Finally, I said, “Jeremy, it’s fine....”

He breathed.

“But we’re really going to have to address this because something’s going on.”

“What do you mean?”

I flopped onto our bed. “You’re different. You’re changing in everything and in every way. In our relationship, the way you handle things with the church.”

“I’m not changing, at least not any way out of the normal. People change, we grow. We’re not different, we’re better. Look, I really want to talk to you about this, but uh, I’ve got to get down to the conference. I’m speaking today.”

I frowned. “I thought you were speaking yesterday. I thought that was why you had to miss the meeting.”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I spoke yesterday, but I’m speaking at...a workshop, this morning.”

Was Jeremy stuttering?

“Look, I’ve gotta go, but I promise you we’ll talk about this when I get home.”

“Okay, I’ll see you tonight.”

“No, tomorrow morning.”

My frown deepened. “I thought you were coming back tonight.”

“I never said that. I knew I’d be speaking yesterday and then again today. And I’m going to attend the dinner here tonight.”

“Well we have a dinner tomorrow. Did you forget we’re having dinner with the Douglases?”

“Ah, I did forget,” he said. “But that’s no problem ‘cause I’m going to fly out first thing in the morning and I’ll be there before you get out of bed. I promise, babe. And I love you. I love you so much.”

He hung up before I could tell him the same. Something didn’t feel right about that call. Jeremy stuttering and then what was up with his change of plans?

But then, I paused. Had there really been a change of plans? I squinted, trying to remember what Jeremy had told me. But now that I looked back, he hadn’t told me anything. I’d been so angry when he’d returned to the living room a little less than an hour after our blowup, I hadn’t even acknowledged his presence, not even when he’d kissed my cheek goodbye.

He’d texted when he landed and then texted again to tell me goodnight. I hadn’t responded to either and hadn’t spoken to him all day yesterday.

So maybe this wasn’t a change of plans. Maybe it was just that he hadn’t told me — which was a change in itself.

“Stop it,” I whispered. I didn’t want to be that woman. The one who anticipated the worst. Being away from home and traveling with Dana didn’t automatically mean that was trouble. Jeremy wasn’t like that and I wasn’t going to will him to be. For ten years now, he’d been faithful; it would be crazy for him to change now. Plus, the least attractive woman to a man was a crazy, jealous wife.