Ember In The Heart

“Thank you so much for being so patient in there,” Jade said as we walked along the hot sidewalk of the city. She knew I wasn’t a fan of the place. The air was too thick with fumes, the smell of waste wafting up from the sewers every now and then, and if I wore sandals on a warm day like today my feet got covered in soot from the traffic.

Thus I’d chosen to wear a light pair of boots with my dress and my feet were too stuffy inside them.

Still, I wouldn’t complain.

Jade rarely asked me to come into the city and this was for the wedding. Anything to relieve her stress. Besides, it worked out. For the first time since our affair began, Foster was busy this Sunday. Georgie’s new nanny, a college graduate named Anne-Marie, who was this sweet, shy young woman Georgie thankfully loved, was working overtime to watch G, since I was busy with Jade.

“Of course. Dress fittings are necessary for a wedding. And it was good of them to open on a Sunday.”

“Yeah.” Jade nodded. She shot me a look. “You’re honestly happy with your dress?”

“Of course.” My Maid of Honor gown was silver. As were the bridesmaid dresses. Moon, Celeste and Luna had joined us for the dress fitting but Moon had hurried home as soon as she was done, and Celeste had gone back to Luna’s to see the kids.

Jade and I wanted to grab something to eat together before heading home. Between work, the wedding, and Colt, we hadn’t seen a lot of each other lately.

“And your dress is to die for.”

My sister beamed. “You think?”

“Colt, is going to lose his—” I cut off abruptly.

“Ember?”

My pulse pounded in my throat as I halted in front of a restaurant.

Inside, clear as day, was Foster and his parents. A young, beautiful blond sat next to Foster, her hand on his shoulder as she leaned into laugh with him about something.

“Em.” Jade stood at my side.

His parents smiled at the young couple.

Were they a couple?

No.

Foster wouldn’t—

The blond kissed his cheek and he lowered his gaze almost shyly.

Foster?

“That’s Heather Smyth,” Jade said in my ear. “Colt told me Foster’s parents have been trying to set them up for a while. I only know who she is because I met her at the office last week when I came into the city to have lunch with Colt. Heather works for a bank nearby. Colt told me she’s gotten persistent. I guess Foster finally gave in.”

He was seeing another woman behind my back?

“Ember?”

“He and I have been having sex for over a month.” I looked at my sister, tears in my eyes. “And I stupidly fell for him. Like really, really fell for him, Jade. I’m such a fool.”

Jade looked heartbroken for me. “Oh God, Em.”

Her sympathy only made me angry. “No one makes a fool of me.” I glared back at the young couple. “I think we should stop by and say hi. It’s only polite.”

“Ember…”

But I was already pushing open the door to the restaurant. I wouldn’t make a scene. But I wanted him to know that I knew. A hostess stepped toward us but I shook my head at her distractedly, focused on the man I currently loathed.

As if he felt me, Foster turned his head in my direction.

His eyes rounded in surprise and it was quickly replaced by a flash of something like panic. Then he was pretty much expressionless.

So good at masking his feelings. No wonder he’d duped me.

The blond and his parents turned to see what had caught his attention and Madeline smiled at the sight of me and my sister. “Jade, Ember, how nice to see you.”

“You too, Mrs. Darwin, Mr. Darwin … Heather…” Jade cut off at that, apparently unable to say it was nice to see Foster.

“We were just passing by and saw you in here … thought we’d be neighborly.” I forced myself to look at Foster.

I saw the slight shuddering in his breathing that betrayed his discomfort.

“Yeah,” Jade agreed, her fingers lacing with mine. “It was such weird timing too because I was just telling Ember about you and Heather, Foster.”

Heather grinned, curling her arm around Foster. “It’s nice to see you again, Jade. And nice to meet you, Ember.”

Not her fault, not her fault, not her fault. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

“Well we better get going.” Jade tugged on my hand. She offered goodbyes to the Darwins and I followed her out. Feeling numb.

What a foolish woman, I’d been.

“Are you okay?” My sister hadn’t let go of my hand.

“I don’t know.” I looked at her. “I used to think Luna had bad taste in men … but it’s clear she and I share that particular trait.”

“Were you exclusive?”

“No.” I stopped, shaking my head in anger. “No … but you tell someone you’re sleeping with that you’re sleeping with someone else too.”