Come Away With Me(120)

“You lied to me, and that’s a line I can’t deal with you crossing.”

“I didn’t lie!” he shouts. “I haven’t spoken to her until this week when I asked her to do the f*cking movie!”

Oh, why won’t he just go? My tears are coming again.

“Baby, don’t cry. I promise, I’m not lying to you about this.” He steps toward me but I hold my hand up, stopping him.

“You need to know what seeing that did to me. You didn’t look like colleagues, Luke. You had your hands on her and the look on your face was the one you give me when you smile at me.”

He swallows and I continue. “You effectively ripped my heart out and stomped it to dust with just one look.

Now, I’m upset and hurt and hormonal, and I can’t deal with you tonight. I need you to give me some space, and I need it now because I just can’t look at you anymore.”

“Natalie, we’ve both done things we regret. Fuck, your whole body is a roadmap to your mistakes.”

I blink at him. Did he seriously just say that to me?

“I guess this will just be an experience that I’ll add to my roadmap.

Now get out of my house before I call the police.”

“I love you.” He’s looking me square in the eyes, his own blue eyes are bright with fear. “This is not over. I’ll give you some time, but goddamn it, Nat, this is not over.”

He leaves my room and slams the door behind him. A few seconds later I hear the front door slam too and then I hear his car – the Lexus? – peel out of the driveway.

I lay back on the bed, too exhausted to cry or, ironically, sleep.

“I didn’t tell him about the baby,” I say as Jules walks into my room.

“I figured. Did he deny it?”

“He says it was a business lunch about a movie he’s asking her to do.”

My voice is monotone.

“He could be telling the truth.”

I glare at her and she continues.

“Natalie, if you hadn’t just gotten the news about the baby five seconds before we saw the show, would you be reacting the same way?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think so.” Jules climbs on the bed with me, but doesn’t touch me.

“Honey, I think today has just been an emotional roller-coaster for you.”

“That’s the truth.” I sigh and throw an arm over my face. “We hurt each other really bad tonight.”

“I heard.”

I glare over at her again and she shrugs. “My room is fifteen feet away and you were yelling.”

“What do you think?” I ask because I love her and she loves me and she’ll tell me the truth.

“Do you want me to tell you the truth, or do the best-friend-loyalty thing?”

“Um, both.”

“Okay.” She takes a deep breath and looks down at me. “Luke is the best thing that ever happened to you. I don’t believe he was cheating on you today. I think that he needs to remember to be more careful of how he behaves, especially in public, because the f*cking paparazzi will twist just about anything into a good story. But he’s been away from all of that for years now, and I can understand why he let his guard down.”

She pauses and gazes at me intently.

“Natalie, he loves you. He had tears in his eyes when he stormed out of here.

He knows he f*cked up. Not only that,”

she raises her hand to stop me from speaking. “You have to think about the baby too. I’m not saying to stay with him for the sake of the baby, but I am saying that he needs to know, and you need to remember that you’re incredibly hormonal.”

I’m trying to process everything she’s saying. She’s right. I am probably blowing this way out of proportion.

“I don’t want him to think I’m trying to trap him into being with me because of the baby,” I whisper.

“Honey, why would he think that?

You didn’t do it on purpose.”

“I’m scared.”

“It’s going to be okay.” She wraps me in her arms and hugs me tight.

***

By the next morning I’m starting to feel a little foolish. It’s amazing what a night of sleep, some anti-nausea meds and a good cry will do.

Now, how do I make it right?

I take a long shower and frown at my puffy eyes in the mirror as I get ready for the day. I look horrible. I dress in some jeans and a sweater and pull my ring out of my jewelry box and put it back on my hand.