“Calm down,” he was saying when she came close enough to hear. “Calm down…I’m sorry. I really am, but there is an easy solution to this…Kim—Kim, listen to me…I understand, but the reality is I already have a family. I have a wife and three kids. They are my priority…No—no. Did I ever tell you I was going to leave my wife? That’s not true…No, it doesn’t. It doesn’t change anything.”

Lina leaned back against the house, out of sight of Phil, continuing to listen to one side of the conversation. “You’re on your own if you go forward with this. That’s what I’m trying to tell you…Think about the child, Kim. Do you really want to bring a child into this world that isn’t going to have a father?” There was a long pause before he spoke again. “I will meet my legal responsibilities and nothing more. Nothing more! Jesus Christ, why are you being so obstinate? It’s not too late to undo this. If you love me, why are you trying to destroy my life? What? Jesus Christ! I thought you got pregnant in May…Unbelievable…How could you not have known? This isn’t about Lina…If she left me tomorrow—which she isn’t going to do, by the way—I wouldn’t marry you. I will never marry you. Never!”

Lina walked slowly back to the house, pondering the fact her husband was on their patio talking to a woman who was pregnant with his child.

“How often do you talk to her?” Lina asked when Phil entered the bedroom an hour later.

If he was surprised Lina knew about the phone call, his facial expression didn’t reveal it. “More than I’d like, but not often.”

“What did she want? I mean besides you?” Lina roughly tugged back the comforter. “And why is she calling you in the evening when she knows you’re with your family? One of the kids could have overheard you.”

He dragged his hand down the lower part of his face. “She’s going to be at the wedding.”

“The wedding?” They were attending the wedding of one of his associates the following weekend.

“You don’t have to go.”

“Not go? You expect me to let you go without me?”

He sighed. “What do you think I’m going to do, Lina? I’m just trying to protect you. I know you’re going to feel uncomfortable, I—”

“Of course I’m going to feel uncomfortable, but you’re not going alone. How far along is she?”

“Over five months.”

“Five months!” Her gaze swung to him. “That means she got pregnant in the first month you were with her.” And it probably meant he knew the sex of the baby, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask. She didn’t want to know. It would make it all too real.

“What did he say?” Katie asked as she pulled Emma’s phone from her hands. “He’s coming?” Her eyes scanned the text Ryan sent Emma. She’d told Emma to invite Ryan and the band to come to her house for a swim after they finished practice. “Wait, Ryan says he’s coming. How do we know Matt’s coming?”