2

CASEY

This was too good. Scott looked shell-shocked. It was so much better than Casey had dreamed. And the way his voice trembled as he answered the phone, that was the cherry on top.

A year she’d waited, biding her time, knowing it would hit him so much harder if it came on their wedding anniversary. Plus, Scott was useful. He had money. He had a nice house. He had all the things Casey deserved, but she was done pretending to be harmless and pathetic.

“Lauren?”

“Why did you send me this?” Lauren said.

“I… it was a mistake.”

Casey drunk in every inch of him, her husband, the pathetic waste of skin to whom she’d tethered herself for reasons she wouldn’t share with him. Her body was pulsing, sparkling. She felt more alive than she had in a year. She felt like herself; pretending was easier for her than most people, but it was still a chore. She was relieved to be back.

“A mistake?” Lauren said after a pause.

His eyes flitted to Casey, oh-so cautious. He wasn’t a bad-looking man. He was tall and lean and had cutting features. His eyes were a nice shade of blue. But Casey felt nothing for him. Or, rather, she was beginning to feel something, though he wouldn’t like it.

“Scott? You need to talk to me. You can’t send me stuff like that.”

“I meant to send it to Casey.” He groaned. “I swear. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. I opened my texts and clicked your name by accident. I’d never send you something like that.”

“Squirm, squirm, squirm,” Casey whispered.

“Are you sure?” Lauren said. “Because if you’re confused about what we are, what our relationship is, I mean… I’ll have to leave the school. Or you will. I’ve got a partner.”

“I know, I know.” He spoke quickly, sounding like he might start blubbing again. “I promise. I don’t feel that way about you. I’m so embarrassed. Can you please delete the photo and we’ll pretend this never happened?”

“Imagine if you’d sent that to one of the other teachers by mistake. Imagine if you’d sent it to the head.”

“Lauren, please.”

She sighed down the phone. Casey almost wanted to speak up, to thank Lauren for making Scott’s cheeks turn so deliciously pale. “Let’s put it behind us. But if anything like this ever happens again–”

“It won’t.”

“If it does, I’ll have to do something.”

“I understand. I feel like such a moron. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

“I hope so. Let’s not mention this on Monday. Let’s never mention it again. Sound good?”

Scott nodded like an overeager dog. “Yes.”

“See you Monday.”

“Bye.”

Scott slumped on the sofa, letting his head fall back as he stared up at the ceiling. Casey savoured every moment, every hitch in his breath. She imagined she could smell his terror in the air, a scent like sweat. Her body was thrumming with the magnitude of it all; for the first time in over a year, she felt genuinely excited.