Chapter 1 Caught
Chapter 1
“Caught”
POV Emma
On my way home after dinner with friends, the rain starts pouring down, soaking my favorite white dress.
I’ve always loved the rain in Vancouver.
Then a blur of red catches my eye.
Long, beautiful red hair. Red dress. Pale skin.
She looks like she’s been airbrushed in real life.
Her dainty hands are all over a blurry, grey-eyed god in dress pants with perfect hair. Perfect everything.
Until I get close enough to realize the dreamy, grey-eyed god is my husband.
I stand there looking through the restaurant window right at them.
They don’t notice me.
They’re too caught up in each other, making out, hands tangled in each other’s hair. He slides his hand slowly down her body.
Salty tears start to stream down my cheeks.
Everyone in the restaurant except them is staring at me. My soaked white dress is nearly transparent, exposing my pink panties and blue bra. Rain drips from my hair, soaking my face as I press myself against the window, desperately trying to get my husband’s attention.
I was warned about him, and I still ignored all the red flags.
A stronger girl would go inside, throw wine at him, and dump his ass.
All I can do is stand there and cry.
My efforts to get his attention are fruitless, leaving me no reason to stay.
Three blocks later, I reach my old best friend’s apartment building and ring her buzzer.
“Hello?” an annoyed voice answers.
Kate is not a people person.
“You were right,” I sob. “I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you. Please forgive me.”
I collapse onto the cold pavement, cover my face with my hands, and cry it out. The rain kisses my skin, and I feel torn apart.
The door buzzes, but I can’t move.
A minute later, the perfect blue-eyed, blond-haired girl steps outside in her socks.
“Let me guess. He dumped you three months ago, and it took you this long to show up at my door?” Kate asks.
“No. Our three-year anniversary was three months ago, and he didn’t dump me. I just saw him with a perfect girl at a restaurant.”
“Oh, Emma.”
She leans down, pulls me up with her strong hands, and holds me tight.
“Three years and three months is a long time. I’ve missed you.”
We hold each other, and we both cry.
“Come on. Let’s get you inside where it’s warm.”
“Okay,” I sob.
“Shit.”
“What?”
“I’m so excited to see you, I locked us out.”
She buzzes someone.
“Hello?”
“Pizza,” Kate says.
“I didn’t order a pizza,” an old lady answers.
“Good. You’re not getting one.”
“Okay, dear.”
The door buzzes.
“Sometimes she comes down with a broom. She’s got dementia. Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Kate says, laughing as she pulls me inside.
We’re halfway up the steps when an old lady comes flying at us with a broom.
We dodge out of the way at the last second, and she tumbles down the stairs, landing at the bottom without making a noise.
“It’s this way to my place.” Kate gestures down the hall.
“Kate! We can’t just leave her there.”
“You’re right. You go check on her, and I’ll stand right here. Don’t forget she’s got a broom and is highly dangerous.”
Crap.
I step carefully down the stairs.
She’s pale, isn’t moving, and is sprawled out.
As soon as I get to the bottom, I look up at Kate.
“What do I do now?”
“Check her pulse.”
“Where is her pulse?”
“In her neck.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know. Just feel for it.”
I don’t even want to touch her.
I finally get the nerve and lightly touch her neck.
“I can’t find a pulse.”
Smack.
The old lady comes alive and hits me hard on the kneecap with the broom handle.
“Ow, you bitch!”
“That’s no way to respect your elders, you twit. Can’t even find a pulse. How stupid are you?” the lady snaps with a scowl.
I fly up the stairs, and Kate and I slide into her apartment and hide.
We stare through the peephole.
“Fuck, my knee hurts.”
I jump when hands suddenly touch my shoulders out of nowhere, and I fall into the closet with a scream.
“What’s wrong with your friend, Kate?” the girl who touched me asks.
“Crazy lady in 105 attacked her.”
“Jeez, you took one for the team. Her grandson is a hot doctor. He always comes by and apologizes for her. Something to look forward to,” the girl says.
Pounding starts on the door.
“I’m calling the police and reporting you!” the old lady screams.
“Lisa likes to toy with her.” Kate explains. “Her grandson brings expensive chocolates that are to die for.”
“Who’s Lisa?”
“Oh, sorry. I rented out my spare room to my work colleague after you left me for Dominic.”
“I didn’t leave you. You wrote me off. Said you or him.”
“It takes two to tango. Let’s just be happy we’re friends again and let go of the past.”
Kate helps me up and takes me to her room for dry clothes. We’re the same size and used to exchange clothes all the time.
“Nice bra. I’ll trade you,” Kate says. “I’ve got a pink sparkly one and a pink dress to lend you.”
“Sounds perfect.”
“So what happened on your third anniversary? Everyone knows Dominic never stays married more than three years.”
“He told me he loved me and was excited for three more.”
“That doesn’t sound like him.”
“Fine. He asked if I wanted children and said we should start looking for a bigger house.”
Kate goes quiet.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. I guess he isn’t as serious as I thought.”
I start to cry again.
“Can I offer you ice cream or cheap wine?”
“How about both?”
“Both coming up.”
“Hey, if Lisa is here, why didn’t you just buzz her?” I ask.
“She was in the shower, and she never answers the buzzer.”
“Why not?”
“She says there are too many serial killers out there.”
Kate hands me a glass of wine.
“So what’s new? Boyfriend? New job?” I ask.
“Same job. Bruce dumped me six months ago. Didn’t really give me a reason other than the normal, ‘It’s not you, it’s me.’”
“Fuck. I don’t miss the dating game.”
“You don’t date. You just fall into handsome men’s laps. Five minutes after you break up, boom, new guy,” Kate says.
“I don’t know if I can say it’s over. Maybe it’s just one slip-up. Maybe…”
She gives me a bowl of vanilla ice cream and a spoon.
“You haven’t changed. You’re still a coward when it comes to breaking up with someone.”
“I am not,” I sob.
“Kenny. Josh. Keith, Steven…”
“I broke up with them on my own.”
“No. I called and pretended I was you and dumped them after getting your stuff and dragging you here,” Kate says.
“I still broke up with them. Even if you did the verbal stuff.”
“Well, you’re married now, so you’re on your own. I’ll be your friend and stand on the sidelines, but I’m not splitting up with your husband for you.”
“I didn’t ask you.”
“Yet.”
There’s a knock on the door.
Lisa flies out of nowhere looking like she’s going to some fancy opera and answers it.
A man in blue scrubs and a white doctor’s coat walks in.
He’s incredibly handsome.
Ice-blue eyes. Sandy blond hair. His name is embroidered on his coat.
Dr. Matthews.
“Sorry about my grandmother,” he says. “I hope she didn’t hurt anyone.”
“She attacked Emma with a broom,” Kate says.
His eyes immediately move to me.
“Are you okay?”
“My knee hurts.”
He walks over and sits on the sofa beside me.
“Let me take a look.”
He gently checks my swollen knee.
He has such beautiful warm hands. I try not to drool.
“Ice cream and wine,” he says, glancing at the table. “Someone just get dumped?”
“No. I just caught my husband all over another woman at a restaurant.”
“Did you have it out with him?”
“No. I still love him.”
I look down at my feet.
Dr. Matthews leans over and wipes a tear from my cheek with his thumb.
My heart flutters, and I turn as red as a tomato.
“If you’re ever on the market again, let me know.” His lips turn into a slight smile. “You’re the kind of girl a man takes home to meet his mother.”
He opens the box of chocolates he brought with him, and I take a couple.
“Wow. They’re a perfect blend of chocolate and fruit. Like sex in my mouth,” I giggle.
Dr. Matthews nearly chokes.
“Never heard that before.” He chuckles. “I’m just off a sixteen-hour shift. Then my grandmother phoned and said she attacked someone sneaking into 110. Ugh, she’s a nightmare. What I wouldn’t do for a shot of whisky on the rocks right now.”
Lisa disappears and returns with a whisky on the rocks.
“Thanks.” He lights up.
We talk about relationships and breakups until almost midnight when my phone rings.
I freeze.
“He doesn’t know you know. Are you going to say something?” Kate asks.
I shake my head.
It keeps ringing until Kate has enough and picks it up.
She does my voice perfectly.
“I’m over at Kate’s for the night. I won’t be home. Goodbye.”
She hangs up.
“What did he say?” I ask, mortified.
“He said, ‘Where the hell are you?’ and I told him you’re staying here.”
“He didn’t say anything else?” I ask, crossing my arms tightly over myself.
“No. I think he now knows you know, but he’ll never admit it.”
I start to cry again, and Dr. Matthews gives me the last of the chocolates.
I eat one and close my eyes.
“I feel like I’m crying and having an orgasm at the same time. It’s a very odd combination.”
Dr. Matthews laughs.
My phone rings again.
Kate puts it on silent and pours me more wine.
I’m halfway through my glass when there’s a pounding at the door.
We all freeze.
Another hard knock hits the door.
“I know my wife is in there, Kate. Answer the fucking door. Now!”
My heart stops.
Dominic.
