Love, Honor, and Betray by Roby, Lawson (ebook reader ink txt) 📕

a teacher in Mitchell had shot himself after holding three students hostage.They didn’t mention your son’s name but they did say one of the kids was the son of the popular pastor Curtis Black.”

“I wanted to call you, but it was never really the right time.”

“No problem. You had to take care of your son, and I understand that.”

When the light changed, Charlotte proceeded through the intersection but dreaded breaking the news to him.

“Why are you so quiet?” he asked. “Is something wrong?”

“Sort of.”

“Should I be concerned?”

“You probably won’t be happy about it.”

“Hmmm. I don’t think I like the sound of this.”

“I can’t see you anymore,” she said, as quickly as she could.

“Whoa. You’re right. I’m not happy to hear that at all.”

“I know. And I’m sorry. But Curtis and I have reconciled.”

“Really? In a matter of two days?”

“I know that sounds fast, but I did a lot of soul-searching and regardless of what has happened between Curtis and I in thepast, I love him.”

“Gosh. So, you love him, and I love you.”

Charlotte hated this and couldn’t have felt worse. “I never should have started seeing you, Michael, and I apologize for that.I’m sorry for getting involved with you when I knew I was married.”

“But that’s just it, baby. We’re both married and very unhappy.”

“I was unhappy. But not anymore.”

“And you’re even okay with having your stepdaughter live with you? You’re fine with being a mother to her?”

“Not exactly. But I think I can be in the future. Especially if it means keeping our family together.”

“Well, if you don’t mind my saying so, I think you’re making a pretty big mistake.”

“I disagree. Curtis and I have history and the kind of love that will never die. We’ve been through lots of storms together,but one fact always remains: we don’t want to live without each other.”

“So, there’s nothing I can say to change your mind, I guess.”

“No.”

“Well, this is definitely a huge blow for me. Not what I expected to hear first thing this morning at all.”

“I know. And I really do feel bad about this, Michael. You and I had a good time together over this last week, but it waswrong.”

“No. Actually, I hadn’t felt so good about anything in years—and if you want to know the truth, I really did have high hopesabout you leaving Curtis and marrying me.”

Charlotte turned into the parking lot of the strip mall and felt horrible. “Maybe you can work things out with Sybil,” shesaid, for lack of anything better to say.

Michael laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“The irony in what you just said.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I was so sure about you and me that I contacted an attorney yesterday afternoon. To get my divorce proceedings started.”

“Does Sybil know about that?”

“Yes. I told her last night.”

“Please don’t tell me I was the only reason you did that,” she said, thinking how dead-on her dream had been.

“I was planning to end things with her, anyway, but after spending time with you, I decided to do it immediately. I wantedto be free and ready for a new life. Which I thought included you.”

“I know I sound like a broken record, but Michael, I’m so, so sorry about this.”

“Hey, it is what it is. I knew you were married, so it’s not like I should have expected anything one way or the other.”

“I never should have contacted you on Facebook.”

“Maybe. But I was the one who responded and then asked you to get together with me. So, I’m just as much at fault.”

“Well, for whatever it’s worth, I did enjoy my time with you. You’re a wonderful guy, Michael, and any woman would be lucky to have you.”

“Yeah, but it’s you I really wanted.”

Charlotte sat with the car running and wished she’d thought long and hard before being with him. She’d made a careless andvery selfish mistake, and now Michael had been hurt in the process. Not to mention, she’d hurt Curtis, too, except he just didn’t know about it.

“Well, hey,” he said. “I have to head out for a meeting, but you take care of yourself, okay?”

“I will. And you do the same, Michael.”

Michael told her good-bye, and Charlotte wanted to cry. What was wrong with her and all these terrible decisions she keptmaking? She had a whole list of things she’d done since marrying Curtis and even before she’d married him, she’d started sleepingwith him while he was still married to his first wife, Tanya. Charlotte hadn’t thought twice about it at the time. Although,back then she’d been very young and hadn’t known any better, but today was different. Right now, she was in her thirties,and there was simply no excuse. It was almost like she felt entitled when it came to doing whatever she wanted as long asit made her happy, regardless of whom she ended up harming in the process.

Charlotte reached to turn her ignition off but stopped when her phone rang. Her stomach stirred when she saw the word Private.

“Hello?”

“So how are you on this beautiful but very cold morning?”

“Why are you calling me again?”

“I told you I’d give you some time to get used to all of this. Remember?”

“Well, I don’t have anything to say to you.”

“Oh, I think you do. You’d better have a lot to say or else I’ll be calling the good Reverend Black with the quickness.”

“So is this a regular thing for you? Meeting women, sleeping with them, and then threatening to tell their husbands?”

“No. Not a regular thing at all. Actually, this is only my first time.”

“But why me?”

“Like I told you the other day,” he sang. “All in good time. When I’m ready, you’ll know everything.”

“You know what?” Charlotte said, tiring of him. “You go ahead and call my husband or anyone else you want to, because he’llnever believe you. He’ll just think you’re some crazy person who doesn’t have anything else better to do.”

“I don’t think you want that.”

“My husband knows I love him, and by the time I tell him my truth, he’ll laugh in your face.”

“I’ll