I could have handled a last-minute dinner party. What I wasn’t prepared for was discovering, in front of my husband’s boss and coworkers, that they all seemed to know something important about his future that I didn’t.
My husband, Nathan, texted me at four in the afternoon.
“My boss and a few people from work are coming over for dinner tonight. Hope that’s okay.”
It wasn’t really a question.
I stared at the message while standing in the grocery store parking lot.
We had nothing planned for dinner, the house was a mess, and Nathan knew I hated being volunteered to host people with three hours’ notice.
But arguing by text wouldn’t change the fact that his boss was apparently coming to our house.
By seven, I had dinner ready and had even put on my best violet dress for the occasion.
Nathan’s boss, Mr. Bennett, arrived with three of Nathan’s coworkers.
One of them was Susan.
I knew Susan.
Tall, blonde, beautiful, and always standing a little too close to my husband at company events.
I’d never accused Nathan of anything.
Susan had never openly crossed a line.
Still, there was something about the ease between them that bothered me.