The leather chair in my office had molded itself to my body over seven years of late nights, becoming as familiar as my own skin. The amber light from my desk lamp cast shadows across the prenuptial agreement I'd been reviewing, not mine, but a client's. The irony wasn't lost on me as I made notes in the margins, strengthening clauses that would protect a man who trusted me to anticipate betrayal he couldn't imagine. My phone buzzed at 9:47 p.m.
Delaney's name appeared on the screen, accompanied by her photo, the one from our honeymoon in Napa, where she'd laughed at something I'd said about the wine being overpriced. She'd looked genuinely happy then, or maybe I'd just been better at believing her performance. "Hey," I answered, closing the file and leaning back in my chair. Delaney's voice carried that particular brightness she used when she wanted something, the same tone she'd employed when asking for the BMW, the kitchen renovation, the annual girls' trip to Cabo that somehow always extended by three days.
"David, honey, I need to talk to you about something." I glanced at the clock. She was three hours behind in Los Angeles, probably in her hotel room overlooking the strip. The conference on digital marketing strategies had seemed legitimate enough when she'd pitched it to me two weeks ago.
Now, hearing that familiar cadence, I felt the first cold finger of suspicion trace down my spine. "What's on your mind?" I asked. "Well, you know how I've been working so hard on the business, and this conference has been absolutely incredible for networking." She paused, and I could hear her moving around, probably pacing as she did when she was nervous.
"Lucas Cain is here." The name hit me like a physical blow. Lucas Cain, the actor who dominated social media for the past year, the one whose shirtless photos Delaney had liked on Instagram with embarrassing frequency. The one she'd mentioned in passing conversations just a few too many times for casual interest.
"The actor," I said. My voice remained level, lawyer training revealing nothing. "Yes, and David, this is such an incredible opportunity," she continued eagerly. "His people are here, and they're looking for marketing consultation for his new production company."
"This could change everything for us." "Us?" The word felt like a stone in my mouth. "What exactly are you asking me, Delaney?"
"He's invited me to stay the weekend. Not just me. There's a whole group of marketing professionals, and we'd be working on strategy, but..." She trailed off, and I could hear her breathing, could almost see her biting her lower lip the way she did when she was about to cross a line she knew she shouldn't cross. "But what?" I pressed.
"About... I might not be back Sunday night like we planned. Maybe Monday morning or even Tuesday. This is business, David, but it's also... I mean, he's Lucas Cain. This kind of opportunity doesn't come along every day."
I sat forward, my free hand gripping the edge of my desk. Seven years of marriage had taught me to read the spaces between her words, and the space here was vast enough to swallow everything we'd built together. "Are you asking for my permission to sleep with him?" I asked directly. The silence stretched between us like a taut wire.