“It sounds like you are.”
Isaiah exhaled.
“I’m asking what this is.”
Nia became quiet.
Isaiah continued.
“Because I’m not interested in sneaking through your front door for the next year.”
“You knew I was married.”
“I did.”
“And you kept coming.”
“I did.”
“Then don’t suddenly act innocent.”
“I’m not innocent.”
Isaiah looked directly at her.
“But neither are you.”
Nia’s eyes filled with anger.
Then hurt.
Because he was right.
She walked toward the living room.
Isaiah remained where he was.
Neither of them knew that twenty-three miles away, Caleb Bennett had just received a phone call that would change the course of all three lives.
Caleb had reached the highway when his phone rang through the car speakers.
It was his boss, Daniel.
Caleb answered.
“Morning.”
“Tell me you haven’t boarded yet.”
“Not unless Delta is picking people up on I-285 now.”
Daniel laughed nervously.
“Good. Don’t go to the airport.”
Caleb frowned.
“What happened?”
“The meeting’s off.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Peterson’s in the hospital. Nothing life-threatening, apparently, but the entire executive team pushed everything to next month.”
Caleb slowed the car.
“So I’m not going to Chicago?”
“No reason to. I’ll email you the updated schedule.”
Caleb looked toward the next exit.
Part of him was irritated.
He had spent most of Sunday preparing.
Then another emotion appeared.
Relief.
Three unexpected days at home.
He thought about Nia.
Maybe they needed it.
No laptops after six.
Dinner downtown.
Maybe they could finally have the conversation he had tried to start that morning.
He smiled.
“I might actually get some points with my wife for this.”
Daniel laughed.
“Take the win.”
The call ended.
Caleb exited the highway.
He considered calling Nia.
Then decided against it.
A surprise.
He stopped at a coffee shop she liked.
Nia always ordered an iced vanilla latte with oat milk.
Caleb bought one.
Then he saw a flower stand outside a grocery store.
He almost drove past.
Instead, he turned around.
Fifteen minutes later, a bouquet of pale pink roses rested on the passenger seat beside Nia’s coffee.
Caleb felt foolishly pleased with himself.
He imagined walking through the door.
Nia would be shocked.
Maybe she would laugh.
Maybe she would tell him he was ruining her workday.
Maybe they would spend the afternoon together.
For once, work had given something back.
Caleb turned onto Briarstone Lane at nine fifty-seven.
He noticed the lawn mower first.
It was sitting abandoned near the center of his front lawn.
The engine was off.
Caleb slowed.
Isaiah’s work truck was parked farther down the street near another customer’s home.
That wasn’t unusual.
But leaving equipment in the middle of the Bennetts’ lawn was.
Caleb pulled into the driveway.
He got out.
Coffee in one hand.
Flowers in the other.
He looked around.
“Isaiah?”
No answer.
Maybe he was in the backyard.
Caleb walked toward the house.
Then he noticed something that made him stop.
The front door wasn’t completely closed.