“Oh, about Tiffany and Michael having an affair.” The way she said it was akin to the way someone would mention the weather. Very nonchalant, as if completely unaffected by it. Then she waved us off with a coy smile and breathy giggle. “You know how things get spread around this crowd.”
Jeannine turned to her husband, then glanced at me before settling her attention on Michael again. “What rumor?”
Feeling the need to step in, I patted her thigh under the table and leaned toward her. I wanted her to feel as if I were solely talking to her while making sure the entire table could hear me. “Think about the credibility of the source. That’ll tell you all you need to know, but to ease your mind, I swear on everything I own that I’ve never slept with your husband.”
Even though I didn’t want to cover for my sister, I couldn’t sit there and do nothing while a woman’s heart was on the verge of breaking. Did I think she had the right to know the truth? Absolutely. But I didn’t think it needed to be a public matter, played out in front of the cameras. This was something that could be dealt with in private, which was why I steadfastly denied it all.
“Then why did my friend see your car at their house if Jeannine claims you’ve never been there prior to the other night?” Serenity just wouldn’t let it go—not that I’d expected her to. I guess I hoped she’d at least back off a little.
“Like I’ve already told you, I have no idea. I can’t explain that because it wasn’t me.”
“So you’ve said, except everyone knows you’re the only one with—”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m the only one who drives that car.” I couldn’t even say what it was, other than something that cost more than most houses. “I don’t have an explanation, because I don’t know anything about it.”
Serenity crossed her arms with her elbows set on the table and turned to face Michael, who was sat right next to her. “Do you know anyone who drives a Bugatti Chiron?”
All eyes were on Michael. Since I literally knew nothing about him, I had no idea how he was at lying on the spot. I hoped for the best but prepared for the worst. There were two incredible people at this table who would be devastated by the truth, and because of that, I just wanted it to go away.
Unfortunately, Michael didn’t do anything to help. But at least he didn’t do anything to hurt the situation, either. “No one that I can think of off the top of my head. Maybe it was an interior designer, I don’t know. We had several people in and out while we were fixing up the place. Right, honey?” he asked, turning to Jeannine to back him up.
Which, of course, she did. “I don’t know what you’re trying to gain from this, Serenity, but whatever it is, you won’t get it. Tiffany denied being at my house, Mike just explained the car being there, and it seems you’re the only person who’s heard this rumor. I refuse to play along.”
“I’m just the only one who’ll bring it to your attention, Jeannine. That doesn’t mean others haven’t heard about it. Trust me, plenty of people have been talking about it. I’ve seen pictures of them both coming out of a hotel. It’s kind of hard to explain that.”
“Until I see those pictures, I don’t believe you.”
Without responding to Jeannine, Serenity pulled her phone out of her purse, as if waiting for this very moment. She didn’t even have to search long before locating the photos in question. However, she refused to hand over her cell. Instead, she held it out for everyone at the table to see at the same time.
On the screen were two side-by-side images of the entrance to a building. It could’ve been a hotel, but it could’ve also been a grocery store. Since I didn’t know the area too well, I couldn’t be sure what building it was. However, after staring at the picture long enough without anyone else pointing out the nondescript entrance, I assumed that it was at least a recognizable landmark.
“Those are two different pictures.” It seemed Adam finally woke up and joined us in this debate. “You’ve got Michael in one and Tiff in the other. They aren’t together, so I don’t know what you think