sliver of lamplight coming through the window. He closed the door behind himself and I sat up.
Beth jumped and grabbed her chest. “Jesus! You scared the shit out of me.”
Silas had been in the passion pit with Beth. A darkness as thick as sludge came over me in that moment. I glowered at Beth, wanting to tear her to literal shreds for having the nerve. He was off limits in so many ways. I’d let Beth get away with every awful thing she’d ever done to me, but this was not on the same level. The blood under my skin boiled.
She stared at me. “Okay, you’re freaking me out.”
I slowly got to my feet and she took a step back.
My jaw was locked in anger. “Of all the men you could have, Beth.”
She blinked and for a second looked confused, and then something seemed to dawn on her and she stood taller, a cruel smirk coming to life.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said lightly and pointed to the passion pit. “Does it bother you that I was with Silas?”
I broke, pointing at her, feeling my face distorting. “You are a fucking bitch!” And Silas! How could he do this?
Beth laughed, lighting up at my raised voice. “I’m a bitch? And why is that? Because I did exactly what you wish you could have done?”
“Fuck you!” Oh, lawd above, I was going to beat her ass. “I would not have fucked him!”
“What in God’s name is going on out here?” Willa’s voice came from the doorway of the bunk room. I barely registered her because my hatred was so flaming hot and pin-pointed at Beth.
“No, you would never fuck your good pal Silas,” Beth taunted, “because you’re soooo perfect. You would never go after a taken man—”
I launched myself, screaming like a banshee, and felt arms grasp me from all sides, the voices of my friends shushing me and Rhea shouting, “Beth, shut your mouth!” I tried to rip my arms away, pressing forward with all of my might, but my friends tugged just as hard.
Beth threw her arms out to the side. “Sure, everyone tell me to shut up! I’m the bad guy!”
“What’s even happening?” Willa asked. “Where is the dude you were in there with?”
“It was Silas,” I said, seething. Their faces of surprise were darkly comical.
“Really, Beth?” Willa asked. “Really. I should let Harlow loose.”
“That’s fucked up,” Rhea said. She put an arm around me and rubbed my shoulder hard to try and calm me, but my heart rate was still way too high.
Beth crossed her arms, her little mouth pursed in a tight heart. “Fine. You want to attack me? Here’s the truth. I didn’t bring him home, okay? He was standing outside when I got home from work and he was looking for Harlow. I brought him in the passion pit to talk to him since he was clearly distraught, and I didn’t want to disturb anyone who was sleeping.” She raised her voice to a shout. “And in case any of you judgy bitches want to know, I didn’t fuck him! His wife’s been cheating on him for almost a year and he just left her!” She raised both middle fingers up in the air at us and then marched into the passion pit, slamming the door.
I covered my mouth with one hand while the other pressed into my abdomen. All the fight left my body as we stared around the room at one another, aghast. A cold sweat made me shiver.
“Holy shit,” Rhea said on a wisp of breath.
That about summed it up.
I pretty much didn’t sleep. I stood outside of the passion pit door and apologized to Beth, but she wouldn’t say a word. At one point she opened the door, I thought to talk, or maybe claw my face off, but instead threw my pillow at me. I was glad to have it.
I felt physically ill when I went to work. A stomach ache and headache were not conducive to flying or dealing with people. I expected to see Silas when I got there, but he was nowhere in sight. Was he okay? How could Jacquie have cheated on him? I recalled the pictures of her at fitness events with body builders, but I never imagined she’d be unfaithful to Silas. I’d thought about texting him this morning since Beth said he’d been looking for me, but I felt nervous for some reason.
And then there was Shawn.
As I waited for the plane to