Chapter 70
Suzan bit her lower lip hard and took a few deep breaths to compose herself. Then, with a determined grip, she carried her bag through the front door.
The living room was in total disarray. She couldn’t fathom what had transpired to ignite Curtis’
to such an extent.
“What in the world happened here… Did you and Leanne have another blowout?” she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Curtis was in a foul mood, a dark aura practically emanating from him. He was far from polite in his response.
“What’s it to you?”
Even when angry, Curtis’ upbringing dictated he would cloak his ire with a smile, rarely allowing his temper to flare like this, especially not toward Suzan.
“You left the ski resort early, and Devin said you’d come here. There’s no food in the house. I was worried you hadn’t eaten anything for dinner.”
One by one, Suzan retrieved the takeout containers from her bag. “I brought your something from your favorite diner.”
The food was still warm, a fact Curtis couldn’t care less about as he didn’t spare it a glance.
“I’d have enjoyed a good ‘meal’ without you.”
Suzan briefly wandered to Leanne’s disheveled hair and the lingering redness in her eves as she had left. It took a few seconds before she grasped the implication behind his words.
Her lips pres
After a
a mi
fi
er
ether, nearly snapping the fork in her hand.
aged a strained smile. “Your relationship with Leanne is always Jr. She seemed quite upset when she left. Did you have another
of Leanne, Curtis soured his mood even further. The cigarette in his hand. ong. In a fit of irritation, he flicked it into the fireplace.
iled you with that temper?”
hadn’t expected to see Suzan at the hospital.
r finishing up with her afternoon patients, she was making her way down to the lobby en someone called out, “Leanne.”
Amy
had invited Leanne to check out the new trendy restaurant in town. They were
Chapter 70
chatting and laughing until Leanne turned to see Suzan, her greeting far from warm.
“What do you want?”
“I was here for a friend’s prenatal checkup and saw you. Just wanted to say
hi.”
Suzan approached her, “I owe you an apology. I didn’t mean anything by my comment the other day. I was just surprised you missed skiing.”
Leanne was cool and detached, “No need.”
It seemed trivial, hardly a matter requiring an apology.
But Suzan had more on her mind.
She said, “Leanne, I know you’ve noticed, and I don’t want to hide it any longer. I still have feelings for Curtis. Our breakup was impulsive I was young and stubborn, waiting for him to come around. At that time, my grandmother was seriously ill…”
She glanced at Leanne, “By the time I found out, you two were married.”
The implication seemed to suggest Leanne had taken advantage of a vulnerable moment. “I’ve regretted it every day for three years. I know I shouldn’t still love him. It’s unfair to you. But Leanne, if you two were happy, he wouldn’t have moved to Starlake so soon after your wedding, living apart from you, right? I don’t mean anything by this. What Curtis and I have is honest and open, and I deeply respect you. Rest assured, I won’t cross any lines before you’re divorced.”
Honest and open?
Leanne had to marvel at how Suzan’s words made her, the lawful wife, feel like the other
woman.