Hiii! Loving all of your thoughts on this story! That being said, please don't read if cheat fics aren't your thing. These two are going to get messy and make bad decisions that I don't condone in real life. This is ~fiction. If you can't separate the two, move on ;) I promise no hard feelings.

10

Later that evening, after my tears have slowed, I text Edward. Even though we made tentative plans to meet up somewhere tomorrow, this can't wait.

Bella: I'm fucking pissed at you.

He doesn't text back, but he calls a minute later.

"What's wrong?" he asks, urgency in his voice.

"I finished the book. Holden left Lola." I sniffle. "He left her! He fucking went back to his wife to say goodbye one last time then finds out she's pregnant, and he stays!" I blurt angrily. "How could he? Why did he have to go back at all? He doesn't love his wife. He loves Lola."

"Oh," Edward says, sounding relieved when he realizes I'm just pissed about his book. "Jesus, I thought something was really wrong for a second."

"Something is wrong! This is fucked up, and you need to fix it."

The line is quiet. "Is Jared home?" he asks.

"Not yet. Working late again."

"Is Mikey asleep?"

"Yes. Thank God, he didn't have to witness my meltdown over the ending of this book."

"I'm coming over."

A couple of minutes later, Edward is knocking on my door. I open it and glare. I'm not even joking when I say my heart hurts for these fictional characters.

Edward smiles sadly.

"I'm mad at you," I mumble, turning on the porch light before stepping outside, the last hints of light in the sky in the distance. I sit down on the cushioned loveseat, and he sits next to me.

"I'm sorry," he says sincerely.

"It's too sad. Why did he have to go back?"

"Because he just wanted to say goodbye to his wife. Get that closure," he explains. "To end that chapter of his life, so to speak."

"Okay, but what about Lola? Doesn't he even care? Her life has been changed."

"He cares about her very much," Edward softly says.

"She's expecting him to come back to her, and he never does. That's shitty. I know this is your book, and this is how you see it, but I'm sorry—I don't like the ending."

"I know. I don't either," he says, voice still gentle.

"Then change it. You're still in the editing process."

"My agent liked it," he says. "And it's real life. Once Holden finds out his wife was pregnant, he makes the choice to stay."

"Who wants real life? Reading should be an escape," I mutter. "He's sacrificing his happiness."

"It's altruistic."

"It's bullshit! He wasn't born until 2025. He could've stayed in 2016 with Lola. That would change his timeline, and he never would've met his wife, and he wouldn't be abandoning an unborn child," I point out. "So, yeah, he fucked up."

"I don't know if that's how time travel works."

"Guess what? It can be how it works because time travel isn't real, and this is fiction. This can be whatever the fuck you want it to be."

Edward looks torn. "I didn't think you'd feel this strongly about it."

"Well, it's your fault for making me feel this way because your words were phenomenal and the connection you created between Lola and Holden was just… so special and easy and real… ugh. Yeah, I'm mad at you."

"Yeah, what they had was rare. And maybe in another life… I don't know."

"Why not this life?"

He looks at me for far too long. "Because sometimes people settle, and not every ending is happy."

"Well, I suggest a rewrite. At least, just for me. An alternate ending where Holden and Lola end up together."

He cracks a smile, searching my face, maybe noticing my red, puffy eyes. "Were you crying?"

"Yes. An embarrassing amount. Especially when Holden seeks out Lola in 2060 and apologizes to her for not showing back up in the past. She's all old and he's young and hot and she remembers him. I'm glad they had that moment, but…" My voice cracks, a lump in my throat. "It hurt."

His gaze softens. "Bella…"

My eyes water, and I try to laugh it off to prevent my emotion from building again. "Really, I don't know why I'm so upset over it."

Edward shifts closer.

Our knees touch.

After a moment, he brings up a hand to cup my cheek and gently wipes under my eye with his thumb. He looks nervous, almost, and all too soon he pulls away. I'm suddenly wishing I had more tears.

Hesitantly, he grabs the back of my neck and pulls me against him.

An anxious, fluttery feeling creeps into my stomach.

I instantly accept his embrace, wrapping my arms around his neck while his snake around my waist.

We've never hugged like this before.

Ever.

If we have in the past, it's been quick side hugs. Nothing too close. Nothing to remember.

It hasn't been intimate like this, with our chests flush, both of us holding tight.

It's comforting.

Calming.

It feels good.

I clutch him a little tighter, thankful he hasn't let go yet. His chest is hard. Arms strong. The cotton of his shirt is soft on my cheek. I can feel him inhale and then blow out a long breath as I relax against him.

"I'm sorry you hated the ending," he whispers into my hair.

I laugh softly, sadly. "Me too… jerk."

He gently squeezes me once more before we slowly pull apart.

Our faces stay close.

It makes me nervous.

I just, yeah. I feel nervous being this close to him.

So I sit back, also worried about any neighbors seeing us.

"Did I traumatize you from ever reading my stuff again?" Edward whispers.

"Yes. No. Maybe write me that alternate ending, and I'll forgive you."

He smirks. "I'll think about it."

We hear a car approaching at the same moment my garage opens. Jared's headlights flash in the driveway a beat later, and he pulls all the way into the garage.

I stay paralyzed in my seat, knowing that seconds ago Jared could've found us hugging.

Edward stands.

We hear Jared get out of the car, and he makes his way over to us, a solemn expression on his face.

"Hey." He glances between the two of us. "I didn't know we had company," he says, looking at me, his tone edgy.

"Yeah, sorry. I finally finished reading Edward's manuscript, so he came over to talk about it for a second," I tell Jared. It's the truth. But I don't tell him we hugged, and that Edward was comforting me.

Jared's eyes shift to Edward who is playing this way too cool.

"Yeah, I was just heading out," Edward says breezily. "Thanks again for reading it, Bella. I appreciate the feedback."

"Yeah, no worries," I reply, not holding his gaze too long. "Think about that alternate ending."

He smiles a little, eyes locked on me. "Yeah, okay. I will."

Edward leaves, and Jared and I make our way inside.

He's too quiet, sitting at the table while I reheat his food.

"I'm just going to come out and say it. I don't like you and Edward being alone together, so it needs to stop."

I keep my back to him, watching the food spin in the microwave.

"We're friends," I say lamely.

"You're married. You don't need male friends."

"We weren't alone alone," I clarify. "Not like that. I'm helping him with his book and giving him feedback. I wouldn't be weirded out if you were alone with Gianna."

"Gianna and I aren't as close as you and Edward. And you were alone—tonight and during dinner at his place a couple of weeks ago."

Grabbing the food, I turn around. "Jared. We were sitting on the porch, discussing his book for like, a couple of minutes. What do you think is going to happen?"

"I don't know. Maybe don't scream his name during sex, and I wouldn't be suspicious," he quips, jaw tightening.

I slide his plate across the table with more force than necessary. "Maybe don't mention his name to try to turn me on. You knew what you were doing. You told me to go with it! So I went with it. Sorry, you didn't like the outcome, but you fucking started it."

He laughs humorlessly. "Yeah, it was kind of hot. I'll admit it. But I thought it was just going to turn you on a little. I didn't think you'd keep thinking about him when my dick was inside of you. And for fuck's sake, Bella, I didn't think you'd say his name!" he shouts.

"Don't yell at me," I say firmly. "Mikey is sleeping."

"I'm sorry, I'm just—" He drops his head in his hands.

I stay standing. "What?"

"I'm fucking stressed." He looks up at me, eyes tired. "We have to cancel the Napa trip. Work is driving me crazy, and they're announcing partners in May. The timing is fucked. I need to focus. Not take time off work."

"It sounds like exactly what you need is a break," I point out.

He scrubs a hand over his mouth. "We're canceling."

"We already paid for flights, I paid Rose for the Airbnb, and I have child care set up with your parents and my mom," I remind him. "Just because you can't go doesn't mean I can't."

He gives me a stern look. "I'm not asking you, Bella. I'm telling you."

I cross my arms. "And I'm telling you no—I'm still going."

He does this often—tries to dictate what happens around here when it's an inconvenience to him. Sometimes I give in to make things easier. But right now I don't want to. Maybe if he were actually around more, this would feel different. It'd feel like we're in a partnership and making decisions together. But that's not the case, and I'm not going to give in to his commanding behavior.

"Bella," he says, my name like a warning.

I stare at him, not backing down. "I went on the last group trip alone. Why is this different?" He doesn't answer me. But I know. "You think… you think I'm going to fuck around with Edward? On a couple's trip. With his wife there?"

When I lay it all out like that for him, I can see the remorse in his eyes.

"No," he finally says. "I don't actually think that."

I just shake my head and move toward the sink, angrily loading the dishwasher.

Neither of us speaks.

Not until the sink is cleared.

"Look, I'm sorry," Jared says when I've shut off the water, and he moves behind me.

Too close.

His dick presses against my ass.

"I'm not in the mood," I tell him. "Like, at fucking all." Even less so when I wonder if he's turned on because I was speaking about hypothetically cheating on him on the trip.

He kisses my neck.

Rubs his dick on me, growing harder.

"You think Edward can see us? If he's in his backyard…? He probably can."

I stare out the window. It's dark, and I can't see beyond our reflections. I roll my eyes. "Minutes ago, you just got mad at me about this. And you want to do it again? No. Fuck you."

He grabs my waist, holding me in place. "I will fuck you. Right here. While he watches."

"Let go," I say firmly. "I'm not doing this."

"I promise I won't get mad about this again," he murmurs, sliding his hand inside my tights, fingers teasing. "I just like the idea. That's all."

"Like the idea of Edward watching us fuck?" I ask heatedly.

He starts rubbing my clit. "Just… like knowing that he'd watch us and wish it was him fucking you… you know he wants that."

My mind is on Edward, shame and arousal swirling inside of me. But this dirty talk is different from a couple of weeks ago. I got off to thinking about Edward fucking me. Not having him watch my husband do it. Nothing about that turns me on.

"Babe, come on," he urges.

He tries to bend me over the sink and starts tugging at my leggings, but I turn around and push him back, fixing my clothes.

He looks offended that I'd stop him.

"Jared, no. I'm not into that fantasy or kink or whatever."

"Why the fuck not?" he fires back.

"Look, I know people can get off to a variety of things, and it doesn't bother me if you like imagining someone else wanting me, but… I don't want you to talk about Edward fucking me anymore, okay?"

He's quiet, thinking. "Why?"

Because I want it too bad.

"Why do I have to explain myself?" I ask instead.

"You don't—I'm just curious. You were into it the other week."

"Did I seem into it now?"

"No," he eventually says, looking guilty.

"It just makes me uncomfortable because we know him. It's weird. We're friends with him. Our kids are friends, like, yeah. No."

Understanding flashes in his gaze. "I don't even know why…" He pauses, like maybe he's trying to find the words. "I don't know why I even started saying shit like that. It's not like I want it to happen."

"I know."

"But I'll stop."

Relief settles in. "I would appreciate that."

Another beat of hesitation. "I know we're friends with him. I know you're better friends with him. But recently I don't like the way he looks at you."

I fight the urge to tell him that it hasn't only just been recently.

"I really don't know what you're talking about," I lie, my heart thumping too fast, both loving and hating how observant my husband is. But I don't think I love it more than the way Edward looks at me.

Jared searches my face for the truth. And before he walks out of the kitchen, he mumbles, "Good."