“Oh.” She pushed her hair back from her forehead as her gaze shifted to the fire. “I gave him until Sunday to pack his things.”

“Have you discussed how you’re going to tell your children? This is going to be traumatic for them. Their world is coming unhinged.”

“I know,” she whispered, shaking her head. “Do we really have to talk about this right now?”

“No, but at some point I think we need to. It’s not something—” He stopped mid-sentence at the sound of banging coming from the front of the house.

“What’s that?” Lina grabbed his hand.

“Someone’s at the door.”

Chapter 29

29

“It’s Phil,” Lina said, the color leaving her face.

“There’s only one way to find out.”

“Wait.” Lina caught up to Nick, clasping his arm as he walked towards the front of the house. “You can’t let him in. He’ll hurt you.”

“He isn’t going to hurt me, Lina. Trust me.”

“You don’t know him. He hates you,” she cried. “Please—let’s just ignore him.”

“He isn’t going anywhere,” he said as the pounding continued. “He probably tracked your phone here.”

“Oh my God.” She pressed her hand to her mouth. Why hadn’t she thought of her phone?

“We’re all adults. It’s going to be fine.” He continued to the foyer and, after a brief look through the peephole, opened the door.

As soon as she saw Phil, standing on the porch in the same dark blue suit he’d left the house in that morning, his hair tousled and his jaw firm, the fear from moments earlier was replaced by rage as she remembered the pictures. “You bastard!” She squeezed past Nick and launched herself at Phil. “How could you?” she cried as she began pummeling him with her fists. “How could you?”

“What the hell? Lina!” Phil easily restrained her by wrapping his arms around her and holding her against his chest. “What happened? What did she do?”

“You took her to Steamboat. You had sex with her in our bed!” she cried.

“Lina,” he began, loosening his hold, “I—”

She managed to slap him across the face before he was again holding her hard against his chest. “Let me go!”

“Let her go,” Nick said.

“You stay the fuck out of this!” Phil exploded, glaring over Lina’s head at Nick. “She is my wife.”

“Let me go, Phil.” She pushed against his chest. “I can’t breathe.”

He loosened his hold, and she took a step back from him.

“I have nothing to say to you,” she said.

“After twenty-five years, I think you do, and I’m not leaving here until you tell me what the fuck is going on.”

“Go look in your robe pocket,” she said. “Go see what she sent me for my birthday.” She turned and began to walk around Nick, but Phil was beside her, gripping her arm.