in the glass. But it would have been better than showing up on your doorstep and meeting the missus. She didn’t look happy to see me. You sure she knew about the open marriage?”
“She did. But we have a rule about that sort of thing.”
“What sort of thing?”
“Not having our significant others over to our house.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did I invade your marital sanctuary? I would never have done that had I known your rule. Or that you were married. Or that you were a walking, talking human piece of shit.”
“Joey.”
“Fuck you.”
“You’re out of line.”
“You don’t get to talk to me anymore. Go away.”
“This isn’t like you. This isn’t the Joey I know.”
“You aren’t the Ben I know. The Ben I know isn’t married. You are a sleazy married guy who lies to everyone so he can have all the sex he wants with all the women he wants. No one at work knew you were married. Don’t pretend you kept it a secret just from me. Don’t act like I’m the first woman you slept with without telling her you were married.”
“I shouldn’t have come here.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. No idea why you did.”