Read Decadence for Free Online Page A

What’s with the
mattress?” Eric noticed the stack of boxes by the door.
    “I was gonna mention it to you but I didn’t think you’d
mind. My lease doesn’t start until the first of the month and I can’t stay in
that house another night. Watching her go off on dates is fucking killing me.”
    Eric’s stomach tensed, sending a chill through him. “Sorry,
man. That’s gotta suck.” Watching Jessica head off to class was hard enough. He
couldn’t imagine what it would be like knowing for sure she was heading out to
meet her new lover. The base of his throat clenched.
    Bill shrugged. “It is what it is. Hey, sorry again about
interrupting your day off. You and Jess up to anything cool?”
    Eric’s mind went straight to the washing machine. “Just
spending some quality time together.”
    “Good. I wish I’d done that with Teresa. Then maybe she
wouldn’t be fucking Mr. Fix-it while I’m sleeping at work.”
    Eric scrubbed his hands against his face. “I hope you’re
right.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    Eric lifted a box off one of the cushioned chairs and
plunked himself down. “I don’t know. Today’s been awesome but Jess is acting
weird. She’s been taking these classes the past few months. Never misses one.
She’s at one right now. But she won’t tell me what kind of classes they are.”
    “Did you ask?”
    “Of course I asked. She says they’re exercise classes but
she never says anything else about them and she’s paying cash. It never shows
up on her credit cards and there’s not a single cashed check.”
    “So, what? You think she’s having an affair because she’s
out once a week?”
    “Twice.” Eric realized he sounded paranoid, but he couldn’t help
it. It wasn’t like Jess to be so evasive and the fact that she was hiding
something set his teeth on edge.
    “Look, I’m the last person in the position to give marital
advice at the moment, but if you’re really worried, talk to her. Hell, I wish
I’d said something to Teresa before things got so totally out of control.”
    “What do you mean?”
    Bill toyed with his coffee cup, taking a drink then shifting
it from side to side, staring at it. “I don’t know. If I’d said something when
it first started. Or better yet, before it happened, then maybe we could have
worked through it. It’s not like I didn’t see signs.”
    The knots in Eric’s stomach tightened. “What signs?”
    “Taking better care of herself. New hair-do. New lingerie.
Losing all that weight. Shit, I thought she was doing it to try to spice things
up for us and the whole time it was all for dickwad.”
    Acid bubbled up into Eric’s throat. Jess had a new haircut,
he’d never seen today’s lingerie before and, although she’d never really needed
to lose weight, she had gotten into better shape. He’d been assuming it was her
mysterious exercise classes but what if it was to impress whoever she was
seeing twice a week? The thought made him sick. She wouldn’t do that.
    “Sorry, man,” Bill said. “You don’t need to hear this shit.
My problems, not yours. For what it’s worth, I don’t think Jess would cheat on
you in a million years. She’s been head over heels for you since you two first
got together.”
    Eric nodded, though he still wasn’t sure. He’d trusted their
relationship so long he’d started completely taking if for granted. Now
everything he had to lose seemed to be laid out before him. A chill passed
through him but he shook it off. “It’s okay. I’m sure we’re fine. We’ll be
fine.”
    The sound of people coming down the hall forced Eric to pull
himself together.
    “You think they got the order right this time?” Bill asked.
    “They better.” I want to get the hell out of here and get
back to my wife. The fact that she might not be there was something he
couldn’t even think about, he just wanted to go home.
    * * * * *
    Jessica wove though traffic, timing it just right so she’d
have to stop for a