“About what? Beth Walsh? It’s a little late in the day to start rehashing that.”

“I don’t mean Beth.” Jane’s heart beat in her throat. “I mean how you feel about Kristin.”

“What?” Annie didn’t look at Jane, but the guilty note in her voice was unmistakable.

“Come on, Annie. I’m not blind. And not stupid either.”

Annie rubbed her palms on her jeans. She still wasn’t able to face Jane, confirming Jane’s suspicions. If, by any chance, Jane had been barking up the wrong tree, they’d both be laughing away her question by now. The worst that could happen next was Annie trying to deny how she felt about Kristin.

“It’s really nothing.” Annie’s voice had shot up. “You know what it can be like sometimes. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”

“It clearly means something to you.” Jane needed the next sip of her drink.

Annie sighed and, finally, turned to her. “I’m sorry. I don’t really know what to say. All I can say is that it will pass. I’m practically over it.”

“That’s not what it looked like when I saw you talking to her.”

Annie stared at her hands and shook her head. “I can tell you this, though. Whatever I feel for Kristin has nothing on what you felt for Beth. Moreover, there is nothing going on between us. Nothing at all. It’s just a silly thing going on in my head.”

Jane sat up a bit straighter. “It’s because of what happened with Beth that I know how to be understanding about this.” She tried to keep her voice calm, even though it was getting harder by the second. She wanted to shake Annie—as if feelings like that could just be shaken off—and tell her enough already. But emotions didn’t work that way. She knew she had to tread carefully.

“I don’t feel comfortable talking about this with you. You’re my wife. You’re not supposed to have to deal with this.”

Jane huffed out some air. “Of course I have to deal with it. Because I am your wife. Who else is going to deal with it? Don’t tell me you were going to declare your love to Kristin and have her deal with it.” Oh shit. Jane wished she could swallow that last sentence.

“No, of course not. I just didn’t want to burden you with this.”