One Last Time(31)

“Hey.” I smile as I pull it open.

She lifts a cup of coffee in her hand, and I want to kiss her. “You are the best friend a girl could have.”

Danni laughs and enters the house. “This place looks great, hun. You’ve done a great job of making it look different and yours.”

“You think?”

She nods. “I do.”

“Thanks.” I motion to the couch, and we both take a seat. “I’m trying.”

Danielle looks at her own cup and then back to me.

“You okay?” I ask.

“Scott told Peter something, and I went back and forth because Peter asked me not to repeat it, but fucking hell, you’re my best friend. I don’t care that they’re friends. It’s me and you against the world, right?”

My stomach clenches thinking this must be bad if Danielle is here at ten in the morning on a Sunday. Peter must have thought it was bad enough to repeat it as well.

“You’re scaring me a little.” I try to laugh but it sounds weird.

“Scott called Peter and told him that he has proof you’ve been having an affair.”

Okay, now I laugh. “What? An affair?” I shake my head at the idiocy. “How could I have time to have an affair when I was too busy being a shitty wife to him?”

She closes her eyes. “I guess last night—”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” I get to my feet. “I was working! I had an interview. Noah is who I’m covering right now, and we had dinner for my article. Unbelievable.” I start to ramble because he’s ridiculous. “How does a dinner equal an affair?”

Danni puts her hands up. “Don’t shoot the messenger. I just know he’s going to be a prick and try to use this.”

Use this? Good God, he’s unreal. Then it hits me, the only person he could’ve heard this from is Jillian. “So, his assistant sees me not even twenty-four hours ago and calls him on a Sunday to let him know that I was out to dinner. She’s a very dedicated employee.” I spit the last word.

“I want you to be prepared, Kristin. He’s the guy who doesn’t want the cookie but doesn’t want anyone else to have it, either. I worry about you. I worry that he’s going to fuck with you if he suspects things. Peter and I got in a huge fight this morning when he told me. I went off about how Scott shouldn’t have a say in your life when he’s the one who asked for the divorce.”

I take her hand in mine and squeeze. She has no idea how much I appreciate her friendship. Peter and her relationship has been strenuous, and they’ve finally found a way to work through it. The fact that she’s fighting her husband for me is unfair.

“Please don’t do that. Don’t let your marriage get tangled in my divorce.”

She gives a sad smile. “We’re fine. He understands now that I hit him over the head with the truth. Peter and I think Scott is using him right now. He calls to get information that Peter doesn’t have, and he’s seeing it now. Then he told Peter that he was clearly under the web of lies you’ve been twisting to make us all think you’re the victim.”

“He is such a narcissist!” I groan. “How was I making a web of lies? What lies, Danni? That he probably cheated on me God knows how many times? Whatever, he wants a fight, I’m more than prepared for one.”

Scott could make me think I was crazy for thinking what he was doing was wrong. It was as if my questioning things meant I was delusional. I don’t know how he does it, but he can twist anything so that it’s someone else’s fault, spin a lie into a truth. I never saw it until I got out, but now that I have, it’s crystal fucking clear.

Danielle releases a loud breath through her nose, and I know this next part won’t be good. “You know Peter refused to take his case, but he wanted me to warn you that if Scott claims you were unfaithful during the marriage, it can affect custody, alimony, and child support.”

I’m not playing this game with him. “I was never unfaithful.”

“I know.”

“If he accuses me of this, I swear . . .” I trail off, not even sure what I’ll do. My lawyer is good, but I’m sure she’s no match for whatever he could afford.

I’m so fucked if he does this. Peter works for a top criminal defense law firm, but he came from family law when he was just starting. He’s represented a lot of athletes who have gotten themselves into sticky situations, and if he’s worried . . . I should be, too.

“Don’t show him your cards, Kristin. Don’t let him know you have a clue. This is what he wants.”

“I’m trying to be fair and get this over with! I want to be divorced already! I want my life back—without his voice in my head.”

Danielle squeezes my hand. “It’s time to play his game, but smarter.”

“How? I don’t think like that.”

She raises her brows. “It’s a good thing you have three best friends who have your back. You will not be alone with him. One of us will be here as a witness for any interaction you have, he doesn’t have a case if every aspect can be refuted.”

“This is crazy.”

She shakes her head. “No, honey, this is war.”





Chapter Thirteen