“Really?”

Lisa was staring at her again. It really was eerie. “Really. It just felt weird. Which is stupid. Of course she’s dating people—she’s allowed to.” Cora meant it, she really did. “I want her to. I was just…surprised.”

“Why?”

Cora plucked at a loose string on the cushion. The million-dollar question. Why had Frazer dating taken her by such surprise that she’d needed to escape so she could breathe? Why was it Cora was always feeling suffocated wherever she was? “I don’t know… I’m selfish. I’m used to being the only one in her life. I was needy or something.” Cora took a deep breath. “I’m telling Alec tomorrow. And I guess I projected that onto her.”

“You’re telling him tomorrow?”

Relieved to not have to talk about Frazer anymore, Cora nodded. “Yes.”

“About the affair?”

“What?” Cora sputtered for a minute. “No! No. No, no. No. About wanting a divorce.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Really.”

“I…” Lisa considered that for a moment. “What’s your plan?”

That was another million-dollar question. “I have half a plan. I’m talking to my psych tomorrow to, just, get some clarity.”

“What’s your half plan?”

“I’ll tell him and go to a hotel. Then I’ll rent somewhere.”

“You’re going to move out?”

Core picked at a string on the cushion. “Yeah. I need to feel like this will stick. And if he takes his time to leave or has access to where I am… I don’t know; he may make me change my mind.” Which was a horrible thing to admit about herself, that someone could twist her thoughts around and around until she thought she wanted something different than what she’d started with.

“Cora… You’re really doing this?”

“Yes.” Cora really was doing that.

With a nod, Lisa said, “Don’t stay in a hotel. Stay here.”

“I can’t ask that of you.”

“I’m serious. And you’re not asking anything. I’m insisting.”

“Lisa—”

“Would you ever make me stay in a hotel?”

All Cora could do was shake her head.

“Then it’s settled.” Lisa leant back against the couch. “I have a great guest room. And we can drink wine together. Or tea. There’s been a lot of wine lately.”

Swallowing past a lump in her throat, Cora stared at her best friend. “Are you sure?”

“If you ask me that again, I’ll put my terrible scratchy sheets on your bed.”

Cora clutched the cushion closer.

“Thank you, Lisa.”

“Shut up. Like you have to say that.”

Everything felt like it was simultaneously spinning out of control and falling into place.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Monday was D-Day.

Divorce day.

Or more like request-for-divorce day.