- That?
She looked at me.
– Tell the neighborhood you lied.
I looked at her.
“You misinterpreted an innocent friendship,” she continued. “You embarrassed me because you were jealous. You should apologize publicly.”
- No.
Irvin went ahead.
“Get off our porch.”
Vanessa smiled.
"You have until tomorrow morning to reconsider."
He left the wine bottle on the railing.
Then he walked home.
The door had barely closed when Irvin rubbed both hands over his face.
“Don’t get angry.”
I looked at him.
“But perhaps we should think about it.”
I looked at him.
“We know the truth,” he said quickly. “She knows the truth. Why risk six years of her business for an apology that no one important will believe?”
"Because then she finds out that she can hurt us until we say what she wants."
"And if we don't, you could lose everything you've built."
Neither of them
The discussions were ridiculous.
That was the problem.
The next morning, Vanessa made good on her threat.
My phone started filling up with messages from the neighbors.
Screenshots had been circulating between her and Irvin.
“Can you come? I need you.”
His response:
“Give me ten minutes.”
Other:
“You are a lifesaver.”
Irvin:
- Whenever.
Standing up, the messages seemed warm.
Too hot.
I looked at him.
“You knew I was flirting with you.”
“I had no interest in her.”
“That wasn’t the question.”
He remained silent.
“Why do you keep passing by?”
"Because I thought it was obvious that he wasn't interested."
"It wasn't enough to make it obvious to you."
That landed.
Two days later, one of my wedding clients cancelled.
She said she had heard there were “problems” with my bakery and couldn't risk the order.
I stared at the message until the words blurred.
Vanessa was no longer embarrassing me.
It was costing me money.
That
That night, I put my phone on the kitchen table.
“We publish everything.”
Irvin frowned.
- All?
“Full screenshots. Dates. Every conversation.”
He shook his head.
- No.
“What do you mean by no?”
“I want to say that we are not turning our marriage into a neighborhood entertainment.”
“She already did it.”
“Then we didn’t help her.”
I took advantage of the opportunity.
“Your weak boundaries are part of the reason we’re here.”
The words hurt him.
I saw it immediately.
But he wasn't wrong.
“I’m not protecting Vanessa,” he said quietly. “I’m trying to protect you. I built that garage.”
