1. Nantucket Sawbuck by Axelrod Steven

Author:Axelrod, Steven [Axelrod, Steven]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 1464200874
Amazon: B00HLT702Y
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Published: 2013-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-one

Choices

Mike was inside Tanya Kriel when the phone rang. He knew who it was instantly and his mind spun through array of possible responses: let the machine pick it up? At almost two in the morning? If he didn’t answer the phone that would only lead to more questions and confrontations. Answer it and act as if she had just awakened him? But he couldn’t fool Cindy and he knew it. He could just hear her: “Why the fake ‘sleepyhead’ stuff? Is someone there with you?”

The phone rang again. It seized him up inside like a police siren, like the flashers in his rearview mirror. Tanya was staring up at him. He had lifted himself off her by the full extension of his arms. He looked like he was doing some kind of stretch in yoga class. He looked down at her face. She was baffled and frustrated, but also concerned. She didn’t know what was going on yet, and a call this late usually meant trouble of some kind—a heart attack or a car crash.

Mike eased out of her with the familiar physical tug of reluctance. He pushed himself off to her side and sat up at the edge of the bed. The phone rang again. If he didn’t pick it up before the next ring, Tanya would get to hear Cindy’s grating late night message. That would be bad.

He picked up the phone.

“Mike?”

“Cindy, where are you? What’s going on?”

“Are you alone?”

“Of course I am. It’s two in the morning.”

Cindy was crying.

“What’s happening? Are you all right? Where are you calling from?”

“I’m—I decided to…I’m at the Logan Airport Hilton. I’m taking the first flight tomorrow.”

He put it together. She must have fled the party, and rushed home to pack. Then the mad rush to the airport to make the last flight out. He had been upstairs with Tanya when her plane was lifting off. He forced himself back to moment.

“The first flight?”

“To New York.”

“Wait a second—I don’t…What’s going on?

Mike heard Tanya shifting on the bed behind him. His furnace kicked on. The wind was steady against his house. The phone line was alive with the imminence of the unspoken.

“Cindy?”

“I have a date with Mark Toland tomorrow. I’ve been dreaming about him for years. Now there’s no reason not to see him.”

“Except your marriage.”

“Are you going to lecture me about fidelity? It would never have occurred to me if you hadn’t—”

“So this is revenge?”

“It’s reality. You changed the rules. Things have to be different after that. This is the way things are now. If Mark Toland had wanted to undress me last year I would have told you about it and it would have been exciting. You always liked the idea of other men being attracted to me. I might have even flirted a little, let him look down my dress or at least say I did, just to get you revved up. But to actually let him do anything…”

“Jesus.”

“Please, Mike.”

“What—I can’t have a reaction to this?”

“You can react.

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