Chapter 5
"H ey, you." I reached up and kissed Sene's stubble-lined cheek.
"Frankie." I squealed as Drew's best friend suddenly lifted me into a crushing hug. "You're a sight for sore eyes."
"Get your hands off my wife, asshole."
A shiver of pleasure traveled through me. I loved it when Drew got all growly and possessive of me. Even if it was his best friend and we were only joking around. There had been plenty of times when some poor soul had approached me while we’d been out, only to be met by my six-foot-two jealous husband.
It had been a while since he'd acted like my Drew. Been a while since I'd gotten that tingle of possessiveness from him. Been a while since we'd been out together, as well. Just the two of us.
"When are you gonna leave this idiot for me?"
I grinned before peeking up at my husband. A rhythmic tick had grown in his jaw—a clear sign that something had triggered his annoyance. Again. The smile slid off my face. It had clearly been a joke, so why was he acting like he’d taken it to heart? I had no idea. I had no idea about anything anymore.
"Whoa!" Sene held his hands up when we failed to laugh. He glanced between the two of us, confusion written on his handsome features. "It was a joke."
Ignoring Drew's mood, I snorted and slid past Sene into his home, hitting his stomach playfully. "I know that."
I expected dinner to be fun; a return to form for Drew and I. After all, we were together, relaxed, and with a mutual friend as company.
Instead, a heavy strain sat like a thick fog around us, with my husband's dark disposition suffocating an atmosphere that was slowly losing its light. Or maybe I was just hyper-sensitive about everything considering our current issues. Drew wasn't his usual talkative self, and the longer the dinner progressed, the quieter he grew. I was already sick of his fluctuating mood swings, so I pointedly ignored him and focused on keeping my side of the conversation up with Sene.
"Wow, a photo shoot in the middle of winter. They're brave."
I cut into a piece of steak. "Oh, but you should've seen the little kids. They were so cute. Used to being outdoors. Just a dream to work with." I took a bite of the juicy meat. "I hope my kids are that well-behaved," I added.
"Ha! Knowing this one," he pointed at a silent Drew, "they'll be a bunch of terrors. Did his mom tell you about the time he set his neighbor's letterbox on fire? He damn near called the cops."
Drew's lips twitched, his first sign of life all dinner. But still he remained silent. He hadn't even asked me how my shoot went on Saturday, something he always did. I could see the question in Sene's eyes. The furrowed brow and the worried glances he tossed between us. I kept a brave smile on, even though my heart was starting to fracture under the weight of my performance.
When Sene had complimented me on some teaser photos he'd seen on social media of the Miller family, I was more than happy to fill the awkwardness by gushing about the project. I loved weddings, but there was something magical about family shoots. I loved seeing their dynamic and the big little personalities of the kids. Even the grumpy ones who refused to cooperate
Sene's brow waggled, a teasing grin on his face. "So when are you two gonna have one of those little terrors? You'd make a great mom, Frankie."
I smiled, my heart lurching at the thought. But then my eyes fell to Drew, who had stopped eating altogether; his mouth set in a firm line. Sene's eyes flicked between us before widening in comprehension. "Wait, you're not…" He gestured to my stomach, misreading our silence.
Drew slid his chair back abruptly. "I gotta piss," he crudely announced before stomping off.
The silent awkwardness my husband left behind was palpable. “What was that all about? Are you two okay?"
"It’s nothing," I assured, my tone low and flat. "We just had an argument. Not a huge one." But one that's lasted for a while now. But Sene didn't need to know that.
"Fuck. I knew something felt off." He ran a hand over his shaved head. "Well, no doubt he's to blame," he joked, attempting to lighten the mood. "Tell him to snap outta it. Can't have my favorite couple fighting."
"How many couples do you know?"
"Just you two, so I can't have you bailing. Don't tell Drew, but you're kinda the glue holding us together."
I giggled. Sene never wavered from being the joker of the group. He and Drew had met on their second day of college and remained firm pals ever since. I was the third wheel in the bromance, but Sene had always treated me like one of his best friends. He was definitely one of mine. He also got along with my other bestie, Nellie. The four of us often met up for drinks. When was the last time we’d done that?
When Drew and I arrived home after a dinner that had limped along, the mood between us was still fraught with an awkward tension that had only grown. What the hell was his problem? Where had the loving husband who helped me with dinner last night before fucking me into the mattress gone? I wanted him back.
Drew's phone beeped again, and I finally broke the silence. His fucking phone had been going off in the car ride, and I couldn't take the sound anymore.
"Who is that?" I already knew.
"It's no one." He pocketed his phone.
"It's Carly again, isn't it?"
"So what?"
My eyes bulged. "What did you say?"
"So what if it is?" He opened his drawer and rummaged around for a clean shirt. He slammed it shut. "She's a work colleague. We have a New Year's marketing campaign going live in the next few days. She's an account manager, so we're talking about it."
"You're seeing her tomorrow. What is so urgent at nine-thirty at night?"
"Fucking hell." He took his phone out and switched it off. "There. Happy? This jealousy is getting old."
I fought to keep the tears out of my voice. Red hot fury lanced through me at his callous attitude. "It's not jealousy. It's a little respect that the young, hot woman you work with isn't texting my husband day and night. You also saw her on Saturday. At this point, you see her more than you see me."
"Yeah, and I also see Mike and Tony. Are you going to bitch at me about them? Or is it because they're guys, and you're not threatened by them?"
"Fuck you."
He rolled his eyes. "And what about you? Telling Sene we had a fight."
"What was I supposed to do? You were moody all night, and Sene picked up on it. What the fuck is your problem?"
He ripped his shirt off aggressively before sliding a clean one on. This time, his abs didn't distract me. I was too pissed to notice. "I know you want kids, okay?" His voice was harsh and accusatory. "I don't need to hear you mentioning it every five minutes."
"I was making conversation. He asked me a question about the shoot, and I answered it honestly. And so what if I mentioned having kids? I'm thirty fucking two, and things are finally going good for me. You said we could start trying once we were settled in our careers."
He turned to glare at me, his hands on his hips. "And what about a house? We're still saving."
Not this shit again. "We have almost enough for a deposit. More than enough if you'll accept my dad's offer –"
He threw his hands in the air. "Not this again."
I shook my head. 'What is happening? What are we even arguing about?"
Did he want kids? Did he want to buy a house? Did he not think my career was stable enough?
"Forget it." He grabbed his phone. "I'm gonna sleep in the spare room."
Helpless and confused, I watched him leave. What the fuck went wrong with us?