My laptop does not want to work, and two clients decided not to show up today. The death of Megan has rocked me, and I should be taking a break. But the death of Megan doesn’t mean I get a break. She was a good person, and I feel horrible. But there is nothing I can do to change the outcome of what happened, and I know this, so I must continue living my life.

           My phone grabs my attention. “Who’s Stacey?” Harper's text puts an amused smile on my face.

           “You got to that part of the book?”

           “Yes!” She’s quick to respond. “And thanks asshole! I went ‘Solo’ in the bathroom while on the fucking plane. Do you know how weird that was?”

           I chuckle. “Don’t worry about Stacey. That was years ago. And congrats on joining the mile-high club without me. Maybe next time it will be with me.”

           “Don’t worry about Stacey. Are you nuts? That part of the book had me reading the room and feeling the sexual tension between you two. That was wildly erotic and made me feel like I was also falling in love. Don’t tell me not to worry about her.”

           “It’s been a few years since I’ve seen her.” I write, my heart skipping as I think about Stacey.

           “A few years?” She writes. “That means you were around or with her for a few years while you were married?”

           “I was.” I write back, starting to feel like this may turn out ugly. “Stacey and I had a lot in common. And Ivy made sure to keep some type of romance between Stacey and me so Ivy could continue fucking other guys behind my back. And yes, I have found out a lot more about Ivy over the past month that I never knew about.”

           “But you were in a relationship with Stacey?”

           “No.” I’m quick to write and reassure her. “Stacey and I were never official. We were romantic and exclusive with just each other and of course Ivy.”

           “Tell me more.”

           “I can’t. I am in the middle of a meeting. You’re lucky I could answer your questions right there.”

           “You can and you’re lying to me. Your location shows you are in your office, which means you are probably tapping your laptop keyboard while having nothing to do except wait for a client to come in. Tell me more.”

           “I just found out Megan died, and I’ve been having a messed-up week. Can you please bother me when you get back home?”

           “One last question. If Stacey showed up today, telling you she loved you and asking you to sleep with her, would you?”

           Lie to her.

           “I would.”

           “What the fuck.”

           “If you and I were not together. I would. But I have you, and you are all I need. Stacey and I were never together. We were just sleeping together.”

           “Fuck off. That sex between you two was insane. And something tells me she’s in the book more than I know and I’m already freaking out about it.”

           “Don’t.” I write, starting to grow annoyed with her. “I get what you’re saying. But I love you. I don’t want Stacey. If I wanted Stacey, I would fly to California and find her and her fiancé.”

           “How do you know she’s engaged?”

           She and I still speak. And she will always trust me.”

           “How can you trust her?” She writes. “She’s with another man. Sleeping with another man. And no longer solely yours.”

           “I can tell you something, but I won't. You wouldn’t believe me anyway. But enjoy the rest of your trip.”   

           “Tell me now!”

           I need to learn to keep my mouth shut. She’s going to dig too deep into this.

           “Stacey is engaged, and they have only been together for a few years, I think. She’s done things with him but refuses to sleep with him until their wedding night. She’s explained to him that she has had sex with one other guy, but she made the mistake of not holding off until marriage. The guy was okay with holding off. She hasn’t fucked him. I don’t think she’s given him a blowjob. He has gone down on her and she says….” I pause, knowing I need to remove this part.

           “She says he’s great at giving her that pleasure.”

           I can't believe I just lied to the woman I am falling in love with.

           “But if she came there today while you are with me, would you sleep with her?”

           My heart skips a beat again. “No.” I write, knowing I don’t know what I’d do. I’ve fallen in love with Harper. She’s mine and only mine. But Harper is bringing up a sensitive subject. One girl on this planet has made me fall in love with her without ever dating her, and that is Stacey. I’m no longer in love with Stacey, but sadly, she will always hold a spot in my heart, and it’s Ivy’s fault. Ivy allowed those hookups between Stacey and me just so she could cover herself and her tracks of the many men she was screwing behind my back. I’ve gotten so much more information about her over the past month.

           I exhale and sit back in my chair. “You can trust me, baby. I love you and only want you. You’ve given me more than any other woman has.”

           “How can I know that is true?”

           She’s right. The more my mind wanders back to the days of Stacey, the more I recall some of the most intense sex I’ve ever had.

           “Because you have to take my word for it. There’s no other way around it. I can’t show you unless you’re here. And even if you were here, I’d have to show you every second of the day. And I would do that, just so you know. I’d be around you all day every day.”

           “Then I can’t work.” She writes. “And I have to work. I’d go crazy not being able to take care of myself. I don't think I’d ever want another person to take care of me unless I was incapacitated.”

           “And I’d still want to sleep with you. I love you and I wouldn’t be able to hold myself back.”

           “That’s slightly disturbing. You want to sleep with me even if I am unable to move?”

           “If you’d let me.” I write and smile. “I’d be able to do more things to you.”

           “Okay. That’s sick. Stop while you can.”

           “I’m just saying. I’d still clap those cheeks.”

           “Oh my God! Don’t ever write that again. That phrase is for fuckboys. And you are not a fuckboy.”

           “That’s your thought.” I write while enjoying this conversation.

           “The plane is landing. I will talk to you later. I’m glad to finally be back home.”

           “That’s okay.” I write back. “I should have my appointment walking in at any moment.”

           A knock on my door brings my attention to reality. I smile, but it quickly fades. “Oh, there is no fucking way. There is absolutely no way in hell after all of these years. How is this even possible? What are you doing here, Stacey?”

           Her beautiful brown hair and hazel eyes still look the same as four years ago. Her body still looks curvy and soft. Her smile is still as gorgeous as ever. “Miss me, Babe?”