Chapter 2
Adam's face grew darker.
He said, "Rachel and I have known each other since we were in children. Seriously, if there was anything between us, you wouldn't be here.
"I haven't hung out with our close childhood friends in forever, and I even brought you along. How much longer are you going to keep making a scene?"
"So you brought me so I could deal with your girl buddy's attitude?" I shot back.
"You're impossible!" Adam's voice rose.
He turned and slammed the door, heading to the guest room.
When I woke up in the morning, there was a glass of water on the nightstand.
I opened the door and saw Adam bustling around in the kitchen.
He was wearing the Pink Bunny apron I'd bought him, grinning at me.
He said, "Hey, honey, you're up. Go wash your hands. Breakfast's ready.
"I went out early this morning to get groceries for all your favorite foods. Come on, hurry up, or the food's gonna get cold."
I went to the sideboard, poured another glass of water for myself, and sat down.
Adam looked at me with a guilty expression.
He said, "Honey, I'm sorry. I hadn't seen my childhood friends in ages, and things got a little out of hand with the games. I wasn't thinking straight.
"I promise, it won't happen again.
"Rachel's always been kind of a tomboy. She didn't mean any harm."
He lifted his arm, wrapped in a bandage.
He said, "Come on, I'm cooking for you even with this injury. Cut me some slack, okay?"
I couldn't help but laugh.
Last night, I thought it was a regular old friend's get-together.
Who would've thought some girl buddy I'd never met would suddenly show up out of nowhere?
"So you actually admit you went overboard yesterday?" I said.
Adam looked a bit uncomfortable.
"Rachel and I are really only childhood friends. We've known each other since we were kids, and we—" he started.
Before he could finish, his phone started ringing.
Adam glanced at the screen, then shot me a look.
"Honey, you go ahead and eat. I'll take this call," he said.
"Gotta pick a special spot to answer the phone?" I asked.
Adam gave an awkward laugh and hurried out to the balcony.
But his buddy had a voice that carried.
Even with Adam out on the balcony, I could hear every word of their conversation.
"Hey, you up yet? Rachel said your wife was a total buzzkill yesterday. Next Friday, we're hanging out again, but leave your wife at home, alright?" his friend said.
Then his friend lowered his voice. "Rachel said since you stuck up for her, she's gonna give you a reward.
"Man, you're lucky with the ladies."
Rachel grabbed the phone.
"Don't listen to them, son. I'm telling you now, if you bring your wife next week, don't blame me for not harsh," she said.
Adam shot me a guilty look over his shoulder.
Our eyes met.
I snatched the phone from him. "Trust me, he wouldn't dare."
There was a brief silence on the other end.
"Elena, seriously, are you ever gonna drop this?" Rachel said.
Adam quickly hung up.
He coaxed me back to the table, giving me a sheepish smile.
"Honey, don't worry. I swear I won't hang out with them again," he said.
*****
For the next few days, Adam had been going above and beyond to please me.
He made sure to come home right on time every night.
As soon as he walked in, he'd wash his hands and head straight for the kitchen.
He even handled all the chores and cleaning himself.
Our housekeeper started worrying about her job security.
She even put her resume back up on the agency website.
Even when he stepped out, Adam kept me posted about his every move.
Adam: [Honey, I'm driving.]
Adam: [Honey, I'm having dinner with a client.]
Adam: [Honey, I'm in the bathroom.]
Adam: [Honey, for lunch I had eight buns, a bowl of soup, and a baked potato.]
I noticed every little thing Adam was doing.
He was totally feeling guilty.
On Friday, I booked a few male escorts and listened to the group at the table in front of me laughing and joking around.
"Alex, ever since you got married, it's been ages since we've all hung out like this."
"Come on, last time we played truth or dare, Rachel said you two actually tied your pubes together and sworn brotherhood."
"Let's do it again! It's been years. You gotta keep the brotherhood alive."
The whole table cracked up.
Rachel was laughing the loudest.
She was the only girl at the table.
Today, she ditched her usual tomboy style and rocked a low-cut tank top with a mini skirt.
So this was the "reward" they were talking about, huh?
Adam was definitely appreciating the view, sneaking glances at her chest whenever he thought no one was looking.
He joined in the laughter for a bit, then gave the guy who'd been teasing him a playful punch.
"What are you saying? We're in public," he said.
"Why are you acting all scared? Your wife isn't even here today," his friend teased.
"But for real, man, don't take it the wrong way, your wife makes me terrified of getting married," another guy said.
"Rachel's the best. She knows how to have fun," someone else chimed in.
Adam downed his drink in one go.
"My family's been pressuring me. What can I do?" he said.
His buddies all gave him a sympathetic look.
"Hey, wasn't Rachel the one you had a crush on back in the day?"
"But she thought you were just some clueless rookie, so you went off to get some experience with someone else. Who would've thought you'd end up marrying her instead?"
Adam's hand froze on his glass, his face suddenly serious.
"That's all in the past. Don't bring it up," he said.
Hearing that, Rachel threw her arm around Adam and pressed his head right into her chest.
"Past, my ass! I'll always be the boss of you," she declared.
"Alright," Adam replied, helpless but doting.
I walked over and cut into their touching little scene.
"So, how's your technique these days?" I asked.