"Anything specific?" "Where they meet, how often, whether anyone else knows." Samuel nodded. "I can ask around, quietly." "You don't have to tell me twice."
I went back to work. That evening, Angela was waiting when I got home. She was unusually friendly. She had cooked dinner, poured two glasses of wine, and even changed the sheets in our bedroom. I looked at the table.
"What's all this?" "Dinner." "I can see that." She smiled. "I thought we should start over."
I pulled out a chair. "After last night?" "Yes." I sat down. She placed food on my plate.
"I don't want us fighting." "Neither do I." "Then stop treating everything like a threat." I looked at her. "Is Jacob still part of your birthday plans?"
Her smile disappeared for a second, then it returned. "I thought we agreed not to talk about him." "We didn't agree to anything." She took a sip of wine. "My birthday is supposed to be fun."
"Then enjoy it." "With you?" "Is that what you want?" She hesitated. "Of course."
I watched her carefully. "Then why does another man need to be involved?" She put her glass down. "Because I want something different." "Different isn't the word I'd use."
She leaned forward. "You don't understand what I'm asking." "I understand exactly what you're asking." "No, you don't." She stood up and walked toward the kitchen.
"My birthday party is going to be at the Harbor View Club. I've already reserved the private room." I looked at her. "You planned the party already?" "Yes."
"Who knows about it?" "Friends, family, a few people from work. And "And Jacob?" She stopped. "Why do you keep saying his name?"
"Because you brought him into our marriage." She turned around. "He'll be there." That caught my attention. "At the party?"
"Maybe." "Maybe?" She shrugged. I haven't decided. I said nothing.
She came back to the table. Tom, I want you there. I'll be there. Her expression softened. Really?
Yes. She smiled. Good. That's all I wanted. But I knew it wasn't.
Two days later Samuel called me. We met in his truck outside my office. He handed me a folded piece of paper. I found something. I opened it.
There was an address and a time. What's this? Jacob has a private office above a wine bar downtown. Angela has been meeting him there every Thursday afternoon. How many Thursdays?
Five. I looked at the paper again. Samuel continued. There's more. Someone saw them leaving together last week.