“Why?”
“Because you’re married.”
Those words should have been enough.
They weren’t.
Nia stepped closer.
“Caleb barely notices whether I’m home anymore.”
“That doesn’t make you single.”
“No.”
Isaiah stared at her.
Nia could see the conflict on his face.
Then she kissed him.
It lasted only seconds.
Isaiah stepped backward immediately.
“Nia.”
She looked terrified by what she had done.
“I know.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I know.”
“I work for your husband.”
“I know.”
Isaiah grabbed his tools.
He left.
Nia stood alone in the garage for several minutes.
That night, guilt consumed her.
When Caleb called from Dallas, she almost confessed.
“How was your day?” he asked.
Nia closed her eyes.
“Normal.”
“You sound tired.”
“I am.”
“I miss you.”
That sentence hurt.
Nia whispered, “I miss you too.”
And said nothing else.
For a week, she ignored Isaiah.
Then Isaiah apologized.
Nia apologized.
They agreed the kiss had been a mistake.
Two weeks later, they kissed again.
After that, there were no more promises to stop.
By the morning Caleb left for his business trip, the secrecy had been going on for almost three months.
Nia told herself she had reasons.
Loneliness.
Neglect.
Anger.
Resentment.
None of those reasons changed what she was doing.
And somewhere inside, she knew it.
Monday morning arrived with clear skies.
Caleb woke before seven.
Nia was already awake.
She lay beside him staring at the ceiling.
“You okay?” Caleb asked.
“Yeah.”
“Nervous about that presentation?”
Nia almost laughed.
She had forgotten she told him she had a presentation.
“A little.”
“You’ll kill it.”
Caleb got out of bed.
Nia watched him walk toward the closet.
For several minutes, she considered telling him not to go.
Not because she suddenly wanted three romantic days together.
Because she knew Isaiah would be coming.
She had known since the night before.
Isaiah had texted:
I’m scheduled for your street tomorrow.
Nia replied:
Caleb leaves at nine.
There had been no misunderstanding in those five words.
Caleb buttoned a white shirt.
“You want me to bring anything back from Chicago?”
Nia’s stomach tightened.
“Surprise me.”
“I always bring you something.”
“I know.”
Caleb turned.
For a second, he studied her.
“What?”
Nia forced a smile.
“Nothing.”
“You’ve been weird lately.”
“Weird how?”
“I don’t know.”
Caleb sat beside her.
“Are we okay?”
There it was.
The question she had wanted him to ask for months.
But now that he had asked it, she was too deep inside her secret to answer honestly.