“We went out a few times in college,” I said.
Austin turned sharply toward me.
Zachary went completely quiet.
I rushed to fill the silence.
“It was before you.
It lasted a few weeks.
It wasn’t serious.
That’s why I never told you.”
“You dated him.”
“Barely.”
“The guy you’ve been telling me for four years is basically just an old friend.”
“He is just an old friend.”
“The guy who texts you late at night.
The guy who says he can’t wait to see you in a swimsuit.
The guy you’re standing next to in a bikini right now.”
Every sentence sounded worse when he lined them up like that.
“Nothing has happened between us,” I said.
“I didn’t ask if something happened this weekend.”
“Then what do you want from me?”
“The truth would have been a good start.”
I felt exposed, and when I feel exposed, I get defensive.
“So what? I was supposed to give you a complete list of every person I kissed before we met?”
“No.
But if one of them becomes your closest male friend and stays in our lives for the entire marriage, maybe that one makes the list.”
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came out.
Zachary spoke again, quieter this time.
“Enjoy your trip, Paisley.”
Then he hung up.
I stared at the phone.
Austin was the first to speak.
“How did he find out?”
I looked at Tiffany.
She immediately shook her head.
“Don’t look at me like that.
I didn’t tell him before you left.”
“Before I left?”
She rubbed her forehead.
“He called me this morning.”
My chest tightened.
Apparently Zachary had seen an old tagged college photo while searching Austin’s name after our argument.
The picture itself was harmless, but one of the old comments underneath joked about Austin and me finally making things official.
Zachary hadn’t accused me based on a decade-old comment.
Instead, he’d called Tiffany and asked one question: had Paisley and Austin ever been together?
Tiffany had told him yes.
“Why would you tell him that?” I snapped.
Her face changed.
“Because he asked me a factual question about his wife.”
“You’re supposed to be my friend.”
“I am your friend.
That doesn’t mean I lie to your husband.”
Austin stepped between us verbally before the argument could get worse.
“Okay.
Everybody’s heated.
Let’s just calm down.”
I turned on him.
