“Okay,” Brett says. “It’s time for us to go.” He picks her up and tosses her over his shoulder, then he looks at Ethan. “You got this?”
Ethan nods at him, but his eyes never leave mine. “You don’t have to stay,” I say as I turn around and go in my house. “Actually, it might be better if you go.” He follows me in and walks to the kitchen, grabbing the kettle and putting water in it before turning the stove on. “What are you doing?”
“Making coffee,” he says, opening the cupboards. “If I know Drew, he should be here in three hours, depending on where he is.” He finally finds the things he needs to make coffee. “And whatever you guys talk about, it should be done with you being semi sober.”
“I am sober,” I say. “I mean, I’m not going to lie. I was a little buzzed. But nothing like listening to your fiancé fuck someone’s ass to sober you up.”
He leans against the counter, and my phone starts to ring again. He walks over to it and picks it up. “It’s Drew.”
“Don’t answer it,” I say, and he just places it down on the counter. “I don’t think you should be here when he gets here.”
“I’m not leaving him alone with you,” he says, and all I can do is shake my head.
“This has nothing to do with you,” I say. I’m about to say something else when we hear a car door slam.
I look at Ethan. “I thought he was out of town.” We both turn and look at the front door that swings open, and Drew comes in. He’s wearing his suit and a button-down shirt that looks like it’s all buttoned wrong. His hair looks like it’s been pulled, and he doesn’t look like the perfectly kept man who he usually is. His eyes go from me to Ethan and then back to mine.
“Well, isn’t this interesting,” he hisses when he sees Ethan in the kitchen. “I get now why you wanted to stay home this weekend.”
I put up one of my hands now. “Hold on, are you seriously going to turn this around on me?” I ask. “You.” I point at him, then to myself. “Cheated on me. I heard all of it.”
“Please.” He rolls his eyes, putting his hands on his hips. “You’ve been cheating on me since he got back into town.”
“What?” I ask, shocked and appalled.
“Watch it,” Ethan growls out.
“Fuck you,” he hisses out to him, then turns to me. “You’ve never gotten over him.” He points at Ethan. “Do you know what it’s been like for me to wait for you to finally get over him?” I listen to him as his voice gets louder. “We’ve been together for two years, and you won’t even sleep with me.” He throws his hands up in the air.
“Hold on a second,” I say, now turning to Ethan. “You have to leave.” He looks at me, not sure. “I’ll be fine. This isn’t your problem.” He just nods at me and then walks over to Drew and leans down.
“If you hurt her,” he says, his voice low, “they won’t ever find you.” I’ve never heard Ethan be anything but nice, but nothing is nice about that sentence.
“Why don’t you crawl back under that rock you’ve been hiding under for the past five fucking years?” he says again to Ethan, who just looks back at me then walks out of the house. I know he isn’t leaving. I can feel it in my soul that he won’t leave me with Drew. I wait for the door to close before I start talking.
“I never cheated on you,” I tell him as tears come to my eyes. “Not once in all the time we were together was I unfaithful to you.”
“You’re lying!” he shouts. “How many times did you pretend I was Ethan? How many times did you wish I was him?”
“When I was with you, I was with you, Drew. And only you,” I say, and since this is over, I don’t hold my tongue. “I was with you. I told you from the beginning that my heart was healing. I told you that it would take time. I never lied to you about that.”
“Take time.” He shakes his head. “How much more time did you need? It’s been five fucking years.”
“So, the answer to that would be to cheat on me?” I ask. “Instead of waiting for me, or talking it out with me, or better yet, walking away from me, you think it’s okay to fuck someone else?” I shake my head. “You had sex with this person, and from the sounds of it, it was not the first time.”
He looks down now, avoiding my eyes. “I shouldn’t have done it. I know that, but come on.” He runs his hands through his hair. “I was like a puppy waiting for a treat.”