Emma's Secret: A Novel

back.”
    Megan closed her eyes, sighed long and deep, and then realized something.
    “The alarm didn’t go off when you came in.”
    “I figured you’d turned off the system when I left.” Peter walked over to the box on the wall by the front door and pushed buttons.
    “No. It was on.” Megan stood behind him and peered over his shoulder.
    Peter glanced at his watch. “Are you sure?” Peter half-turned and leaned forward to kiss Megan on the cheek, but she stepped back.
    “What took you so long this morning?”
    Peter’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before a smile appeared on his face, but it was enough to catch Megan’s notice.
    “It’s hard to say no sometimes.” A sheepish look crossed his face.
    “I thought you had a meeting you couldn’t miss?”
    Peter shifted his feet. “I do. I didn’t think the coffee run would take as long as it did.”
    Megan stepped backward until she stood at the bottom of the stairs. She sat down, pulling her legs up and resting her arms on them. The way Peter’s gaze shifted around the room set her on edge.
    “It’s a five-minute drive there and back. Surely it didn’t take twenty minutes for her to eat a donut?” She thought about all the text messages he’d received but wouldn’t tell her about and the way he’d been so distant lately with her. “Did you meet someone there?”
    “What?” Peter’s body went rigid, and he fisted his hands at his sides. “No, she just wanted to eat her donut. Don’t make it out to be more than it was.” There was an edge to his tone now.
    Megan nodded her head. “Okay.” It was time to drop the subject. “Why don’t you join us at the beach for lunch if you have time after your meeting?”
    Peter’s stance relaxed, and he pulled out his keys from his pocket.
    “That sounds like a good idea. Noon?”
    Megan nodded.
    Peter stepped forward and brushed a kiss across Megan’s lips. “I do love you, you know.”
    “I know,” she whispered.
    She watched him as he walked out the front door and waited for the sound of his vehicle to leave before she stood up. Every time she thought they were going to be okay, something else came up between them, and instead of dealing with it, Megan kept backing down. Why? What happened to the woman who faced things head-on, come hell or high water? Why did she back down now? What was she hoping for?
    No. She wasn’t hoping for anything. She was scared. Scared that Peter would realize their marriage wasn’t worth fighting for. He was willing to walk away once, what if he did it again?

    Peter loosened his tie as he leaned back in his office chair and sighed. He was half-tempted to kick his feet up on the desk and have a nap. He rolled his neck, groaning at the kinks as they popped, and made a mental note to book a chiropractor appointment.
    “You busy?”
    Peter cracked open his eyes to see Sam standing in his doorway.
    “Swamped,” Peter said. He forced a smile onto his face. The last thing he wanted to do right now was talk with Sam, but he beckoned her in with the hook of his finger. “You look like hell.” He didn’t think he’d ever seen her like this. Gone was the put-together woman men normally drooled over, with her skintight shirts and thigh-high skirts. Dark bags hung beneath her eyes, she wore hardly any makeup, and she’d either just climbed out of bed or was about to go to the gym. Except—he peered at his watch—it was too late in the day for that.
    “Thanks for noticing.” Sarcasm dripped from her lips, but Peter ignored it. He was too tired to worry about Sam’s recent emotional roller coaster. He had enough to deal with at home.
    “Did you tell her?” Sam dropped into one of the plush seats in front of Peter’s desk. She leaned back and crossed her legs.
    Peter shook his head.
    “God, you’re stubborn.” Sam gathered her hair together in her hands and quickly pulled it into a ponytail.
    “And you’re too insistent. Lay off.” He growled.
    Of course he was going to tell Megan, but on his terms. Not Samantha’s.
    Sam’s lips tightened until they were a straight line. “I don’t like this. She hates me as it is and thinks there’s something going on between us. I’d prefer to leave on good terms if possible.”
    Peter snorted. “Do you honestly care about how my wife feels about us?” He smirked because he knew the answer even beforethe sly look on Sam’s face appeared. The only one Sam cared about was herself. Up till now,