Lady Balls (Itty Bitty Delights)

I gulp down several swallows of water, nearly gagging when the warm water hits my tongue. I wrack my brain, trying and failing to come up with something to tell Harley. She’s my sister, and I know she won’t judge me. I also know she’ll keep her mouth shut, but even so, the more people who know, the higher the chance of this getting out.

I close my eyes and rest my head back against the headrest. The single word that leaves my mouth is whispered in the close confines of the car.

“How?”

“Jenny is the one who saw you. When she described what the woman was wearing, I knew right away who it was. I was with you when you bought that Rainbow Bright shirt.” I refuse to open my eyes and look at her when she pauses. “Do you remember that? I picked on you because you were obsessed with anything Rainbow Bright when we were kids, and I thought it was ridiculous that you still bought stuff with that cartoon on it.”

Despite my nerves being shot to hell and the seriousness of the situation, I can’t help but smile at that memory. “I remember,” I say quietly.

The bottle is taken from my hand and Harley laces our fingers together, bringing them both to her lap.

“What are you doing, Camila?”

I roll my head to the side and look at her. “I have no clue.”

“How did this happen?”

I turn more toward her and it dislodges our hands. I bring mine back to my lap. “It was by accident. We were both at a bar over in Mahan County. It was the day I walked in on Robert going to chow town on a woman who wasn’t me. I was feeling low and sorry for myself. Anyway, things just sort of happened between me and Brady.”

“You’ve got some massive lady balls on you. If Addison finds out, she’s going to try to nail you to the wall.”

“I know. Which is why she can never know.”

She nods. “Okay, so you’ve explained how it started, but that was over a month ago. Jenny saw you a couple days ago, in what I assume is the same motel?”

“Yeah. We’re kinda still seeing each other.”

Worry lines appear between Harley’s eyes. “Are you sure that’s smart?”

“No. It’s dumb as hell, but I just can’t stop.” I lean toward her, looking at her in earnest, “You know I had the biggest crush on him in high school. God,” I close my eyes, “the man is pure fucking magic in bed. But it’s not just his fucking skills that has me not caring that he’s married. I like him.”

Her eyes ping pong back and forth between mine for a moment. “You say it like it’s more than like that you feel for him.”

I lift a shoulder and drop my eyes to my phone sitting in the cup holder. A red light flashes on the screen, indicating I have a notification.

“I don’t know. Maybe it is.”

She waits until I lift my head and meet her eyes again before she asks, “What are you going to do?”

Her question has pressure building in my chest, like a sudden weight was just dropped on it. “I don’t know.”

And that’s the crux of the matter. Brady and I can’t continue our affair forever.

But how in the hell will I ever find the strength to walk away?