When it comes to infidelity, experts always say it’s just a symptom of an underlying problem and the blame must be shared between the cheater and the betrayed.
In this case, Charlotte was pretty sure the blame was all Tim’s.
“Goddamn it, Charlotte,” he rasped, “We’ve been going around and around on this thing for…” he checked his watch and his shoulders drooped. “Nearly five hours now. I’ll do whatever you want, I’ll say whatever you want, but this has to end.”
“You’re a selfish bastard.”
“Absolutely.”
“And I can’t trust you anymore.
“I don’t expect you to. I know I don’t deserve it. Check my email, voicemail, call logs, credit card bills…whatever you want. For as long as you want. Hire a private eye to follow me around. Cancel my Twitter account. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make this right. Nothing is off-limits.”
Her reddened eyes darted from Tim to the walk-in closet. She knew this might be her only chance. “Nothing?”
His head jerked around. Oh, no. The Trunk. She was after The Trunk. His exhausted mind scrambled, came up with nothing. And still, words tumbled out.
“It’s mostly just Playboys, you know. I mean, it’s not like there’s…” His brain finally perked up enough to make him wonder where the hell he was going with this, but not enough to shut him up. “…a live girl in there or anything.”
Charlotte’s mouth dropped open. Without another word, she stormed into the closet.
Tim followed, still stupid with fatigue. “Just the classic ones, then. At least let me keep them long enough to sell them online. You could use the money to buy something for you.”
Standing in front of The Trunk, she wheeled on him and bellowed, “I don’t want your porn proceeds! What would I tell Lynne and Shari? These are the diamond earrings that Barely Legal bought?! Thank God for my husband’s Girls Gone Crazy subscription; if he’d had just a few more months’ worth, I could’ve gotten the matching necklace?!”
She bent down to grab one of the handles and yanked. The Trunk didn’t budge. She rolled her eyes up at Tim, who tried to look surprised.