The sounds of the crackling fireplace and the forest behind my house move around us as I wait for Kevin to start. He’d asked to talk, and I was more than willing. I knew that if he didn’t ask, I was going to.

“Whitney, man.” He finally speaks and when he looks over at me he’s holding a glass of whiskey tightly in his hands. “Of all the people…”

“I know. I know.”

“You don’t though. You couldn’t possibly know what this is like and you won’t until you have a child of your own. A daughter. A sweet, precious little person that you vow to protect with every ounce of you. Then you’ll know this feeling. This feeling of being lied to and betrayed and by someone that you trusted more than anyone. The family we made for ourselves. That’s what Michelle called you. When her parents died, and my mom died and your dad died, we were there. We’ve always been there.” He sniffles. “How could you do this to me? Did our friendship really not mean anything to you?”

“Fuck. That’s not what this is about, Kev. Your friendship means the world to me, it always has.”

“Then how could you touch my daughter!” he screams.

I have nothing but the truth. “I fell in love with her.”

“That first time? Bullshit. That was you getting hard for someone you had no business touching. The forbidden fruit or whatever the fuck.”

“That first time, Kev. I don’t know. It all happened so fast and… I didn’t… I don’t know.”

“Not good enough,” he grits out.

“But it’s all I have. I don’t know why she looked different to me that night. Why I felt attracted to her then when I never had before.” He’s staring down at his whiskey, his hands shaking and I don’t know if it’s out of anger or sadness or both. “I would never do anything to hurt you and Michelle,” I whisper.

“You did.”

“I know and I’m sorry.”

“That’s all you have to say?” He jumps to his feet and part of me wonders if he might attack me again as he begins to pace in front of me like a wild animal ready to charge.